The following is a timeline of the first presidency of Donald Trump during the fourth and last quarter of 2017, from October 1 to December 31, 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.
Overview Economy
In the final quarter of 2017, the real U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 2.9%. The growth rate was primarily due to positive contributions from personal consumption expenditures (PCE), nonresidential fixed investment, exports, residential fixed investment, state and local government spending, and federal government spending.
Public opinion
According to Five Thirty-Eight, President Trump's average public approval rating on December 31, 2017, stood at 37.9%, representing a quarterly decline of 0.7 percentage points, and a decline of 7.6 percentage points since his inauguration on January 20, 2017.
Timeline October 2017
Date Events Photos/videos Sunday, October 1 The deadline passes unfulfilled for President Trump to identify for punishment Kremlin-linked targets of sanctions signed on August 2. Monday, October 2 President Trump addresses the nation in regards to the mass shooting in Las Vegas, offering his condolences to the victims and their families while praising the first responders at the scene. President Trump meets with the governors of Maine, Mississippi, Kentucky and New Hampshire at the White House to discuss cutting federal regulations. President Trump holds a bilateral meeting with Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha at the White House to discuss improving trade relations. President Trump has dinner with Republican members of Congress at the White House to discuss immigration reform and improving border security. Tuesday, October 3 President Trump meets with U.S. Virgin Islands Governor Kenneth Mapp on board the USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) to discuss the territory's immediate funding needs in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend a briefing in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with senior military personnel and government officials, including Governor Ricardo Rosselló, on hurricane recovery efforts. Vice President Pence meets with representatives of local businesses, community leaders, families and Arizona Governor Doug Ducey in Phoenix, Arizona, to discuss efforts for tax reform. Wednesday, October 4 Secretary of State Rex Tillerson states the administration is preparing for options ahead of the October 15, 2017, deadline on whether Iran is complying with the 2015 nuclear accord. President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visit victims of the Las Vegas mass shooting at University Medical Center and the first responders who dealt with the shooter. It is reported that UN Ambassador Nikki Haley has been formally reprimanded for violating the Hatch Act. Thursday, October 5 President Trump has a briefing and dinner with senior military leaders at the White House to discuss the current situation with Iran and North Korea. Vice President Pence holds a meeting of the National Space Council with several White House officials and space industry executives focusing on moving away from the current outsourcing of manned launches and building a foundation to send Americans to Mars. The United States Department of Justice reversed an Obama-era policy that explicitly defines transgender workers as protected under employment discrimination laws due to what qualifies as employment discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Friday, October 6 President Trump celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month at the White House, and speaks of recovery efforts in Puerto Rico and of the people suffering under the governments of Cuba and Venezuela. President Trump signs a proclamation honoring October 6 as the National day of Manufacturing, stating that jobs are coming back to the United States with the creation of thousands of new manufacturing jobs. President Trump approves an emergency declaration that will allow federal resources to supplement local efforts and allow FEMA to coordinate disaster relief efforts in Louisiana in preparation for Hurricane Nate. Saturday, October 7 Vice President Pence attends a unity prayer walk with Las Vegas mayor Carolyn Goodman and local officials in memory of the people killed and wounded during the Las Vegas mass shooting. President Trump attends a fundraiser in Greensboro, North Carolina, to raise funds for his reelection campaign and the Republican National Committee. Sunday, October 8 At President Trump's prior request, Vice President Pence walks out of an NFL football game after fifteen 49er players kneel during the national anthem. The White House says it "will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our flag, or our national anthem". Monday, October 9 Vice President Pence holds a fundraiser at Newport Beach, California, to raise funds for Republican Congressmen and to promote the administration's tax-cut initiative. Tuesday, October 10 President Trump meets with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger at the White House, seeking his advice on dealing with North Korea and China. President Trump hosts five-time winners of the Stanley Cup, the Pittsburgh Penguins, at the White House. President Trump approves a federal disaster declaration for California in response to the Californian wildfires that will provide funding to state, local and tribal governments to help fight the fires and rebuild. Vice President Pence visits the California Office of Emergency Services at Sacramento, California, to be briefed on operations on battling the Californian wildfires. Wednesday, October 11 President Trump holds a bilateral meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the White House to discuss NAFTA and U.S.