Trump's Remarks Before Air Force One Departure

[mahatmakanejeeves]

REMARKS

Remarks by President Trump Before Air Force One Departure
ECONOMY & JOBS

Issued on: August 13, 2019

Morristown Municipal Airport
Morristown, New Jersey

11:53 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: The stock market continues to do very well. We have very, very strong numbers. We have a lot of artificial numbers from other countries because they’re all devaluing their currencies. They’re really doing things that aren’t very good for their countries, in my opinion. But, short term, it’s very good for their countries. Long term, possibly not.

And we’re not following suit. We have a Fed that decides not to cut interest rates, which is a very bad thing. Because, right now, we have to follow suit; we should be following suit. But we have a very powerful country, a very strong economic and military country. We’ve never been better. The stock market is way up today for various reasons, including tariffs.

I just see where we’ve collected close to $59 billion in tariffs so far. And, in my opinion, the consumer has not paid for it because of the devaluation by China. They devalued and they pumped a lot of money into their system. So, it’s really been an amazing — it’s been an amazing period of time.

Yeah.

Q Why did you make the decision on the tariffs, to delay the implementation of the tariffs?

THE PRESIDENT: Only to help, I think, a lot of different groups of people. And we had a very good talk yesterday with China — a very, very productive call. I think they want to do something. I think they’d like to do something dramatic. I was not sure whether or not they wanted to wait until a Democrat has a chance to get in. Hopefully that’s not going to happen because the economy would go to hell in a handbasket very fast.

But they really would like to make a deal. The call itself was very productive. I’m not sure if it was the tariffs or the call, but the call was very productive. Again, they’ve said this many times; they’ve said they’re going to buy farm products. So far, they’ve disappointed me with the truth. They haven’t been truthful, or, let’s say, they’ve certainly delayed the decision. But it’s their intention to buy a lot of farm product.

And we did — we had a very good call with China. I mean, they would really like to do — as you know, they have a problem in Hong Kong, but they would like very much to do something.

Q Would you consider moving the tariffs, even? Delaying them even further, past December 15?

THE PRESIDENT: No, we’re doing this for Christmas season, just in case some of the tariffs would have an impact on U.S. customers, which, so far, they’ve had virtually none. The only impact has been that we’ve collected almost $60 billion from China — compliments of China. But just in case they might have an impact on people, what we’ve done is we’ve delayed it so that they won’t be relevant for the Christmas shopping season.

Q Mr. President, can you please explain your decision to retweet that comment about Jeffrey Epstein and the —

THE PRESIDENT: Yeah, he’s a very highly respected, conservative pundit. He’s a big Trump fan. That was a retweet. That wasn’t from me; that was from him. But he’s a man who has half a million followers. A lot of followers. And he’s respected.

And, as you know, Bill Barr wants to do an entire investigation of the whole Epstein matter, what happened. He’s been going on for a long — that’s been going on for a long time, the whole Epstein episode. And I know it’s under investigation by Attorney General Barr, and I’m sure he’s going to be handling it.

The retweet, which is what it was — it was a retweet — was from somebody that’s a very respected, conservative pundit. So I think that was fine.

Yeah.

Q But is it appropriate for you to be spreading that kind of conspiracy theory? I presume you don’t know that that’s true.

THE PRESIDENT: No, basically what we’re saying is we want an investigation. I want a full investigation, and that’s what I absolutely am demanding. That’s what our Attorney General — our great Attorney General — is doing. He’s doing a full investigation.

{snip}

[JoeOtterbein]

1. Trump never makes sense and yet the media never, ever, says he "gaffed."

That seems reserved for Dems.

[Mike 03]

4. Yes, it's ridiculous and unfair.

If Trump even produces discernible words from his mouth without including a racial slur it's a success. The Democratic candidates are under a microscope.

[Ohiogal]

2. Oh I can't wait

for a POTUS that doesn't talk like a 6 year old ....

[Mike 03]

3. Reading his words is almost worse than hearing them.

This looks like the thought patterns of a fifth grader; not the content but the repetition, exaggerations, simplicity of expression and rampant self-justification.

[dawg day]

5. "I think they'd like to do something."

Over and over, and what does that even mean. "Do something like militarily crush Hong Kong?"

[Haggis for Breakfast]

6. Why can't he - just for one day - come down with laryngitis ??