Transcript - Press Gaggle: Donald Trump Speaks to the Press After Air Force One Arrival - October 19, 2020 | Factba.se

Donald Trump

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

[Video Starts, no Audio] Hello, everybody. You know our senator. You know our governor. They're great -- both of them. And they're doing a terrific job.

Donald Trump

00:00:16 - 00:00:30 (14 sec)

We have a big -- two speeches today. And we have [Audio Begins] thousands and thousands of people waiting. There's never been anything like this, I will say that, with -- I'm being very humble. I'll say that, Jeff. Is that okay? But there's never been anything like it. We have tremendous crowds. You saw the lines. They formed two days ago.

Donald Trump

00:00:30 - 00:00:38 (7 sec)

So we're going to make two stops. And you're going to be with us a little bit, and I know you're going to be with us a little bit.

Donald Trump

00:00:38 - 00:00:58 (20 sec)

And we have a very exciting election coming up. We're doing very well in North Carolina, very well in Florida, very well pretty much everywhere. We're looking -- we're doing very well. And when people find out really what we've done and how good the economy is and how it's coming back, the numbers are fantastic. So we -- we seem to be in very good shape.

Donald Trump

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

Question

00:00:58 - 00:01:03 (5 sec)

Stimulus. Can you give us the latest on stimulus talks? On stimulus talks.

Donald Trump

00:01:03 - 00:01:08 (5 sec)

Yeah, we're having talks today. We're discussing it today, very solidly. We'll see what happens.

Question

00:01:08 - 00:01:09 (1 sec)

Have you talked with Leader McConnell?

Donald Trump

00:01:09 - 00:01:18 (9 sec)

Nancy Pelosi, at this moment, does not want to do anything that's going to affect the election. And I think it will affect the election negatively for her.

Donald Trump

00:01:18 - 00:01:21 (3 sec)

So we'll see what happens. But there are talks going on as we speak.

Question

00:01:21 - 00:01:23 (2 sec)

Have you talked with Leader McConnell about this?

Donald Trump

00:01:23 - 00:01:28 (4 sec)

I don't want to comment on that. But the Republicans will come along.

Question

00:01:28 - 00:01:35 (8 sec)

Mr. President, why did you criticize Dr. Fauci? Does it have anything to do with his high standing in public sentiment?

Donald Trump

00:01:35 - 00:01:49 (14 sec)

No, I think, really, Dr. Fauci is a very nice man, but we let him do what he wants to do. He gets a lot of television. He loves being on television, and we let him do it. Sometimes he says things that are a little bit off, and they get built up, unfortunately.

Donald Trump

00:01:49 - 00:02:02 (13 sec)

But he's a nice guy. I like him. But he's called a lot of bad calls. He said don't wear a mask and he said don't ban China. They were bad calls. He admits that. And I don't hold that against him. If I did, I wouldn't have him. I think he's a nice a guy.

Question

00:02:02 - 00:02:03 (1 sec)

Why don't you fire him?

Donald Trump

00:02:03 - 00:02:04 (1 sec)

Question

00:02:04 - 00:02:05 (1 sec)

Why not fire him?

Donald Trump

00:02:05 - 00:02:12 (7 sec)

I don't want to. I don't want to hurt him. He's been there for about 350 years. I don't want to hurt him.

Question

00:02:12 - 00:02:18 (5 sec)

You've been saying that Dr. Fauci said not to wear a mask, but he's been saying to wear a mask for months.

Donald Trump

00:02:18 - 00:02:22 (5 sec)

Well, he used to say don't wear a mask. So, you know, you have people on both sides of it. But I'm okay --

Question

00:02:22 - 00:02:23 (1 sec)

So why are you still quoting that?

Donald Trump

00:02:23 - 00:02:44 (20 sec)

Excuse me. I'm okay with masks. I like it. I think it's good. A lot of people like it. This gentleman has done an incredible job in Arizona, and he's taken a very tough stand. But he's let his economy grow. And, frankly, if they would've done that in Michigan and various other places, where the governor just shut it down for everybody except for her husband.

Donald Trump

00:02:44 - 00:02:52 (8 sec)

His attitude -- you know, they had a spike, and he let the spike play. And they were careful. And now your state is really in great shape.

