The following is a timeline of the first presidency of Donald Trump during the second quarter of 2017, from April 1 to June 30, 2017. For a complete itinerary of his travels, see List of presidential trips made by Donald Trump (2017). To navigate between quarters, see timeline of the Donald Trump presidencies. For the Q3 timeline see timeline of the first Trump presidency (2017 Q3).
Overview Economy
Real GDP growth increased at an annual rate of 2.6%, up from a slow 0.7% in the preceding quarter. This was due to a smaller decrease in private inventory investment, an acceleration in PCE, and an upswing in federal government spending. These gains were offset by decreases in exports and fixed investments. On June 30, 2017, the U.S. national debt stood at $19.84 trillion, representing a quarterly decline of approximately 0.01% and a decline of approximately 0.46% since President Trump's inauguration.
Public opinion
According to FiveThirtyEight, President Trump concluded this quarter with an approval rating of 39.9%, representing a quarterly decline of 0.6%, and a decline of 5.6% since his inauguration.
Timeline April 2017
Date Events Photos/videos Saturday, April 1 Vice President Mike Pence delivers a speech in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, remarking on his continuing support for Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch and indicating the campaign to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act remains ongoing. President Trump announces his intent to nominate Mark Green as Secretary of the Army. James Mattis, the Secretary of Defense, visits the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in London. Sunday, April 2 A federal judge rules that before his presidency, Trump may have incited violence at a 2016 rally in Kentucky. Trump remarks in an interview that the United States may take action against North Korea's nuclear missile program independently of China. Trump discusses healthcare reform with Senator Rand Paul and White House budget director Mick Mulvaney at the Trump National Golf Club in Virginia. Jared Kushner travels to Iraq over the weekend with Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Monday, April 3 Trump holds a bilateral meeting with Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the president of Egypt, at the White House, praising his leadership and offering continuing support for Egypt's anti-terrorism measures. Trump speaks by telephone with Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, to offer a message of support following a fatal terrorist bombing on the Saint Petersburg Metro. Trump signs a congressional resolution allowing internet service providers to collect and sell their customers' online usage history with greater ease. He also signs three other bills. Trump orders an end to all US funding for the United Nations Population Fund. Trump signs a memorandum to reform the Military Selective Service Process. Trump proclaims the start of National Crime Victims' Rights Week. Press Secretary Sean Spicer announces the donation of Trump's full quarterly salary ($78,333.32) to the National Park Service, following planned cuts. The Department of the Interior proposes repealing the Consolidated Federal Oil & Gas and Federal & Indian Coal Valuation Reform Rule. John F. Kelly, the Secretary of Homeland Security, meets with Salvadoran Foreign Minister Hugo Martínez and Guillermo Gallegos, the president of the Legislative Assembly. Tuesday, April 4 The Congressional Review Act removes a requirement for employers to collect accurate records on workplace accidents. The Department of Justice orders a review of consent decrees meant to limit police brutality. Trump delivers a speech to North America's Building Trades Unions (NABTU) at the Washington Hilton, reiterating his intention to remove construction regulations and highlighting his approval of the new phase of the Keystone Pipeline. Following a chemical attack in Syria which kills numerous civilians, Trump calls the attack "reprehensible" and criticizes the Obama administration for not doing more to regulate chemical weapons. North Korea launches a medium-range ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan. Rex Tillerson, the US Secretary of State, responds by saying the US has not changed its stance and does not comment further. Reed Cordish, the assistant to the president for intergovernmental and technology initiatives, chairs a meeting at the White House for business leaders, attended by Trump and Pence. Trump directs emergency grazing on Conservation Reserve Program lands located in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, the three states most heavily impacted by ongoing wildfires which began on March 6, 2017. The Department of Labor responds to Trump's February3 memorandum concerning the Fiduciary Duty Rule. The Department of State cuts funding to the UN Population Fund, a fund focused on reproductive health and family planning. The Justice and Labor departments cancel quarterly conference calls with LGBT organizations. Wednesday, April 5 Trump holds a bilateral meeting and joint press conference with King Abdullah II of Jordan at the White House, pledging to assist Jordan in eradicating ISIS and in promoting peace between Israel and Palestine. Trump removes Steve Bannon from his position on the National Security Council. Trump suggests without evidence that Susan Rice, former National Security Advisor, may have committed a crime by seeking the names of the members of her team who may have been incidentally mentioned on the intercepted communications of foreigners. Rice denies the charge. Trump issues a presidential proclamation to honor the memory of John Glenn. Thursday, April 6 Trump orders a missile strike on the Shayrat Air Base in Homs, Syria, using 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles in retaliation for the chemical weapons attack on April4. The strike is the first targeted attack by the US military on Ba'athist Syrian government forces since the war began. Delivering a statement at Mar-a-Lago, Trump declares an intent to protect American national security by deterring the use of chemical weaponry. The Republican Party changes the rules of the Senate in order to confirm Neil Gorsuch, requiring only 51 votes instead of the previous 60. Xi Jinping, the president of China, is met at Palm Beach International Airport by Secretary of State Tillerson. Shortly afterward, he is escorted to Mar-a-Lago where Trump greets him upon arrival prior to a formal dinner. