BREAKING: Trump plans to order meat processing plants to STAY OPEN, declaring them critical infrastructure under Defense Production Act. Order meant to stave off shortage of beef, chicken, eggs, pork. Plant closures could have shut down as much as 80% of capacity, source says.
BREAKING NEWS: Trump executive order will mandate various meat/egg processing plants stay open. Trump had signaled in Oval minutes ago he'd sign an EO today aimed at Tyson Foods's liability. The order, though, will not be limited to Tyson, I'm told.
WH working with Labor Dept on safety guidance for meat processing plant workers, I’m told. Admin may recommend workers most at risk for coronavirus, such as those with underlying conditions, stay home. Admin trying to make sure workers have face shields, masks, access to tests.
BREAKING: Trump has signed the EO mandating meat processing plants stay open, two sources tell me.
Trump uses Defense Production Act to ensure “processors of beef, pork, and poultry in the food supply chain continue operating and fulfilling orders.”
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National Security Council meeting called for Sunday, as White House in statement again says Russia “could launch an attack against Ukraine at any time.”
POTUS was briefed today on the @VP’s meetings here in Munich with Ukraine, EU, NATO, Baltic states, Germany, Greece.
When a POTUS convenes an NSC meeting, it usually includes VP; secretaries of State, Treas, Defense, Energy, DHS; AG; WH counsel; chief of staff. Can include top military, intel officials.
Such a mtg can be to help a president make a decision in advance of significant operations.
VP Harris will participate in this NSC meeting today on Ukraine, she tells us.
Biden says the situation with Russia/Ukraine is a rapidly escalating crisis. He says US has reason to believe the Russian forces are planning to attack Ukraine in the coming week, in the coming days. He called some members of Congress today to fill them in.
"As of this moment, I'm convinced he's made the decision. We have reason to believe that," Biden says of Putin. The Russian president has decided to invade Ukraine, @POTUS says at the White House.
"We have a significant intelligence capabilities," Biden says, expressing confidence in the U.S. intel that Putin has decided to invade Ukraine in the coming days.
In Paris, @VP Harris says politics would be better if the attitude were more like the world of science, where ideas are tested, then refined as glitches pop up, and “no one gets beat up about it.”
The @VP again used the "thee" pronunciation for the word "the" when making a point. Some critics have claimed she appeared to adopt "a fake French accent" when she said "the plan" during a tour of a research lab on Tuesday. Today at Paris press conference, she said "the topic."
FWIW, as a reporter in the room for both sets of remarks by the VP, I heard zero French accent in her words.
Breaking: The Supreme Court Commission draft discussion materials are out. "It is an assessment. It is not a recommendation," @presssec said earlier.
NEWS: "We do not believe there is a formal legal obstacle to expansion of the Supreme Court," draft assessment by Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court. "Whether expansion of the Supreme Court ought to be pursued as a prudential matter presents a more difficult question."
Commission discusses pros and cons of Supreme Court expansion—justices could be more diverse by gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, etc, and larger court might be able to decide more cases. "But the risks of court expansion are considerable…” whitehouse.gov/pcscotus/publi…
Both cheers (from Dem side) and boos (from GOP side) as @POTUS introduced at Nationals ballpark at Congressional ballgame.
In the outfield, the GOP congressional players tossed baseballs around as Biden signed balls in the Democratic dugout.
Biden is hanging out in the Democratic dugout for a bit during Congressional baseball game then plans to head to the Republican dugout. He came prepared to hand out ice cream bars to ballplayers from both teams, I’m told.
BIDEN en route to Dover as remains of troops killed in Kabul bombing arrive—Darin Hoover, Johanny Rosariopichardo, Nicole Gee, Hunter Lopez, Daegan Page, Humberto Sanchez, David Espinoza, Jared Schmitz, Rylee McCollum, Dylan Merola, Kareem Nikoui, Maxton Soviak and Ryan Knauss.
Traveling to Dover for dignified transfer of US troops killed in ISIS bombing at Kabul airport are @POTUS and @FLOTUS and several White House aides. President will meet with families.
This is the 1st time that Biden is at Dover Air Force Base as president for a dignified transfer, when flag-draped cases containing the remains of troops arrive in US and are carried off a military plane. He attended at least one as VP.