2016 Presidential Campaign Blog

Presidential Inaugural Committee Announces Inaugural Parade Participant Lineup

Presidential Inaugural Committee Announces Inaugural Parade Participant Lineup

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) released an initial list of groups who have accepted an invitation to take part in the inaugural parade following the swearing in of President-elect Donald J. Trump and Vice President-elect Michael R. Pence on January 20, 2017. There will be more than 8,000 parade participants representing forty organizations including high school and university marching bands, equestrian corps, first responders, and veterans groups.

“People from every corner of the country have expressed great interest in President-elect Trump’s inauguration and look forward to continuing a salute to our republic that spans more than two centuries,” said PIC CEO Sara Armstrong. “As participants follow in the footsteps of our new president and vice president down Pennsylvania Avenue, they will be adding their names to the long list of Americans who have honored our country by marching in the inaugural parade.”

Those selected to join the inaugural parade are listed below in alphabetical order:
1st Cavalry Division Horse Cavalry Detachment – Fort Hood, Texas
1st Infantry Commanding General’s Mounted Color – Ft. Riley, Kansas
Boone County Elite 4-H Equestrian Drill Team – Burlington, Kentucky
Caisson Platoon, Fort Myer – Fort Myer, Virginia
Cleveland Police Mounted Unit – Cleveland, Ohio
Coastal Florida Police & Fire Pipes & Drums – Palm Coast, Florida
Columbus North High School Band – Columbus, Indiana
Culver Academy Equestrian – Culver, Indiana
First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Fishburne Military School Army JROTC Caissons Battalion - Fishburne, Virginia
Frankfort High School Band – Ridgeley, West Virginia
Franklin Regional High School Panther Marching Band – Murrysville, Pennsylvania
Indianapolis Metro Police Motorcycle Drill Team – Indianapolis, Indiana
Kids Overseas – Richmond Hill, Georgia
Lil Wranglers – College Station, Texas
Marist College Band – Poughkeepsie, New York
Merced County Sheriff’s Posse – Hilmar, California
Michigan Multi-Jurisdictional Mounted Police Drill Team & Color Guard – Ann Arbor, Michigan
Mid America Cowgirls Rodeo Drill Team – New Buffalo, Michigan
Nassau County Firefighters Pipes & Drums – East Meadow, New York
North Carolina Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association – Hillsborough, North Carolina
NYPD Emerald Society Pipes & Drums – East Moriches, New York
Olivet Nazarene University – Bourbonnais, Illinois
Palmetto Ridge High School Band – Naples, Florida
Russellville High School Band – Russellville, Arkansas
Talladega College Band – Talladega, Alabama
Texas State University Strutters – San Marcos, Texas
The Citadel Regimental Band & Pipes and Summerall Guards – Charleston, South Carolina
The Freedom Riders – Kersey, Colorado
Tragedy Assistance Marching Unit – Arlington, Virginia
Tupelo High School Band – Tupelo, Mississippi
University of Tennessee Marching Band – Knoxville, Tennessee
VMI Corps of Cadets – Lexington, Virginia
West Monroe High School Marching Band – West Monroe, Louisiana

American Veterans - National
Boy Scouts of America - National
US Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations - National
Disabled American Veterans - National
US Border Patrol Pipes & Drums – National
Wounded Warriors - National

Moreover, each branch of the United States military will also be represented.

Additional information about the parade, including biographies and parade order will be forthcoming. Further participants may also be announced in the future.

Presidential Inaugural Committee Announces Additional Swearing-In Ceremony Participants

Presidential Inaugural Committee Announces Additional Swearing-In Ceremony Participants

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Presidential Inaugural Committee announced six faith leaders who will participate in the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Michael Pence.

“Since the first inaugural ceremony, our leaders have paid tribute to the blessings of liberty that have been bestowed upon our country and its people,” said PIC Chairman Tom Barrack. “I am pleased to announce that a diverse set of faith leaders will offer readings and prayers at the swearing-in of President-elect Trump and honor the vital role religious faith plays in our multicultural, vibrant nation.”

Those offering readings and giving the invocation at the ceremony are His Eminence Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, Reverend Dr. Samuel Rodriguez of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, and Pastor Paula White of New Destiny Christian Center.

