President Trump Holds a Press Conference
-
0:01 - 0:02The President:
Thank you very much. -
0:07 - 0:11I just wanted to begin
by mentioning that the -
0:12 - 0:17nominee for Secretary of
the Department of Labor -
0:17 - 0:20will be Mr. Alex Acosta.
-
0:20 - 0:22He has a law degree from
Harvard Law School, -
0:22 - 0:24was a great student.
-
0:24 - 0:28Former clerk for
Justice Samuel Alito. -
0:28 - 0:32And he has had a
tremendous career. -
0:32 - 0:34He's a member, and has
been a member, of the -
0:34 - 0:37National Labor Relations
Board, and has been -
0:37 - 0:42through Senate
confirmation three times, -
0:42 - 0:44confirmed -- did
very, very well. -
0:44 - 0:49And so Alex, I've
wished him the best. -
0:49 - 0:50We just spoke.
-
0:50 - 0:52And he's going to be
-- I think he'll be a -
0:52 - 0:55tremendous
Secretary of Labor. -
0:55 - 0:59And also, as you probably
heard just a little while -
0:59 - 1:04ago, Mick Mulvaney, former
congressman, has just been -
1:04 - 1:06approved -- weeks late,
I have to say that. -
1:06 - 1:08Weeks, weeks late.
-
1:09 - 1:11Office of Management
and Budget. -
1:11 - 1:16And he will be, I think,
a fantastic addition. -
1:16 - 1:18Paul Singer has just left.
-
1:18 - 1:22As you know, Paul was very
much involved with the -
1:22 - 1:26anti-Trump, or, as they
say, "Never Trump." And -
1:26 - 1:29Paul just left and he's
given us his -
1:29 - 1:30total support.
-
1:30 - 1:32And it's all about
unification. -
1:32 - 1:35We're unifying the party,
and hopefully we're going -
1:35 - 1:37to be able to
unify the country. -
1:37 - 1:39It's very important to me.
-
1:39 - 1:41I've been talking about
that for a long time, but -
1:41 - 1:43it's very, very
important to me. -
1:43 - 1:46So I want to thank Paul
Singer for being here and -
1:46 - 1:47for coming up
to the office. -
1:47 - 1:50He was a very strong
opponent, and now he's a -
1:50 - 1:52very strong ally.
-
1:52 - 1:54And I appreciate that.
-
1:54 - 1:56I think I'll say a few
words, and then we'll take -
1:56 - 1:57some questions.
-
1:57 - 2:01And I had this time --
we've been negotiating a -
2:01 - 2:04lot of different
transactions to save money -
2:04 - 2:07on contracts that were
terrible, including -
2:07 - 2:09airplane contracts that
were out of control and -
2:09 - 2:11late and terrible.
-
2:11 - 2:15Just absolutely
catastrophic in terms of -
2:15 - 2:16what was happening.
-
2:16 - 2:19And we've done some
really good work. -
2:19 - 2:22We're very proud of that.
-
2:22 - 2:24And then right after that,
you prepare yourselves and -
2:24 - 2:26we'll do some questions
-- unless you -
2:26 - 2:26have no questions.
-
2:26 - 2:28That's always
a possibility. -
2:28 - 2:31I'm here today to update
the American people on the -
2:31 - 2:34incredible progress that
has been made in the last -
2:34 - 2:36four weeks since
my inauguration. -
2:36 - 2:39We have made
incredible progress. -
2:39 - 2:42I don't think there's ever
been a President elected -
2:42 - 2:44who, in this short period
of time, has done -
2:44 - 2:46what we've done.
-
2:46 - 2:48A new Rasmussen poll, in
fact -- because the people -
2:49 - 2:52get it; much of the
media doesn't get it. -
2:52 - 2:54They actually get it, but
they don't write it -- -
2:54 - 2:54let's put it that way.
-
2:54 - 2:58But a new Rasmussen poll
just came out just a very -
2:58 - 3:01short while ago, and it
has our approval rating at -
3:01 - 3:0455 percent and going up.
-
3:04 - 3:07The stock market has hit
record numbers, -
3:07 - 3:08as you know.
-
3:08 - 3:11And there has been a
tremendous surge of -
3:11 - 3:15optimism in the business
world, which is -- to me -
3:15 - 3:17means something much
different than it used to. -
3:17 - 3:18It used to mean,
oh, that's good. -
3:18 - 3:21Now it means that's
good for jobs. -
3:21 - 3:23Very different.
-
3:23 - 3:26Plants and factories are
already starting to move -
3:26 - 3:28back into the United
States and big league -- -
3:28 - 3:31Ford, General Motors,
so many of them. -
3:31 - 3:33I'm making this
presentation directly to -
3:33 - 3:36the American people with
the media present, which -
3:36 - 3:39is an honor to have you
this morning, because many -
3:39 - 3:44of our nation's reporters
and folks will not tell -
3:44 - 3:47you the truth and will not
treat the wonderful people -
3:47 - 3:51of our country with the
respect that they deserve. -
3:51 - 3:53And I hope going forward
we can be a little bit -
3:53 - 3:55different, and maybe get
along a little bit better, -
3:55 - 3:56if that's possible.
-
3:56 - 4:00Maybe it's not, and
that's okay too. -
4:00 - 4:02Unfortunately, much of the
media in Washington, D.C., -
4:02 - 4:06along with New York, Los
Angeles, in particular, -
4:06 - 4:10speaks not for the people
but for the special -
4:10 - 4:14interests and for those
profiting off a very, very -
4:14 - 4:18obviously broken system.
-
4:18 - 4:22The press has become so
dishonest that if we don't -
4:22 - 4:26talk about it, we are
doing a tremendous -
4:26 - 4:28disservice to the American
people -- -
4:28 - 4:29tremendous disservice.
-
4:29 - 4:31We have to talk about it
to find out what's going -
4:31 - 4:32on, because the press
-
4:32 - 4:34honestly is out of control.
-
4:34 - 4:37The level of dishonesty
is out of control. -
4:37 - 4:40I ran for President to
represent the citizens -
4:40 - 4:41of our country.
-
4:41 - 4:45I am here to change the
broken system so it serves -
4:45 - 4:48their families and
their communities well. -
4:48 - 4:52I am talking, and really
talking, on this very -
4:52 - 4:55entrenched power
structure, and what we're -
4:55 - 4:59doing is we're talking
about the power structure, -
4:59 - 5:01we're talking about
its entrenchment. -
5:01 - 5:05As a result, the media is
going through what they -
5:05 - 5:09have to go through to
oftentimes distort -- not -
5:09 - 5:11all the time -- and some
of the media is fantastic, -
5:11 - 5:13I have to say; they're
honest and fantastic. -
5:13 - 5:17But much of it is not
-- the distortion. -
5:17 - 5:18And we'll talk about it,
and you'll be able to ask -
5:18 - 5:21me questions about it.
-
5:21 - 5:22But we're not going to let
it happen, because I'm -
5:22 - 5:26here again to take my
message straight -
5:26 - 5:26to the people.
-
5:26 - 5:29As you know, our
administration inherited -
5:29 - 5:32many problems across
government and -
5:32 - 5:34across the economy.
-
5:34 - 5:39To be honest, I inherited
a mess -- it's a mess -- -
5:42 - 5:44at home and abroad.
-
5:44 - 5:46A mess.
-
5:46 - 5:49Jobs are pouring
out of the country. -
5:49 - 5:52You see what's going on
with all of the companies -
5:52 - 5:56leaving our country, going
to Mexico and other places -
5:56 - 5:57-- low-pay, low-wages.
-
5:57 - 6:01Mass instability overseas,
no matter where you look. -
6:01 - 6:03The Middle East,
a disaster. -
6:03 - 6:06North Korea -- we'll
take care of it, folks. -
6:06 - 6:07We're going to take
care of it all. -
6:07 - 6:11I just want to let you
know I inherited a mess. -
6:11 - 6:14Beginning on day one, our
administration went to -
6:14 - 6:18work to tackle
these challenges. -
6:18 - 6:21On foreign affairs, we've
already begun enormously -
6:21 - 6:24productive talks with many
foreign leaders -- much of -
6:24 - 6:26it you've covered --
to move forward toward -
6:26 - 6:30stability, security, and
peace in the most troubled -
6:30 - 6:34regions of the world,
which there are many. -
6:34 - 6:36We've had great
conversations with the -
6:36 - 6:39United Kingdom -- and
meetings -- Israel, -
6:39 - 6:43Mexico, Japan,
China, and Canada. -
6:43 - 6:46Really, really productive
conversations. -
6:46 - 6:49I would say far more
productive than you -
6:49 - 6:51would understand.
-
6:51 - 6:55We've even developed a new
council with Canada to -
6:55 - 6:58promote women's business
leaders and entrepreneurs. -
6:58 - 7:00It's very important to
me, very important to my -
7:00 - 7:02daughter Ivanka.
-
7:02 - 7:05I have directed our
defense community, headed -
7:05 - 7:11by our great general, now
Secretary Mattis -- he's -
7:11 - 7:14over there now, working
very hard -- to submit a -
7:14 - 7:18plan for the defeat
of ISIS, a group that -
7:18 - 7:23celebrates the murder and
torture of innocent people -
7:23 - 7:24in large sections
of the world. -
7:24 - 7:26It used to be a small
group, and now it's in -
7:26 - 7:29large sections
of the world. -
7:29 - 7:32They've spread
like cancer. -
7:32 - 7:36ISIS has spread
like cancer. -
7:36 - 7:39Another mess I inherited.
-
7:39 - 7:42And we have imposed new
sanctions on the nation of -
7:42 - 7:44Iran, who's totally taken
advantage of our -
7:44 - 7:47previous administration.
-
7:47 - 7:49And they're the world's
top sponsor of terrorism. -
7:49 - 7:55And we're not going to
stop until that problem is -
7:55 - 7:57properly solved.
-
7:57 - 7:58And it's not
properly solved now. -
7:58 - 8:00It's one of the worst
agreements I've ever seen -
8:00 - 8:02drawn by anybody.
-
8:02 - 8:05I've ordered plans to
begin for the massive -
8:05 - 8:07rebuilding of the
United States military. -
8:07 - 8:11I've had great support
from the Senate. -
8:11 - 8:14I've had great support
from Congress generally. -
8:14 - 8:18We've pursued this
rebuilding in the hopes -
8:18 - 8:23that we will never have
to use this military. -
8:23 - 8:27And I will tell you that
is my -- I would be so -
8:28 - 8:31happy if we never
had to use it. -
8:31 - 8:35But our country will never
have had a military like -
8:35 - 8:40the military we're about
to build and rebuild. -
8:40 - 8:42We have the greatest
people on Earth in our -
8:42 - 8:45military, but they don't
have the right equipment. -
8:45 - 8:48And their
equipment is old. -
8:48 - 8:52I used it, I talked
about it at every stop. -
8:52 - 8:54Depleted -- it's depleted.
-
8:54 - 8:57It won't be
depleted for long. -
8:57 - 8:59And I think one of the
reasons I'm standing here -
8:59 - 9:03instead of other people is
that, frankly, I talked -
9:03 - 9:05about we have to have
a strong military. -
9:05 - 9:09We have to have strong
law enforcement also. -
9:09 - 9:14So we do not go abroad
in the search of war. -
9:14 - 9:17We really are searching
for peace, but it's peace -
9:17 - 9:18through strength.
-
9:18 - 9:21At home, we have begun
the monumental task of -
9:21 - 9:24returning the government
back to the people on a -
9:24 - 9:26scale not seen in
many, many years. -
9:26 - 9:30In each of these actions,
I'm keeping my promises to -
9:30 - 9:31the American people.
-
9:31 - 9:32These are campaign
promises. -
9:32 - 9:34Some people are so
surprised that we're -
9:34 - 9:35having strong borders.
-
9:35 - 9:37Well, that's what I've
been talking about for a -
9:37 - 9:39year and a half
-- strong borders. -
9:39 - 9:41They're so surprised --
"oh, you're having strong -
9:41 - 9:43borders." Well, that's
what I've been talking -
9:43 - 9:47about to the press
and to everybody else. -
9:47 - 9:51One promise after another
after years of politicians -
9:51 - 9:54lying to you
to get elected. -
9:54 - 9:56They lie to the American
people in order -
9:56 - 9:57to get elected.
-
9:57 - 9:59Some of the things I'm
doing probably aren't -
9:59 - 10:02popular, but they're
necessary for security and -
10:02 - 10:03for other reasons.
-
10:03 - 10:07And then coming to
Washington and pursuing -
10:07 - 10:09their own interests, which
is more important to -
10:09 - 10:12many politicians.
-
10:12 - 10:14I'm here following through
on what I pledged to do. -
10:14 - 10:16That's all I'm doing.
-
10:16 - 10:18I put it out before
the American people. -
10:18 - 10:23Got 306 Electoral
College votes. -
10:23 - 10:25I wasn't supposed
to get 222. -
10:25 - 10:28They said there's no
way to get 222; -
10:28 - 10:30230 is impossible.
-
10:30 - 10:32Two hundred and seventy,
which you need, -
10:32 - 10:34that was laughable.
-
10:34 - 10:39We got 306 because people
came out and voted like -
10:39 - 10:40they've never seen before.
-
10:40 - 10:42So that's the way it goes.
-
10:42 - 10:45I guess it was the biggest
Electoral College win -
10:45 - 10:49since Ronald Reagan.
-
10:49 - 10:51In other words, the media
is trying to attack our -
10:51 - 10:54administration because
they know we are following -
10:54 - 10:59through on pledges that
we made, and they're not -
10:59 - 11:01happy about it for
whatever reason. -
11:01 - 11:05But a lot of people
are happy about it. -
11:05 - 11:09In fact, I'll be in
Melbourne, Florida, five -
11:09 - 11:12o'clock on Saturday, and I
heard -- just heard that -
11:12 - 11:16the crowds are massive
that want to be there. -
11:16 - 11:19I turn on the TV, open
the newspapers, and I see -
11:19 - 11:22stories of chaos. Chaos!
-
11:22 - 11:26Yet, it is the
exact opposite. -
11:26 - 11:31This administration is
running like a fine-tuned -
11:31 - 11:35machine, despite the
fact that I can't get my -
11:35 - 11:37Cabinet approved, and
-
11:37 - 11:38they're outstanding people.
-
11:38 - 11:41Like Senator Dan Coates
whose there -- one of the -
11:41 - 11:43most respected men of the
Senate -- -
11:43 - 11:46he can't get approved.
-
11:46 - 11:47How do you not
approve him? -
11:47 - 11:50He's been a colleague,
highly respected -- -
11:50 - 11:52brilliant guy, great guy,
everybody knows it -- but -
11:52 - 11:55waiting for approval.
-
11:55 - 11:58So we have a wonderful
group of people that's -
11:58 - 12:03working very hard,
that's being very much -
12:03 - 12:07misrepresented about, and
we can't let that happen. -
12:07 - 12:12So if the Democrats, who
have -- all you have to do -
12:12 - 12:15is look at where they are
right now -- the only -
12:15 - 12:17thing they can do is
delay, because they've -
12:17 - 12:20screwed things up
royally, believe me. -
12:20 - 12:23Let me list to you some of
the things that we've done -
12:23 - 12:24in just a short
period of time. -
12:24 - 12:27I just got here.
