Transcript - Remarks: Donald Trump Attends a Roundtable With Auto CEOs at The White House - May 11, 2018 | Factba.se

Donald Trump

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

Okay, thank you very much. We have, at this table, the biggest car manufacturers in the world all represented by their top people. And, Mary, it's nice to see you again.

Mary Barra

00:00:14 - 00:00:15 (1 sec)

Good to see you as well.

Donald Trump

00:00:15 - 00:00:23 (8 sec)

We had a -- probably my first meeting was with you and a group. And we've made a lot of progress in the last period of a year and a half.

Donald Trump

00:00:23 - 00:00:37 (14 sec)

We're working on CAFE standards, environmental controls. We're working on how to build more cars in the United States. We have a great capacity for building. We're importing a lot of cars, and we want a lot of those cars to be made in the United States.

Donald Trump

00:00:37 - 00:00:49 (13 sec)

I think what we'll do just very quickly, because we're represented by so much media, we'll just run around the room real quickly, and you can introduce yourself and the company. We'll talk for a couple of minutes, then we're going to talk privately.

Donald Trump

00:00:49 - 00:01:16 (27 sec)

But we are going to, again, for the media, we're really talking about environmental control, CAFE standards, and manufacturing of millions of more cars within the United States -- for Michigan, for Ohio, for Pennsylvania, for all of the different places, South Carolina -- getting bigger and bigger -- North Carolina. So Larry Kudlow everybody knows. Go ahead, Elaine.

Elaine Chao

00:01:16 - 00:01:18 (2 sec)

Elaine Chao, Secretary of Transportation.

Scott Becker

00:01:18 - 00:01:20 (2 sec)

I'm Scott Becker with Nissan North America.

Donald Trump

00:01:20 - 00:01:22 (1 sec)

Great. Great company.

Hinrich Woebcken

00:01:22 - 00:01:25 (3 sec)

I'm Hinrich Woebcken from Volkswagen Group of America.

Donald Trump

00:01:25 - 00:01:27 (2 sec)

Very good. Thank you.

Bob Carter

00:01:27 - 00:01:29 (2 sec)

Bob Carter, Toyota North America.

Donald Trump

00:01:29 - 00:01:31 (2 sec)

Good. Go ahead.

Sergio Marchionne

00:01:31 - 00:01:33 (2 sec)

Sergio Marchionne from Fiat Chrysler.

Donald Trump

00:01:33 - 00:01:37 (4 sec)

By the way, thank you. You're moving to Michigan from Mexico.

Sergio Marchionne

00:01:37 - 00:01:37 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:01:37 - 00:01:54 (17 sec)

That's what we like. In fact, right now, he's my favorite man in the room. [Laughter] No, big announcement. And I'll tell you, the people in Michigan very much appreciate it. It's a big deal. Leaving Mexico; going to Michigan. That was very well received. I appreciate it. Thank you.

Bernhard Kuhnt

00:01:54 - 00:01:56 (2 sec)

Bernhard Kuhnt, from BMW.

Donald Trump

00:01:56 - 00:01:57 (1 sec)

Mary Barra

00:01:57 - 00:01:59 (2 sec)

Mary Barra, from General Motors.

Donald Trump

00:01:59 - 00:02:00 (1 sec)

Dietmar Exler

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

Dietmar Exler, Mercedes-Benz.

Donald Trump

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

Good. Thank you.

Robert Lighthizer

00:02:02 - 00:02:04 (3 sec)

I'm Bob Lighthizer, the USTR.

Rick Schostek

00:02:04 - 00:02:06 (2 sec)

Rick Schostek, Honda North America.

Mitch Bainwol

00:02:06 - 00:02:11 (5 sec)

Mitch Bainwol, with the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, representing seven of the manufacturers.

Donald Trump

00:02:11 - 00:02:11 (0 sec)

John Bozzella

00:02:11 - 00:02:13 (2 sec)

John Bozzella, with Global Automakers.

Donald Trump

00:02:13 - 00:02:13 (0 sec)

Brian Smith

00:02:13 - 00:02:16 (3 sec)

Mr. President, Brian Smith of Hyundai Motor America. It's an honor to be here.

Donald Trump

00:02:16 - 00:02:17 (1 sec)

Scott Pruitt

00:02:17 - 00:02:18 (2 sec)

Scott Pruitt, Administrator of the EPA.

Jim Hackett

00:02:18 - 00:02:23 (4 sec)

Mr. President, thanks for having us. Jim Hackett, Ford Motor Company.

Donald Trump

00:02:23 - 00:02:40 (18 sec)

That's right, Jim. We know you well. So these are the biggest in the world and we're going to be talking to them. And we want them to build more cars in the United States. And also, build them here and ship them overseas. We're doing a reverse act, and that's going to be something, I think, that's happening, and we see it happening.

Donald Trump

00:02:40 - 00:02:53 (12 sec)

A lot of it has to do with the great tax cuts and tax incentives that people have been given. And we have other incentives coming. So we appreciate you all being here. And thank you very much, everybody. Appreciate it.

Question

00:02:53 - 00:02:56 (3 sec)

Mr. President, do you still have confidence in Administrator Pruitt, Mr. President?

Donald Trump

00:02:56 - 00:02:58 (3 sec)

Yes, I do. Thank you. Thank you very much everybody. Thank you.

Question

00:02:58 - 00:03:02 (3 sec)

Are you concerned NAFTA may hurt the automakers, sir?

Donald Trump

00:03:02 - 00:03:02 (0 sec)

Question

00:03:02 - 00:03:07 (5 sec)

Are you concerned that NAFTA may adversely affect these automakers?

Donald Trump

00:03:07 - 00:03:26 (19 sec)

Well, we'll see what happens. We're negotiating NAFTA right now. I've never been a NAFTA fan, as you know. NAFTA has been a terrible deal for the United States and one of the worst trade deals in history. We have some bad deals in this country -- between the Iran deal, NAFTA -- Mary, we can look at any deal. Bad deals. But now we're going to good deals.

Donald Trump

00:03:26 - 00:03:51 (26 sec)

NAFTA has been a terrible deal. We're renegotiating it now. We'll see what happens. Mexico and Canada have -- look, they don't like to lose the golden goose, but I'm representing the United States. I'm not representing Mexico, and I'm not representing Canada. But NAFTA has been a horrible, horrible disaster for this country. And we'll see if we can make it reasonable. Thank you very much, everybody.