Transcript - Press Gaggle: Donald Trump Speaks With Reporters Prior to Marine One Departure - June 8, 2018 | Factba.se

Question

00:00:00 - 00:00:05 (5 sec)

Is the Comey report going to be your birthday present?

Donald Trump

00:00:05 - 00:00:32 (28 sec)

Well, it seems that it's coming out on my birthday. Maybe that's appropriate. Let's see if it is. Look, he's a very dishonest man; I've been saying it for a long time. I think I did our country a great fire -- a really great favor when I fired him. And we'll see what happens. We'll see what the report says. But I guess it just got announced that it's coming out on June 14th, so that'll be maybe a nice birthday present. Who knows.

Question

00:00:32 - 00:00:36 (3 sec)

[Inaudible] Trudeau?

Donald Trump

00:00:36 - 00:00:50 (14 sec)

We're going to deal with the unfair trade practices. If you look at what Canada, Mexico, the European Union, all of them have been doing to us for many, many decades, we have to change it. And they understand it's going to happen.

Question

00:00:50 - 00:00:56 (7 sec)

What are you going to do if they form an agreement without you?

Donald Trump

00:00:56 - 00:01:16 (19 sec)

We are going to do very well. Now, if we're unable to make a deal, we'll terminate NAFTA; we'll have a better deal. If we are unable to make a deal, we will be better off. Right now, we are not going to live with the deals the way they are. European Union treats us very unfairly. Canada, very unfairly. Mexico, very unfairly.

Donald Trump

00:01:16 - 00:01:19 (3 sec)

With that being said, I think we'll probably very easily make a deal.

Question

00:01:19 - 00:01:27 (8 sec)

Were you serious about really not needing to prepare for the Kim summit? Or were you --

Donald Trump

00:01:27 - 00:01:41 (13 sec)

No, I didn't say that. I said I've been preparing all my life. I always believe in preparation, but I've been preparing all my life. You know, these one-week preparations, they don't work. Just ask Hillary what happened to her in the debates.

Donald Trump

00:01:41 - 00:01:59 (18 sec)

So I've been preparing for this all my life. And frankly, it's really just the fake news. Because if you run, Peter, just a little but longer, the clip, you would see: I've really been preparing all my life. I said that, but, you know, the news doesn't pick that up because it's fake news.

Question

00:01:59 - 00:02:02 (4 sec)

Are you glad they caught a leaker?

Donald Trump

00:02:02 - 00:02:16 (14 sec)

It's very interesting that they caught a leaker in a very important -- it's a very important leaker. So it's very interesting. I'm getting information on it now. Happened last night. It could be a terrific thing.

Donald Trump

00:02:16 - 00:02:37 (20 sec)

I know -- I believe strongly in freedom of the press. I’m a big, big believer in freedom of the press, but I'm also a believer in classified information. Has to remain classified. And that includes Comey and his band of thieves who leak classified information all over the place.

Donald Trump

00:02:37 - 00:02:43 (7 sec)

So I’m a very big believer in freedom of the press, but I’m also a believer that you cannot leak classified information.

Question

00:02:43 - 00:02:46 (2 sec)

Do you have a reaction to Anthony Bourdain's death this morning?

Donald Trump

00:02:46 - 00:03:12 (26 sec)

Yeah, I think it’s very sad. In fact, I want to extend to his family my heartfelt condolences. That was very shocking. When I woke up this morning: Anthony Bourdain is dead. And I enjoyed his show. He was quite a character, I will say. But I just want to extend my condolences. And also to the family of Kate Spade.

Question

00:03:12 - 00:03:17 (6 sec)

[Inaudible] G6-plus-one?

Donald Trump

00:03:17 - 00:03:30 (13 sec)

It may be. You can call it anything you want. It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter what you call it. It used to be the G8 because Russia was in it. And now Russia’s not in it.

Donald Trump

00:03:30 - 00:03:58 (28 sec)

Now, I love our country. I have been Russia’s worst nightmare. If Hillary got in, I’d think Putin is probably going, “Man, I wish Hillary won.” Because you see what I do. But, with that being said, Russia should be in this meeting. Why are we having a meeting without Russia being in the meeting? And I would recommend, and it’s up to them, but Russia should be in the meeting. They should be a part of it.