-
12:27 - 12:30I got here with
no Cabinet. -
12:30 - 12:33Again, each of these
actions is a promise I -
12:33 - 12:35made to the
American people. -
12:35 - 12:36So we'll go over just some
of them, and we have a lot -
12:36 - 12:41happening next week and
in the weeks coming. -
12:41 - 12:45We've withdrawn from the
job-killing disaster known -
12:45 - 12:47as Trans-Pacific
Partnership. -
12:47 - 12:48We're going to make trade
deals, but we're going to -
12:48 - 12:50have one-on-one
deals -- bilateral. -
12:50 - 12:54We're going to have
one-on-one deals. -
12:54 - 12:57We've directed the
elimination of regulations -
12:57 - 13:00that undermine
manufacturing, and called -
13:00 - 13:05for expedited approval of
the permits needed for -
13:05 - 13:10America and American
infrastructure, and that -
13:10 - 13:15means plants, equipment,
roads, bridges, factories. -
13:15 - 13:17People take 10, 15, 20
years to get disapproved -
13:17 - 13:18for a factory.
-
13:18 - 13:22They go in for a permit
-- it's many, many years. -
13:22 - 13:24And then at the end of the
process -- they spend tens -
13:24 - 13:27of millions of dollars on
nonsense -- and at the end -
13:27 - 13:29of the process,
they get rejected. -
13:29 - 13:31Now, they may be rejected
with me, but it's going to -
13:31 - 13:32be a quick rejection.
-
13:32 - 13:33It's not going
to take years. -
13:33 - 13:36But mostly, it's going
to be an acceptance. -
13:36 - 13:38We want plants built, and
we want factories built, -
13:38 - 13:41and we want the jobs.
-
13:41 - 13:44We don't want the jobs
going to other countries. -
13:44 - 13:47We've imposed a hiring
freeze on nonessential -
13:47 - 13:49federal workers.
-
13:49 - 13:54We've imposed a temporary
moratorium on new federal -
13:54 - 13:55regulations.
-
13:55 - 13:58We've issued a
game-changing new rule -
13:58 - 14:01that says for each one
new regulation, two old -
14:01 - 14:03regulations must
be eliminated. -
14:03 - 14:06Makes sense.
-
14:06 - 14:08Nobody has ever seen
regulations like we have. -
14:08 - 14:10If you go to other
countries and you look at -
14:10 - 14:12industries they have, and
you say, let me see your -
14:12 - 14:16regulations, and they're
a fraction, just a tiny -
14:16 - 14:17fraction of what we have.
-
14:17 - 14:20And I want regulations
because I want safety, I -
14:20 - 14:23want all environmental
situations to be taken -
14:23 - 14:25properly care of.
-
14:25 - 14:28It's very important to me.
-
14:28 - 14:32But you don't need four or
five or six regulations to -
14:32 - 14:34take care of
the same thing. -
14:34 - 14:36We've stood up for the
men and women of law -
14:36 - 14:39enforcement, directing
federal agencies to ensure -
14:39 - 14:43they are protected from
crimes of violence. -
14:45 - 14:49We've directed the
creation of a task force -
14:49 - 14:54for reducing violent crime
in America, including the -
14:54 - 14:58horrendous situation --
take a look at Chicago and -
14:58 - 15:00others -- taking place
-
15:00 - 15:04right now in our inner cities. Horrible.
-
15:04 - 15:06We've ordered the
Department of Homeland -
15:06 - 15:08Security and Justice to
coordinate on a plan to -
15:08 - 15:11destroy criminal cartels
coming into the United -
15:11 - 15:14States with drugs.
-
15:14 - 15:18We're becoming a
drug-infested nation. -
15:18 - 15:22Drugs are becoming cheaper
than candy bars, and we're -
15:22 - 15:24not going to let it
happen any longer. -
15:24 - 15:28We've undertaken the
most substantial border -
15:28 - 15:31security measures in a
generation to keep our -
15:31 - 15:34nation and our tax dollars
safe, and are now in the -
15:34 - 15:37process of beginning to
build a promised wall on -
15:37 - 15:38the southern border.
-
15:38 - 15:43Met with General, now
Secretary, Kelly yesterday -
15:43 - 15:46and we're starting
that process. -
15:46 - 15:51And the wall is going to
be a great wall, and it's -
15:51 - 15:53going to be a wall
negotiated by me. -
15:53 - 15:56The price is going to come
down, just like it has on -
15:56 - 15:57everything else I've
negotiated -
15:57 - 15:59for the government.
-
15:59 - 16:01And we're going to
have a wall that works. -
16:01 - 16:03We're not going to have a
wall like they have now, -
16:03 - 16:06which is either
nonexistent or a joke. -
16:06 - 16:09We've ordered a crackdown
on sanctuary cities that -
16:09 - 16:12refuse to comply with
federal law and that -
16:12 - 16:15harbor criminal aliens,
and we've ordered an end -
16:15 - 16:17to the policy of catch and
release on the border. -
16:17 - 16:22No more release, no matter
who you are -- release. -
16:22 - 16:25We've begun a nationwide
effort to remove criminal -
16:25 - 16:28aliens, gang members, drug
dealers, and others who -
16:28 - 16:31pose a threat to
public safety. -
16:31 - 16:34We are saving American
lives every single day. -
16:34 - 16:39The court system has not
made it easy for us. -
16:39 - 16:42And we've even created a
new office in Homeland -
16:42 - 16:47Security dedicated to the
forgotten American victims -
16:47 - 16:50of illegal immigrant
violence, -
16:50 - 16:52of which there are many.
-
16:52 - 16:55We've taken decisive
action to keep radical -
16:55 - 16:59Islamic terrorists
out of our country. -
16:59 - 17:01Though parts of
our necessary and -
17:01 - 17:04constitutional actions
were blocked by a judge's, -
17:04 - 17:09in my opinion, incorrect
and unsafe ruling, our -
17:09 - 17:12administration is working
night and day to keep you -
17:12 - 17:18safe -- including
reporters safe -- and is -
17:18 - 17:21vigorously defending
this lawful order. -
17:21 - 17:23I will not back down from
defending our country. -
17:23 - 17:26I got elected on
defense of our country. -
17:26 - 17:28And I keep my
campaign promises. -
17:28 - 17:34And our citizens will be
very happy when they see -
17:34 - 17:34the result.
-
17:34 - 17:35They already are.
-
17:35 - 17:37I can tell you that.
-
17:37 - 17:39Extreme vetting will be
put in place, and it -
17:39 - 17:40already is in place
in many places. -
17:40 - 17:43In fact, we had to go
quicker than we thought -
17:43 - 17:45because of the bad
decision we received from -
17:45 - 17:49a circuit that has been
overturned -
17:49 - 17:50at a record number.
-
17:50 - 17:54I've heard 80 percent -- I
find that hard to believe; -
17:54 - 17:56that's just a number I
heard -- that they're -
17:56 - 17:58overturned 80
percent of the time. -
17:58 - 18:02I think that circuit is in
chaos and that circuit is, -
18:02 - 18:06frankly, in turmoil.
-
18:06 - 18:10But we are appealing that
and we are going further. -
18:10 - 18:14We're issuing a new
executive action next week -
18:14 - 18:18that will comprehensively
protect our country, so -
18:18 - 18:20we'll be going along the
one path and -
18:20 - 18:21hopefully winning that.
-
18:21 - 18:26At the same time, we will
be issuing a new and very -
18:26 - 18:30comprehensive order to
protect our people, and -
18:30 - 18:33that will be done some
time next week, toward the -
18:33 - 18:36beginning or middle
at the latest part. -
18:36 - 18:38We've also taken steps to
begin construction of the -
18:38 - 18:43Keystone Pipeline and
Dakota Access Pipelines -- -
18:43 - 18:46thousands and thousands of
jobs -- and put new "Buy -
18:46 - 18:49American" measures in
place to require American -
18:49 - 18:51steel for American
pipelines. -
18:51 - 18:54In other words, they build
a pipeline in this country -
18:54 - 18:57and we use the powers of
government to make that -
18:57 - 18:59pipeline happen.
-
18:59 - 19:05We want them to use
American steel. -
19:05 - 19:07And they're willing to
do that, but nobody ever -
19:07 - 19:09asked before I came along.
-
19:09 - 19:12Even this order was drawn
and they didn't say that. -
19:12 - 19:13And I'm reading the order,
I'm saying, why aren't we -
19:13 - 19:15using American steel?
-
19:15 - 19:17And they said,
that's a good idea. -
19:17 - 19:19We put it in.
-
19:19 - 19:22To drain the swamp of
corruption in Washington, -
19:22 - 19:26D.C. I've started by
imposing a five-year -
19:26 - 19:29lobbying ban on White
House officials and a -
19:29 - 19:34lifetime ban on lobbying
for a foreign government. -
19:34 - 19:35We've begun preparing
-
19:35 - 19:39to repeal and replace Obamacare.
-
19:39 - 19:41Obamacare is a
disaster, folks. -
19:41 - 19:43It's a disaster.
-
19:43 - 19:46You can say, oh, Obamacare
-- I mean, they fill up -
19:46 - 19:51our alleys with people
that you wonder how they -
19:51 - 19:54get there, but they're not
the Republican people that -
19:54 - 19:57our representatives
are representing. -
19:57 - 20:00So we've begun preparing
to repeal and replace -
20:00 - 20:04Obamacare and are deep in
the midst of negotiations -
20:04 - 20:08on a very historic tax
reform to bring -
20:08 - 20:09our jobs back.
-
20:09 - 20:10We're bringing our jobs
back to this -
20:10 - 20:11country big league.
-
20:11 - 20:15It's already happening,
but big league. -
20:15 - 20:17I've also worked to
install a Cabinet over the -
20:17 - 20:21delays and obstruction
of Senate Democrats. -
20:21 - 20:25You've seen what they've
done over the last long -
20:25 - 20:26number of years.
-
20:26 - 20:28That will be one of the
great Cabinets ever -
20:28 - 20:31assembled in
American history. -
20:31 - 20:34You look at Rex Tillerson
-- he's out there -
20:34 - 20:36negotiating right now.
-
20:36 - 20:40General Mattis I mentioned
before, General Kelly. -
20:40 - 20:42We have great,
great people. -
20:42 - 20:43Mick is with us now.
-
20:43 - 20:45We have great people.
-
20:45 - 20:46Among their
responsibilities will be -
20:46 - 20:52ending the bleeding of
jobs from our country and -
20:52 - 20:57negotiating fair trade
deals for our citizens. -
20:57 - 21:02Now, look, fair trade
-- not free -- fair. -
21:02 - 21:04If a country is taking
advantage of us, we're not -
21:04 - 21:07going to let that
happen anymore. -
21:07 - 21:10Every country takes
advantage of us, almost. -
21:10 - 21:14I may be able to find
a couple that don't. -
21:14 - 21:16But for the most part,
that would be a very tough -
21:16 - 21:19job for me to do.
-
21:19 - 21:21Jobs have already
started to surge. -
21:21 - 21:23Since my election, Ford
announced it will abandon -
21:23 - 21:26its plans to build a new
factory in Mexico and will -
21:26 - 21:29instead invest $700
million in Michigan, -
21:29 - 21:32creating many, many jobs.
-
21:32 - 21:35Fiat-Chrysler announced it
will invest $1 billion in -
21:35 - 21:38Ohio and Michigan,
creating 2,000 new -
21:38 - 21:39American jobs.
-
21:39 - 21:41They were with
me a week ago. -
21:41 - 21:42You know -- you were here.
-
21:42 - 21:45General Motors, likewise,
committed to invest -
21:45 - 21:48billions of dollars in its
American manufacturing -
21:48 - 21:51operation, keeping many
jobs here that -
21:51 - 21:52were going to leave.
-
21:53 - 21:54And if I didn't get
elected, believe me, they -
21:54 - 21:55would have left.
-
21:55 - 21:58And these jobs and these
things that I'm announcing -
21:58 - 22:00would never
have come here. -
22:00 - 22:03Intel just announced that
it will move ahead with a -
22:03 - 22:07new plant in Arizona that
probably was never going -
22:07 - 22:08to move ahead with.
-
22:08 - 22:09And that will result in
-
22:09 - 22:13at least 10,000 American jobs.
-
22:13 - 22:15Walmart announced it will
create 10,000 jobs in the -
22:15 - 22:18United States just this
year because of our -
22:18 - 22:22various plans
and initiatives. -
22:22 - 22:23There will be
many, many more. -
22:23 - 22:24Many more.
-
22:24 - 22:26These are a few
that we're naming. -
22:26 - 22:29Other countries have been
taking advantage of us for -
22:29 - 22:33decades -- decades and
decades and decades, folks. -
22:33 - 22:36And we're not going to
let that happen anymore. -
22:36 - 22:38Not going to
let it happen. -
22:38 - 22:40And one more thing.
-
22:40 - 22:44I have kept my promise to
the American people by -
22:44 - 22:46nominating a justice of
the United States Supreme -
22:46 - 22:52Court, Judge Neil Gorsuch,
who is from my list of 20, -
22:52 - 22:55and who will be a true
defender of our laws and -
22:55 - 22:59our Constitution -- highly
respected, should get the -
22:59 - 23:01votes from the Democrats
-- you may not see that, -
23:01 - 23:05but he'll get there
one way or the other. -
23:05 - 23:09But he should get there
the old-fashioned way, and -
23:09 - 23:11he should get those votes.
-
23:11 - 23:13This last month
has represented an -
23:13 - 23:16unprecedented degree of
action on behalf of the -
23:16 - 23:19great citizens
of our country. -
23:19 - 23:21Again, I say it --
there has never been a -
23:21 - 23:25presidency that's done
so much in such a short -
23:25 - 23:27period of time.
-
23:27 - 23:29And we haven't even
started the big work that -
23:29 - 23:32starts early next week.
-
23:32 - 23:33Some very big things are
-
23:33 - 23:37going to be announced next week.
-
23:37 - 23:38So we're just
getting started. -
23:38 - 23:40We will be giving a
speech, as I said, in -
23:40 - 23:44Melbourne, Florida,
at 5:00 p.m. -
23:44 - 23:46I hope to see you there.
-
23:46 - 23:49And with that, I'd just
say, God bless America, -
23:49 - 23:51and let's take
some questions. -
23:51 - 23:54Mara. Mara, go ahead.
-
23:54 - 23:56You were cut off pretty
violently at our -
23:56 - 23:58last news conference.
-
23:58 - 24:01The Press: Did you
fire Mike Flynn? -
24:01 - 24:03The President: Mike Flynn
is a fine person, and I -
24:03 - 24:06asked for his resignation.
-
24:06 - 24:09He respectfully gave it.
-
24:09 - 24:12He is a man who -- there
was a certain amount of -
24:12 - 24:14information given to Vice
President Pence, who is -
24:14 - 24:17with us today.
-
24:17 - 24:19And I was not happy with
the way that -
24:19 - 24:21information was given.
-
24:21 - 24:25He didn't have to do that,
because what he did wasn't -
24:25 - 24:28wrong, what he did in
terms of the -
24:28 - 24:30information he saw.