Additionally, Rabbi Marvin Hier, Dean and Founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, Reverend Franklin Graham of Samaritan’s Purse and The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and Bishop Wayne T. Jackson of Great Faith Ministries International will offer readings and give the benediction.

On Saturday, January 21st, the National Prayer Service will be held at Washington National Cathedral and will include representatives of all religious faiths for a time of prayer and fellowship. Further details about this event will be released in the coming weeks.‎

President-Elect Donald J. Trump Appoints Jason D. Greenblatt as Special Representative for International Negotiations

President-Elect Donald J. Trump Appoints Jason D. Greenblatt as Special Representative for International Negotiations

(Palm Beach, FL) - President-elect Donald J. Trump today announced the appointment of Jason D. Greenblatt to serve as Special Representative for International Negotiations.

Mr. Greenblatt currently serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of The Trump Organization where, for the past two decades, he has represented President-elect Trump and his family in diverse legal and business affairs, concentrating on all aspects of domestic and worldwide real estate development and other businesses. In addition, Mr. Greenblatt served as one of the President-elect’s principal advisors on the U.S.-Israel relationship during the campaign.
 
“Jason is one of my closest and most trusted advisors,” said President-elect Trump. “He has a history of negotiating substantial, complex transactions on my behalf, as well as the expertise to bring parties together and build consensus on difficult and sensitive topics. His talents lend themselves perfectly to the role I have asked him to play, assisting on international negotiations of all types, and trade deals around the world.”

“I am deeply grateful and humbled by President-elect Trump’s decision to appoint me to represent the United States in international negotiations. I have known President-elect Trump for two decades and firmly believe that he is a leader with tremendous vision, skill and talent. It is an exceptional honor for me to join President-elect Trump and the incredible team he is assembling as they set out to change the world for the better and Make America Great Again. My philosophy, in both business and in life, is that bringing people together and working to unite, rather than to divide, is the strongest path to success. I truly believe that this approach is one that can yield results for the United States in matters all over the world. I look forward to serving on President-elect Trump’s team, and helping to achieve great outcomes for our country.”

Mr. Greenblatt received his J. D. degree in 1992 from the New York University School of Law.  Following law school, Jason worked for Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson before joining the Trump Organization. Jason is a frequent lecturer and public speaker about a variety of topics. Jason has been an Adjunct Professor of Management at Yeshiva University where he taught a course entitled “Real Estate 101: The Anatomy of a Real Estate Deal." Jason also founded a website whose purpose is to promote bonding between parents and their teens and which is designed to teach teens the importance of giving back to society and other life lessons.

President-Elect Donald J. Trump Appoints Thomas P. Bossert Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism

President-Elect Donald J. Trump Appoints Thomas P. Bossert Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism

(Palm Beach, FL) - President-elect Donald J. Trump today announced his selection of Thomas P. Bossert to serve as Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism. In this position, Mr. Bossert will advise the President on issues related to homeland security, counterterrorism, and cybersecurity, and coordinate the Cabinet's process for formulating and executing policy in these matters.  

The role, performed by a deputy national security advisor in the previous Administration, is being elevated and restored to its independent status alongside the National Security Advisor, a decision that reflects the unwavering commitment President-elect Trump has to the safety and security of the Nation, its people and territory. Mr. Bossert will focus on domestic and transnational security priorities as General Michael Flynn remains steadfastly focused on international security challenges.

“Tom brings enormous depth and breadth of knowledge and experience to protecting the homeland to our senior White House team,” said President-elect Trump. “He has a handle on the complexity of homeland security, counterterrorism, and cybersecurity challenges. He will be an invaluable asset to our Administration.”

"I am grateful for this opportunity, for the faith President-elect Trump has placed in me, and for the chance to serve again in a position of such extraordinary public trust," Mr. Bossert said.  "I am looking forward to working closely with Gen. Flynn as we together help the President-elect advance the interests of the United States and its allies. Further, I also look forward to maintaining a strong, deeply respectful relationship with the governors, mayors, police and fire fighters, emergency managers, EMS professionals, and public health officials that constitute the backbone of our homeland security and our National preparedness."

