Highlights. Hi, mark. Reporter alicia, it was quite the celebration last night as the president and first lady welcomed hundreds of guests to the south lawn for the salute to america event. This years event felt a little different because of the coronavirus pandemic. The president and the first lady welcoming the guests including a handful of doctors and nurses, first responders, guests they were not required to wear masks but many people did. I was surprised at how many did. Over concerns about coronavirus. The president addressed the countrys battle with the virus directly during his remarks. And weve made a lot of progress, our strategy is moving along well. It goes out in one area and rears back its ugly face in another area. But weve learned a lot. Weve learned how to put out the flames. Reporter meantime interest, the Health Crisis to the economic crisis, theres a lot of questions about what the next potential stimulus bill would look like. The president said he supports a direct
Leland gillian, nice to be with you as well. The suffering in louisiana, the southern part of the state, its unimaginable for most of us at home with air conditioning and watching television. Im leland vittert. The president will touchdown first in lake charles. Well take a look at damage hes going to see. Woo we head to the white house where the president just left. Hi, david. Hi, leland. Its been a difficult day for people in louisiana and east texas. And the president of the United States should be the comforter in chief. Thats a role that he will take on today as he meets with people in louisiana and texas. Hes in the air right now as gillian said, should be landing at some point in the next hour and a half, two hours, depending how much time he makes up in the air. The president did not stop for cameras as he got on air force one at joint base andrews. Sometimes he comes over, but not the case today. Hell makes comments on the ground in louisiana and texas. One of the hardest hit
Were hearing from a source, they told rich edson that mike pompeo, the secretary of state himself went to President Trump and said you need to fire this guy, steve linick. We found out late last night that he would be dismissed in 30 days. An obama era employee who briefed on ukraine last fall. The white house not commenting why the president did this. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi put out a lengthy statement about the friday night firing. Its concerning that the president has taken the action as the house passes the heroes act, which contains critical funding for the state department ig to oversee and ensure the effective wise spending of Coronavirus Response funds. This firing will set back the important work of the office of Inspector General to perform critical audits, investigations and inspection of u. S. Embassies and programs around the world during the crisis. Kristin, this is interesting, this is from the chairman of the Foreign Relations committee eliot engel. Ive learned that
Of reopening. Mark meredith is at the white house with more. Reporter the white house is praising americas efforts to combat the coronavirus. The Administration Says its glad to see what people have been doing to maintain social distance. There are still concerns that people may tune out Vital Information during this holiday weekend. Its very important for governors and communities to let people know where there is still high levels of virus, like it is here in washington, d. C. , in chicago, and in la. And to really ensure that those with vulnerabilities are protected. Reporter all weekend long weve seen those videos of americans packing beaches coast to coast. Now we learned that the president s own Campaign Hopes to capitalize on that by flying banners at at least eight beaches. The Campaign Says today it plans to fly banners over galveston, texas, pensacola, Virginia Beach and the south jersey shore. There is still no word on when the president may host a Campaign Rally or event of
So good to be with you this afternoon. Welcome to americas news headquarters, im eboni williams. Leland hope youre having a great saturday. Im leland vittert. Investigators in california still dont know why a former soldier opened fire, killing three at a home for veterans. Adam housley in yountville, california in the nap p p nappy napa valley. The building was rented by the Group Pathway home. It housed veterans with extreme ptsd. We had been here to highlight the program and subsequent highlights, a movie thank you for your service that showed this program and a smithsonian, as well. And unfortunately a man who used to be a part of the program came here 10 30 opening fire, killing himself. As part of this program, we knew two of them, we most recently talked a couple of months ago about coming up and doing a followup here, jennifer golick, a clinical director. Christine lobar was 48 years old. The executive director. Jennifer gonzalez, 29 years old a clinical psychologist. The three