-
24:30 - 24:33What was wrong was the
way that other people, -
24:33 - 24:37including yourselves in
this room, were given that -
24:37 - 24:40information, because that
was classified information -
24:40 - 24:41that was given illegally.
-
24:41 - 24:43That's the real problem.
-
24:43 - 24:46And you can talk all you
want about Russia, which -
24:46 - 24:51was all a fake news,
fabricated deal to try and -
24:51 - 24:53make up for the loss of
the Democrats, and the -
24:53 - 24:55press plays right into it.
-
24:55 - 24:58In fact, I saw a couple
of the people that were -
24:58 - 25:00supposedly involved with
all of this -- they know -
25:00 - 25:01nothing about it.
-
25:01 - 25:02They weren't in Russia,
they never made a phone -
25:02 - 25:05call to Russia, they never
received a phone call. -
25:05 - 25:07It's all fake news.
-
25:07 - 25:09It's all fake news.
-
25:09 - 25:12The nice thing is I see it
starting to turn, where -
25:12 - 25:15people are now looking at
the illegal, Mara -- and I -
25:15 - 25:21think it's very important
-- the illegal giving out -
25:21 - 25:25classified information.
-
25:25 - 25:27And let me just tell you,
it was given out, like, -
25:27 - 25:29so much.
-
25:29 - 25:30I'll give you an example.
-
25:30 - 25:35I called, as you
know, Mexico. -
25:35 - 25:39It was a very
confidential, classified -
25:39 - 25:41call, but I called Mexico.
-
25:41 - 25:43And in calling Mexico, I
figured, oh, well, that's -
25:43 - 25:45-- I spoke to the
President of Mexico, -
25:45 - 25:47had a good call.
-
25:47 - 25:50All of a sudden it's out
for the world to see. -
25:50 - 25:51It's supposed
to be secret. -
25:51 - 25:54It's supposed to be either
confidential or -
25:54 - 25:55classified in that case.
-
25:55 - 25:57Same thing with Australia.
-
25:57 - 26:00All of a sudden people are
finding out exactly -
26:00 - 26:02what took place.
-
26:02 - 26:05The same thing happened
with respect to -
26:05 - 26:07General Flynn.
-
26:07 - 26:10Everybody saw this, and
I'm saying -- the first -
26:10 - 26:12thing I thought of when
I heard about it is, how -
26:12 - 26:14does the press get this
information -
26:14 - 26:15that's classified?
-
26:15 - 26:16How do they do it?
-
26:16 - 26:16You know why?
-
26:16 - 26:18Because it's an illegal
process, and the press -
26:18 - 26:20should be ashamed
of themselves. -
26:20 - 26:23But, more importantly, the
people that gave out the -
26:23 - 26:24information to the press
should be -
26:24 - 26:26ashamed of themselves.
-
26:26 - 26:27Really ashamed.
-
26:27 - 26:28Yes, go ahead.
-
26:28 - 26:30The Press: Why did you
keep your Vice President -
26:30 - 26:31in the dark for
almost two weeks? -
26:31 - 26:32The President: Because
when I looked at the -
26:32 - 26:34information, I said,
I don't think he did -
26:34 - 26:36anything wrong.
-
26:36 - 26:37If anything, he did
something right. -
26:37 - 26:39He was coming into
office, he looked at -
26:39 - 26:41the information.
-
26:41 - 26:43He said, huh, that's
fine, that's what they're -
26:43 - 26:44supposed to do.
-
26:44 - 26:45They're supposed to be --
and he didn't -
26:45 - 26:46just call Russia.
-
26:46 - 26:50He called and spoke to,
both ways -- I think there -
26:50 - 26:53were 30-some-odd
countries. -
26:53 - 26:54He's doing the job.
-
26:54 - 26:56You know, he was
just doing his job. -
26:56 - 26:58The thing is he didn't
tell our Vice President -
26:58 - 27:03properly, and then he
said he didn't remember. -
27:03 - 27:06So either way, it wasn't
very satisfactory to me. -
27:06 - 27:11And I have somebody that I
think will be outstanding -
27:11 - 27:15for the position, and that
also helps, I think, in -
27:15 - 27:17the making of my decision.
-
27:17 - 27:22But he didn't tell the
Vice President of the -
27:22 - 27:26United States the facts,
and then he didn't -
27:26 - 27:27remember.
-
27:27 - 27:28And that just wasn't
acceptable to me. -
27:28 - 27:30Yes.
-
27:30 - 27:31The Press: President
Trump, since you brought -
27:31 - 27:33up Russia, I'm looking for
some clarification here. -
27:33 - 27:36During the campaign, did
anyone from your team -
27:36 - 27:38communicate with members
of the Russian government -
27:38 - 27:40or Russian intelligence?
-
27:40 - 27:41And if so, what was
the nature of -
27:41 - 27:42those conversations?
-
27:42 - 27:44The President: Well, the
failing New York Times -
27:44 - 27:45wrote a big, long
front-page -
27:45 - 27:47story yesterday.
-
27:47 - 27:52And it was very much
discredited, as you know. -
27:52 - 27:54It was -- it's a joke.
-
27:54 - 27:56And the people mentioned
in the story -- I notice -
27:56 - 27:58they were on television
today saying they never -
27:58 - 27:59even spoke to Russia.
-
27:59 - 28:01They weren't even a part,
really -- I mean, they -
28:01 - 28:04were such a minor part --
I hadn't spoken to them. -
28:04 - 28:06I think the one person,
I don't think I've ever -
28:06 - 28:07spoken to him.
-
28:07 - 28:10I don't think
I've ever met him. -
28:10 - 28:12And he actually said he
was a very low-level -
28:12 - 28:13member of, I think, a
committee for a short -
28:13 - 28:16period of time.
-
28:16 - 28:17I don't think
I ever met him. -
28:17 - 28:18Now, it's possible that I
walked into a room and he -
28:18 - 28:20was sitting there, but I
don't think -
28:20 - 28:21I ever met him.
-
28:21 - 28:23I didn't talk
to him, ever. -
28:23 - 28:25And he thought
it was a joke. -
28:25 - 28:27The other person said he
never spoke to Russia, -
28:27 - 28:28never received a call.
-
28:28 - 28:30Look at his phone records,
et cetera, et cetera. -
28:30 - 28:33And the other person,
people knew that he'd -
28:33 - 28:35represented various
countries, but I don't -
28:35 - 28:37think he represented
Russia -- but knew that he -
28:37 - 28:39represented
various countries. -
28:39 - 28:40That's what he does.
-
28:40 - 28:42I mean, people know that.
-
28:42 - 28:44That's Mr. Manafort,
who's, by the way -- -
28:44 - 28:45who's, by the way,
a respected man. -
28:45 - 28:47He's a respected man.
-
28:47 - 28:50But I think he represented
the Ukraine, or Ukraine -
28:50 - 28:51government, or somebody.
-
28:51 - 28:52But everybody --
people knew that. -
28:52 - 28:54Everybody knew that.
-
28:54 - 28:56So these people -- and
he said that he has -
28:56 - 29:01absolutely nothing to do
and never has with Russia. -
29:01 - 29:02And he said that
very forcefully. -
29:02 - 29:03I saw his statement.
-
29:03 - 29:04He said it very
forcefully. -
29:04 - 29:06Most of the papers don't
print it because that's -
29:06 - 29:07not good for
their stories. -
29:07 - 29:11So the three people that
they talked about all -
29:11 - 29:12totally deny it.
-
29:12 - 29:15And I can tell you,
speaking for myself, I own -
29:15 - 29:17nothing in Russia.
-
29:17 - 29:20I have no loans in Russia.
-
29:20 - 29:23I don't have any
deals in Russia. -
29:23 - 29:26President Putin called
me up very nicely to -
29:26 - 29:29congratulate me on the
win of the election. -
29:29 - 29:32He then called me up
extremely nicely to -
29:32 - 29:34congratulate me on the
inauguration, which -
29:34 - 29:35was terrific.
-
29:35 - 29:37But so did many other
leaders -- almost all -
29:37 - 29:40other leaders from almost
all other countries. -
29:40 - 29:42So that's the extent.
-
29:42 - 29:43Russia is fake news.
-
29:43 - 29:46Russia -- this is fake
news put out by the media. -
29:46 - 29:50The real news is the fact
that people, probably from -
29:50 - 29:52the Obama administration
because they're there -- -
29:52 - 29:54because we have our new
people going in place -
29:54 - 29:55right now.
-
29:55 - 30:00As you know, Mike Pompeo
is now taking control -
30:00 - 30:03of the CIA.
-
30:03 - 30:05James Comey at FBI.
-
30:05 - 30:08Dan Coats is waiting
to be approved. -
30:08 - 30:10I mean, he is a senator,
and a highly -
30:10 - 30:12respected one.
-
30:12 - 30:14And he's still waiting
to be approved. -
30:14 - 30:16But our new people
are going in. -
30:16 - 30:18And just while you're at,
because you mentioned -
30:18 - 30:22this, Wall Street Journal
did a story today that was -
30:22 - 30:24almost as disgraceful as
the failing New Times's -
30:24 - 30:27story yesterday.
-
30:27 - 30:31And it talked about --
you saw it, front page. -
30:31 - 30:34So, Director of National
Intelligence just put out -
30:34 - 30:38-- acting -- a statement:
"Any suggestion that the -
30:38 - 30:41United States intelligence
community" -- this was -
30:41 - 30:44just given to us -- "is
withholding information -
30:44 - 30:48and not providing the best
possible intelligence to -
30:48 - 30:52the President and his
national security team is -
30:52 - 30:54not true."
-
30:54 - 30:57So they took this
front-page story out of -
30:57 - 31:01The Wall Street Journal --
top -- and they just wrote -
31:01 - 31:02the story is not true.
-
31:02 - 31:05And I'll tell you
something, I'll be honest -
31:05 - 31:07-- because I sort of enjoy
this back and forth, and I -
31:07 - 31:09guess I have all my life,
but I've never seen more -
31:09 - 31:10dishonest media than,
frankly, the -
31:10 - 31:12political media.
-
31:12 - 31:14I thought the financial
media was much better, -
31:14 - 31:15much more honest.
-
31:15 - 31:18But I will say that I
never get phone calls from -
31:18 - 31:21the media.
-
31:21 - 31:22How do they write a story
like that in The Wall -
31:22 - 31:23Street Journal
without asking me? -
31:23 - 31:26Or how do they write a
story in The New York -
31:26 - 31:28Times, put it
on front page? -
31:28 - 31:30That was like that story
they wrote about the women -
31:30 - 31:32and me -- front page.
-
31:32 - 31:35Big massive story.
-
31:35 - 31:37And it was nasty.
-
31:37 - 31:37And then they called.
-
31:37 - 31:39They said, "We
never said that. -
31:39 - 31:43We like Mr. Trump." They
called up my office -- we -
31:43 - 31:46like Mr. Trump; we
never said that. -
31:46 - 31:49And it was totally -- they
totally misrepresented -
31:49 - 31:52those very wonderful
women, I have to tell you -
31:52 - 31:54-- totally misrepresented.
-
31:54 - 31:56I said, give us
a retraction. -
31:56 - 31:59They never gave
us a retraction. -
31:59 - 32:01And, frankly, I then
went on to other things. -
32:01 - 32:08Go ahead.
-
32:08 - 32:08The Press: Mr.
President -- -
32:08 - 32:09The President: You okay?
-
32:09 - 32:10The Press: I am.
-
32:10 - 32:11Just wanted to
get untangled. -
32:11 - 32:14Very simply, you said
today that you had the -
32:14 - 32:15biggest electoral margins
since Ronald Reagan with -
32:15 - 32:18304 or 306
electoral votes. -
32:18 - 32:20In fact, President
Obama got 365 in 2008. -
32:20 - 32:22The President: Well, I'm
talking about Republican. Yes. -
32:22 - 32:24The Press: President
Obama, 332. -
32:24 - 32:26George H.W. Bush,
-
32:26 - 32:29426 when he
won as President. -
32:29 - 32:30So why should
Americans trust -- -
32:30 - 32:31The President: Well, no,
I was told -- I was given -
32:31 - 32:32that information.
-
32:32 - 32:33I don't know.
-
32:33 - 32:34I was just given.
-
32:34 - 32:35We had a very,
very big margin. -
32:35 - 32:36The Press: I guess my
question is, why should -
32:36 - 32:38Americans trust you when
you have accused the -
32:38 - 32:40information they receive
of being fake when you're -
32:40 - 32:42providing information
that's fake? -
32:42 - 32:42The President:
Well, I don't know. -
32:42 - 32:44I was given that
information. -
32:44 - 32:45I was given -- actually,
I've seen that -
32:45 - 32:47information around.
-
32:47 - 32:48But it was a very
substantial victory. -
32:48 - 32:50Do you agree with that?
-
32:50 - 32:51The Press: You're
the President. -
32:51 - 32:52The President:
Okay, thank you. -
32:52 - 32:54That's a good answer. Yes.
-
32:54 - 32:55The Press: Mr. President,
thank you so much. -
32:57 - 32:59Can you tell us in
determining that -
32:59 - 33:03Lieutenant General Flynn
-- there was no wrongdoing -
33:03 - 33:06in your mind, what
evidence was weighed? -
33:06 - 33:08Did you have the
transcripts of these -
33:08 - 33:10telephone intercepts
with Russian officials, -
33:10 - 33:12particularly Ambassador
Kislyak, who he was -
33:12 - 33:15communicating with?
-
33:15 - 33:17What evidence did you
weigh to determine there -
33:17 - 33:18was no wrong doing?
-
33:18 - 33:20And further than that,
sir, you've said on a -
33:20 - 33:22couple of occasions this
morning that you were -
33:22 - 33:23going to aggressively
pursue the sources of -
33:24 - 33:24these leaks.
-
33:24 - 33:25The President: We are.
-
33:25 - 33:26The Press: Can we ask
what you're doing to do? -
33:27 - 33:28And also, we've heard
about a review of the -
33:28 - 33:30intelligence community
headed by -
33:30 - 33:32Stephen Feinberg.
-
33:32 - 33:32What can you tell
us about that? -
33:32 - 33:33The President: Well, first
of all, about that, we now -
33:34 - 33:35have Dan Coats, hopefully
soon Mike Pompeo and James -
33:38 - 33:40Comey, and they're
in position. -
33:41 - 33:43So I hope that we'll be
able to straighten that -
33:43 - 33:46out without using
anybody else. -
33:46 - 33:47The gentleman you
mentioned is a very -
33:47 - 33:49talented man, very
successful man. -
33:49 - 33:53And he has offered his
services, and it's -
33:53 - 33:53something we may
take advantage of. -
33:53 - 33:57But I don't think we'll
need that at all because -
33:57 - 33:59of the fact that I think
that we're going to be -
33:59 - 34:01able to straighten it out
very easily on its own. -
34:01 - 34:05As far as the general is
concerned, when I first -
34:05 - 34:08heard about it, I said,
huh, that doesn't -
34:09 - 34:09sound wrong.
