Transcript - Remarks: Donald Trump Meets With Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain - September 16, 2019 | Factba.se

Donald Trump

00:00:00 - 00:00:20 (20 sec)

Well, thank you very much. It's a great honor to be with the Crown Prince of Bahrain. He is a friend of mine, and the country is a friend of ours. We're always going to be with them, and I know they're always going to be with us. We have a tremendous relationship militarily, but we have also a tremendous economic relationship -- trade.

Donald Trump

00:00:20 - 00:00:27 (7 sec)

And we're going to be discussing all of those things. We'll certainly be discussing what took place over the last two days in Saudi Arabia.

Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

00:00:27 - 00:00:28 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:00:28 - 00:00:38 (11 sec)

And we'll be discussing the Middle East. But our relationship has never been stronger than it is right now. And I think that is largely based on the relationship that we have. So I look forward to having our discussion.

Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

00:00:38 - 00:00:41 (3 sec)

Thank you, Mr. President. It's a great pleasure to be here.

Donald Trump

00:00:41 - 00:00:44 (3 sec)

Thank you. Thank you very much. Please. Would you like to say something?

Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

00:00:44 - 00:01:06 (22 sec)

Well, I would like to say -- thank the President for receiving me and my delegation here today. I'm here to convey the greetings of His Majesty and the people of Bahrain; to strengthen the relationship, which is based on shared values where they overlap, ideals. We primarily, as the President said, are going to focus on discussions related to security enhancement and trade enhancement.

Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

00:01:06 - 00:01:13 (7 sec)

We signed today a agreement to purchase additional -- or to purchase our first Patriot Missile Battery Systems.

Donald Trump

00:01:13 - 00:01:14 (1 sec)

Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

00:01:14 - 00:01:16 (2 sec)

And it couldn't have come at a better time.

Donald Trump

00:01:16 - 00:01:17 (1 sec)

Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

00:01:17 - 00:01:23 (7 sec)

Absolutely. And we seek to strengthen America's ability to trade with the world, and we have some concrete ideas on how we can do that.

Donald Trump

00:01:23 - 00:01:25 (2 sec)

Well, thank you very much.

Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

00:01:25 - 00:01:27 (1 sec)

Thank you, Mr. President.

Donald Trump

00:01:27 - 00:01:45 (19 sec)

I look forward to the day and spending time with you. And thank you all very much. I'll be doing a news conference outside in a little while. Just part of the trip. We're going to New Mexico and to other places for two and half days. And many of you will be with us, and I look forward to that. But in particular, I look forward to our meeting.

Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

00:01:45 - 00:01:46 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:01:46 - 00:01:53 (7 sec)

Thank you very much.

Question

00:01:53 - 00:01:58 (4 sec)

Mr. President, have you seen evidence, proof, that Iran was behind the attack in Saudi Arabia?

Donald Trump

00:01:58 - 00:02:10 (12 sec)

Well, it's looking that way. We'll have some pretty good -- we're having some very strong studies done, but it's certainly looking that way at this moment. And we'll let you know. As soon as we find out definitively, we'll let you know. But it does look that way.

Question

00:02:10 - 00:02:14 (5 sec)

Do you want war with Iran, Mr. President? Do you want war with Iran?

Donald Trump

00:02:14 - 00:02:30 (16 sec)

Do I want war? I don't want war with anybody. I'm somebody that would like not to have war. We have the strongest military in the world. We've spent more than a trillion and a half dollars in the last short period of time on our military. Nobody has even come close. We have the best equipment in the world.

Donald Trump

00:02:30 - 00:02:33 (3 sec)

We have the best missiles. And as you say, you just bought the Patriot system.

Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

00:02:33 - 00:02:33 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:02:33 - 00:02:58 (25 sec)

There's nothing even close. But, no, I don't want war with anybody. But we're prepared more than anybody. Two and a half years ago, I will tell you, it was not the same thing. And with what we've done, we've totally rebuilt our military in so many different ways, but we've rebuilt it. And there's nobody -- it has the F-35. We have the best fighter jets, the best rockets, the best missiles, the best equipment.

