The Latest: Trump meets with leaders of black colleges
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times local):
6:25 p.m.
President Donald Trump is meeting with the leaders of the nation's historically black colleges and universities at the White House, committing to a partnership between his administration and the schools.
Trump gathered with presidents of the nation's 100-plus HBCUs in the Oval Office on Monday. The college and university leaders then met with Vice President Mike Pence, who said the administration was committed to ensuring HBCUs receive the credit and the attention they deserve.
The university presidents are urging Trump to set aside more federal contracts and grants for their schools and take a greater hand in their welfare by moving responsibility for a key program for those colleges to the White House.
Pence was joined at the meeting by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and White House aide Omarosa Manigault.
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2:50 p.m.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is predicting that the Affordable Care Act will survive as he describes a White House and GOP in disarray.
Schumer says the law, also referred to as "Obamacare," will not be repealed. He says the GOP so far has not been able to "pick off" a single Democratic lawmaker to support repeal.
Schumer is speaking at the National Press Club along with Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., in advance of President Donald Trump's speech Tuesday to a joint session of Congress.
The two leaders of congressional Democrats are trying to depict Trump's first 40 days in office unsuccessful with Schumer saying that the main accomplishment of the president and Republicans is to undo a few regulations that were an "afterthought" of the Obama administration.
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2:05 p.m.
The Department of Defense has presented its preliminary plan to defeat the Islamic State group.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Monday the plan was delivered to the White House by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.
The White House said in a memorandum in January that the Department of Defense would review progress in the fight against the Islamic State group and submit a plan 30 days later with its recommendations moving forward.
The president is expected to address some of the details of that plan in his address to Congress Tuesday.
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1:50 p.m.
The director of the Office of Management and Budget says President Donald Trump's budget "blueprint" will be submitted to Congress on March 16.
Mick Mulvaney told reporters Monday that the full budget will be ready in May. He says the preliminary budget will represent "topline numbers only."
He said that the blueprint prioritizes rebuilding the military, securing the border, enforcing laws currently on the books and taking care of veterans.
Mulvaney says that the preliminary budget also "eliminates programs that simply don't work."
He says that money for the border wall with Mexico will be included "in a future supplemental" budget.
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11:35 a.m.
President Donald Trump says he hasn't called Russia "in 10 years."
Trump's comment came in response to a question from a reporter about whether he would support a special prosecutor to investigate Russia's hacking in the election and potential contacts between his campaign advisers and Russian intelligence agents during the election. The president did not say whether he supported a special prosecutor.
The president has denied knowing that any of his campaign advisers were in contact with Russians during the campaign. He has also denied that he has financial ties or other connections to Russia.
Trump did travel to Russia in 2013 for the Miss Universe pageant.
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10:12
President Donald Trump says in a meeting with governors that his administration will do all that it can to restore the authority of the states.
As he prepares his budget plans, Trump is telling governors in a White House meeting that the country will "do more with less and make the government lean and accountable to the people."
But he is promising them that his budget will increase spending for federal law enforcement, moves that will help the U.S. "fight crime." He says his budget proposal will also keep tax dollars in the U.S. to help veterans and first responders.
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10:11
President Donald Trump says he will have a "big statement" on his plans to rebuild the nation's roads and bridges in his address to Congress on Tuesday night.
Trump is telling the nation's governors in a meeting that he intends to boost spending on infrastructure and notes that the U.S. spends billions of dollars in the Middle East but has potholes all over the country.
The president is also reiterating his plans to repeal the Obamacare law. He says he wants to overhaul the nation's tax system but it's a "tiny little ant" compared to what he has to do with Obamacare.
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10 a.m.
President Donald Trump is meeting with the nation's governors, telling the leaders at the White House that his administration will move quickly to deliver "needed reforms."
The president was meeting with dozens of governors about his plans to repeal and replace the nation's sweeping health care law and other key issues.
Trump says he won't wait a decade to make changes but will have "true collaboration."
Vice President Mike Pence is telling the governors that the Trump administration "will be the best friend" that American governors have ever had.
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9:50 a.m.
President Donald Trump is telling the nation's governors at the White House that he will rebuild the "depleted military." He's promising that he will provide more details on his rebuilding of the military in his Tuesday night address to Congress.
Trump says during a meeting with dozens of governors that he's planning to act quickly to bring reforms to the country and emphasizing his plans for the military.
The president says "we never win — we never win wars" and adds that the Middle East is worse off. He tells the governors, "We have a hornet's nest. It's a mess."