With regard to cybersecurity, Mr. Bossert additionally noted, "We must work toward cyber doctrine that reflects the wisdom of free markets, private competition and the important but limited role of government in establishing and enforcing the rule of law, honoring the rights of personal property, the benefits of free and fair trade, and the fundamental principles of liberty. The internet is a U.S. invention, it should reflect these U.S. values as it continues to transform the future for all nations and all generations."

Mr. Bossert served in the White House previously as the Deputy Homeland Security Advisor to President George W. Bush. In that capacity, he supported and advised the President on matters of homeland and national security, counterterrorism, cybersecurity and continuity of operations. Mr. Bossert spearheaded efforts to improve civil government operations, co-authored and edited the National Strategy for Homeland Security of 2007, was a principle author of the lessons learned report on the Hurricane Katrina response and was deeply involved in the effort to develop the U.S. cybersecurity strategy, among others. He also served as Special Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Senior Director for Preparedness Policy. He was Director of Infrastructure Protection Policy prior to that.

Since 2009, Mr. Bossert has run his own independent homeland and national security consulting business and served as a Senior Cybersecurity Fellow at the U.S. Atlantic Council. Mr. Bossert held other positions in federal government, including positions with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Small Business Administration, the Office of the Independent Counsel and the U.S. House of Representatives.

Frances F. Townsend, former Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Advisor to President George W. Bush, applauded the selection, saying "I have every confidence that Tom will continue to demonstrate the capacity and insight needed to take on the tough challenges facing the country."  

Kenneth L. Wainstein, former FBI General Counsel, Assistant Attorney General, and Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Advisor also praised the selection. “Tom Bossert is a dedicated public servant and proven national security professional with significant hands-on experience navigating through security crises and challenges.  With his background, Tom is uniquely suited to coordinate the government's homeland security apparatus, and I applaud the President-elect for selecting Tom for this critical White House position," said Wainstein.

Mr. Bossert received a J.D. from the George Washington University Law School and a B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh.

President-Elect Donald J. Trump Names Sean Spicer, Hope Hicks, Jason Miller and Dan Scavino to Senior Communications Team

President-Elect Donald J. Trump Names Sean Spicer, Hope Hicks, Jason Miller and Dan Scavino to Senior Communications Team

(Palm Beach, FL) - President-elect Donald J. Trump today announced the senior members of his  communications team.   

The President-elect named Sean Spicer Assistant to the President and Press Secretary, Hope Hicks Assistant to the President and Director of Strategic Communications, Jason Miller Assistant to the President and Director of Communications, and Dan Scavino Assistant to the President and Director of Social Media.

“Sean, Hope, Jason and Dan have been key members of my team during the campaign and transition. I am excited they will be leading the team that will communicate my agenda that will Make America Great Again,” said President-elect Trump.

President-Elect Donald J. Trump Names Kellyanne Conway Counselor to the President

President-Elect Donald J. Trump Names Kellyanne Conway Counselor to the President

(Palm Beach, FL) - President-elect Donald J. Trump today announced his selection of Kellyanne Conway to serve as Counselor to the President. Conway has been serving as a senior member of the President-elect's transition team and previously served as the campaign manager of his successful run for the presidency.

In her position, Conway will continue her role as a close advisor to the president and will work with senior leadership to effectively message and execute the Administration's legislative priorities and actions.  

"Kellyanne Conway has been a trusted advisor and strategist who played a crucial role in my victory.  She is a tireless and tenacious advocate of my agenda and has amazing insights on how to effectively communicate our message. I am pleased that she will be part of my senior team in the West Wing," said President-elect Trump.  

President-elect Trump's victory on November 8th also shattered the glass ceiling for women. Conway is the first female campaign manager of either major party to win a presidential general election.   

"I want to thank the President-elect for this amazing opportunity.  A Trump presidency will bring real change to Washington and to Americans across this great nation. I am humbled and honored to play a role in helping transform the movement he has led into a real agenda of action and results,' said Conway.

Conway graduated magna cum laude from Trinity College (Washington, DC) and holds a J.D. with honors from George Washington University Law School.  She is the founder and owner of The Polling Company, inc./WomanTrend, a polling and research firm that for 21 years has served leading political figures, nonprofits and companies.

