CATEGORY: Speeches


Statement by the Press Secretary on the President’s Travel to Germany

In late April, President Obama will travel to Germany to participate in the Hannover Messe – the world’s largest trade show for industrial technology – and to meet Chancellor Angela Merkel. Founded in 1947, the Hannover Messe attracts approximately 6,500 exhibitors and 200,000 visitors from across the globe each year. The President’s participation – a first for a sitting U.S. President –... [Read more]

Statement by the Press Secretary on the U.S.-ASEAN Summit

As the President announced in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last month, he will host leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations next year. The summit will take place at Sunnylands in Rancho Mirage, California on February 15-16, 2016.  This unprecedented gathering – the first hosted by the United States with the ASEAN leaders — builds on the deeper partnership that the United States has... [Read more]

Statement by National Security Council Spokesperson Ned Price on the Arrest of Journalists in Ethiopia

Having welcomed developments in Ethiopia earlier this year–including the release of several detained bloggers–that suggested increased protections for the fundamental right of free expression, we are deeply concerned by the recent arrests of other journalists in Ethiopia. We continue to urge the Ethiopian Government to build on earlier developments by strengthening free speech protections... [Read more]

The President says that Trump is “exploiting” Americans

Obama’s wide ranging interview at the end of December 2015 with NPR covered a number of topics, which included his strategy for fighting ISIS, the elections, the climate in Paris and the legacy he leaves behind. He stated that Donald Trump was “exploiting” the American people. He said that the changing economy together with shifting demographics have caused uncertainty among some parts of the... [Read more]

Statement by the Press Secretary on the Visit of President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia to the White House

On Thursday, February 4, 2016, the President will welcome President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia to the White House for an official working visit.  The leaders will hold a bilateral meeting and a commemoration of 15 years of bipartisan cooperation through Plan Colombia, the joint effort to create a safer, more prosperous future for Colombians.  The visit will present an opportunity to celebrate... [Read more]

Obama speaks at climate summit

The president was one of the guests who gave a speech at the COP21 conference to outline his vision of the future of the planet. The summit saw 147 speakers from a number of nations. Each guest was given a 3 minute slot to put across their ideas. The president however surpassed his time allotment and continued talking even after 8 minutes. Although organizers “beeped” the president every 30 seconds... [Read more]

Statement by National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice on the Republic of Korea-Japan Agreement on “Comfort Women”

The United States congratulates the Governments of Japan and the Republic of Korea on reaching an agreement, which they have made clear “finally and irreversibly” addresses the tragic treatment of “comfort women” during World War II.  We support this agreement and its full implementation, and believe this comprehensive resolution is an important gesture of healing and reconciliation... [Read more]

Statement by the Press Secretary on the Official Visit of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

President Obama and the First Lady will welcome Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada and his wife, Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau, to the White House for an Official Visit with a State Dinner on Thursday, March 10, 2016.  The visit will be an opportunity for the United States and Canada to deepen their bilateral relationship, which is one of the closest and most extensive in the world and is based on... [Read more]

Statement by the Press Secretary on H.R. 1321, S. 2425

On Monday, December 28, 2015, the President signed into law: H.R. 1321, the “Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015,” which prohibits the manufacture and introduction into interstate commerce of rinse-off cosmetics containing intentionally-added plastic microbeads; and S. 2425, the “Patient Access and Medicare Protection Act,” which makes changes to Medicare payments for certain complex rehabilitation... [Read more]

Remarks by the President to Servicemembers

Marine Corps Base Hawaii – Kaneohe Bay 4:32 P.M. HAST      THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, everybody!  Merry Christmas!  Mele Kalikimaka!  Happy New Year!  Happy Hanukkah!  We just want to — hope you guys are having a great holiday.  And it is wonderful to see all of you.      This is one of our favorite things to do every single year, because not only are we in Hawaii for Christmas,... [Read more]

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