Transcript - Press Gaggle: Donald Trump Speaks to Reporters on Air Force One - April 6, 2017 | Factba.se

Question

00:00:00 - 00:00:00 (0 sec)

[In Progress] -- the Chinese President?

Donald Trump

00:00:00 - 00:00:00 (0 sec)

North Korea and trade.

Question

00:00:00 - 00:00:00 (0 sec)

And on North Korea, you had said in the -- interview that you're willing to act alone if China doesn't step up. What are you going to try to get from the Chinese?

Donald Trump

00:00:00 - 00:00:00 (0 sec)

Certainly, I would be. But I think China will want to be stepping up.

Question

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What do you want them to do specifically?

Donald Trump

00:00:00 - 00:00:00 (0 sec)

You're going to see. We'll be talking about it.

Question

00:00:00 - 00:00:00 (0 sec)

Have you told members of Congress --

Donald Trump

00:00:00 - 00:00:00 (0 sec)

The President just arrived. He just landed in Palm Beach, so I just saw that.

Question

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Mr. President, have you told members of Congress that you're considering using military action in Syria?

Donald Trump

00:00:00 - 00:00:00 (0 sec)

I don't want to mention that, but the answer is no, I haven't.

Question

00:00:00 - 00:00:10 (10 sec)

So what should we make now, going -- I think we're ending the 13th week or so -- how your staff is doing? Are you shaking things up and rebooting a little bit?

Donald Trump

00:00:10 - 00:00:40 (30 sec)

I've shaken them up, and I think we've had one of the most successful 13 weeks in the history of Presidents. If you look at all that we've done and all of the jobs we've created, if you look at the kind of cost-cutting we've been able to achieve with the military and at the same time ordering vast amounts of equipment -- saved hundreds of millions of dollars on airplanes, and really billions, because if you take that out over a period of years it's many billions of dollars -- I think we've had a tremendous success. And we've just begun. And we're going to have a very interesting couple of days.

Question

00:00:40 - 00:00:44 (4 sec)

In terms of your staff, though, are you realigning your staff?

Question

00:00:44 - 00:00:46 (2 sec)

Are you committed to doing something in Syria?

Donald Trump

00:00:46 - 00:01:30 (44 sec)

I don't want to say what I'm going to be doing with respect to Syria.

Question

00:01:30 - 00:01:35 (5 sec)

What would you like the Chinese president to do regarding North Korea?

Donald Trump

00:01:35 - 00:02:01 (26 sec)

We have been treated unfairly and have made terrible deals -- trade deals with China for many, many years. So that's one of the things we're going to be talking about. The other thing, of course, is going to be North Korea, and somehow they will mix. They really do mix. So we're going to be talking about both trade, North Korea, and many other things.

Question

00:02:01 - 00:02:07 (6 sec)

Will the use of nuclear option change how you consider which nominees to put before the Senate?

Donald Trump

00:02:07 - 00:02:37 (30 sec)

No, not at all. No. We have a great person right now in Judge Gorsuch, I mean a great person. And hopefully if there is a second one for me during my administration -- and there could be as many as four -- in fact, under a certain scenario there could even be more than that -- but no, I don't think the nuclear option has any impact on that at all.

Question

00:02:37 - 00:02:45 (8 sec)

What do you think of Devin Nunes recusing himself this morning? Were you briefed on that? Was that a good decision?

Donald Trump

00:02:45 - 00:03:14 (29 sec)

He's a very good person. I just heard that he did. I think he's a very good person, he's a very honorable guy. And I think he did that maybe for his own reason. He's a high-quality person. And the gentleman replacing him, who I don't know, I hear is a very, very highly respected man, high-quality.

Question

00:03:14 - 00:03:20 (6 sec)

-- for him sharing classified information? Did he share classified information?

Donald Trump

00:03:20 - 00:03:33 (13 sec)

With who? What?

Question

00:03:33 - 00:03:48 (15 sec)

For the ethics investigation now undergoing for him sharing classified information. Do you think he's guilty of sharing classified information?

Donald Trump

00:03:48 - 00:03:53 (5 sec)

Nobody shared it with me, that I can tell you --

Question

00:03:53 - 00:03:53 (0 sec)

Mr. President --

Donald Trump

00:03:53 - 00:03:54 (1 sec)

-- because I haven't looked.

Question

00:03:54 - 00:04:04 (10 sec)

Mr. President, two questions. Do you think Assad should leave power? And will you discuss the Syria --

Donald Trump

00:04:04 - 00:06:30 (146 sec)

What Assad did is terrible. I think what happened in Syria is one of the truly egregious crimes and it shouldn't have happened and it shouldn't be allowed to happen.

Question

00:06:30 - 00:06:36 (6 sec)

Have you talked to Putin about this? Will you talk to the Russian president about what happened?

Donald Trump

00:06:36 - 00:06:42 (6 sec)

At some point, I may. I haven't, but at some point I may.

Question

00:06:42 - 00:06:55 (13 sec)

Just to follow on that, though, do you think that Assad should leave power in Syria?

Donald Trump

00:06:55 - 00:07:15 (20 sec)

I think what happened in Syria is a disgrace to humanity. And he's there, and I guess he's running things, so something should happen. Thanks, folks, I'll see you in a little while.