Governor Ducey

00:02:52 - 00:02:53 (1 sec)

Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you.

Donald Trump

00:02:53 - 00:02:54 (1 sec)

What a job. So proud of him.

Question

00:02:54 - 00:03:01 (7 sec)

Your Chief of Staff said today that there will be a lawsuit filed on Section 230 on the tech companies. Is it your --

Donald Trump

00:03:01 - 00:03:02 (1 sec)

Who said that? Who said that?

Question

00:03:02 - 00:03:06 (4 sec)

Mark Meadows said that, as soon as today, there could be a lawsuit filed.

Donald Trump

00:03:06 - 00:03:06 (0 sec)

Well, you know --

Question

00:03:06 - 00:03:08 (2 sec)

Is that from the White House?

Donald Trump

00:03:08 - 00:03:39 (32 sec)

-- they've given -- they've been given great protection. And when they take down people like Charlie Kirk -- you know, Charlie Kirk is a terrific person. And I was -- I just heard that he was taken down. And how can you take down Charlie Kirk? He's mainstream conservative but solid as a rock. He represents a point of view, and he's putting up something from the New York Post, which is a respected newspaper. I'll tell you what: The biggest winner in this whole thing is a newspaper called the New York Post, the oldest paper in our country.

Donald Trump

00:03:39 - 00:03:43 (4 sec)

So what they have done is really -- I'm very proud of them.

Question

00:03:43 - 00:03:46 (3 sec)

Are you filing a lawsuit? Or is the campaign filing a lawsuit?

Donald Trump

00:03:46 - 00:03:46 (1 sec)

You'll be seeing very soon.

Question

00:03:46 - 00:03:57 (11 sec)

Mr. President, do you understand that when it comes to the science and a new virus, things change; scientists learn new things and that's why Fauci and some scientists changed their recommendations?

Donald Trump

00:03:57 - 00:04:03 (6 sec)

You don't understand. I understand well. You don't understand, and you never have understood.

Question

00:04:03 - 00:04:05 (3 sec)

Is this election going to be a repeat of 2016, given the polls?

Donald Trump

00:04:05 - 00:04:18 (12 sec)

I think so. I think we'll do better than 2016. We're way ahead of where we were in 2016, and I've done things that nobody has ever done. We built the greatest economy in the world, and we're building it rapidly again.

Donald Trump

00:04:18 - 00:04:36 (18 sec)

If you look at Arizona -- you look at the job they've done. And I'm just leaving other states. I mean, every one of these Republican-run states are doing phenomenally. The Democrat-run states are not, but they're not going to affect our numbers very much. I think they're going to open up on November 4th. They'll be opening up on November 4th.

Donald Trump

00:04:36 - 00:04:41 (5 sec)

And, by the way, the fact that Kristen Welker is, you know, a dyed-in-the-wool radical-left Democrat, or whatever she is --

Question

00:04:41 - 00:04:44 (2 sec)

It's not true, Mr. President, and you know it.

Question

00:04:44 - 00:04:44 (1 sec)

That's not true.

Donald Trump

00:04:44 - 00:04:47 (3 sec)

Okay. Okay. And then ask -- why are you defending her?

Question

00:04:47 - 00:04:49 (2 sec)

That's not true, Mr. President.

Donald Trump

00:04:49 - 00:04:52 (3 sec)

Then ask her: Why did she delete her account? Would you please have her put her account back?

Question

00:04:52 - 00:04:55 (3 sec)

Mr. President, you've dealt with her, and you know she's a fine journalist.

Donald Trump

00:04:55 - 00:05:16 (21 sec)

And you know what? It's not going to affect -- I know you want to stick up. It's not going to affect me. I'm going to be there. But, you know, I told you about the last one, and I was right. And I told you about Savannah Guthrie, and I was right. And I'm telling you about Kristen Welker. Kristen Welker should put all of her statements back on. She deleted her entire account. She shouldn't do that.