–Canadian trade possibilities. President Trump holds a campaign rally at the Harrisburg International Airport in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, at which he promotes his tax-cut initiative. Thursday, October 12 President Trump signs an executive order which directs cabinet agencies to develop rules that would expand access to less expensive, less comprehensive insurance policies with fewer benefits and fewer protections for consumers than those mandated under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. President Trump nominates Kirstjen Nielsen as the next Secretary of Homeland Security, who will replace John Kelly. The administration announces that the U.S. will withdraw from UNESCO, citing an "anti-Israel bias". Friday, October 13 President Trump attends the Values Voter Summit in Washington D.C. to speak on matters such as easing of enforcement of the Johnson Amendment and weakening the contraception mandate in the Affordable Care Act. President Trump announces at the White House that he will not certify the Iranian nuclear deal, while giving Congress time to come up with tougher requirements to certify compliance of the deal and imposing sanctions Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visit the Secret Service James J. Rowley Training Center at Beltsville, Maryland, to inspect training procedures and equipment. Saturday, October 14 Sunday, October 15 President Trump's 2020 re-election campaign files its quarterly finance report with the FEC. The filing discloses a legal bill of $1.1m paid from campaign funds in connection with the Russia investigations. Monday, October 16 President Trump attends a rally in Greenville, South Carolina, in support of Governor Henry McMaster to raise funds for his gubernatorial campaign. President Trump has a working lunch with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Vice President Pence to discuss legislative issues such as the budget, tax reform and immigration. Responding to questions at the White House, President Trump makes his first public comments on the four Special Forces soldiers killed in a suspected ISIS ambush on October4 and further comments on former presidents calls and letters to the families of slain American troops during their time in office. Tuesday, October 17 President Trump holds a bilateral meeting and joint press conference with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras at the White House to discuss Greek efforts to reform their economy and military ties between both countries. President Trump holds a Diwali celebration at the White House. Vice President Pence attends a small business gathering in Lancaster, New York, to discuss the administration's tax reform efforts. Trump's nominee to lead the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Tom Marino, withdraws his nomination following news reports that Marino had previously worked on behalf of the pharmaceutical industry. Wednesday, October 18 President Trump holds a meeting at the White House with the Senate Finance Committee to discuss tax reform. President Trump holds a phone conversation with Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds to discuss concerns about the administration's biofuels policy. The latest version of President Trump's travel ban is blocked by U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson shortly before it comes into effect. Thursday, October 19 President Trump meets with Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló at the White House to discuss the island's recovery efforts after Hurricane Maria. President Trump attends a gala dinner at the Kuwaiti Embassy, where the Kuwait–American Foundation is trying to raise money for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and to honor First Lady Melania Trump for her dedication to causes affecting women and children in the U.S. and abroad. President Trump nominates Joseph J. Simons, an anti-trust lawyer to head the Federal Trade Commission, including Noah Phillips, chief counsel for Senator John Cornyn and Rohit Chopra, a consumer advocate to fill the remaining two seats at the Commission. Friday, October 20 President Trump holds a bilateral meeting with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres at the White House to discuss counter-terrorism, Korea and the Middle East. The Smithsonian Museum displays First Lady Melania Trump's ballgown from her husband's inauguration. Saturday, October 21 Sunday, October 22 President Trump holds a conference call with Republican Congressman calling on them to pass the Senate budget and work on tax reform. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson attends a co-operation council in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, attended by Saudi Arabia and Iraq, where he calls on Iran to remove its paramilitary forces from Iraqi territory. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson holds meetings with Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha, Qatar to find ways to resolve the diplomatic crisis between Qatar and other Gulf states. Monday, October 23 President Trump holds a bilateral meeting with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the White House to discuss the North Korean nuclear threat, defence and economic relationship between both countries, whilst overseeing the signing ceremony between Singapore Airlines and Boeing for $13.8 billion worth of new planes. President Trump holds a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House for Captain Gary Michael Rose who was wounded in combat during Operation Tailwind in the Vietnam War. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson holds meetings in Kabul, Afghanistan with Afghan president Ashraf Ghani and his officials on discussing strategies on ending the conflict in the country. Tuesday, October 24 President Trump holds an awards ceremony at the White House as part of National Minority Enterprise Development Week. President Trump holds a swearing-in ceremony at the Oval Office for the next Ambassador to the Vatican Callista Gingrich. President Trump meets with Republican Senators at the Capitol to call for unity within the party and to discuss tax reform.