Donald Trump

00:02:58 - 00:03:02 (4 sec)

But with all of that being said, we'd certainly like to avoid it.

Question

00:03:02 - 00:03:05 (3 sec)

What are the options, Mr. President? What are the options if not a military [Inaudible]?

Donald Trump

00:03:05 - 00:03:20 (15 sec)

Well, we have a lot of options, but I'm not looking at options right now. We want to find definitively who did this. We're dealing with Saudi Arabia. We're dealing with the Crown Prince and so many other of your neighbors, and we're all talking about it together. We'll see what happens.

Question

00:03:20 - 00:03:26 (6 sec)

Mr. President, will you meet with President Rouhani in New York, as it was speculated that you might meet?

Donald Trump

00:03:26 - 00:03:27 (1 sec)

Question

00:03:27 - 00:03:30 (3 sec)

Will you still meet with President Rouhani in Iran? Is this -- in New York, I mean.

Donald Trump

00:03:30 - 00:03:48 (18 sec)

Well, I have no meeting scheduled. I know they want to meet. I know they're not doing well as a country. Iran has got a lot of problems right now that two and a half years ago -- and even a little bit more than that -- when I came in -- it's hard to believe it's almost three years -- but two and half to three years ago, they were causing a lot of trouble.

Donald Trump

00:03:48 - 00:04:00 (11 sec)

And we'll see what happens. But we'll let you know definitively if there were -- as you know, there are ways to see definitively where they came from, and we have all of those ways. And that's being checked out right now.

Question

00:04:00 - 00:04:03 (4 sec)

Are you still willing to meet with the Iranians without preconditions? Still willing to meet with President Rouhani?

Donald Trump

00:04:03 - 00:04:18 (15 sec)

Well, you know, there were always conditions, because the conditions -- if you look at it, the sanctions are not going to be taken off. So if the sanctions -- that's a condition. So, you know, that's why the press misreported it. The biggest thing you can talk about are the sanctions, and the sanctions are massive.

Donald Trump

00:04:18 - 00:04:38 (20 sec)

There's never been sanctions put on a country like that. And I think they have a tremendous future, but not the way they're behaving. We'll see what happens in terms of this attack. Secretary Pompeo and others will be going over to Saudi Arabia at some point to discuss what -- they feel they're going to make a statement fairly soon.

Donald Trump

00:04:38 - 00:04:49 (11 sec)

But they also know something that most people don't know, as to where it came from, who did it. And we'll be able to find that out. We'll figure that out very quickly. We pretty much already know.

Question

00:04:49 - 00:04:52 (2 sec)

[Inaudible] prepared for war?

Donald Trump

00:04:52 - 00:04:52 (0 sec)

Question

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

You said the United States is prepared for war.

Donald Trump

00:04:55 - 00:05:17 (22 sec)

The United States is more prepared than any country in the history of -- of -- in any history, if we have to go that way. As to whether or not we go that way, we'll see. We have to find out definitively who did it. We have to speak to Saudi Arabia. They have to have a lot of -- they have to have a lot in the game also.

Donald Trump

00:05:17 - 00:05:37 (20 sec)

And, you know, they're willing to do that. I think everybody knows they're willing to do that. So we'll be meeting with Saudi Arabia. We'll be talking to Saudi Arabia. We'll be talking to UAE and many of the neighbors out there that we're very close friends with. We're also talking to Europe, a lot of the countries that we're dealing with -- whether it's France, Germany, et cetera.

Donald Trump

00:05:37 - 00:05:53 (16 sec)

Talking to a lot of different folks. And we're figuring out what they think. But I will tell you, that was a very large attack and it could be met with an attack many, many times larger, very easily, by our country. But we're going to find out who definitively did it, first.

Question

00:05:53 - 00:05:57 (4 sec)

Can you clarify, Mr. President? So you said that you think that Iran is responsible for the attack. Do you think that the attack --

Donald Trump

00:05:57 - 00:06:00 (2 sec)

I didn't say that. Why do you say that?

Question

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

You said -- you said that you think you might --

Donald Trump

00:06:00 - 00:06:03 (3 sec)

I said that we think we know who it was, but I didn't say anybody.