President-Elect Donald J. Trump Names Carl Icahn Special Advisor to the President on Regulatory Reform

President-Elect Donald J. Trump Names Carl Icahn Special Advisor to the President on Regulatory Reform

(New York, NY)—  President-elect Donald J. Trump today announced that Carl Icahn has agreed to serve as a special advisor to the President on issues relating to regulatory reform.
 
Over the course of six decades, Mr. Icahn has distinguished himself as one of America’s most successful businessmen and investors. Mr. Icahn was one of President-elect Trump’s earliest supporters, and his intimate knowledge of what businesses need to grow and thrive makes him a trusted voice in developing President-elect Trump’s America First economic agenda. Icahn will be a leader in helping American entrepreneurs shed job-killing regulations that stifle economic growth.
 
"Carl was with me from the beginning and with his being one of the world’s great businessmen, that was something I truly appreciated," said President-elect Trump. "He is not only a brilliant negotiator, but also someone who is innately able to predict the future especially having to do with finances and economies. His help on the strangling regulations that our country is faced with will be invaluable.”
 
“I am proud to serve President-elect Trump as a special advisor on regulatory reform,” said Mr. Icahn. “Under President Obama, America’s business owners have been crippled by over $1 trillion in new regulations and over 750 billion hours dealing with paperwork. It’s time to break free of excessive regulation and let our entrepreneurs do what they do best: create jobs and support communities. President-elect Trump is serious about helping American families, and regulatory reform will be a critical component of making America work again.”
 
Mr. Icahn is a New York City native and grew up in Far Rockaway, Queens. After receiving a degree in philosophy from Princeton University in 1957, he attended medical school at New York University and then joined the Army. Carl began his career on Wall Street in 1961. In 1968, he formed Icahn & Co., and has gone on to become one of the most well-known and influential investors in America, holding substantial or controlling positions in numerous American companies over the years, including RJR Nabisco, Texaco, Philips Petroleum, Western Union, Gulf & Western, Viacom, Revlon, Time Warner, Motorola, Chesapeake Energy, Dell, Netflix, Apple, and eBay. His efforts have improved the competitiveness of American companies in a wide range of industries, including real estate, telecommunications, transportation, industrial services, oil refining and manufacturing.
 
Carl has been deeply involved in many charitable endeavors for years. In 2012, in recognition of Carl’s gift of $200 million, the Mount Sinai School of Medicine was renamed the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Institute of Genomics was renamed the Icahn Genomics Institute. The School of Medicine also established the Icahn Scholars Program to attract world-class physician-scientists. He also funded the Icahn Medical Institute Building at Mount Sinai Hospital and the Institute of Genomics, a genomics and multi-scale biology research program. Carl serves as a trustee on the boards of the School of Medicine and Mount Sinai Hospital.
 
In the realm of education, Carl established seven Icahn Charter Schools in The Bronx borough of New York City. The mission of the schools is based on the belief that all students deserve a rigorous academic program through which they will increase their capacity to learn. At Choate Rosemary Hall, a premiere boarding school located in Wallingford, Connecticut, where he previously served on the board of trustees, he endowed the Icahn Scholars Program, which has awarded a large number of scholarships to underprivileged students.
 
Carl has also made significant donations to the Randall’s Island Sports Foundation, where he previously served as a trustee, for the construction of Icahn Stadium, a track and field stadium located on Randall’s Island. In addition, he has served as a trustee on the board of Lincoln Center.
 
Carl Icahn will be advising the President in his individual capacity and will not be serving as a federal employee or a Special Government Employee and will not have any specific duties.

President-Elect Donald J. Trump Appoints Dr. Peter Navarro to Head the White House National Trade Council

President-Elect Donald J. Trump Appoints Dr. Peter Navarro to Head the White House National Trade Council

(New York, NY)—  President-elect Donald J. Trump today announced the formation of the White House National Trade Council (NTC) and his selection of Dr. Peter Navarro to serve as Assistant to the President and Director of Trade and Industrial Policy.  

The formation of the National Trade Council further demonstrates the President-elect's determination to make American manufacturing great again and to provide every American the opportunity to work in a decent job at a decent wage. Navarro is a visionary economist and will develop trade policies that shrink our trade deficit, expand our growth, and help stop the exodus of jobs from our shores.