-
34:09 - 34:12My counsel came -- Don
McGahn, White House -
34:12 - 34:16Counsel -- and he told me,
and I asked him, and he -
34:17 - 34:19can speak very
well for himself. -
34:19 - 34:24He said he doesn't think
anything is wrong. -
34:24 - 34:26He really didn't think
-- it was really what -
34:27 - 34:28happened after that, but
he didn't think anything -
34:28 - 34:29was done wrong.
-
34:29 - 34:30I didn't either, because
I waited a period of time -
34:30 - 34:31and I started to
think about it. -
34:31 - 34:33I said, well, I don't see
-- to me, he was -
34:33 - 34:34doing the job.
-
34:34 - 34:37The information was
provided by -- who I don't -
34:37 - 34:41know -- Sally Yates -- and
I was a little surprised -
34:41 - 34:45because I said, doesn't
sound like he did anything -
34:45 - 34:47wrong there.
-
34:47 - 34:50But he did something wrong
with respect to the Vice -
34:50 - 34:53President, and I thought
that was not acceptable. -
34:53 - 34:59As far as the actual
making the call -- in -
34:59 - 35:02fact, I've watched various
programs and I've read -
35:02 - 35:06various articles where he
was just doing his job. -
35:06 - 35:07That was very normal.
-
35:07 - 35:09At first, everybody got
excited because they -
35:09 - 35:10thought he did
something wrong. -
35:10 - 35:13After they thought about
it, it turned out he was -
35:13 - 35:15just doing his job.
-
35:15 - 35:17So -- and I do -- and, by
the way, with all of that -
35:17 - 35:19being said, I do think
he's a fine man. -
35:19 - 35:21Yes, Jon.
-
35:21 - 35:23The Press: On
the leaks, sir -- -
35:23 - 35:24The President: Go ahead,
finish off, then I'll get -
35:24 - 35:25you, Jon.
-
35:25 - 35:26The Press: Sorry, what
will you do on the leaks? -
35:26 - 35:27You have said
twice today -- -
35:27 - 35:28The President: Yes, we're
looking at it very, -
35:28 - 35:30very seriously.
-
35:30 - 35:34I've gone to all of the
folks in charge of the -
35:34 - 35:38various agencies, and
we're -- I've actually -
35:38 - 35:40called the Justice
Department to look -
35:40 - 35:41into the leaks.
-
35:41 - 35:43Those are criminal leaks.
-
35:43 - 35:46They're put out by people
either in agencies. -
35:46 - 35:48I think you'll see it
stopping because now we -
35:48 - 35:48have our people in.
-
35:48 - 35:51You know, again, we don't
have our people in because -
35:51 - 35:52we can't get them
approved by the Senate. -
35:52 - 35:56We just had Jeff Sessions
approved in Justice, -
35:56 - 35:57as an example.
-
35:57 - 36:01So we are looking into
that very seriously. -
36:01 - 36:02It's a criminal act.
-
36:02 - 36:05You know what I say --
when I was called out on -
36:05 - 36:07Mexico, I was shocked.
-
36:07 - 36:08Because all this
equipment, all this -
36:08 - 36:09incredible phone
equipment. -
36:09 - 36:14When I was called out on
Mexico, I was -- honestly, -
36:14 - 36:16I was really,
really surprised. -
36:16 - 36:18But I said, you know, it
doesn't make sense, -
36:18 - 36:19that won't happen.
-
36:19 - 36:21But that wasn't that
important to call, -
36:21 - 36:22it was fine.
-
36:22 - 36:23I could show it to the
world and he could show it -
36:23 - 36:25to the world -- the
President who is a very -
36:25 - 36:27fine man, by the way.
-
36:27 - 36:30Same thing with Australia.
-
36:30 - 36:32I said, that's terrible
that it was leaked but it -
36:32 - 36:33wasn't that important.
-
36:33 - 36:34But then I said, what
happens when I'm dealing -
36:34 - 36:37with the problem
of North Korea? -
36:37 - 36:40What happens when I'm
dealing with the problems -
36:40 - 36:42in the Middle East?
-
36:42 - 36:43Are you folks going to
be reporting all of that -
36:43 - 36:47very, very confidential
information -- very -
36:47 - 36:50important, very -- I mean,
at the highest level, are -
36:50 - 36:52you going to be reporting
about that too? -
36:52 - 36:56So I don't want classified
information getting out to -
36:56 - 36:57the public.
-
36:57 - 36:59And in a way, that
was almost a test. -
36:59 - 37:02So I'm dealing
with Mexico. -
37:02 - 37:05I'm dealing
with Argentina. -
37:05 - 37:07We were dealing on this
case with Mike Flynn. -
37:07 - 37:09All this information gets
put into the Washington -
37:09 - 37:13Post and gets put into
the New York Times. -
37:13 - 37:15And I'm saying, what's
going to happen when I'm -
37:15 - 37:16dealing on the
Middle East? -
37:16 - 37:18What's going to happen
when I'm dealing with -
37:18 - 37:22really, really important
subjects like North Korea? -
37:22 - 37:25We've got to stop it.
-
37:25 - 37:26That's why it's a
criminal penalty. -
37:26 - 37:28Yes, Jon.
-
37:28 - 37:29The Press: Thank
you, Mr. President. -
37:29 - 37:32I just want to get you
to clarify just a very -
37:32 - 37:35important point.
-
37:35 - 37:36Can you say definitively
that nobody on your -
37:36 - 37:37campaign had any contacts
with the Russians during -
37:37 - 37:39the campaign?
-
37:39 - 37:41And, on the leaks, is it
fake news or are these -
37:41 - 37:44real leaks?
-
37:44 - 37:45The President: Well,
the leaks are real. -
37:45 - 37:46You're the one that wrote
-
37:46 - 37:47about them and reported them.
-
37:47 - 37:48I mean, the
leaks are real. -
37:48 - 37:50You know what they
said -- you saw it. -
37:50 - 37:52And the leaks are
absolutely real. -
37:52 - 37:55The news is fake because
so much of -
37:55 - 37:56the news is fake.
-
37:56 - 37:59So one thing that I felt
it was very important to -
37:59 - 38:01do -- and I hope we can
correct it, because there -
38:01 - 38:03is nobody I have more
respect for -- well, maybe -
38:03 - 38:05a little bit -- than reporters,
-
38:05 - 38:06than good reporters.
-
38:06 - 38:09It's very important to me,
-
38:09 - 38:10and especially in this position.
-
38:10 - 38:11It's very important.
-
38:11 - 38:13I don't mind bad stories.
-
38:13 - 38:17I can handle a bad story
better than anybody as -
38:17 - 38:18long as it's true.
-
38:18 - 38:21And over a course of time,
I'll make mistakes and -
38:21 - 38:23you'll write badly and
I'm okay with that. -
38:23 - 38:26But I'm not okay
when it is fake. -
38:26 - 38:30I mean, I watch CNN --
it's so much anger and -
38:30 - 38:33hatred and just
the hatred. -
38:33 - 38:36I don't watch it anymore
because it's very good -- -
38:36 - 38:36he's saying no.
-
38:36 - 38:38It's okay, Jim.
-
38:38 - 38:38It's okay, Jim.
-
38:38 - 38:40You'll have your chance.
-
38:40 - 38:42But I watch others too.
-
38:42 - 38:44You're not the only one,
so don't feel badly. -
38:44 - 38:46But I think it
should be straight. -
38:46 - 38:47I think it should be
-- I think it would be, -
38:47 - 38:49frankly, more interesting.
-
38:49 - 38:50I know how good
everybody's ratings are -
38:50 - 38:52right now, but I think
that actually would be -- -
38:52 - 38:56I think that it would
actually be better. -
38:56 - 38:58People -- I mean, you have
a lower approval -
38:58 - 38:59rate than Congress.
-
38:59 - 39:00I think that's right.
-
39:00 - 39:02I don't know, Peter,
is that one right? -
39:02 - 39:03Because you know, I think
they have lower -- I -
39:03 - 39:05heard, lower
than Congress. -
39:05 - 39:09But honestly, the public
would appreciate it. -
39:09 - 39:10I'd appreciate it.
-
39:10 - 39:13Again, I don't mind bad
stories when it's true. -
39:13 - 39:16But we have an
administration where the -
39:16 - 39:19Democrats are making
it very difficult. -
39:19 - 39:22I think we're setting a
record, or close to a -
39:22 - 39:24record in the time of
approval of a Cabinet. -
39:24 - 39:26I mean, the
numbers are crazy. -
39:26 - 39:27When I'm looking -- some
of them had them approved -
39:27 - 39:28immediately.
-
39:28 - 39:31I'm going forever, and I
still have a lot of people -
39:31 - 39:32that we're waiting for.
-
39:32 - 39:35And that's all they're
doing, is delaying. -
39:35 - 39:37And you look at Schumer
and the mess that he's got -
39:37 - 39:40over there, and they
have nothing going. -
39:40 - 39:42The only thing they
can do is delay. -
39:42 - 39:45And you know, I think
they'd be better served by -
39:45 - 39:48approving and making sure
that they're happy and -
39:48 - 39:50everybody is good.
-
39:50 - 39:53And sometimes, I mean -- I
know President Obama lost -
39:53 - 39:55three or four, and you
lose them on the way. -
39:55 - 39:56And that's okay.
-
39:56 - 39:57That's fine.
-
39:57 - 40:01But I think they would be
much better served, Jon, -
40:01 - 40:04if they just went through
the process quickly. -
40:04 - 40:07This is pure
delay tactics. -
40:07 - 40:09And they say it, and
everybody understands it. -
40:09 - 40:11Yeah, go ahead, Jim.
-
40:11 - 40:12The Press: The first
part of my -
40:12 - 40:13question on contacts.
-
40:13 - 40:15Do you definitively
say that nobody -- -
40:15 - 40:16The President: Well, I had
nothing to do with it. -
40:16 - 40:18I have nothing to
do with Russia. -
40:18 - 40:20I told you, I have
no deals there. -
40:20 - 40:21I have no anything.
-
40:21 - 40:24Now, when WikiLeaks, which
I had nothing to do with, -
40:24 - 40:27comes out and happens to
give -- they're not giving -
40:27 - 40:29classified information.
-
40:29 - 40:31They're giving stuff --
what was said at an office -
40:31 - 40:34about Hillary cheating on
the debates -- which, by -
40:34 - 40:36the way, nobody mentions.
-
40:36 - 40:39Nobody mentions that
Hillary received the -
40:39 - 40:42questions to the debates.
-
40:42 - 40:45Can you imagine --
seriously, can you imagine -
40:45 - 40:48if I received
the questions? -
40:48 - 40:53It would be the
electric chair, okay? -
40:53 - 40:55"He should be put in
the electric chair." -
40:55 - 40:58You would even call for
the reinstitution of the -
40:58 - 40:59death penalty, okay?
-
40:59 - 41:01Maybe not you, Jon.
-
41:01 - 41:02Yes, we'll do
you next, Jim. -
41:02 - 41:03I'll do you next. Yes?
-
41:03 - 41:04The Press: Thank
you, Mr. President. -
41:04 - 41:06I just want to clarify
one other thing. -
41:06 - 41:06The President: Sure.
-
41:06 - 41:08The Press: Did you direct
Mike Flynn to discuss the -
41:08 - 41:10sanctions with the
Russian ambassador? -
41:10 - 41:11The President:
No, I didn't. -
41:11 - 41:12No, I didn't.
-
41:12 - 41:13The Press: (Inaudible.)
(Off mic.) -
41:13 - 41:13The President:
No, I didn't. -
41:13 - 41:16The Press: Did you fire
him because (inaudible) -- -
41:16 - 41:17The President: Excuse me
-- no, I fired him because -
41:17 - 41:20of what he said to Mike
Pence, very simple. -
41:20 - 41:22Mike was doing his job.
-
41:22 - 41:25He was calling countries
and his counterparts. -
41:25 - 41:27So it certainly would have
been okay with -
41:27 - 41:28me if he did it.
-
41:28 - 41:29I would have directed him
to do it if I thought he -
41:29 - 41:31wasn't doing it.
-
41:31 - 41:34I didn't direct him but I
would have directed him -
41:34 - 41:36because that's his job.
-
41:36 - 41:38And it came out that way
-- and, in all fairness, I -
41:38 - 41:42watched Dr. Charles
Krauthammer the other -
41:42 - 41:47night say he was
doing his job. -
41:47 - 41:49And I agreed with him.
-
41:49 - 41:51And since then I've
watched many other -
41:51 - 41:51people say that.
-
41:51 - 41:53No, I didn't direct him,
but I would have directed -
41:53 - 41:56him if he didn't
do it, okay? Jim. -
41:56 - 41:57The Press: Mr. President,
thank you very much. -
41:57 - 41:59And just for the record,
we don't hate you, -
41:59 - 42:00I don't hate you.
-
42:00 - 42:01If you could
pass that along. -
42:01 - 42:02The President: Okay.
-
42:02 - 42:04Well, ask Jeff Zucker how
he got his job, okay? -
42:04 - 42:07The Press: If I may
follow up on some of the -
42:07 - 42:08questions that have
taken place so far, sir. -
42:08 - 42:10The President:
Well, not too many. -
42:10 - 42:11We do have other people.
-
42:11 - 42:13You do have other people,
and your ratings aren't as -
42:13 - 42:15good as some of the other
people that are waiting. -
42:15 - 42:16The Press: They're pretty
good right now, actually. -
42:16 - 42:17The President: Okay.
-
42:17 - 42:18Go ahead, Jim.
-
42:18 - 42:20The Press: If I may ask,
sir, you said earlier that -
42:20 - 42:24WikiLeaks was revealing
information about the -
42:24 - 42:28Hillary Clinton campaign
during the election cycle. -
42:28 - 42:29You welcomed that
at one point. -
42:29 - 42:30The President: I
was okay with it. -
42:30 - 42:32The Press: You said
you loved WikiLeaks. -
42:32 - 42:35At another campaign press
conference you called on -
42:35 - 42:39the Russians to find the
missing 30,000 emails. -
42:39 - 42:40I'm wondering,
sir, if you -- -
42:40 - 42:41The President: Well, she
was actually missing -
42:41 - 42:4433,000, and then that got
extended with a whole pile -
42:44 - 42:45after that, but
that's okay. -
42:45 - 42:45The Press: Maybe my
numbers are off a -
42:45 - 42:46little bit too.
-
42:46 - 42:47The President: No, no, but
I did say 30,000, but it -
42:47 - 42:48was actually
higher than that. -
42:48 - 42:49The Press: If I may ask
you, sir, it sounds as -
42:49 - 42:52though you do not have
much credibility here when -
42:52 - 42:55it comes to leaking if
that is something that you -
42:55 - 42:56encouraged in
the campaign. -
42:56 - 42:57The President:
Okay, fair question. Ready? -
42:57 - 42:59The Press: So if I may ask
you that -- if I may ask a -
42:59 - 42:59follow-up --
-
42:59 - 43:00The President: No, no, but
are you -- let me do one -
43:00 - 43:00at a time.
-
43:00 - 43:01Do you mind?
-
43:01 - 43:01The Press: Yes, sir.
-
43:01 - 43:02The President: All right.
