President Donald Trump is will make a “major announcement” on Monday, December 22, from Mar-a-Lago - his resort-cum-residence in Palm Beach, Florida, alongside the Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, and the Secretary of the Navy, John Phelan.
The announcement is being closely looked at amid concerns of a potential US escalation in Venezuela as the "war on drugs" rages on in the Caribbean waters. The announcement is scheduled at 4:30 p.m. EST on Monday afternoon, according to the President's schedule.
Trump's Schedule Today: What To Know
President Trump is currently vacationing at Mar-a-Lago amid the Christmas holidays, and his schedule is relatively light on Monday. His official work starts at 3:30 p.m. EST, when he will receive an intelligence briefing. The details of the briefing are confidential, and the event is not open to the press.
After that, at 4:30 p.m. EST, he is expected to make the announcement with Pete Hegseth and John Phelan. He has no further public interaction planned after that.
Trump Presser Time Across US Time Zones
Central (CST): 3:30 p.m.
{{/usCountry}}Central (CST): 3:30 p.m.
{{/usCountry}}Mountain (MST): 2:30 p.m.
Pacific (PST): 1:30 p.m.
Alaska (AKST): 12:30 p.m.
Hawaii (HST): 11:30 a.m.
What To Expect From Today's Presser
Details around the announcement have been kept under wraps by the White House. When it announced the schedule on Monday, it trumpeted it as a "major announcement" but did not reveal a detailed agenda beforehand.
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However, given that the announcement is alongside the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Navy, it is anticipated that the press conference is likely to be defense related. Reports suggest that Trump could address the ongoing developments in Venezuela, either in the form of an update or by announcing some major developments.
Some reports note that Trump is expected to discuss a shipbuilding initiative as part of his broader military and naval plans — potentially tied to a “Golden Fleet.” But that has not been confirmed by the White House.