The mission of the National Trade Council will be to advise the President on innovative strategies in trade negotiations, coordinate with other agencies to assess U.S. manufacturing capabilities and the defense industrial base, and help match unemployed American workers with new opportunities in the skilled manufacturing sector. The National Trade Council will also lead the Buy America, Hire America program to ensure the President-elect’s promise is fulfilled in government procurement and projects ranging from infrastructure to national defense.
 
The National Trade Council will work collaboratively and synergistically with the National Security Council, the National Economic Council, and the Domestic Policy Council to fulfill the President’s vision of peace and prosperity through military and economic strength. For the first time, there will be a council within the White House that puts American manufacturing and American workers first, and that thinks strategically about the health of America’s defense industrial base and the role of trade and manufacturing in national security.

As a Harvard Ph.D. economist and UC-Irvine professor, Navarro has been instrumental in challenging the prevailing Washington orthodoxy on so-called free trade.

“I read one of Peter’s books on America’s trade problems years ago and was impressed by the clarity of his arguments and thoroughness of his research," said President-elect Trump. "He has presciently documented the harms inflicted by globalism on American workers, and laid out a path forward to restore our middle class. He will fulfill an essential role in my administration as a trade advisor."

During the campaign, Navarro, together with Commerce Secretary-designee Wilbur Ross, worked to develop and communicate the trade and economic agenda of the President-elect and a new vision to bring back America's manufacturing wealth.

“Peter Navarro is the best person President-elect Donald Trump could have chosen to head his National Trade Council," said Ross. "We were a great team during the campaign, and we will be a great team during the Administration.”

“I am deeply honored for the opportunity to serve the President-elect and this nation and to advise on policies to rebalance our trade, rebuild our industrial base, and restore America’s comprehensive national power by making America great again,” said Navarro

Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) Unveils Inaugural Schedule of Events

Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) Unveils Inaugural Schedule of Events

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) released the schedule of official events for the 58th Presidential Inauguration. The official portion of the inaugural will begin with the President-elect and Vice President-elect laying a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery, continue with a welcome concert on Thursday, January 19th, and end with the National Prayer Service on Saturday, January 21st. The inaugural will carry the message of President-elect Trump’s historic campaign, “Make America Great Again!”

“President-elect Trump is committed to unifying our country as we once again celebrate the foundation of our American system and the peaceful transfer of power,” said PIC Chairman Tom Barrack. “The 2017 inaugural celebrations will reflect President-elect Trump’s eagerness to get to work in order to make our country safer and stronger.”

The Committee also released an extensive schedule of inaugural events to be held over a five day span starting Tuesday, including several dinners honoring the President-elect, Vice-President-elect, and cabinet secretaries, a concert celebrating the American people, the swearing-in, the inaugural parade, two inaugural balls and a ball saluting our armed forces and first responders.

Many of the ticketed events will be available to the general public, and information can be found at the PIC website at www.58pic2017.org for those interested in obtaining tickets. Media credentialing information for inaugural events is available at https://www.58pic2017.org/press.

Members of the media and the public will be notified of any updates and/or changes to the schedule of events.

58th Presidential Inaugural Schedule of Events

Thursday, January 19, 2017

Wreath Laying Ceremony

Arlington National Cemetery

Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration

Lincoln Memorial

Ticket required for special viewing areas.

No ticket required for general public viewing areas.

Friday, January 20, 2017

Inaugural Swearing-in Ceremony

US Capitol

Inaugural Parade

Pennsylvania Avenue

Ticket required for special viewing areas.

No ticket required for general public viewing areas.

Inaugural Balls

Ticket required – limited availability.

Saturday, January 21, 2017

National Prayer Service

Washington National Cathedral

Statement from President-Elect Donald J. Trump on Electoral College Victory

Statement from President-Elect Donald J. Trump

(New York, NY)—  "Today marks a historic electoral landslide victory in our nation's democracy. I thank the American people for their overwhelming vote to elect me as their next President of the United States. The official votes cast by the Electoral College exceeded the 270 required to secure the presidency by a very large margin, far greater than ever anticipated by the media. This election represents a movement that millions of hard working men and women all across the country stood behind and made possible. With this historic step we can look forward to the bright future ahead. I will work hard to unite our country and be the President of all Americans. Together, we will make America great again.”