Donald Trump

00:03:58 - 00:04:17 (19 sec)

You know, whether you like it or not -- and it may not be politically correct -- but we have a world to run. And in the G7, which used to be the G8, they threw Russia out. They should let Russia come back in. Because we should have Russia at the negotiating table.

Question

00:04:17 - 00:04:25 (8 sec)

Mr. President, why did you decide to cut [inaudible] short?

Donald Trump

00:04:25 - 00:04:26 (1 sec)

Question

00:04:26 - 00:04:28 (2 sec)

You're leaving a little early from the summit. Why did you decide [inaudible]?

Donald Trump

00:04:28 - 00:04:32 (5 sec)

I may leave a little bit early. It depends on the timing. But I may leave a little bit early. And it depends what happens here.

Donald Trump

00:04:32 - 00:04:54 (22 sec)

Look, all of these countries have been taking advantage of the United States on trade. You saw where Canada charges our dairy farmers 270 percent tariffs. We don’t charge them, or if we do, it’s like a tiny percentage. So we have to straighten it out.

Donald Trump

00:04:54 - 00:05:07 (12 sec)

We have massive trade deficits with almost every country. We will straighten that out. And I’ll tell you what, it’s what I do. It won’t even be hard. And in the end, we’ll all get along.

Donald Trump

00:05:07 - 00:05:26 (20 sec)

But they understand. And you know, they’re trying to act like, “Well, we fought with you in the war.” They don’t mention the fact that they have trade barriers against our farmers. They don’t mention the fact that they’re charging almost 300 percent tariffs. When it all straightens out, we’ll all be in love again.

Question

00:05:26 - 00:05:30 (3 sec)

Will there be more pardons?

Donald Trump

00:05:30 - 00:05:42 (12 sec)

There will be more pardons. I thought Alice, yesterday, was beautiful. I thought Jack Johnson, which was recommended by Sylvester Stallone and some great boxers -- I thought Jack Johnson was a great one.

Donald Trump

00:05:42 - 00:05:51 (9 sec)

I’m thinking about somebody that you all know very well. And he went through a lot. And he wasn’t very popular then --

Question

00:05:51 - 00:05:52 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:05:52 - 00:06:12 (20 sec)

And he wasn’t very popular then. No, I’m not thinking about O.J. But he’s not -- only you could say O.J. But he was -- look, he was not very popular then. He’s -- certainly, his memory is very popular now. I’m thinking about Muhammad Ali.

Donald Trump

00:06:12 - 00:06:23 (12 sec)

I’m thinking about that very seriously. And some others. And some folks that have sentences that aren’t fair. But I am thinking about Muhammad Ali.

Donald Trump

00:06:23 - 00:06:32 (9 sec)

In fact, we’re doing right now, recommendations on -- frankly, we’re doing recommendations on Muhammad Ali.

Question

00:06:32 - 00:06:32 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:06:32 - 00:06:37 (4 sec)

Say it, Peter. What?

Question

00:06:37 - 00:06:38 (2 sec)

[Inaudible] that you are above the law?

Donald Trump

00:06:38 - 00:06:52 (13 sec)

No. No. No, I’m not above the law. I’d never want anybody to be above the law. But the pardons are a very positive thing for a President. I think you see the way I’m using them. And yes, I do have an absolute right to pardon myself.

Donald Trump

00:06:52 - 00:07:05 (13 sec)

But I’ll never have to do it because I didn’t do anything wrong. And everybody knows it. There’s been no collusion. There’s been no obstruction. It’s all a made-up fantasy. It’s a witch hunt. No collusion, no obstruction, no nothing.

Donald Trump

00:07:05 - 00:07:14 (9 sec)

Now, the Democrats have had massive collusion, massive obstruction, and they should be investigated. We’ll see what’s happening. Yeah.

Question

00:07:14 - 00:07:14 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:07:14 - 00:07:28 (14 sec)

I haven’t even thought about it. I haven’t even thought -- I haven’t thought about any of it. It certainly is far too early to be thinking about that.

Question

00:07:28 - 00:07:28 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:07:28 - 00:07:35 (7 sec)

They haven’t been convicted of anything. There’s nothing to pardon. It's far too early to be -- it is far too early to be thinking about it.