-
43:02 - 43:05So in one case you're
talking about highly -
43:05 - 43:07classified information.
-
43:07 - 43:11In the other case you're
talking about John Podesta -
43:11 - 43:12saying bad things
about the boss. -
43:12 - 43:15I will say this: If John
Podesta said that about me -
43:15 - 43:16and he was working for me,
I would have fired him so -
43:16 - 43:18fast your head
would have spun. -
43:18 - 43:20He said terrible
things about her. -
43:20 - 43:22But it wasn't
classified information. -
43:22 - 43:24But in one case you're
talking about classified. -
43:24 - 43:27Regardless, if you look
at the RNC, we had a very -
43:27 - 43:30strong -- at my suggestion
-- and I give Reince great -
43:30 - 43:34credit for this -- at my
suggestion, because I know -
43:34 - 43:36something about this
world, I said I want a -
43:36 - 43:40very strong
defensive mechanism. -
43:40 - 43:42I don't want to be hacked.
-
43:42 - 43:45And we did that, and you
have seen that they tried -
43:45 - 43:47to hack us and
they failed. -
43:47 - 43:51The DNC did not do that.
-
43:51 - 43:52And if they did it, they
could not have -
43:52 - 43:54been hacked.
-
43:54 - 43:55But they were hacked, and
terrible things came. -
43:55 - 43:58And the only thing that I
do think is unfair is some -
43:58 - 44:01of the things were so --
they were -- when I heard -
44:01 - 44:02some of those things, I
said -- I picked up the -
44:02 - 44:04papers the next morning, I
said, oh, this is going -
44:04 - 44:05to front page.
-
44:05 - 44:07It wasn't even
in the papers. -
44:07 - 44:11Again, if I had that
happen to me, it would be -
44:11 - 44:13the biggest story in the
history of publishing or -
44:13 - 44:15the head of newspapers.
-
44:15 - 44:16I would have been the
headline -
44:16 - 44:18in every newspaper.
-
44:18 - 44:19I mean, think of it.
-
44:19 - 44:22They gave her the
questions for the debate, -
44:22 - 44:25and she should have
reported herself. -
44:25 - 44:28Why didn't Hillary Clinton
announce that, "I'm sorry, -
44:28 - 44:32but I have been given the
questions to a debate or a -
44:32 - 44:37town hall, and I feel that
it's inappropriate, and I -
44:37 - 44:41want to turn in CNN for
not doing a good job"? -
44:41 - 44:42The Press: And if I may
follow up on that, just -
44:42 - 44:44something that Jonathan
Karl was asking you about -
44:44 - 44:46-- you said that the leaks
are real, but -
44:46 - 44:48the news is fake.
-
44:48 - 44:49I guess I don't
understand. -
44:49 - 44:51It seems that there
is a disconnect there. -
44:51 - 44:54If the information coming
from those leaks is real, -
44:54 - 44:55then how can the
stories be fake? -
44:55 - 44:56The President: Well,
the reporting is fake. -
44:56 - 44:57Look, look --
-
44:57 - 44:58The Press: And if I may
ask -- I just want to ask -
44:58 - 44:59one other question.
-
44:59 - 45:00The President: Jim,
you know what it is? -
45:00 - 45:01Here's the thing.
-
45:01 - 45:02The public isn't -- they
read newspapers, they see -
45:02 - 45:05television, they watch.
-
45:05 - 45:08They don't know if it's
true or false because -
45:08 - 45:10they're not involved.
-
45:10 - 45:10I'm involved.
-
45:10 - 45:12I've been involved with
this stuff all my life. -
45:12 - 45:15But I'm involved.
-
45:15 - 45:16So I know when you're
telling the truth or when -
45:16 - 45:18you're not.
-
45:18 - 45:20I just see many, many
untruthful things. -
45:20 - 45:21And I tell you
what else I see. -
45:21 - 45:22I see tone.
-
45:22 - 45:24You know the word "tone."
-
45:24 - 45:27The tone is such hatred.
-
45:27 - 45:29I'm really not a bad
person, by the way. -
45:29 - 45:32No, but the tone is such
-- I do get good ratings, -
45:32 - 45:33you have to admit that.
-
45:33 - 45:37The tone is such hatred.
-
45:37 - 45:40I watched this morning a
couple of the networks, -
45:40 - 45:43and I have to say "Fox &
Friends" in the morning, -
45:43 - 45:45they're very
honorable people. -
45:45 - 45:47They're very -- not
because they're good, -
45:47 - 45:50because they hit me also
when I do something wrong. -
45:50 - 45:54But they have the most
honest morning show. -
45:54 - 45:54That's all I can say.
-
45:54 - 45:55It's the most honest.
-
45:55 - 45:57But the tone, Jim.
-
45:57 - 46:00If you look -- the hatred.
-
46:00 - 46:01I mean, sometimes --
sometimes somebody gets -- -
46:01 - 46:02The Press: (Off mic.)
-
46:02 - 46:04The President: Well, you
look at your show that -
46:04 - 46:07goes on at 10 o'clock
in the evening. -
46:07 - 46:09You just take a
look at that show. -
46:09 - 46:11That is a constant hit.
-
46:11 - 46:14The panel is almost always
exclusive anti-Trump. -
46:14 - 46:16The good news is he
doesn't have good ratings. -
46:16 - 46:20But the panel is almost
exclusive anti-Trump. -
46:20 - 46:24And the hatred and venom
coming from his mouth, the -
46:24 - 46:27hatred coming from other
people on your network. -
46:27 - 46:29Now, I will say this.
-
46:29 - 46:31I watch it.
-
46:31 - 46:32I see it.
-
46:32 - 46:35I'm amazed by it.
-
46:35 - 46:37And I just think you'd
be a lot better off -- I -
46:37 - 46:38honestly do.
-
46:38 - 46:39The public gets
it, you know. -
46:39 - 46:41Look, when I go to
rallies, they turn around, -
46:41 - 46:42they start
screaming at CNN. -
46:42 - 46:44They want to throw
their placards at CNN. -
46:44 - 46:50I think you would do much
better by being different. -
46:50 - 46:51But you just take a look.
-
46:51 - 46:53Take a look at some of
your shows in the morning -
46:53 - 46:55and the evening.
-
46:55 - 46:57If a guest comes out and
says something positive -
46:57 - 47:00about me, it's brutal.
-
47:00 - 47:01Now, they'll take
this news conference. -
47:01 - 47:03I'm actually having a
very good time, okay? -
47:03 - 47:05But they'll take this news
conference -- don't forget -
47:05 - 47:06that's the way I won.
-
47:06 - 47:08Remember, I used to give
you a news conference -
47:08 - 47:09every time I made a
speech, which was like -
47:09 - 47:10every day.
-
47:10 - 47:11The Press: (Off mic.)
-
47:11 - 47:12The President: No,
that's how I won. -
47:12 - 47:13I won with news
conferences and -
47:13 - 47:14probably speeches.
-
47:14 - 47:16I certainly didn't win by
people listening to you -
47:16 - 47:18people, that's for sure.
-
47:18 - 47:19But I am having
a good time. -
47:19 - 47:23Tomorrow they will say,
Donald Trump rants and -
47:23 - 47:24raves at the press.
-
47:24 - 47:25I'm not ranting
and raving. -
47:25 - 47:27I'm just telling you,
you're dishonest people. -
47:27 - 47:29But -- but I'm not
ranting and raving. -
47:29 - 47:30I love this.
-
47:30 - 47:32I'm having a good
time doing it. -
47:32 - 47:34But tomorrow the headlines
are going to be: -
47:34 - 47:37Donald Trump Rants and Raves.
-
47:37 - 47:38I'm not ranting
and raving. -
47:38 - 47:39The Press: If
I may just -- -
47:39 - 47:39The President: Go ahead.
-
47:39 - 47:40The Press: One more
follow-up because -- -
47:40 - 47:41The President: Should I
let him have -
47:41 - 47:41a little bit more?
-
47:41 - 47:42What do you think, Peter?
-
47:42 - 47:43The Press: Just
because of this -- -
47:43 - 47:44The President: Peter,
should I have let him have -
47:44 - 47:45a little bit more?
-
47:45 - 47:45Sit down.
-
47:45 - 47:46Sit down.
-
47:46 - 47:47The Press: Just because
of the attack -- -
47:47 - 47:48The President:
We'll get it. -
47:48 - 47:49The Press: Just because of
the attack of fake news -
47:49 - 47:52and attacking our network,
I just want to ask you, sir -- -
47:52 - 47:53The President: I'm
changing it from fake -
47:53 - 47:54news, though.
-
47:54 - 47:55The Press: Doesn't
that undermine -- -
47:55 - 47:56The President:
Very fake news now. -
47:56 - 47:58(Laughter.)
-
47:58 - 47:59The Press: But
aren't you -- -
47:59 - 48:00The President:
Yes, go ahead. -
48:00 - 48:01The Press: Real
news, Mr. President. -
48:01 - 48:02Real news.
-
48:02 - 48:03The President: And you're
not related to our new -- -
48:03 - 48:05The Press: I am not
related, sir, no. -
48:05 - 48:08(Laughter.) I do like the
sound of Secretary Acosta, -
48:08 - 48:09I must say.
-
48:09 - 48:10The President: I looked --
you know, I looked -
48:10 - 48:11at that name.
-
48:11 - 48:12I said, wait a minute, is
there any relation there? -
48:12 - 48:13Alex Acosta.
-
48:13 - 48:14The Press: I'm sure you
checked that out, sir. -
48:14 - 48:15The President:
No, I checked it. -
48:15 - 48:16I said -- they
said, no, sir. -
48:16 - 48:17I said, do me a favor, go
back and check -
48:17 - 48:19the family tree.
-
48:19 - 48:21The Press: But aren't you
concerned, sir, that you -
48:21 - 48:24are undermining the
people's faith in the -
48:24 - 48:26First Amendment freedom of
the press, the press in -
48:26 - 48:29this country when you call
stories you don't like -
48:29 - 48:30"fake news"?
-
48:30 - 48:32Why not just say it's
a story I don't like? -
48:32 - 48:33The President: I do that.
-
48:33 - 48:34The Press: When you call
it fake news, you're -
48:34 - 48:35undermining confidence --
-
48:35 - 48:36The President:
No, I do that. -
48:36 - 48:37No, no, I do that.
-
48:37 - 48:38The Press: -- in
our news media. -
48:38 - 48:38The President:
Here's the thing. -
48:38 - 48:39The Press: Isn't
that important? -
48:39 - 48:40The President: Okay, I
understand -- and you're -
48:40 - 48:41right about that
except this. -
48:41 - 48:42See, I know when I should
get good and when I should -
48:42 - 48:43get bad.
-
48:43 - 48:45And sometimes I'll say,
wow, that's going to be a -
48:45 - 48:48great story, and
I'll get killed. -
48:48 - 48:49I know what's
good and bad. -
48:49 - 48:50I'd be a pretty good
reporter -- not -
48:50 - 48:52as good as you.
-
48:52 - 48:53But I know what's good.
-
48:53 - 48:55I know what's bad.
-
48:55 - 48:58And when they change it
and make it really bad -- -
48:58 - 48:59something that
should be positive. -
48:59 - 49:01Sometimes something that
should be very positive, -
49:01 - 49:03they'll make okay.
-
49:03 - 49:04They'll even
make it negative. -
49:04 - 49:07So I understand it
because I'm there. -
49:07 - 49:08I know what was said.
-
49:08 - 49:10I know who is saying it.
-
49:10 - 49:11I'm there.
-
49:11 - 49:12So it's very
important to me. -
49:12 - 49:14Look, I want to see
an honest press. -
49:14 - 49:17When I started off today
by saying that it's so -
49:17 - 49:19important to the public
to get an honest press. -
49:19 - 49:21The press -- the public
doesn't believe you -
49:21 - 49:23people anymore.
-
49:23 - 49:24Now, maybe I had something
to do with -
49:24 - 49:26that, I don't know.
-
49:26 - 49:27But they don't
believe you. -
49:27 - 49:32If you were straight and
really told it like it is, -
49:32 - 49:35as Howard Cosell
used to say, right? -
49:35 - 49:37Of course, he had
some questions also. -
49:37 - 49:40But if you were straight,
I would be your biggest -
49:40 - 49:42booster, I would be your
biggest fan in the world -
49:42 - 49:45-- including bad
stories about me. -
49:45 - 49:48But if you go -- as an
example, you're CNN -- I -
49:48 - 49:53mean, it's story after
story after story is bad. -
49:53 - 49:56I won. I won.
-
49:56 - 49:57And the other
thing: Chaos. -
49:57 - 49:59There's zero chaos.
-
49:59 - 50:02We are running -- this
is a fine-tuned machine. -
50:02 - 50:04And Reince happens to
be doing a good job. -
50:04 - 50:06But half of his job is
putting out -
50:06 - 50:08lies by the press.
-
50:08 - 50:11I said to him yesterday,
this whole Russia scam -
50:11 - 50:14that you guys are building
so that you don't talk -
50:14 - 50:16about the real subject,
which is illegal leaks. -
50:16 - 50:21But I watched him
yesterday working so hard -
50:21 - 50:25to try and get
that story proper. -
50:25 - 50:27And I'm saying, here's my
Chief of Staff, a really -
50:27 - 50:30good guy, did a
phenomenal job at RNC. -
50:30 - 50:32I mean, we won the
election, right? -
50:32 - 50:34We won the presidency.
-
50:34 - 50:35We got some senators.
-
50:35 - 50:37We got some -- all over
the country, you take a -
50:37 - 50:39look, he's done
a great job. -
50:39 - 50:40And I said to myself, you
know -- and I said to -
50:40 - 50:42somebody that was in the
room -- I said, you take a -
50:42 - 50:44look at Reince, he's
working so hard just -
50:44 - 50:47putting out fires
that are fake fires. -
50:47 - 50:49They're fake.
-
50:49 - 50:51They're not true.
-
50:51 - 50:53And isn't that a shame,
because he'd rather be -
50:53 - 50:55working on health care.
-
50:55 - 50:57He'd rather be working
on tax reform, Jim. -
50:57 - 50:58I mean that.
-
50:58 - 51:00I would be your biggest
fan in the world if you -
51:00 - 51:01treated me right.
-
51:01 - 51:03I sort of understand
there's a certain bias, -
51:03 - 51:07maybe by Jeff or somebody
-- for whatever reason. -
51:07 - 51:09And I understand that.
-
51:09 - 51:11But you've got to be at
least a little bit fair. -
51:11 - 51:13And that's why the public
sees it -- they see it. -
51:13 - 51:15They see it's not fair.
-
51:15 - 51:17You take a look at some of
your shows and you see the -
51:17 - 51:20bias and the hatred.
-
51:20 - 51:21And the public is smart.
-
51:21 - 51:22They understand it.
-
51:22 - 51:25Okay, yeah, go ahead.
-
51:25 - 51:27The Press: We have no
doubt that your latest -
51:27 - 51:28story is (inaudible).
-
51:28 - 51:30But for those who believe
that there is something to -
51:30 - 51:33it, is there anything that
you have learned over -
51:33 - 51:36these last few weeks that
you might be able to -
51:36 - 51:38reveal that might ease
their concerns that this -
51:38 - 51:39isn't fake news?