Question

00:06:03 - 00:06:05 (1 sec)

And then you said it was Iran.

Donald Trump

00:06:05 - 00:06:09 (4 sec)

But, certainly, it would look to most like it was Iran, but I did not say it the way you said. Go.

Question

00:06:09 - 00:06:11 (2 sec)

So do you think it was launched from Iran, is the second question.

Donald Trump

00:06:11 - 00:06:20 (9 sec)

You're going to find out in great detail in the very near future. We have the exact locations of just about everything. You're going to find out at the right time. But it's too early to tell you that now.

Question

00:06:20 - 00:06:26 (5 sec)

Do you want to release the oil reserves to help cushion the oil prices that are rising now?

Donald Trump

00:06:26 - 00:06:43 (17 sec)

Well, they haven't risen very much. And we have the Strategic Oil Reserves, which are massive. And we can release a little bit of that. And other countries, including Bahrain -- but other countries can be a little bit more generous with the oil, and you'd bring it right down. So, no, that's not a problem.

Donald Trump

00:06:43 - 00:06:59 (16 sec)

It went up five dollars, and that is not a problem. And you have to remember, we're now the largest producer of oil and gas in the world. So a lot of people in the old days -- and this happened over the last very short period of time. We're number one in the world, by far.

Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

00:06:59 - 00:07:00 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:07:00 - 00:07:16 (17 sec)

By far. So I never want to be benefitted that way. But the fact is, there are those that say we benefit. I don't view that as a benefit. But we are certainly -- we take in more money than anybody else from energy. Not even close.

Question

00:07:16 - 00:07:23 (7 sec)

Mr. President, do you still think it's the responsibility of the Saudis to defend themselves? Or should the United States be --

Donald Trump

00:07:23 - 00:07:44 (21 sec)

I think it's certainly the responsibility of them to do a big -- a big deal of their defense, certainly. I also think it's the responsibility of the Saudis to, if somebody like us -- which are the ones -- are going to help them, they, I know, that monetarily will be very much involved in paying for that.

Donald Trump

00:07:44 - 00:08:04 (20 sec)

This is something that's much different than other Presidents would mention, Jon. But the fact is that the Saudis are going to have a lot of involvement in this if we decide to do something. They'll be very much involved, and that includes payment. And they understand that fully. But they're going to be -- look, they're very upset.

Donald Trump

00:08:04 - 00:08:18 (14 sec)

They're very angry. They know pretty much what we know. They know pretty much where they came from. And we're looking for the final checkpoints, and I think you won't be surprised to see who did it.

Question

00:08:18 - 00:08:23 (5 sec)

Mr. President, will you discuss the Israeli-Palestinian peace plan with the Crown Prince, since Bahrain hosted the first --

Donald Trump

00:08:23 - 00:08:25 (2 sec)

We'll be discussing it, yeah. We'll be discussing.

Question

00:08:25 - 00:08:27 (2 sec)

And [Inaudible], is it soon -- before or after the Israeli election?

Donald Trump

00:08:27 - 00:08:31 (4 sec)

Well, we're going to see. I mean, it's -- the election is on Tuesday.

Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

00:08:31 - 00:08:32 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:08:32 - 00:08:33 (0 sec)

Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

00:08:33 - 00:08:34 (2 sec)

Donald Trump

00:08:34 - 00:08:47 (12 sec)

So you have an election tomorrow, so I would think it would be afterwards, okay? But we -- you do have an election. Big election tomorrow in Israel. And that'll be a very interesting outcome. It's going to be close. It's going to be a close election.

Question

00:08:47 - 00:08:49 (3 sec)

Did Chairman Kim invite you to North Korea in that [Inaudible]?

Donald Trump

00:08:49 - 00:08:51 (2 sec)

I don't want to comment on that.

Question

00:08:51 - 00:08:52 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:08:52 - 00:08:55 (3 sec)

The relationship is very good, but I don't want to comment on it.

Question

00:08:55 - 00:08:56 (1 sec)

Would you be willing to go there?

