An update on Hurricane Dorian

The Trump Administration is closely monitoring Hurricane Dorian as the storm makes its way up the Eastern seaboard. As always, the safety of American families remains the top priority for President Donald J. Trump and the Federal Government.

The President asks all residents of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia to follow the instructions of their local officials this week. Yesterday, he announced that at the request of the Government of the Bahamas, the United States is sending additional support to help with ongoing recovery efforts. Both U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection officials are on the ground in the Bahamas now conducting rescue operations. More relief will be provided in the coming days.

Stay prepared: Up-to-date FEMA resources and information on Hurricane Dorian

Video of the day: Ivanka Trump pushes for women’s empowerment in Latin America

This week, Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump is in South America, with visits to Colombia, Argentina, and Paraguay to promote a key White House project. The Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative, or W-GDP, aims to help 50 million women worldwide achieve their full economic potential by 2025.

In Bogota, Colombia, Ms. Trump began her trip by launching the new Academy of Women Entrepreneurs. The first participants of the new initiative were a dynamic group of 40 female leaders, each of whom will have a tremendous impact on their local economies. They embody the very spirit of W-GDP.

The new academy is “designed to equip women with the practical skills they need to create sustainable businesses and to participate more fully in the global economy,” Ms. Trump said. “This is particularly important in Colombia, where women play an increasingly critical role in the country’s economic development and continued transition to peace.”

Yesterday, Ms. Trump met with Venezuelan members of Interim President Juan Guaido’s coalition, reaffirming President Trump’s continued support for the Venezuelan people in their pursuit of democracy and freedom from the Maduro regime. The delegation also spoke with Venezuelan and Colombian migrant women to hear about their collective experiences and struggles. Before departing, Ms. Trump had a major announcement: $120 million in additional assistance from the U.S. will be going to countries in the region that are providing a safe haven for Venezuela’s refugees.

“We stand with the people of Venezuela in their struggle to restore democracy, freedom and rule of law. It was deeply moving to meet female leaders of the Guaido coalition as well as some of the women impacted most by the brutal Maduro dictatorship,” she said.

In photos: Ivanka Trump visits woman-owned organic strawberry farm in Colombia.

More: Ivanka Trump announces $120 million in US aid for displaced Venezuelans

Basketball legend Jerry West receives Medal of Freedom

Today, President Trump presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Jerry Alan West, one of the all-time greatest basketball players and leaders in the game.

Jerry West became known as “Mr. Clutch,” a nickname that was well-earned during his 14 seasons in the NBA—all of them with the Los Angeles Lakers. His career accolades speak for themselves: West made the All-Star team each year he played and led the 1972 Lakers to their first championship in Los Angeles. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame just a few years later.

Off the court, West became a legendary NBA General Manager, credited with building two separate dynasties for his Lakers—once in the 1980s and again in the 2000s.

Watch President Trump honor basketball legend Jerry West in the Oval Office.