Question

00:07:35 - 00:07:41 (6 sec)

Mr. President, what will it take for you to actually get tired of Scott Pruitt and say, "Enough"?

Donald Trump

00:07:41 - 00:07:54 (13 sec)

Well, Scott Pruitt is doing a great job within the walls of the EPA. I mean, we're setting records. Outside, he's being attacked very viciously by the press. And I'm not saying that he's blameless, but we'll see what happens.

Question

00:07:54 - 00:07:57 (3 sec)

But he's an embarrassment. Are you not tired of him?

Question

00:07:57 - 00:07:58 (1 sec)

[Inaudible] pardons?

Donald Trump

00:07:58 - 00:08:19 (21 sec)

That's what I want to do. We have 3,000 names. We're looking at them. Of the 3,000 names, many of those names really have been treated unfairly. You know, this is a group of 3,000 that we've assembled. And I would get more thrill out of pardoning people that nobody knows -- like Alice, yesterday.

Donald Trump

00:08:19 - 00:08:37 (18 sec)

I thought Kim Kardashian was great because she brought Alice to my attention. Alice was so great. And the way she left that jail, and the tears and the love that she has with her family -- I mean, to me, that was better than any celebrity that I can pardon.

Donald Trump

00:08:37 - 00:08:49 (12 sec)

So we're looking at it. But we are looking at literally thousands of names of people that have come to our attention that have been treated unfairly, or where their sentence is far too long.

Question

00:08:49 - 00:08:59 (10 sec)

Mr. President, in the NBA, both Lebron James and Steph Curry say, if they win, they're not coming to the White House.

Donald Trump

00:08:59 - 00:09:06 (7 sec)

I didn't invite them. No, I didn't invite Lebron James, and I didn't invite Steph Curry. We're not going to invite either team. But we have other teams that are coming.

Donald Trump

00:09:06 - 00:09:16 (11 sec)

You know, if you look, we had Alabama, national champion; we had Clemson, national champion; we had the New England Patriots; we had the Pittsburgh Penguins last year.

Question

00:09:16 - 00:09:17 (1 sec)

What about the Caps?

Donald Trump

00:09:17 - 00:09:32 (14 sec)

I think we'll have the Caps. I mean, we'll see. You know my attitude: If they want to be here -- it's the greatest place on Earth -- I'm here. If they don't want to be here, I don't want them.

Question

00:09:32 - 00:09:35 (3 sec)

What's your response to Paul Ryan saying the FBI did the right thing [inaudible]?

Donald Trump

00:09:35 - 00:09:50 (15 sec)

I think if you look at what Paul Ryan is saying, it didn't come out that way. The fact is, they had people in our campaign -- they had people doing things that have never been done in the history of this country, and it really is a disgrace. And frankly, that stuff is just starting to come out.

Question

00:09:50 - 00:09:50 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:09:50 - 00:09:51 (1 sec)

Question

00:09:51 - 00:09:51 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:09:51 - 00:09:58 (7 sec)

We'll see what happens. We'll see what happens.

Question

00:09:58 - 00:10:02 (4 sec)

What do you think about Mitt Romney now saying you're a shoe-in to win again?

Donald Trump

00:10:02 - 00:10:04 (1 sec)

Mitt Romney said what?

Question

00:10:04 - 00:10:08 (4 sec)

Mitt Romney said you're going to find it easy to win again.

Donald Trump

00:10:08 - 00:10:12 (4 sec)

Well, we're doing well. Look, Mitt's a straight shooter. Whether people love him or don't love him --

Question

00:10:12 - 00:10:14 (2 sec)

Well, he called you a "con man" last time.

Donald Trump

00:10:14 - 00:10:21 (7 sec)

Mitt Romney is a straight shooter. And yeah, he -- that's a very nice thing to say. I appreciate that. That's good.

Question

00:10:21 - 00:10:25 (4 sec)

Mr. President, what do you have to say to Canada? [Inaudible]

Donald Trump

00:10:25 - 00:10:36 (12 sec)

I love Canada, but they treat us very unfairly on trade. Very, very unfairly. You see the numbers. Almost 300 percent on dairy. So they treat us very unfairly.