Donald Trump

00:08:56 - 00:09:01 (5 sec)

I just don't think it's appropriate for me to comment.

Question

00:09:01 - 00:09:03 (2 sec)

Would you be willing to go to North Korea?

Donald Trump

00:09:03 - 00:09:20 (16 sec)

Probably not. I don't think it's ready. I don't think we're ready for that. I would do it sometime at -- sometime at a later future. And depending on what happens, I'm sure he'll love coming to the United States also. But, no, I don't think it's ready for that. I think we have a ways to go yet.

Question

00:09:20 - 00:09:23 (3 sec)

Do you stand with the autoworkers in the strike against GM?

Donald Trump

00:09:23 - 00:09:45 (22 sec)

Well, I have a great relationship with the autoworkers. I got tremendous numbers of votes from the autoworkers. I don't want General Motors to be building plants outside of this country. As you know, they built many plants in China and Mexico, and I don't like that at all. My relationship has been very powerful with the autoworkers -- not necessarily the top person or two, but the people that work doing automobiles.

Donald Trump

00:09:45 - 00:10:13 (29 sec)

Nobody has ever brought more companies into the United States. You know, I have Japan and Germany, and many countries have been bringing car companies in and opening plants and expanding plants. And big things are happening in Ohio, including with Lordstown. Very positive things are happening. We have many plants that are either being renovated or expanded or built new, right now, in the United States -- many more than we've had for decades and decades.

Donald Trump

00:10:13 - 00:10:35 (22 sec)

So nobody has been better to the autoworkers than me. I'd like to see it work out, but I don't want General Motors building plants in China and Mexico. This was before my watch. And I don't think they'll be doing that, I don't think. I had meetings with Mary Barra, the head of GM, and I don't want them leaving our country.

Donald Trump

00:10:35 - 00:10:58 (23 sec)

I don't want them building in China. I don't want to build them in other countries. I don't want these big, massive auto plants built in other countries. And I don't think they'll be doing that anymore. You know, General Motors makes most of its money in the United States, and it's too bad they spent billions and billions of dollars outside of the United States, before I got here.

Donald Trump

00:10:58 - 00:11:16 (19 sec)

One of the things very important in the USMCA, which we have to have approved for the -- not only for the unions, for the autoworkers, but for the farmers and for the manufacturers -- for everybody. Everybody wants USMCA. It's very important, even more so now than it was two weeks ago. But people really want it. I'm sad to see the strike.

Donald Trump

00:11:16 - 00:11:18 (2 sec)

Hopefully, it's going to be a quick one.

Question

00:11:18 - 00:11:26 (8 sec)

Mr. President, has diplomacy been exhausted when it comes to issues of Iran? Diplomacy -- has it been exhausted?

Donald Trump

00:11:26 - 00:11:37 (11 sec)

No. It's never exhausted. In fact, the Crown Prince can tell you, especially in your part of the world, it's never exhausted until the final 12 seconds. Is that right?

Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

00:11:37 - 00:11:38 (1 sec)

That is correct.

Donald Trump

00:11:38 - 00:11:54 (17 sec)

You never know what's going to happen. No, it's not exhausted. Nothing is exhausted. And we'll see what happens. I think they would like to make a deal. I know they'd like to make a deal. They'd like to do it, but they'd like to do it on certain terms and conditions, and we won't do that. But at some point, it will work out, in my opinion.

Donald Trump

00:11:54 - 00:12:09 (15 sec)

The problem was, the deal that was signed by the previous administration was a disaster -- which, by the way, would be expiring in a very short period of time also. So you really don't have a deal. You know, that deal was a very short-term deal. So they made a deal, but it was for a very short period of time.

Donald Trump

00:12:09 - 00:12:11 (2 sec)

So that deal would be expiring very soon.

Question

00:12:11 - 00:12:12 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:12:12 - 00:12:13 (1 sec)

Question

00:12:13 - 00:12:19 (6 sec)

Sorry. Are you encouraging Israel and the Saudis to work together on this issue, particularly since they have a shared common goal?