-
51:39 - 51:40And secondly --
-
51:40 - 51:41The President: I think
they don't believe it. -
51:41 - 51:42I don't think
the public would. -
51:42 - 51:44That's why the Rasmussen
poll just has me through -
51:44 - 51:45the roof.
-
51:45 - 51:48I don't think
they believe it. -
51:48 - 51:50Well, I guess one of the
reasons I'm here today is -
51:50 - 51:52to tell you the whole
Russian thing -- -
51:52 - 51:53that's a ruse.
-
51:53 - 51:55That's a ruse.
-
51:55 - 51:59And, by the way, it would
be great if we could get -
51:59 - 52:01along with Russia, just
so you understand that. -
52:01 - 52:03Now, tomorrow you'll say,
Donald Trump wants to get -
52:03 - 52:06along with Russia,
this is terrible. -
52:06 - 52:07It's not terrible
-- it's good. -
52:07 - 52:10We had Hillary Clinton
try and do a reset. -
52:10 - 52:15We had Hillary Clinton
give Russia 20 percent of -
52:15 - 52:18the uranium in
our country. -
52:18 - 52:20You know what
uranium is, right? -
52:20 - 52:21It's this thing called
nuclear weapons -
52:21 - 52:22and other things.
-
52:22 - 52:25Like, lots of things
are done with uranium, -
52:25 - 52:26including some bad things.
-
52:26 - 52:30Nobody talks about that.
-
52:30 - 52:31I didn't do
anything for Russia. -
52:31 - 52:33I've done nothing
for Russia. -
52:33 - 52:36Hillary Clinton gave them
20 percent of our uranium. -
52:36 - 52:38Hillary Clinton did a
reset, remember, with the -
52:38 - 52:41stupid plastic button that
made us all look like a -
52:41 - 52:42bunch of jerks?
-
52:42 - 52:43Here, take a look.
-
52:43 - 52:46He looked at her like,
what the hell is she doing -
52:46 - 52:49with that cheap
plastic button? -
52:49 - 52:51Hillary Clinton --
that was a reset. Remember? -
52:51 - 52:53It said "reset."
-
52:53 - 52:55Now, if I do that,
oh, I'm a bad guy. -
52:55 - 52:57If we could get along with
Russia, that's -
52:57 - 52:58a positive thing.
-
52:58 - 53:01We have a very talented
man, Rex Tillerson, who is -
53:01 - 53:04going to be meeting
with them shortly. -
53:04 - 53:06And I told him, I said,
I know politically it's -
53:06 - 53:08probably not good for me.
-
53:08 - 53:10Hey, the greatest thing
I could do is shoot -
53:10 - 53:12that ship that's 30 miles
offshore right out -
53:12 - 53:13of the water.
-
53:13 - 53:15Everyone in this country
is going to say, oh, it's -
53:15 - 53:17so great.
-
53:17 - 53:19That's not great.
-
53:19 - 53:20That's not great.
-
53:20 - 53:22I would love to be able
to get along with Russia. -
53:22 - 53:25Now, you've had a lot of
Presidents that haven't -
53:25 - 53:27taken that tact.
-
53:27 - 53:28Look where we are now.
-
53:28 - 53:29Look where we are now.
-
53:29 - 53:34So, if I can -- now, I
love to negotiate things. -
53:34 - 53:37I do it really well and
all that stuff, but it's -
53:37 - 53:39possible I won't be able
to get along with Putin. -
53:39 - 53:41Maybe it is.
-
53:41 - 53:44But I want to just tell
you, the false reporting -
53:44 - 53:46by the media, by you
people -- the false, -
53:46 - 53:50horrible, fake reporting
makes it much harder to -
53:50 - 53:53make a deal with Russia.
-
53:53 - 53:56And probably Putin said,
you know -- he's sitting -
53:56 - 53:59behind his desk and he's
saying, you know, I see -
53:59 - 54:01what's going on in the
United States, I follow it -
54:01 - 54:04closely; it's got to be
impossible for President -
54:04 - 54:08Trump to ever get along
with Russia because of all -
54:08 - 54:13the pressure he's got
with this fake story. Okay? -
54:13 - 54:14And that's a shame.
-
54:14 - 54:16Because if we could get
along with Russia -- and, -
54:16 - 54:20by the way, China and
Japan and everyone -- if -
54:20 - 54:22we could get along, it
would be a positive thing, -
54:22 - 54:23not a negative thing.
-
54:23 - 54:25The Press: Tax reform --
-
54:25 - 54:26The Press: Mr.
President, since you -- -
54:26 - 54:27The President: Tax reform
is going to happen -
54:27 - 54:28fairly quickly.
-
54:28 - 54:30We're doing Obamacare --
we're in final stages. -
54:30 - 54:33We should be submitting
the initial plan in March, -
54:33 - 54:36early March, I would say.
-
54:36 - 54:39And we have to, as you
know, statutorily and for -
54:39 - 54:41reasons of budget,
we have to go first. -
54:41 - 54:45It's not like -- frankly,
the tax would be easier, -
54:45 - 54:47in my opinion, but for
statutory reasons and for -
54:47 - 54:49budgetary reasons, we have
to submit the -
54:49 - 54:51health care sooner.
-
54:51 - 54:54So we'll be submitting
health care sometime in -
54:54 - 54:55early March, mid-March.
-
54:55 - 54:56And after that, we're
going to come up -- and -
54:56 - 54:59we're doing very
well on tax reform. Yes. -
54:59 - 55:00The Press: Mr. President,
you mentioned Russia. -
55:00 - 55:02Let's talk about some
serious issues that have -
55:02 - 55:04come up in the last week
that you have had to deal -
55:04 - 55:05with as President of
the United States. -
55:05 - 55:05The President: Okay.
-
55:05 - 55:06The Press: You mentioned
the vessel, the spy -
55:06 - 55:08vessel, off the coast
of the United States. -
55:08 - 55:08The President: Not good.
-
55:08 - 55:10The Press: There was a
ballistic missile test -
55:10 - 55:11that many interpreted
as a violation -- -
55:11 - 55:11The President: Not good.
-
55:11 - 55:13The Press: -- of the
agreement between -
55:13 - 55:13the two countries.
-
55:13 - 55:15And a Russian
plane buzzed a -
55:15 - 55:16U.S. destroyer.
-
55:16 - 55:17The President: Not good.
-
55:17 - 55:18The Press: I listened to
you during the campaign -- -
55:18 - 55:19The President: Excuse me,
excuse me, -
55:19 - 55:20when did it happen?
-
55:20 - 55:25It happened when -- if you
were Putin right now, you -
55:25 - 55:28would say, hey, we're back
to the old games with the -
55:28 - 55:29United States.
-
55:29 - 55:32There's no way Trump can
ever do a deal with us -
55:32 - 55:35because the -- you have to
understand, if I was just -
55:35 - 55:38brutal on Russia right
now, just brutal, people -
55:38 - 55:40would say, you would say,
oh, isn't that wonderful. -
55:40 - 55:41But I know you
well enough. -
55:41 - 55:44Then you would say, oh,
he was too tough, he -
55:44 - 55:45shouldn't have done that.
-
55:45 - 55:46Look, of all --
-
55:46 - 55:46The Press: I'm just
trying to find out your -
55:46 - 55:47orientation to those --
-
55:47 - 55:48The President:
Wait a minute. -
55:48 - 55:48Wait, wait.
-
55:48 - 55:48Excuse me just one second.
-
55:48 - 55:49The Press: I'm just trying
to find out what you're -
55:49 - 55:50doing to do about
them, Mr. President. -
55:50 - 55:52The President: All of
those things that you -
55:52 - 55:53mentioned are very recent,
because probably Putin -
55:53 - 55:55assumes that he's not
going to be able to make a -
55:55 - 55:57deal with me because it's
politically not popular -
55:57 - 55:59for me to make a deal.
-
55:59 - 56:01So Hillary Clinton tries
to reset, it failed. -
56:01 - 56:02They all tried.
-
56:02 - 56:03But I'm different
than those people. -
56:03 - 56:04Go ahead.
-
56:04 - 56:05The Press: How are you
interpreting those moves? -
56:05 - 56:06And what do you intend
to do about them? -
56:06 - 56:07The President: Just
the way I said it. -
56:07 - 56:08The Press: Have you given
Rex Tillerson any advice -
56:08 - 56:09or counsel on how to deal?
-
56:09 - 56:10The President: I have.
-
56:10 - 56:10I have.
-
56:10 - 56:12And I'm so beautifully
represented. -
56:12 - 56:14I'm so honored that the
Senate approved him. -
56:14 - 56:16He's going to
be fantastic. -
56:16 - 56:19Yes, I think that
I've already -- -
56:19 - 56:20The Press: Is Putin
testing you, do you -
56:20 - 56:21believe, sir?
-
56:21 - 56:22The President: No,
I don't think so. -
56:22 - 56:25I think Putin probably
assumes that he can't make -
56:25 - 56:26a deal with me anymore
because politically it -
56:26 - 56:30would be unpopular for a
politician to make a deal. -
56:30 - 56:31I can't believe I'm saying
I'm a politician, but I -
56:31 - 56:32guess that's
what I am now. -
56:32 - 56:35Because, look, it would be
much easier for me to be -
56:35 - 56:36tough on Russia, but then
we're not going -
56:36 - 56:37to make a deal.
-
56:37 - 56:38Now, I don't know that
we're going to -
56:38 - 56:39make a deal.
-
56:39 - 56:40I don't know.
-
56:40 - 56:42We might, we might not.
-
56:42 - 56:44But it would be much
easier for me to be so -
56:44 - 56:46tough -- the tougher I am
on Russia, the better. -
56:46 - 56:49But you know what, I want
to do the right thing for -
56:49 - 56:51the American people.
-
56:51 - 56:53And to be honest,
secondarily, I want to do -
56:53 - 56:54the right thing
for the world. -
56:54 - 56:58If Russia and the United
States actually got -
56:58 - 57:02together and got along --
and don't forget, we're a -
57:02 - 57:05very powerful nuclear
country and so are they. -
57:05 - 57:07There's no upside.
-
57:07 - 57:09We're a very powerful
nuclear country -
57:09 - 57:10and so are they.
-
57:10 - 57:11I've been briefed.
-
57:11 - 57:13And I can tell you, one
thing about a briefing -
57:13 - 57:16that we're allowed to say
because anybody that ever -
57:16 - 57:19read the most basic book
can say it: Nuclear -
57:19 - 57:22holocaust would
be like no other. -
57:22 - 57:24They're a very powerful
nuclear country -
57:24 - 57:26and so are we.
-
57:26 - 57:28If we have a good
relationship with Russia, -
57:28 - 57:31believe me, that's a good
thing, not a bad thing. -
57:31 - 57:33The Press: So when you say
they're not good, do you -
57:33 - 57:33mean that they are --
-
57:33 - 57:34The President: Who
did I say is not good? -
57:34 - 57:36The Press: No, when I read
off the three things that -
57:36 - 57:37have recently happened and
each one of them you said -
57:37 - 57:38they're not good.
-
57:38 - 57:38The President: No, it's
not good, -
57:38 - 57:38but they happened.
-
57:38 - 57:39The Press: But do they
damage the relationship? -
57:39 - 57:41Do they undermine this
country's ability to work -
57:41 - 57:43with Russia?
-
57:43 - 57:44The President: They all
happened recently, and I -
57:44 - 57:46understand what they're
doing, because they're -
57:46 - 57:47doing the same thing.
-
57:47 - 57:50Now, again, maybe I'm not
going to be able to do a -
57:50 - 57:52deal with Russia, but at
least I will have tried. -
57:52 - 57:55And if I don't, does
anybody really think that -
57:55 - 57:59Hillary Clinton would be
tougher on Russia than -
57:59 - 58:00Donald Trump?
-
58:00 - 58:03Does anybody in this room
really believe that? Okay. -
58:03 - 58:06But I tell you one thing:
She tried to make a deal. -
58:06 - 58:07She had the reset.
-
58:07 - 58:09She gave all the
valuable uranium away. -
58:09 - 58:10She did other things.
-
58:10 - 58:12You know, they say
I'm close to Russia. -
58:12 - 58:14Hillary Clinton gave away
20 percent of the uranium -
58:14 - 58:16in the United States.
-
58:16 - 58:17She's close to Russia.
-
58:17 - 58:20I gave -- you know
what I gave to Russia? -
58:20 - 58:20You know what I gave?
-
58:20 - 58:21Nothing.
-
58:21 - 58:22The Press: Can we conclude
there will be no response -
58:22 - 58:25to these particular
provocations? -
58:25 - 58:26The President: I'm not
going to tell you anything -
58:26 - 58:27about what response I do.
-
58:27 - 58:29I don't talk about
military response. -
58:29 - 58:32I don't say I'm going into
Mosul in four months. -
58:32 - 58:35"We are going to attack
Mosul in four months." -
58:35 - 58:36Then three months later:
"We are going to attack -
58:36 - 58:39Mosul in one month." "Next
week, we are going to -
58:39 - 58:41attack Mosul." In the
meantime, Mosul is very, -
58:41 - 58:42very difficult.
-
58:42 - 58:43Do you know why?
-
58:43 - 58:47Because I don't talk about
military, and I don't talk -
58:47 - 58:49about certain
other things. -
58:49 - 58:50You're going to be
surprised to hear that. -
58:50 - 58:52And, by the way, my whole
campaign, I'd say that. -
58:52 - 58:53So I don't have
to tell you -- -
58:53 - 58:55The Press: There
will be a response? -
58:55 - 58:56The President: I don't
want to be one of these -
58:56 - 58:57guys that say, "Yes,
here's what -
58:57 - 58:59we're going to do."
-
58:59 - 59:00I don't have to do that.
-
59:00 - 59:01The Press: There will be a
-- in other words, there -
59:01 - 59:02will be a response,
Mr. President? -
59:02 - 59:02The President: I don't
have to tell you what I'm -
59:02 - 59:02going to do in
North Korea. -
59:02 - 59:03Wait a minute.
-
59:03 - 59:04I don't have to tell you
what I'm going to do in -
59:04 - 59:07North Korea.
-
59:07 - 59:09And I don't have to tell
you what I'm going -
59:09 - 59:12to do with Iran.
-
59:12 - 59:13You know why?
-
59:13 - 59:15Because they
shouldn't know. -
59:15 - 59:17And eventually you guys
are going to get tired of -
59:17 - 59:18asking that question.
-
59:18 - 59:20So when you ask me, what
am I going to do with the -
59:20 - 59:23ship -- the Russian ship,
as an example -- I'm not -
59:23 - 59:25going to tell you.
-
59:25 - 59:27But hopefully, I won't
have to do anything. -
59:27 - 59:28But I'm not going
to tell you. Okay. -
59:28 - 59:30The Press: Thanks.
-
59:30 - 59:32The Press: Can I just ask
you -- thank you very -
59:32 - 59:35much, Mr. President
-- the Trump -- -
59:35 - 59:37The President:
Where are you from? -
59:37 - 59:38The Press: BBC.
-
59:38 - 59:38The President: Okay.