Donald Trump

00:10:36 - 00:10:47 (11 sec)

Are you guys all going? You better get going, Peter. We'll leave without you.

Question

00:10:47 - 00:10:47 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:10:47 - 00:11:04 (17 sec)

I would only do a deal if I get it through Congress. I wouldn't do like Obama did. And fortunately, he wasn't able to get it through. You know, he tried to get it through -- the Iran deal. He tried to get it through Congress, failed. So he just did it without, which is why I was able to break it up so easy.

Donald Trump

00:11:04 - 00:11:19 (15 sec)

And Iran is now a different country. They're not looking to the Mediterranean anymore; Iran is now a much different company -- country since I did -- since I signed that out, Iran is a much different country.

Question

00:11:19 - 00:11:23 (4 sec)

Do you support Senator Gardner's marijuana federalism bill?

Donald Trump

00:11:23 - 00:11:31 (7 sec)

I really do. I support Senator Gardner. I know exactly what he's doing; we're looking at it. But I probably will end up supporting that, yes.

Question

00:11:31 - 00:11:31 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:11:31 - 00:11:39 (9 sec)

The First Lady is great. Right there. She has to -- and she wanted to go -- can't fly for one month.

Question

00:11:39 - 00:11:40 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:11:40 - 00:11:52 (12 sec)

The doctors say. She had a big operation. That was a -- close to a four-hour operation. And she's doing great. Right there. And you know what? She is a great First Lady.

Question

00:11:52 - 00:11:53 (1 sec)

[Inaudible] sonic devices?

Donald Trump

00:11:53 - 00:11:58 (5 sec)

Question

00:11:58 - 00:11:58 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:11:58 - 00:12:03 (5 sec)

We'll be talking to them, but that's terrible. Okay, any other questions?

Question

00:12:03 - 00:12:14 (11 sec)

How do you feel about the fact that [inaudible]?

Donald Trump

00:12:14 - 00:12:28 (15 sec)

Was one of my lawyers. Incredible that you can break into a lawyer's office. That's one thing I can say. And I think that was unfortunate that they broke into a lawyer's office. Not a good practice.

Question

00:12:28 - 00:12:28 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:12:28 - 00:12:42 (14 sec)

Well, the Democrats -- this is a Democrat bill. The Democrats can end that very quickly. All they have to do is sit down with us and negotiate a real bill allows us to keep criminals out of this country. It’s very easy.

Donald Trump

00:12:42 - 00:13:04 (22 sec)

You know, Schumer is a guy -- he complains, but he doesn’t do anything. Schumer is a guy who is an obstructer. He can’t do anything. All he can do is obstruct. All they have to do is call us and we’ll draw a bill that gives us great border safety and security and is fair. Because I don’t like the children being separated from the parents. I don’t like it. I hate it.

Donald Trump

00:13:04 - 00:13:18 (14 sec)

But that’s a Democrat bill that we’re enforcing. We can change it in one day. All they have to do is come and see us.

Question

00:13:18 - 00:13:18 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:13:18 - 00:13:22 (4 sec)

I can’t hear your question, darling. Too much competition. Go ahead.

Question

00:13:22 - 00:13:22 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:13:22 - 00:13:27 (4 sec)

No, you’re not prepared. I can’t believe she’s not prepared. See they’re shocked, right?

Question

00:13:27 - 00:13:29 (2 sec)

Are you going to bring up [inaudible]?

Donald Trump

00:13:29 - 00:13:31 (2 sec)

We’ll bring it up. Yeah. We’ll bring it up.

Question

00:13:31 - 00:13:35 (4 sec)

What are you going to do for five hours on the plane?

Donald Trump

00:13:35 - 00:13:49 (14 sec)

I have work. I have about 15 boxes of work. I will be able to work without being bothered by phone calls, where you people are writing fake stories about me and we have to respond.

Donald Trump

00:13:49 - 00:13:53 (3 sec)

No, seriously, I mean, I have a lot of work that’s on the plane so that will be good.

Question

00:13:53 - 00:13:57 (4 sec)

Are you worried at all about the things that Rudy is saying in Israel? Is he giving you any headaches?

Donald Trump

00:13:57 - 00:14:01 (4 sec)

Look, Rudy is great. But Rudy is Rudy. But Rudy is doing a very good job, actually. Doing a very good job.

