Trump's Tariff Announcement on Track for This Week
U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement on steel and aluminum tariffs is on track to come by the end of this week, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters on Wednesday. Trump is also seeking to sign a presidential proclamation on Thursday in an effort to set his tariff plan in motion, Axios media outlet reported separately, citing two senior administration officials. Reporting by Susan Heavey
US DOT Chief: Weighing All Options to Fund Infrastructure
The Trump administration is weighing a range of options to fund public infrastructure projects, including private-sector investments and a higher tax on gasoline, U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said on Tuesday. Trump will donate his quarterly salary to the Transportation Department to help fund infrastructure projects, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said at a daily White House news briefing. (Reporting by Steve Holland, Lisa Lambert and Mohammad Zargham; Writing by Susan Heavey; Editing by Leslie Adler)
U.S. Army General to Lead to Puerto Rico Recovery Effort
The Pentagon named a senior general to command military relief operations in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico on Thursday and the Trump administration sent a Cabinet emissary to the island as U.S. lawmakers called for a more robust response to the crisis. The U.S. territory of 3.4 million people struggled through a ninth day with virtually no electricity, patchy communications and shortages of fuel, clean water and other essentials in the wake of Hurricane Maria, the most powerful storm to hit the island in nearly 90 years. The storm struck on Sept. 20 with lethal, roof-ripping force and torrential rains that caused widespread flooding and heavily damaged homes, roads and other infrastructure. The storm killed more than 30 people across the Caribbean, including at least 16 in Puerto Rico.
Trump Waives Jones Act for Puerto Rico Relief
President Trump has waived shipping restrictions for Puerto Rico on Thursday at request of the island's governor Ricardo Rosselló and after an outcry from Congress about the scarcity of fuel, food and emergency supplies following Hurricane Maria. "At @ricardorossello request, @POTUS has authorized the Jones Act be waived for Puerto Rico. It will go into effect immediately," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted this morning. The Jones Act – which limits shipping between U.S. ports exclusively to U.S.
