Secretary Pompeo to Deliver Remarks to the Media in the Press Briefing Room

4 Aug

Office of the Spokesperson

Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo will deliver remarks to the media tomorrow, Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. in the Press Briefing Room at the Department of State.

Out of an abundance of caution and in order to practice safe social distancing practices, the Secretary’s remarks to the media will be pooled press coverage only.

Media representatives may call into the briefing beginning at 10:00 a.m. Dial-in information is as follows and we encourage calling from a landline, if possible:

  • Toll Free (U.S.): 844-721-7239
  • Access Code: 9072957
  • Conference Name: Department of State Aug 5 Briefing
  • Reporters who wish to pose a question to Secretary Pompeo should get in queue prior to the briefing start time by dialing 10 on their telephone keypad.

The event will be streamed live on www.state.gov.

For further information, please contact the Office of Press Relations at (202) 647-2492 or PAPressDuty@state.gov.

 

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Trump on Coronavirus Deaths: ‘It Is What It Is’

4 Aug

Trump continues to downplay the coronavirus and still has no plan to control its spread, even as cases surge and our nation’s top public health experts warn that the pandemic has entered a “new phase.”

Trump said that more than 1,000 Americans dying a day “is what it is” and falsely claimed that the pandemic is “under control.”

TRUMP: “They are dying. That’s true. It is what it is.”

TRUMP: “It’s under control as much as you can control it.”

Trump incoherently said “read the manuals, read the books” after claiming that people say you can test too much.

TRUMP: “There are those that say you can test too much, you do know that.”

SWAN: “Who says that?”

TRUMP: “Oh, just read the manuals. Read the books.”

Earlier in the day, Trump and Pence both tried to spin their failures and downplay the virus by claiming we were making progress.

Associated Press’s Michael Tackett: “Trump said there are ‘very encouraging’ signs that the ‘virus is receding’”

CNN: “Forever spinning their failure in handling the crisis, Trump and Vice President Mike Pence on Monday made selective claims of ‘significant’ advances and ‘very encouraging’ signs and celebrated ‘plateauing’ cases in sunbelt areas that might have escaped their disasters by ignoring the President’s advice.”

Meanwhile, Trump still has no plan to contain the virus and Dr. Fauci reiterated Dr. Birx’s warning that the pandemic is in a “new phase.”

CNN: “No signs Trump has a plan as experts say the pandemic enters new phase”

Washington Post: “Anthony S. Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, defended and amplified Deborah Birx’s statements about what she characterized as a ‘new phase’ of the pandemic in the United States. Speaking to reporters Monday, Fauci said that the kind of spread some states are experiencing is extremely difficult to contain. ‘When you have community spread it’s insidious, there are people who are spreading it who have no symptoms at all … It’s difficult to do identification, isolation and contact tracing,’ Fauci said.”

The post Trump on Coronavirus Deaths: ‘It Is What It Is’ appeared first on Democrats.

DNC on Trump’s Axios Interview

4 Aug

In response to Trump’s “Axios on HBO” interview last night, DNC War Room senior spokesperson and advisor Lily Adams released the following statement:

“Trump’s disastrous interview would be laughable if the stakes weren’t so high. More than 155,000 Americans have died, over 4.7 million have been infected, and we are in the sharpest economic downturn on record, and Trump says ‘it is what it is.’ But it didn’t have to be this way. While Trump continues to downplay the crisis, ignore the experts, and incoherently ramble through misinformation, coronavirus cases are skyrocketing and the economy is spiraling because of his failed response.”

The post DNC on Trump’s Axios Interview appeared first on Democrats.

On the Chinese Communist Party’s Extra-Territorial Authoritarianism

4 Aug

Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State

The Chinese Communist Party cannot tolerate the free thinking of its own people, and increasingly is trying to extend its reach outside China’s borders. In the latest example, Chinese authorities have reportedly issued arrest warrants for six pro-democracy advocates resident outside of China, including a U.S. citizen. The United States and other free nations will continue to protect our peoples from the long arm of Beijing’s authoritarianism.

 

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On the Chinese Communist Party’s Extra-Territorial Authoritarianism

4 Aug

Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State

The Chinese Communist Party cannot tolerate the free thinking of its own people, and increasingly is trying to extend its reach outside China’s borders. In the latest example, Chinese authorities have reportedly issued arrest warrants for six pro-democracy advocates resident outside of China, including a U.S. citizen. The United States and other free nations will continue to protect our peoples from the long arm of Beijing’s authoritarianism.

 

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Secretary Pompeo’s Call with Singaporean Foreign Minister Balakrishnan

4 Aug

Office of the Spokesperson

The following is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Cale Brown:

Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke today with Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. Secretary Pompeo reiterated U.S. support for Southeast Asian states upholding their sovereign rights and interests under international law, and he underscored U.S. opposition to PRC efforts to use coercion to push its unlawful South China Sea maritime claims. Secretary Pompeo and Foreign Minister Balakrishnan also discussed the importance of our longstanding partnership and ways to expand our cooperation further, including in ASEAN and its related fora.

 

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Secretary Pompeo’s Call with Singaporean Foreign Minister Balakrishnan

4 Aug

Office of the Spokesperson

The following is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Cale Brown:

Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke today with Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. Secretary Pompeo reiterated U.S. support for Southeast Asian states upholding their sovereign rights and interests under international law, and he underscored U.S. opposition to PRC efforts to use coercion to push its unlawful South China Sea maritime claims. Secretary Pompeo and Foreign Minister Balakrishnan also discussed the importance of our longstanding partnership and ways to expand our cooperation further, including in ASEAN and its related fora.

 

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Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

4 Aug

Adopted 21 years ago, the Convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labour reached universal ratification, with Tonga depositing its instruments.  The International Labour Organization estimates there are 152 million children in child labour and warns that COVID-19 could cause a spike in such practices for the first time in 20 years, unless action is taken.