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes recuses himself from the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 elections and is replaced by Mike Conaway, after he is placed under investigation for possibly disclosing classified information without authorization by the House Ethics Committee. The Department of Labor delays the enforcement of OSHA's Crystalline Silica Rule by three months. Ryan Zinke, the Secretary of the Interior, appoints Aurelia Skipwith Giacometto as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and Katharine MacGregor as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management. Trump proclaims April 7 as Education and Sharing Day. Friday, April 7 Trump and Chinese president Xi continue talks during the second day at Mar-a-Lago, concerning trade and North Korea. Xi leaves on schedule later the same day. At an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council in New York City, Nikki Haley, the ambassador to the UN, warns that the US is prepared to take further action in Syria and criticizes Russia and Iran for aiding the regime of Bashar al-Assad, the president of Syria. The Senate confirms Neil Gorsuch as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in a vote of 54–45, presided over by Pence. The Department of Homeland Security orders Twitter to reveal the identity of a user after their account had been critical of Trump and was suspected of working for the government. Trump proclaims April 14 as Pan American Day, April9–15 as Pan American Week and April9 as National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day, 2017. Saturday, April 8 Trump sends a letter of notification to Congress concerning his recent missile strike against Syrian-government forces and indicating the possibility of further action. Trump speaks by telephone with Hwang Kyo-ahn, the acting president of South Korea. Sunday, April 9 Trump issues a statement on Twitter condemning a pair of fatal terrorist bombings in the Egyptian cities of Tanta and Alexandria and expressing his confidence in President Sisi's ability to respond. In an interview with CBS, Secretary of State Tillerson suggests that the US position and that of China on the North Korean nuclear program are growing increasingly aligned. The Trump administration announces that a Navy battle group headed by the aircraft carrier (CVN-70), diverting from plans to visit Australian ports, is moving toward the Korean Peninsula. This statement is later questioned following the publication four days later of photographs of the carrier off the coast of Indonesia en route to the Indian Ocean. K. T. McFarland is asked to step down as Deputy National Security Adviser to become the US Ambassador to Singapore. Monday, April 10 Trump conducts discussions on the ongoing Syrian civil war by telephone with Theresa May, the prime minister of Britain, and Angela Merkel, the chancellor of Germany. Secretary of State Tillerson attends a G7 meeting in Lucca, Italy. Secretary of Energy Perry is in Rome for a G7 Energy ministerial meeting. Elaine Duke is sworn in as deputy secretary for the Department of Homeland Security. Trump attends the swearing in of Neil Gorsuch as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in a Rose Garden ceremony. Tuesday, April 11 The White House accuses Russia of attempting to cover up the Khan Shaykhun chemical attack with the use of disinformation tactics. Meeting with bankers and chief executives, Trump reiterates his pledge to reform or replace the rules imposed on Wall Street following the 2008 financial crisis. Secretary of State Tillerson declares in advance of a visit to Moscow that the rule of the Assad family is ending. Press Secretary Spicer makes a televised apology following controversial remarks made at a White House press briefing concerning Adolf Hitler and the use of chemical weapons. Trump allegedly asks James Comey, the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), to announce that the FBI was not investigating him. Betsy DeVos, the Secretary of Education, formally withdraws a pair of memoranda from the Obama administration which required the office of Federal Student Aid to increase help for Student Loan debtors. Wednesday, April 12 Trump holds a bilateral meeting and joint press conference with Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of NATO, at the White House, responding to perceived structural changes within the organization by retracting his prior accusations of NATO's obsolescence. Secretary of State Tillerson meets Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow. At a joint press conference, they agree to improve their relations with bilateral dialogue. Tillerson later meets with President Putin at the Kremlin. Secretary of Education DeVos rolls back student debt repayment protections. Trump indicates three major economic policy reversals: that he would no longer label China as a currency manipulator, that he no longer wants to eliminate the Import–Export Bank and that he may consider reappointing Janet Yellen as chairwoman of the Federal Reserve. Trump and Budget Director Mulvaney lift the federal hiring freeze. Thursday, April 13 Trump says, "North Korea is a problem. The problem will be taken care of", expressing confidence that Chinese president Xi will solve the problem. Trump issues a tweet stating that if China fails to resolve the issue, the US and its allies will instead.