Donald Trump

00:12:19 - 00:12:33 (14 sec)

Always. I encourage everybody. I want everybody to work together. The Middle East is an interesting place. They, historically, have not been working together too well. But, no, Israel is starting to work together with a lot of countries that you wouldn't have thought possible two years ago. Yes, Steve.

Question

00:12:33 - 00:12:36 (3 sec)

Have you promised the Saudis that the U.S. will protect them in this case?

Donald Trump

00:12:36 - 00:12:56 (20 sec)

No, I haven't. No, I haven't. I haven't promised the Saudis that. We have to sit down with the Saudis and work something out. And the Saudis want very much for us to protect them, but I say, well, we have to work. That was an attack on Saudi Arabia, and that wasn't an attack on us. But we would certainly help them.

Donald Trump

00:12:56 - 00:13:20 (24 sec)

They've been a great ally. They spend $400 billion in our country over the last number of years. Four hundred billion dollars. That's a million and a half jobs. And they're not ones that, unlike some countries, where they want terms; they want terms and conditions. They want to say, "Can we borrow the money at zero percent for the next 400 years?" No. No. Saudi Arabia pays cash.

Donald Trump

00:13:20 - 00:13:32 (12 sec)

They've helped us out from the standpoint of jobs and all of the other things. And they've actually helped us. I would call and I would say, "Listen, our oil prices, our gasoline, is too high. You got to let more go." You know that.

Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

00:13:32 - 00:13:32 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:13:32 - 00:13:54 (22 sec)

I would call the Crown Prince and I'd say, "You got to help us out. You got to get some more." And, all of a sudden, the oil starts flowing and the gasoline prices are down. No other President can do that. No other President was able to do that, or maybe they didn't try. But I've done it. So now they're under attack, and we will work something out with them.

Donald Trump

00:13:54 - 00:14:02 (8 sec)

But they also know that -- you know, I'm not looking to get into new conflict, but sometimes you have to.

Question

00:14:02 - 00:14:04 (3 sec)

Mr. President, what's your message to Iran right now?

Donald Trump

00:14:04 - 00:14:05 (0 sec)

Question

00:14:05 - 00:14:07 (2 sec)

What's your message to Iran right now?

Donald Trump

00:14:07 - 00:14:29 (23 sec)

I think I'll have a stronger message, or maybe no message at all, when we get the final results of what we're looking at. But, right now, it's too soon to say. There's plenty of time. You know, there's no rush. We'll all be here a long time. There's no rush. But I'll have a message -- whether it's a strong message or maybe no message at all, depending on the final results.

Question

00:14:29 - 00:14:33 (3 sec)

And how concerned are you about the risk of an all-out war in the Middle East?

Donald Trump

00:14:33 - 00:14:34 (1 sec)

I'm not concerned at all.

Question

00:14:34 - 00:14:36 (2 sec)

You don't think that we're a step closer to that, given what Iran just did?

Donald Trump

00:14:36 - 00:15:01 (26 sec)

No. I'm not. Personally, I'm not concerned at all. We have military power the likes of which the world has never seen. I'm not concerned at all. I'd like to avoid it. You know, when I came here three years ago almost, General Mattis told me, "Sir, we're very low on ammunition." I said, "That's a horrible thing to say." I'm not blaming him; I'm not blaming anybody.

Donald Trump

00:15:01 - 00:15:35 (33 sec)

But that's what he told me. Because we were at a position where, with a certain country -- I won't say which one -- we may have had conflict. And he said to me, "Sir, if you could, delay it, because we're very low on ammunition." And I said, "You know what, General? I never want to hear that again from another general." No President should ever, ever hear that statement, "We're low on ammunition." And we now have more ammunition, more missiles, more rockets, more tanks, more -- we have more of everything than we've ever had before.

Donald Trump

00:15:35 - 00:15:48 (13 sec)

More jet fighters. When I came here, 50 percent of our jet fighters didn't fly. You know that. And they were in bad shape. And now we have the best fighters in the world. Everybody wants to buy them. Are you buying our jet fighters?

Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

00:15:48 - 00:15:48 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:15:48 - 00:15:49 (1 sec)

Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

00:15:49 - 00:15:50 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:15:50 - 00:15:51 (1 sec)

Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

00:15:51 - 00:15:52 (1 sec)

Signed it here.

