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REAL NEWS PRESIDENT TRUMP DOESN'T WANT YOU TO MISS 'I remember your hug': Opioid victim family members thank Trump at WH conference - Fox News Insider At Thursday's White House summit on opioids, President Donald J. Trump joined First Lady Melania Trump to speak with the family members of victims of America's opioid crisis. "The father of victim Andrew Witkoff said he still remembers the embrace then-businessman Trump gave him while Andrew's family was struggling," Fox News Insider reports. ------------------------- Manufacturing in U.S. expands at fastest pace since May 2004 - Bloomberg Markets American factories expanded at the fastest rate since 2004 this February, according to figures from the Institute for Supply Management. The numbers, released Thursday, show that 15 of 18 manufacturing industries indicated growth last month. ------------------------- U.S. consumer confidence rises to highest level since November 2000 - USA Today and The Associated Press According to nonprofit organization The Conference Board, American consumers today are the most confident they have been since 2000. The business research group's index showed that a strong job market is boosting confidence as unemployment has stayed at a 17-year low. ------------------------- U.S. real disposable incomes rose in January by the most in five years due to tax cuts - Crain's Cleveland Business and Bloomberg "Americans' wallets fattened in January by the most in five years" because of recent tax cuts, suggesting that greater spending power may keep boosting the U.S. economy this quarter. "The reduction in taxes helped boost the saving rate to 3.2%, the highest since August, from 2.5% in December, which was the lowest since 2007." ------------------------- White House defends ICE, Border Patrol from California attacks - The Washington Times The Trump Administration is backing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, who the mayor of Oakland, California, challenged recently by tipping off illegal immigrants of upcoming sweeps by Federal authorities. Vice President Mike Pence called federal immigration officials "heroes" at the Department of Homeland Security's 15th anniversary event this week. ------------------------- Trump calls for 'very strong' penalties for drug dealers - The Hill While speaking at the White House's opioids summit this week, President Trump called for America to be "very strong on penalties" given to drug dealers and pushers. The President discussed a variety of other ways to combat the crisis, as well, including potential lawsuits against unscrupulous opioid companies. ------------------------- HHS Secretary Alex Azar commits to approaching opioid epidemic as a 'medical challenge' rather than moral failing - The Washington Examiner "Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar stressed that the Trump administration views the opioid epidemic as a disease rather than a moral failing," Kimberly Leonard reports, "and it will take that approach in its policy implementation." Secretary Azar also highlighted the Administration's "promotion of drug courts, which place people with addictions who have committed crimes into substance abuse treatment rather than jail."