President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi began a diplomatic friendship in September ’16 before the U.S. election.  Two weeks ago President al-Sisi visited the White House and both leaders warmly praised the relationship established.

[…] “I fully trust the capabilities of President Trump … he can succeed in so many fields that others cannot. I trust him wholeheartedly.”…

~ Eqyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi

As a gesture of the shift in relationship between the U.S. and Egypt, and at the request of President Trump, President al-Sisi’s administration released two imprisoned aide workers.  They arrived back in the U.S. late last night.

Maintaining a diplomatic approach, President Trump speaks little about the event except to express appreciation for the release.

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The media is downplaying, and in most cases ignoring, the extreme nature of the crisis currently going on in socialist Venezuela under the Maduro regime.  Most of the cries for help are from people begging the international media to cover their plight.

Some of the video and photography are stunning as millions of people take to the streets to protest a collapsing economy and food shortages while being met with tanks, guns and rogue militias hired by the government.

Some of the targeted citizens appear chosen at random.  Some of the citizens are also desperate and fighting back. Warning – These images are graphic and the video feeds are also alarming.  However, the media are barely reporting on any of this, and unfortunately, it looks like things are getting worse:

Officials: at least 12 people killed overnight in Venezuela https://t.co/13BHSpKXSa

— TheLastRefuge (@TheLastRefuge2) April 21, 2017

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — At least 12 people were killed overnight following looting and violence in Venezuela’s capital amid a spiraling political crisis, authorities said Friday. […] Venezuelan social media was ablaze late into the night with grainy cellphone videos of light-armored vehicles plowing down dark streets to control pockets of protesters who set up burning barricades in several neighborhoods.

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In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

President Trump Twitter @POTUS / Vice President Pence Twitter @VP

Sean Spicer Twitter @PressSec

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

This is a well presented and easy to understand video which appears to make a solid case that police munitions were fired by the Berkeley Police Department against Trump supporters, and in support of AntiFA thugs, last weekend.

The video was created by Thomas Wictor who is continuing to assemble more evidence.  WATCH, it is rather stunning to realize what could be happening:

If the video is correct the FBI needs to immediately open an investigation into the use of police munitions against political opponents by Berkeley Police.

https://twitter.com/ThomasWictor/status/855218716044271616

Update: 2nd Video Added: (more…)

Attorney General Jeff Sessions and DHS Secretary John Kelly visited the Southern border today and paused for an interview with Martha MacCallum:

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Almost simultaneously, OMB Director Mick Mulvaney gave an interview to the Associated Press where he outlines the White House priorities for the upcoming ‘bridge budget’ bill. The short-term budget (May through Sept 30th) is needed because congress never passed a budget from 2008 through 2017, and a continuing resolution spending bill expires on April 30th.

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The example today of President Obama stepping in to influence the French election stands as a direct highlight upon the hypocrisy of left-wing progressives (Marxists).

Against a predictable strategy, French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron is promoting a phone call today from former President Obama (Audio Embed Below).

Under Obama’s leadership the U.S. State Department has a long history of working to influence elections in France.  Additionally, as we shared from research into the Ambassador Rivkin Project the left-wing U.S. globalists have considered France to be the fulcrum for their global intentions toward the larger EU.

• Facebook Blocks Le Pen Supporters
• CNN Pushes Narrative of Russia Interfering in France
• WikiLeaks Releases CIA documents of U.S. election efforts in France
• History of State Dept. Charles Rivkin Project

Team Obama including Team Clinton have worked earnestly to carry leverage and influence over France and elected French politicians.  The travelers within Obama’s closest circles have always considered France ideologically aligned to their limo-liberal sensibilities.

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Media are reporting that at least one police officer had been killed and at least two others seriously wounded by two Kalashnikov-wielding gunmen on the Champs Elysees in central Paris tonight.

French authorities have stated the incident was probably a ‘terrorist act’ and the famous venue was on lockdown by 9pm as heavily armed officers flooded the area. Another individual – believed to be the killer – was killed, according to police sources.

Reports suggest ‘at least’ two shooters were involved in the attack which took place as presidential candidates took part in a TV debate nearby before Sunday’s election.

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Following an earlier expansive press briefing by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, President Trump signs a memorandum in the Oval Office to outline launching an investigative trade memorandum on the steel industry.

[Transcript] 12:13 P.M. EDT -THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you very much.  We appreciate everybody for being here.  It’s a historic day for American steel and, most importantly, for American steelworkers.  Thanks, especially, to Secretary Wilbur Ross for helping to lead this critical effort.  We’ve been working on it since I came to office, and long before I came to office.  We’re going to fight for American workers and American-made steel.  And that’s beginning immediately.

For decades, America has lost our jobs and our factories to unfair foreign trade.  And one steel mill after another has been shut down, abandoned, and closed, and we’re going to reverse that.  Other countries have made a living taking advantage of the United States in so many ways, as you know, and I’ve been talking about that for a long time.

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Remember, nothing is ever disconnected – nothing is happening in a vacuum, every administrative action has a specific administrative policy at the effect level of the action.

♦President Trump has promised to rebuild our military assets.  ♦Over the past several decades our big steel manufacturing capacity has dropped.  ♦Today Secretary Ross announces efforts to investigate risks of import steel reliance.  These three things are not disconnected.

[Transcript] 11:10 A.M. EDT – SECRETARY ROSS:  Thank you very much for coming this morning.  Last night, the Department of Commerce initiated an investigation under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.  The technical caption is 19 USC 1862.

What that’s all about is that authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to conduct comprehensive investigations to determine the effects of imports of any particular item into the United States on the security of the country.  This has been invoked a number of times before, most notably in the period of the Arab oil crisis some years ago.

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