-
59:38 - 59:40Here's another beauty.
-
59:40 - 59:42The Press: That's
a good line. -
59:42 - 59:43Impartial, free, and fair.
-
59:43 - 59:45The President: Yeah, sure.
-
59:45 - 59:46The Press: Mr.
President -- -
59:46 - 59:47The President: Just
like CNN, right? -
59:47 - 59:49The Press: Mr. President,
on the travel ban -- we -
59:49 - 59:50could banter
back and forth. -
59:50 - 59:53On the travel ban, would
you accept that that was a -
59:53 - 59:57good example of the smooth
running of government, -
59:57 - 59:57that fine-tuned --
-
59:57 - 59:58The President: Yeah, I do.
-
59:58 - 59:58I do.
-
59:58 - 59:58And let me tell you
about the travel -- -
59:58 - 59:59The Press: Were there
any mistakes in that? -
59:59 - 60:00The President:
Wait, wait, wait. -
60:00 - 60:01I know who you are.
-
60:01 - 60:02Just wait.
-
60:02 - 60:04Let me tell you
about the travel ban. -
60:04 - 60:09We had a very smooth
rollout of the travel ban, -
60:09 - 60:11but we had a bad court.
-
60:11 - 60:12We got a bad decision.
-
60:12 - 60:14We had a court that's been
overturned -- again, maybe -
60:14 - 60:16wrong, but I think it's
80 percent of the time. -
60:16 - 60:17A lot.
-
60:17 - 60:18We had a bad decision.
-
60:18 - 60:20We're going to keep going
with that decision. -
60:20 - 60:23We're going to put in a
new executive order next -
60:23 - 60:24week sometime.
-
60:24 - 60:26But we had a bad decision.
-
60:26 - 60:27That's the only thing that
was wrong -
60:27 - 60:28with the travel ban.
-
60:28 - 60:31You had Delta with a
massive problem with their -
60:31 - 60:33computer system
at the airports. -
60:33 - 60:36You had some people that
were put out there, -
60:36 - 60:38brought by very nice
buses, and they were put -
60:38 - 60:40out at various locations.
-
60:40 - 60:41Despite that, the only
problem that we had is we -
60:41 - 60:43had a bad court.
-
60:43 - 60:46We had a court that gave
us what I consider to be, -
60:46 - 60:48with great respect,
a very bad decision. -
60:48 - 60:50Very bad for the safety
and security -
60:50 - 60:51of our country.
-
60:51 - 60:52The rollout was perfect.
-
60:52 - 60:56Now, what I wanted to do
was do the exact same -
60:56 - 60:58executive order but said
one thing -- and I said -
60:58 - 60:59this to my people: Give
them a -
60:59 - 61:01one-month period of time.
-
61:01 - 61:05But General Kelly, now
Secretary Kelly, said, if -
61:05 - 61:09you do that, all these
people will come in, in -
61:09 - 61:10the month -- the bad ones.
-
61:10 - 61:12You do agree, there are
bad people out there, right? -
61:12 - 61:14They're not everybody
that's like you. -
61:14 - 61:16You have some bad
people out there. -
61:16 - 61:20So Kelly said,
you can't do that. -
61:20 - 61:21And he was right.
-
61:21 - 61:22As soon as he said it, I
said, wow, -
61:22 - 61:22never thought of it.
-
61:22 - 61:23I said, how
about one week? -
61:23 - 61:25He said, no good.
-
61:25 - 61:26You got to do it
immediately, because if -
61:26 - 61:28you do it immediately,
they don't have -
61:28 - 61:30time to come in.
-
61:30 - 61:32Now, nobody ever reports
that, but that's why we -
61:32 - 61:33did it quickly.
-
61:33 - 61:35Now, if would have done it
a month, everything would -
61:35 - 61:35have been perfect.
-
61:35 - 61:39The problems is we would
have wasted a lot of time, -
61:39 - 61:40and maybe a lot of lives,
because a lot of bad -
61:40 - 61:42people would have come
into our country. -
61:42 - 61:45Now, in the meantime,
we've vetting very, -
61:45 - 61:48very strongly.
-
61:48 - 61:50Very, very strongly.
-
61:50 - 61:53But we need help, and we
need help by getting that -
61:53 - 61:54executive order passed.
-
61:54 - 61:55The Press: Just a
brief follow-up. -
61:55 - 61:56And if it's so urgent,
why not introduce -- -
61:56 - 61:57The President:
Yes, go ahead. -
61:57 - 61:58The Press: Thank you.
-
61:58 - 62:01I just was hoping that we
could get a yes- or-no -
62:01 - 62:02answer on one of these
questions -
62:02 - 62:03involving Russia.
-
62:03 - 62:06Can you say whether you
are aware that anyone who -
62:06 - 62:07advised your campaign
had contacts with Russia -
62:07 - 62:10during the course
of the election? -
62:10 - 62:11The President: Well, I
told you, General Flynn -
62:11 - 62:13obviously was dealing.
-
62:13 - 62:14So that's one person.
-
62:14 - 62:15But he was dealing -- as
he should have been -- -
62:15 - 62:16The Press: During
the election? -
62:16 - 62:18The President: No, no,
nobody that I know of. -
62:18 - 62:20The Press: So you're not
aware of any contacts -
62:20 - 62:20during the course
of the election? -
62:20 - 62:22The President: Look, look,
how many times do I have -
62:22 - 62:23to answer this question?
-
62:23 - 62:24The Press: Can you just
say yes or no on it? -
62:24 - 62:25The President:
Russia is a ruse. -
62:25 - 62:26Yeah, I know you have to
get up and ask a question, -
62:26 - 62:27so important.
-
62:27 - 62:28Russia is a ruse.
-
62:28 - 62:31I have nothing to do with
Russia, haven't made a -
62:31 - 62:34phone call to
Russia in years. -
62:34 - 62:35Don't speak to
people from Russia. -
62:35 - 62:37Not that I wouldn't, I
just have -
62:37 - 62:39nobody to speak to.
-
62:39 - 62:40I spoke to Putin twice.
-
62:40 - 62:42He called me on the
election -- I told you -
62:42 - 62:45this -- and he called me
on the inauguration, and a -
62:45 - 62:46few days ago.
-
62:46 - 62:51We had a very good talk,
especially the second one -
62:51 - 62:53-- lasted for a pretty
long period of time. -
62:53 - 62:55I'm sure you probably
get it because it was -
62:55 - 62:57classified, so I'm sure
everybody in this room -
62:57 - 62:59perhaps has it.
-
62:59 - 63:01But we had a very,
very good talk. -
63:01 - 63:02I have nothing to
do with Russia. -
63:02 - 63:05To the best of my
knowledge, no person that -
63:05 - 63:06I deal with does.
-
63:06 - 63:08Now, Manafort has
totally denied it. -
63:08 - 63:09He denied it.
-
63:09 - 63:11Now, people knew that he
was a consultant over in -
63:11 - 63:13that part of the world
for a while, but -
63:13 - 63:14not for Russia.
-
63:14 - 63:16I think he represented
Ukraine or people having -
63:16 - 63:19to do with Ukraine, or
people that -- whoever. -
63:19 - 63:20But people knew that.
-
63:20 - 63:21Everybody knew that.
-
63:21 - 63:23The Press: But in his
capacity as your campaign -
63:23 - 63:25manager, was he in touch
with Russian officials -
63:25 - 63:26during the election?
-
63:26 - 63:28The President: I have --
you know what, he said no. -
63:28 - 63:31I can only tell you what
he -- now, he was replaced -
63:31 - 63:32long before the election.
-
63:32 - 63:33You know that, right?
-
63:33 - 63:36He was replaced long
before the election. -
63:36 - 63:38When all of this stuff
started coming out, it -
63:38 - 63:39came out during
the election. -
63:39 - 63:42But Paul Manafort, who's a
good man also, by the way -
63:42 - 63:45-- Paul Manafort was
replaced long before the -
63:45 - 63:47election took place.
-
63:47 - 63:48He was only there for a
short period of time. -
63:48 - 63:56How much longer should
we stay here, folks? -
63:56 - 63:59Five more minutes,
is that okay? Five? -
63:59 - 64:00The Press: Mr. President,
on national security -- -
64:00 - 64:01The President: Wait, let's
see, who's -- I want to -
64:01 - 64:03find a friendly reporter.
-
64:03 - 64:07Are you a friendly
reporter? -
64:07 - 64:08Watch how friendly he is.
-
64:08 - 64:11Wait, wait -- watch
how friendly he is. -
64:11 - 64:11Go ahead.
-
64:11 - 64:14Go ahead.
-
64:14 - 64:15The Press: So, first
of all, my name is -
64:15 - 64:17(inaudible) from
(inaudible) Magazine. -
64:17 - 64:21And (inaudible).
-
64:21 - 64:24I haven't seen anybody in
my community accuse either -
64:24 - 64:28yourself or any of the --
anyone on your staff of -
64:28 - 64:30being anti-Semitic.
-
64:30 - 64:33We have an understanding
of (inaudible). -
64:33 - 64:34The President: Thank you.
-
64:34 - 64:37The Press: However, what
we are concerned about, -
64:37 - 64:40and what we haven't really
heard be addressed is an -
64:40 - 64:42uptick in anti-Semitism
and how the government is -
64:42 - 64:44planning to
take care of it. -
64:44 - 64:48There have been reports
out that 48 bomb threats -
64:48 - 64:50have been made against
Jewish centers all across -
64:50 - 64:52the country in the
last couple of weeks. -
64:52 - 64:54There are people who are
committing anti-Semitic -
64:54 - 64:56acts or threatening to --
-
64:56 - 64:57The President: You see, he
said he was going to ask a -
64:57 - 65:00very simple,
easy question. -
65:00 - 65:01And it's not.
-
65:01 - 65:02It's not.
-
65:02 - 65:03Not a simple question,
not a fair question. -
65:03 - 65:04Okay, sit down.
-
65:04 - 65:06I understand the rest
of your question. -
65:06 - 65:08So here's the
story, folks. -
65:08 - 65:13Number one, I am the least
anti-Semitic person that -
65:13 - 65:16you've ever seen in
your entire life. -
65:16 - 65:21Number two, racism --
the least racist person. -
65:21 - 65:23In fact, we did very well
relative to other people -
65:23 - 65:24running as a Republican.
-
65:24 - 65:25The Press: (Inaudible.)
-
65:25 - 65:26The President:
Quiet, quiet, quiet. -
65:26 - 65:28See, he lied about -- he
was going to get up and -
65:28 - 65:31ask a very straight,
simple question. -
65:31 - 65:34So you know, welcome to
the world of the media. -
65:34 - 65:38But let me just tell you
something -- that I -
65:38 - 65:40hate the charge.
-
65:40 - 65:42I find it repulsive.
-
65:42 - 65:44I hate even the question
because people that know -
65:44 - 65:46me -- and you heard the
Prime Minister, you heard -
65:46 - 65:51Netanyahu yesterday --
did you hear him, Bibi? -
65:51 - 65:54He said, I've known Donald
Trump for a long time, and -
65:54 - 65:57then he said, forget it.
-
65:57 - 66:00So you should take that,
instead of having to get -
66:00 - 66:01up and ask a very
-
66:01 - 66:01insulting question like that.
-
66:01 - 66:03Yeah, go ahead.
-
66:03 - 66:04Go ahead.
-
66:04 - 66:05The Press: Thank you.
-
66:05 - 66:07I'm Lisa from the PBS --
-
66:07 - 66:07The President: See, it
just shows you about the -
66:07 - 66:09press, but that's
the way the press is. -
66:09 - 66:10The Press: Thank
you, Mr. President. -
66:10 - 66:12Lisa Desjardins from
the PBS Newshour. -
66:12 - 66:13The President: Good.
-
66:13 - 66:15The Press: On national
security and immigration, -
66:15 - 66:16can you give us more
details on the executive -
66:16 - 66:18order you planned for
next week, even -
66:18 - 66:19its broad outlines?
-
66:19 - 66:21Will it be focused on
specific countries? -
66:21 - 66:22The President: It's
a very fair question. -
66:22 - 66:25The Press: And in
addition, on the DACA -
66:25 - 66:27program for immigration,
what is your plan? -
66:27 - 66:30Do you plan to continue
that program or to end it? -
66:30 - 66:31The President: We're going
to show great heart. -
66:31 - 66:34DACA is a very, very
difficult subject for me, -
66:34 - 66:35I will tell you.
-
66:35 - 66:37To me, it's one of the
most difficult subjects I -
66:37 - 66:40have, because you have
these incredible kids, in -
66:40 - 66:42many cases --
not in all cases. -
66:42 - 66:44In some of the cases
they're having DACA and -
66:44 - 66:47they're gang members and
they're drug dealers too. -
66:47 - 66:50But you have some
absolutely incredible kids -
66:50 - 66:56-- I would say mostly --
they were brought here in -
66:56 - 66:58such a way -- it's a
very, very tough subject. -
66:58 - 67:00We are going to deal
with DACA with heart. -
67:00 - 67:02I have to deal with a lot
of politicians, don't -
67:02 - 67:04forget, and I have to
convince them that what -
67:04 - 67:07I'm saying is right.
-
67:07 - 67:09And I appreciate your
understanding on that. -
67:09 - 67:13But the DACA situation is
a very, very -- it's a -
67:13 - 67:16very difficult
thing for me. -
67:16 - 67:18Because, you know,
I love these kids. -
67:18 - 67:19I love kids.
-
67:19 - 67:22I have kids and grandkids.
-
67:22 - 67:25And I find it very, very
hard doing what the law -
67:25 - 67:27says exactly to do.
-
67:27 - 67:28And you know,
the law is rough. -
67:28 - 67:29I'm not talking
about new laws. -
67:29 - 67:32I'm talking the existing
law is very rough. -
67:32 - 67:34It's very, very rough.
-
67:34 - 67:36As far as the new order,
the new order is going to -
67:36 - 67:40be very much tailored to
what I consider to be a -
67:40 - 67:43very bad decision, but we
can tailor the order to -
67:43 - 67:45that decision and get just
about everything, in -
67:45 - 67:47some ways more.
-
67:47 - 67:50But we're tailoring it
now to the decision. -
67:50 - 67:51We have some of the best
lawyers in the country -
67:51 - 67:54working on it.
-
67:54 - 67:57And the new executive
order is being tailored to -
67:57 - 68:02the decision we got
down from the court. Okay? -
68:02 - 68:08The Press: Mr. President,
Melania Trump announced -
68:08 - 68:10the reopening of the White
House Visitors Office. -
68:10 - 68:11The President: Yes.
-
68:11 - 68:13The Press: And she does a
lot of great work for the -
68:13 - 68:14country as well.
-
68:14 - 68:15Can you tell us a little
bit about what First Lady -
68:15 - 68:18Melania Trump does
for the country? -
68:18 - 68:20And there is a unique
level of interest in your -
68:20 - 68:22administration, so by
opening the White House -
68:22 - 68:25Visitors Office, what
does that mean to you? -
68:25 - 68:27The President: Now,
that's what I call -
68:27 - 68:29a nice question.
-
68:29 - 68:30That is very nice.
-
68:30 - 68:31Who are you with?