Question

00:05:16 - 00:05:18 (3 sec)

What are they going to do with the mics? Are they trying to have --

Donald Trump

00:05:18 - 00:05:19 (1 sec)

Question

00:05:19 - 00:05:23 (4 sec)

Are they trying to have the moderator be able to turn off the mics? Is that what --

Donald Trump

00:05:23 - 00:05:24 (1 sec)

I have no idea.

Question

00:05:24 - 00:05:29 (4 sec)

Mr. President, what are you doing to prepare for the debate, sir?

Donald Trump

00:05:29 - 00:05:29 (1 sec)

I'm doing this.

Question

00:05:29 - 00:05:29 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:05:29 - 00:05:37 (8 sec)

What am I doing to prepare? I'm doing this. I've done -- I've done very well in debates. And, you know, you do what you do. You just do what you do.

Donald Trump

00:05:37 - 00:05:56 (19 sec)

The last debate, I had two on one. I usually have two on one, at least. And I did well in the last debate, and we did well with Savannah Guthrie, based on reports. But all you can do is -- look, you know, you go around; we do interviews with you. This is like -- I call this "debate prep." This is actually tougher than a debate, if you want to know the truth.

Question

00:05:56 - 00:05:59 (3 sec)

Will you do the testing before the debate? And will you authorize your --

Donald Trump

00:05:59 - 00:05:59 (1 sec)

Question

00:05:59 - 00:06:02 (2 sec)

Will you do the testing before the debate? And will you au- --

Donald Trump

00:06:02 - 00:06:02 (1 sec)

Question

00:06:02 - 00:06:06 (3 sec)

Yes, the COVID testing. Will you authorize your doctors to tell us when --

Donald Trump

00:06:06 - 00:06:08 (3 sec)

Sure. I would have no problem with it.

Question

00:06:08 - 00:06:10 (1 sec)

-- the last negative before you --

Donald Trump

00:06:10 - 00:06:25 (15 sec)

I'm -- not only am I free -- positive, or whatever -- what would you call it? I'm totally free. Right? Not only am I free, I'm immune, they say. They say if you've had it, you're immune. Now, the question is, are you immune for four months or for the rest of your life? That's the only thing we don't know.

Question

00:06:25 - 00:06:30 (5 sec)

Will you authorize your doctors to tell you when you tested negative last, before the last event?

Donald Trump

00:06:30 - 00:06:32 (2 sec)

Sure. Is that very important to you?

Question

00:06:32 - 00:06:33 (1 sec)

Yes, sir, it is.

Donald Trump

00:06:33 - 00:06:39 (6 sec)

You seem to be so intent. But if it's so important to you -- why is it so important to you?

Question

00:06:39 - 00:06:42 (3 sec)

Because we want to know how long you may have been --

Donald Trump

00:06:42 - 00:06:46 (4 sec)

I know. But why? Why?

Question

00:06:46 - 00:06:50 (4 sec)

We want to know if you followed the rules from the debate commission.

Donald Trump

00:06:50 - 00:06:54 (4 sec)

I know. But why is it so important to you?

Question

00:06:54 - 00:06:56 (3 sec)

Will you authorize your doctors to release that information?

Donald Trump

00:06:56 - 00:07:07 (10 sec)

Look at the dedication. Yeah, my doctors have already given it. You know, my doctors have given more information than has been given on any human being in the history of the world.

Question

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

But have not given that detail, Mr. President.

Question

00:07:10 - 00:07:18 (8 sec)

Mr. President, can you tell us why -- what your campaign strategy seems to be to call Biden a "criminal"? Why is that?

Donald Trump

00:07:18 - 00:07:21 (3 sec)

He is a criminal. He's a criminal. He got caught --

Question

00:07:21 - 00:07:24 (3 sec)

He was the Vice President of the United States.

Donald Trump

00:07:24 - 00:07:31 (7 sec)

Read his laptop. And you know who's a criminal? You're a criminal for not reporting it. You are a criminal for not reporting it.

Question

00:07:31 - 00:07:42 (11 sec)

I'm asking your strategy.

Donald Trump

00:07:42 - 00:08:26 (43 sec)

Let me tell you something: Joe Biden is a criminal, and he's been a criminal for a long time. And you're a criminal, and the media, for not reporting it. Good luck, everybody. Have a good time. Have a good time.