Question

00:14:01 - 00:14:03 (2 sec)

Is being a porn star respectable work? He said it's not.

Donald Trump

00:14:03 - 00:14:04 (1 sec)

Question

00:14:04 - 00:14:07 (3 sec)

He said that being a porn star is not respectable work.

Donald Trump

00:14:07 - 00:14:10 (3 sec)

I’m not going to disagree with him on that.

Question

00:14:10 - 00:14:10 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:14:10 - 00:14:13 (2 sec)

I can’t hear a word he’s saying.

Question

00:14:13 - 00:14:24 (11 sec)

Was Dennis Rodman invited to North Korea?

Donald Trump

00:14:24 - 00:14:40 (16 sec)

No, he wasn’t, but I like Dennis. A great rebounder. You know when you think -- Dennis was a great rebounder and he wasn’t, relatively speaking, that tall. So that tells you. You know, there’s a rebounding -- there’s a genius for that. Dennis Rodman was a great rebounder.

Donald Trump

00:14:40 - 00:15:08 (28 sec)

One thing we are thinking about, speaking of sports stars -- the power to pardon is a beautiful thing. You got to get it right. You got to get the right people. I am looking at Muhammad Ali. But those are the famous people. And in one way, it’s easier, and people find it fascinating, but I want to do people that are unfairly treated like an Alice, where she comes out and there’s something beautiful.

Donald Trump

00:15:08 - 00:15:36 (28 sec)

What I am thinking to do -- you have a lot of people in the NFL, in particular, but in sports leagues. They’re not proud enough to stand for our National Anthem. I don’t like that. What I’m going to do is I’m going to say to them -- instead of talk. It’s all talk, talk, talk. We have a great country, you should stand for our National Anthem. You shouldn’t go in a locker room when our National Anthem is played.

Donald Trump

00:15:36 - 00:16:05 (29 sec)

I am going to ask all of those people to recommend to me -- because that’s what they’re protesting -- people that they think were unfairly treated by the justice system. And I understand that. And I’m going to ask them to recommend to me people that were unfairly treated -- friends of theirs or people that they know about -- and I’m going to take a look at those applications. And if I find, and my committee finds that they are unfairly treated, then we will pardon them or at least let them out.

Question

00:16:05 - 00:16:08 (4 sec)

Will you invite them to the White House for a roundtable about social --

Donald Trump

00:16:08 - 00:16:17 (9 sec)

You know, I don’t have to do that. I’m not looking to grandstand. We’ve got enough grandstanders in this town.

Donald Trump

00:16:17 - 00:16:29 (12 sec)

I’m just saying, for the leagues, if they have people -- if the players, if the athletes have friends of theirs or people that they know about that have been unfairly treated by the system, let me know.

Question

00:16:29 - 00:16:33 (4 sec)

So do you need a celebrity advocate to get a pardon?

Donald Trump

00:16:33 - 00:16:46 (13 sec)

Well, you know, if you think about it, that’s really -- that becomes celebrity advocates. But they know a lot of things that we’re not going to know. They’ve seen a lot of abuse and they’ve seen a lot of unfairness. So if they have -- how do you like that idea, David?

Question

00:16:46 - 00:16:47 (1 sec)

I'll leave it to you.

Question

00:16:47 - 00:16:47 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:16:47 - 00:16:58 (11 sec)

Oh, no. I have the absolute right. I don’t have to do it. Never did anything wrong. And you know that better than anybody.

Question

00:16:58 - 00:17:05 (7 sec)

Are you concerned about reporters leaking to their sources?

Donald Trump

00:17:05 - 00:17:21 (16 sec)

I think you have a double edge. Reporters can’t leak. You cannot leak classified information. At the same time, we need freedom of the press. But you cannot leak like Hillary Clinton did, like Comey did; you cannot leak classified information.

Donald Trump

00:17:21 - 00:17:35 (14 sec)

If you look at the young sailor -- Saucier -- I mean he went to jail over not classified, a much lower level. And it’s very unfair that he goes to jail, and that Comey's allowed to do it all over. It's very unfair.

Donald Trump

00:17:35 - 00:17:38 (3 sec)

Thank you much. I'll see you in Canada.