-
68:31 - 68:32The Press: (Inaudible.)
-
68:32 - 68:32The President: Good.
-
68:32 - 68:35I'm going to
start watching. -
68:35 - 68:35Thank you very much.
-
68:35 - 68:36Melania is terrific.
-
68:36 - 68:37She was here last night.
-
68:37 - 68:40We had dinner with Senator
Rubio and his wife, who -
68:40 - 68:41is, by the way, lovely.
-
68:41 - 68:44And we had a really good
discussion about Cuba -
68:44 - 68:47because we have very
similar views on Cuba. -
68:47 - 68:50And Cuba was very good to
me in the Florida election -
68:50 - 68:52as you know, the Cuban
people, Americans. -
68:52 - 68:56And I think that
Melania is going -
68:56 - 68:56to be outstanding.
-
68:56 - 68:58That's right, she just
opened up the Visitors -
68:58 - 68:59Center -- in other words,
-
68:59 - 69:00touring of the White House.
-
69:00 - 69:04She, like others that
she's working with, feels -
69:04 - 69:09very, very strongly about
women's issues, women's -
69:09 - 69:12difficulties, very,
very strongly. -
69:12 - 69:15And she's a very,
very strong advocate. -
69:15 - 69:16I think she's a great
representative -
69:16 - 69:18for this country.
-
69:18 - 69:20And a funny thing happens
because she gets so -
69:20 - 69:22unfairly maligned.
-
69:22 - 69:23The things they say --
I've known her -
69:23 - 69:24for a long time.
-
69:24 - 69:26She was a very
successful person. -
69:26 - 69:29She was a very
successful model. -
69:29 - 69:31She did really well.
-
69:31 - 69:34She would go home at night
and didn't even want to go -
69:34 - 69:36out with people.
-
69:36 - 69:38She was a very
private person. -
69:38 - 69:41She was always the highest
quality that -
69:41 - 69:43you'll ever find.
-
69:43 - 69:45And the things they say --
and I've known her for a -
69:45 - 69:49long time -- the things
they say are so unfair. -
69:49 - 69:52And actually, she's been
apologized to, as you -
69:52 - 69:53know, by various media
because they said things -
69:53 - 69:54that were lies.
-
69:54 - 69:56I'd just tell you this: I
think she's going to be a -
69:56 - 69:57fantastic First Lady.
-
69:57 - 70:00She's going to be a
tremendous representative -
70:00 - 70:02of women and
of the people. -
70:02 - 70:05And helping her and
working with her will be -
70:05 - 70:08Ivanka, who is a fabulous
person and a fabulous, -
70:08 - 70:11fabulous woman.
-
70:11 - 70:12And they're not
doing this for money. -
70:12 - 70:15They're not doing
this for pay. -
70:15 - 70:16They're doing this because
they feel it, -
70:16 - 70:17both of them.
-
70:17 - 70:19And Melania goes back and
forth, and after Barron -
70:19 - 70:22finishes school -- because
it's hard to take a child -
70:22 - 70:25out of school with a few
months left -- she and -
70:25 - 70:26Barron will be moving
over to the White House. -
70:26 - 70:27Thank you.
-
70:27 - 70:28That's a very
nice question. -
70:28 - 70:32Go ahead.
-
70:32 - 70:32The Press: Mr. President.
-
70:32 - 70:33The President: Yes.
-
70:33 - 70:34Oh, this is going to be a
bad question -
70:34 - 70:35but that's okay.
-
70:35 - 70:36The Press: No, it's
not going to be -
70:36 - 70:36a bad question.
-
70:36 - 70:38The President: Good,
because I enjoy watching -
70:38 - 70:38you on television.
-
70:38 - 70:40The Press: Well,
thank you so much. -
70:40 - 70:43Mr. President, I need to
find out from you -- you -
70:43 - 70:47said something as it
relates to inner cities. -
70:47 - 70:48That was one of your
platforms -
70:48 - 70:50during your campaign.
-
70:50 - 70:51The President: Fix the
inner cities, yes. -
70:51 - 70:52The Press: Fixing
the inner cities. -
70:52 - 70:55What will be that fix and
your urban agenda, as well -
70:55 - 70:59as your HBCU executive
order that's coming out -
70:59 - 71:00this afternoon?
-
71:00 - 71:01See, it wasn't
bad, was it? -
71:01 - 71:02The President: That was
-
71:02 - 71:03very professional and very good.
-
71:03 - 71:04The Press: I'm
very professional. -
71:04 - 71:05The President: We'll be
announcing the order in a -
71:05 - 71:06little while, and I'd
rather let the order -
71:06 - 71:07speak for itself.
-
71:07 - 71:10But it will be something
I think that will be very -
71:10 - 71:11good for everybody
concerned. -
71:11 - 71:13But we'll talk to you
about that after we do the -
71:13 - 71:14announcement.
-
71:14 - 71:16As far as the inner
cities, as you know, I was -
71:16 - 71:18very strong on the
inner cities -
71:18 - 71:19during the campaign.
-
71:19 - 71:21I think it's probably
what got me a much higher -
71:21 - 71:23percentage of the African
American vote than a lot -
71:23 - 71:25of people thought
I was going to get. -
71:25 - 71:28We did much higher than
people thought I was going -
71:28 - 71:30to get and I was honored
by that, including the -
71:30 - 71:33Hispanic vote, which
was also much higher. -
71:33 - 71:34And, by the way, if I
might add, including the -
71:34 - 71:37women's vote, which was
much higher than people -
71:37 - 71:39thought I was
going to get. -
71:39 - 71:42So we are going to be
working very hard on the -
71:42 - 71:44inner cities having to do
with education, having to -
71:44 - 71:46do with crime.
-
71:46 - 71:49We're going to try and fix
as quickly as possible -- -
71:49 - 71:50you know it takes
a long time. -
71:50 - 71:53It's taken 100 years or
more for some of these -
71:53 - 71:57places to evolve, and they
evolved many of -
71:57 - 71:58them very badly.
-
71:58 - 71:59But we're going to be
working very hard on -
71:59 - 72:02health and health care;
very, very hard -
72:02 - 72:04on education.
-
72:04 - 72:06And also, we're going to
working in a stringent -
72:06 - 72:09way, and a very
good way, on crime. -
72:09 - 72:12You go to some of these
inner city places, and -
72:12 - 72:15it's so sad when you
look at the crime. -
72:15 - 72:17You have people -- and
I've seen this, and I've -
72:17 - 72:18sort of witnessed it.
-
72:18 - 72:19In fact, in two cases, I
-
72:19 - 72:22have actually witnessed it.
-
72:22 - 72:24They lock themselves into
apartments, petrified to -
72:24 - 72:28even leave, in the
middle of the day. -
72:28 - 72:29They're living in hell.
-
72:29 - 72:30We can't let that happen.
-
72:30 - 72:32So we're going to be
very, very strong. -
72:32 - 72:36It's a great question,
and it's a very difficult -
72:36 - 72:39situation, because it's
been many, many years. -
72:39 - 72:40It's been festering
for many, many years. -
72:40 - 72:43But we have places in this
country that we -
72:43 - 72:44have to fix.
-
72:44 - 72:47We have to help African
American people that, for -
72:47 - 72:49the most part are stuck
there -- -
72:49 - 72:52Hispanic American people.
-
72:52 - 72:54We have Hispanic American
people that are in the -
72:54 - 72:57inner cities, and
they're living in hell. -
72:57 - 73:00I mean, you look at the
numbers in Chicago. -
73:00 - 73:01There are two
Chicagos, as you know. -
73:01 - 73:07There's one Chicago that's
incredible, luxurious and -
73:07 - 73:08all, and safe.
-
73:08 - 73:13There's another Chicago
that's worse than almost -
73:13 - 73:16any of the places in the
Middle East that we talk -
73:16 - 73:18about, and that you talk
about every night -
73:18 - 73:19on the newscasts.
-
73:19 - 73:21So we're going to do a
lot of work on -
73:21 - 73:22the inner cities.
-
73:22 - 73:23I have great people lined
up to help with -
73:23 - 73:24the inner cities.
-
73:24 - 73:25The Press: Well, when you
say -- when you say the -
73:25 - 73:28inner cities, are you
going to include the CBC, -
73:28 - 73:30Mr. President, in your
conversations with your -
73:30 - 73:32urban agenda, your inner
city agenda, -
73:32 - 73:33as well as your --
-
73:33 - 73:34The President: Am I
going include who? -
73:34 - 73:35The Press: Are you
going to include the -
73:35 - 73:37Congressional Black Caucus
and the Congressional -
73:37 - 73:38Hispanic Caucus,
as well as -- -
73:38 - 73:38The President:
Well, I would. -
73:38 - 73:39I tell you what, do
you want to set -
73:39 - 73:40up the meeting?
-
73:40 - 73:41Do you want to set
up the meeting? -
73:41 - 73:42The Press: No, no, no.
-
73:42 - 73:43The President: Are
they friends of yours? -
73:43 - 73:43The Press: I'm
just a reporter. -
73:43 - 73:45The President: No, g
ahead, set up the meeting. -
73:45 - 73:46The Press: I know some of
them, but I'm sure they're -
73:46 - 73:47watching right now.
-
73:47 - 73:47The President: Let's
go set up a meeting. -
73:47 - 73:48I would love to meet
with the Black Caucus. -
73:48 - 73:49I think it's great --
-
73:49 - 73:50the Congressional Black Caucus.
-
73:50 - 73:52I think it's great.
-
73:52 - 73:55I actually thought I had a
meeting with Congressman -
73:55 - 74:02Cummings, and he was all
excited, and then he said, -
74:02 - 74:04oh, I can't move, it might
be bad for me politically, -
74:04 - 74:06I can't have that meeting.
-
74:06 - 74:07I was all set to
have the meeting. -
74:07 - 74:08You know, we called him
and called him, and he was -
74:08 - 74:09all set.
-
74:09 - 74:10I spoke to him
on the phone. -
74:10 - 74:11Very nice guy.
-
74:11 - 74:13The Press: I hear he
wanted that meeting with -
74:13 - 74:13you as well.
-
74:13 - 74:14The President:
He wanted it. -
74:14 - 74:15But we called, called,
called, called -- they -
74:15 - 74:18can't make a
meeting with him. -
74:18 - 74:20Every day, I walked in, I
said, I would like to meet -
74:20 - 74:21with him.
-
74:21 - 74:22Because I do want to
solve the problem. -
74:22 - 74:25But he probably was told
by Schumer or somebody -
74:25 - 74:28like that -- some other
lightweight -- he was -
74:28 - 74:31probably told -- he was
probably told, don't meet -
74:31 - 74:34with Trump, it's
bad politics. -
74:34 - 74:36And that's part of the
problem of this country. -
74:36 - 74:37Okay, one more.
-
74:37 - 74:38Go ahead.
-
74:38 - 74:40The Press: Yes,
Mr. President, two -
74:40 - 74:40questions --
-
74:40 - 74:41The President: No, no.
-
74:41 - 74:41One question.
-
74:41 - 74:42Two, we can't handle.
-
74:42 - 74:43This room can't
handle two. -
74:43 - 74:45Go ahead, give me the
better of your two. -
74:45 - 74:50The Press: (Inaudible)
it's not about your -
74:50 - 74:52personality or
your beliefs. -
74:52 - 74:55We're talking about
(inaudible) around the -
74:55 - 74:58country, some of it by
supporters in your name. -
74:58 - 74:58What do you --
-
74:58 - 75:00The President: And some of
it -- and can I be -
75:00 - 75:01honest with you?
-
75:01 - 75:03And this has to do with
racism and horrible things -
75:03 - 75:04that are put up.
-
75:04 - 75:07Some of it written
by our opponents. -
75:07 - 75:08You do know that.
-
75:08 - 75:10Do you understand that?
-
75:10 - 75:11You don't think anybody
would do a -
75:11 - 75:12thing like that.
-
75:12 - 75:15Some of the signs you'll
see are not put up by the -
75:15 - 75:17people that love or like
Donald Trump, they're put -
75:17 - 75:20up by the other side,
and you think it's like -
75:20 - 75:23playing it straight. No.
-
75:23 - 75:25But you have some of those
signs, and some of that -
75:25 - 75:27anger is caused
by the other side. -
75:27 - 75:31They'll do signs and
they'll do drawings that -
75:31 - 75:33are inappropriate.
-
75:33 - 75:34It won't be my people.
-
75:34 - 75:36It will be the people on
the other side to anger -
75:36 - 75:38people like you.
-
75:38 - 75:44Okay. Go ahead.
-
75:44 - 75:44The Press: You are
the President now. -
75:44 - 75:45What are you going
to do about it? -
75:45 - 75:46The President:
Who is that? -
75:46 - 75:46Where is that?
-
75:46 - 75:48Oh, stand up.
-
75:48 - 75:49You can --
-
75:49 - 75:50The Press: What are you
going to do about the -
75:50 - 75:52tensions that have
been discussed? -
75:52 - 75:53The President: Oh,
I'm working on it. -
75:53 - 75:54No, I'm working
on it very hard. -
75:54 - 75:54The Press: Are you
going to give a speech? -
75:54 - 75:56The President:
No, no, look. -
75:56 - 75:57Hey, just so you
understand, we had a -
75:57 - 75:59totally divided country
for eight years, and long -
75:59 - 76:00before that, in all
-
76:00 - 76:02fairness to President Obama.
-
76:02 - 76:04Long before President
Obama, we have had -
76:04 - 76:05a very divided.
-
76:05 - 76:08I didn't come along and
divide this country. -
76:08 - 76:11This country was seriously
divided before I got here. -
76:11 - 76:13We're going to work
on it very hard. -
76:13 - 76:14One of the questions that
was asked -- I thought it -
76:14 - 76:15was a very good question
-- was about -
76:15 - 76:16the inner cities.
-
76:16 - 76:17I mean, that's part of it.
-
76:17 - 76:19But we're going to
work on education. -
76:19 - 76:21We're going to work on
lack -- you know, we're -
76:21 - 76:22going to stop -- we're
going to try and -
76:22 - 76:23stop the crime.
-
76:23 - 76:24We have great law
enforcement officials. -
76:24 - 76:26We're going to try
and stop crime. -
76:26 - 76:27We're not going to try and
stop, we're going -
76:27 - 76:29to stop crime.
-
76:29 - 76:30But it's very
important to me. -
76:30 - 76:32But this isn't Donald
Trump that -
76:32 - 76:34divided a nation.
-
76:34 - 76:37We went eight years with
President Obama, and we -
76:37 - 76:38went many years before
President Obama. -
76:38 - 76:43We lived in a
divided nation. -
76:43 - 76:46And I am going to try -- I
will do everything within -
76:46 - 76:48my power to fix that.
-
76:48 - 76:50I want to thank
everybody very much. -
76:50 - 76:51It's a great honor
to be with you. -
76:51 - 76:53Thank you.
-
76:53 - 76:54Thank you very much.
-
76:54 - 76:57(Applause.)
- Title:
- President Trump Holds a Press Conference
- Description:
-
The White House
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- Captions Requested
- Duration:
- 01:17:05
Claude Almansi edited English subtitles for President Trump Holds a Press Conference |