Donald Trump

00:15:52 - 00:15:52 (1 sec)

You have good taste. [Laughter]

Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

00:15:52 - 00:15:53 (1 sec)

Thank you, sir.

Donald Trump

00:15:53 - 00:16:21 (28 sec)

That's a great one. So, we are very high on ammunition now. That's a story I've never told before. Breaking news. But we have -- we were very low. I could even say it stronger. I don't want to say, "No ammunition," but that gets a lot closer. I said, "I never want to hear that again. And I never want another President of the United States to hear that again." Could you imagine, as President, when they say, "We're very low on ammunition?" By the way, stronger than that, but I'm not going to go there.

Donald Trump

00:16:21 - 00:16:43 (21 sec)

That was what I was told. And I said, "I never want to be in a position like that again." And he said, "Could you delay if we do something, sir? Could you delay it as we fill up?" And that is what I inherited from the past administration. And, in all fairness, to President Obama, to administrations before President Obama.

Donald Trump

00:16:43 - 00:17:04 (21 sec)

That's what I got stuck with. And we fixed it, and we fixed it good. The Crown Prince understands $700 billion; the next year, $718 billion; and the next year, which is right now, we just got approved, $738 billion. And that's a lot of money even for Bahrain. Right?

Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

00:17:04 - 00:17:04 (1 sec)

It's a lot of money, sir.

Donald Trump

00:17:04 - 00:17:06 (2 sec)

It's a lot even for Bahrain.

Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

00:17:06 - 00:17:07 (1 sec)

It's a lot of money.

Donald Trump

00:17:07 - 00:17:09 (2 sec)

And Bahrain has a lot of money. Okay?

Question

00:17:09 - 00:17:13 (4 sec)

You have the Israeli election coming up tomorrow. How does that affect the timing of your Middle East peace plan?

Donald Trump

00:17:13 - 00:17:25 (12 sec)

Well, we'll have to see what happens, Steve. I just don't know. I can't tell you what's going to happen. I can make a prediction; I sort of have a feeling. But we're going to have to see what happens. That's a big election. That's one we're all going to be watching.

Question

00:17:25 - 00:17:28 (3 sec)

Do you think Netanyahu will pull it out?

Donald Trump

00:17:28 - 00:17:40 (12 sec)

Well, certainly he has a good chance. But it's a very -- you know, it's a 50/50 election. A lot of people, if you look at the polls and everything else, it's going to be very close. So we'll see what happens. Polls -- polls are often wrong.

Question

00:17:40 - 00:17:44 (4 sec)

Netanyahu called for annexing all settlements in the West Bank. Is that something your government would [Inaudible]?

Donald Trump

00:17:44 - 00:17:56 (12 sec)

Yeah, I don't want to talk about that, but certainly it's something we were told about that they'd like to do. But, no, I don't want to be talking about that. It's too soon.

Question

00:17:56 - 00:18:01 (6 sec)

Mr. President, can you, kind of, elaborate a little bit on why the decision was taken yesterday to release the Strategic Reserves? Why did you decide right away to do that?

Donald Trump

00:18:01 - 00:18:25 (24 sec)

Well, just in case we ran a little bit low on oil. We have so much with the Strategic Reserves. Plus, being the number one producer, we can fill them up very quickly. Very, very quickly. And one of the things I'm doing also is I'm approving the pipelines in Texas. We have a tremendous pipeline system that's being held up by various agencies for a very good reason, for it -- going through the normal process.

Donald Trump

00:18:25 - 00:18:45 (20 sec)

And we're going to have to avoid the normal process, because if we do that -- Texas is a massive distributor, a massive producer of oil, far bigger than anybody would have even thought five years ago. So what I'm going to do is expedite the pipeline approvals. That will get us another 25 percent energy -- additional energy.

Donald Trump

00:18:45 - 00:19:04 (20 sec)

I know this is exactly the opposite of the Democrats. They want to have wind, solar, and, I guess, make-believe would be the third alternative, right? No, this is something we have to do. We have the greatest wealth in the world, and we want to be able to capitalize on it, especially when it comes to safety.

Donald Trump

00:19:04 - 00:19:09 (5 sec)

Okay? Thank you all very much. Thank you.

Question

00:19:09 - 00:19:23 (14 sec)

Just for one more second. You talked about an urban agenda when you ran for President the first time. You went to Baltimore last week. What are your plans for Baltimore and cities like Baltimore? Instead of pointing fingers, what are you trying to do to help the city rise up from the "rodent-infested place" that you say it is?

Donald Trump

00:19:23 - 00:19:47 (23 sec)

Well, I think what I've done for the inner cities is more than any President has done for a long time. We've created Opportunity Zones. In fact, I did that with Tim Scott, who you know very well, who is, I think, a tremendous guy. It was his initiative. And he came to see me. They're having a tremendously positive impact on the inner cities, including Baltimore, including a lot of other cities that you wouldn't necessarily think.

Donald Trump

00:19:47 - 00:20:08 (21 sec)

Oakland, California, is an example. We're having tremendous success in the inner cities because of the Opportunity Zones. Criminal justice reform -- I was the one that got it. Nobody else. I mean, we had people that helped, but a group of extremely liberal Democrats came to the office and they said, "We cannot get it." President Obama was unable to get it, as you know.

Donald Trump

00:20:08 - 00:20:27 (19 sec)

President Bush -- they were all unable to get it, and I got it. And I got it with some very conservative senators and people that wanted it to happen. And nobody else could have done it. And it's sort of interesting, because they don't like mentioning my name, although, I guess now people are understanding.

Donald Trump

00:20:27 - 00:20:49 (22 sec)

But we got it. We got it done. We formed a coalition with some very conservative people, as you know, and some people that are very far left. And we did a thing called, "criminal justice reform," something that nobody thought. The Crown Prince has seen this. Nobody thought this could possibly happen. And I'm very proud of criminal justice reform.

Donald Trump

00:20:49 - 00:21:05 (16 sec)

So, we did that. We did the Opportunity Zones and a lot of other things. Our job numbers for African Americans are the best in history. You saw the new ones came out; they're even better than they were two months ago. Hispanic, the best in history. Asian, the best in history. Overall, they're phenomenal.

Donald Trump

00:21:05 - 00:21:14 (8 sec)

The best in 51 years. And I think we'll soon be historic on that one too. The economy is doing great. And that's the best thing I can do.

Question

00:21:14 - 00:21:16 (2 sec)

Did you look at Baltimore when you flew over? Did you see what you --

Donald Trump

00:21:16 - 00:21:37 (21 sec)

No, when I drove through I looked at it. And we flew over. But we also -- no, you have some sections that need a lot of help. And, you know, what people don't know -- I had a great meeting with Elijah Cummings in this office very early in my tenure. And it was a meeting on drug prices. And I saw him get emotional talking about drug prices.

Donald Trump

00:21:37 - 00:21:57 (20 sec)

Seriously emotional. And I was really impressed. He cared about it. And I would certainly be willing to meet with Elijah and other people, if they'd like. But I saw the emotion and the feeling that he had for reducing drug prices. And we've worked hard, and we've actually had the first year in 51 years where prices went down.

Donald Trump

00:21:57 - 00:22:18 (21 sec)

But we can get them down much further if we can get the help from Congress. So I think we're going to do much lower drug prices over the next year. And I think that if Elijah Cummings would want help, I am here. But I did see him at a moment that was actually, I thought, a very beautiful moment. I've talked about it often because I see the political rhetoric every once in a while.

Donald Trump

00:22:18 - 00:22:36 (18 sec)

And I said, "That's not the same guy I had in my office." That was a very caring man that wanted to see drug prices lowered. And he wanted that for the community -- for his community. So, I look forward to working with Elijah, but I look forward to working with a lot of people. But I think Opportunity Zones have been tremendous for the inner cities.

Donald Trump

00:22:36 - 00:22:43 (7 sec)

And criminal justice reform is something we're very proud of. Thank you all very much.