Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Briefs Members of the Media, Feb. 18, 2026

[00:00:06] Hello everybody. [00:00:08] >> Good afternoon. Thank you for your [00:00:10] patience as always. [00:00:13] Let's begin with some scheduling [00:00:14] announcements for the remainder of [00:00:16] President Trump's very busy week. Today [00:00:18] at 300 PM, President Trump will host a [00:00:21] Black History Month reception in the [00:00:23] East Room of the White House. I know [00:00:25] many of you will attend and we will see [00:00:26] you up there. Tomorrow, President Trump [00:00:29] will host a Board of Peace meeting at [00:00:31] the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace, [00:00:33] where he will announce that member [00:00:35] states have pledged more than five [00:00:37] billion dollars towards the Gaza [00:00:39] Humanitarian and Reconstruction efforts [00:00:42] and have also committed thousands of [00:00:44] personnel to the International [00:00:46] Stabilization Force and local police to [00:00:49] maintain security and peace for Gazins. [00:00:52] Tomorrow afternoon, the president will [00:00:54] travel to the great state of Georgia [00:00:56] where he will visit two local businesses [00:00:58] and give a speech on his efforts to make [00:01:00] life affordable for working people. On [00:01:04] Friday, President Trump will host a [00:01:05] working breakfast with governors in the [00:01:07] East Room here at the White House. And [00:01:09] on Saturday night, President Trump and [00:01:12] the first lady will host the annual [00:01:14] governor's dinner. Next, I'd like to [00:01:16] provide an update on the economy. We're [00:01:18] seeing promising signs every day that [00:01:21] 2026 is going to be a record successful [00:01:24] year for the American people, just as [00:01:26] President Trump promised them. The [00:01:28] January jobs report shattered [00:01:30] expectations, highlighting how the [00:01:32] president's progrowth economic agenda is [00:01:35] fueling American prosperity. The economy [00:01:38] added 172,000 [00:01:41] new private sector jobs to kick off the [00:01:43] year. That's more than two and a half [00:01:46] times economist predictions. The labor [00:01:48] force participation rate went up while [00:01:51] the unemployment rate fell. The prime [00:01:53] age labor force participation rate is [00:01:56] now at its highest since 2001. [00:01:59] Most importantly, 100% of all job [00:02:03] creation under President Trump continues [00:02:05] to be in the private sector. This is [00:02:08] truly remarkable. That's 615,000 [00:02:12] private sector jobs that have been added [00:02:14] in President Trump's second term thus [00:02:16] far. These are real working people. [00:02:18] These are real American families who [00:02:20] will be living out their American dream. [00:02:22] Meanwhile, federal government employment [00:02:24] has shrunk to its lowest level since [00:02:26] 1966, [00:02:28] saving taxpayers 29 billion dollar [00:02:32] annually. And all of the net job growth [00:02:34] under President Trump has gone to [00:02:36] nativeborn Americans, ending the [00:02:39] disgraceful pattern under Joe Biden of [00:02:41] job gains going to non-citizens and [00:02:44] illegal aliens. Additionally, on [00:02:46] inflation, the new CPI report is even [00:02:49] more proof of the progress made by [00:02:51] President Trump. Despite all of the doom [00:02:53] casting from the so-called experts, the [00:02:55] president has managed to utilize [00:02:57] powerful tariffs to secure trillions of [00:03:00] dollars in investments into our country [00:03:02] and rebalance our trade deals while [00:03:04] simultaneously cooling inflation. [00:03:07] Year-over-year inflation fell to 2.4% in [00:03:11] January, beating expectations again and [00:03:14] marking the lowest level since May. Core [00:03:17] inflation, the best measure of [00:03:19] inflation, dropped to its lowest level [00:03:21] in nearly five years. Meanwhile, real [00:03:24] average hourly earnings for all private [00:03:26] sector workers rose in the month of [00:03:28] January, which means more money is going [00:03:30] back directly into people's pockets. [00:03:33] After only one year of President Trump [00:03:35] back in office, real earnings for all [00:03:37] private sector workers have outpaced [00:03:39] inflation by nearly $1,400, [00:03:42] earning back roughly half of the $2,900 [00:03:46] they lost under Joe Biden when 40-year [00:03:48] high inflation was stealing Americans [00:03:50] purchasing power. President Trump's [00:03:53] policies are and will continue to allow [00:03:55] Americans incomes to go further for [00:03:58] bills, retirement, and achieving the [00:04:00] American dream. A key part of the [00:04:02] American dream is buying a home. It's [00:04:05] and that is finally becoming more [00:04:07] affordable under this president. This [00:04:09] past week, it was announced the annual [00:04:11] mortgage cost for a new home has fallen [00:04:14] by $4,000 so far under President Trump [00:04:18] after rising by roughly $15,000 [00:04:21] under Joe Biden. As a result, mortgage [00:04:24] affordability has reached a 4-year best [00:04:27] following recent bold action by the [00:04:29] president to make home ownership more [00:04:31] attainable for American families, not [00:04:34] large Wall Street corporate [00:04:35] institutional investors. At the same [00:04:38] time, national median rates rents have [00:04:41] fallen to a 4-year low and have declined [00:04:44] for six consecutive months. The annual [00:04:47] rental cost for a new rental unit has [00:04:49] fallen nearly $100 so far under [00:04:52] President Trump after rising more than [00:04:54] $3,000 under Joe Biden. And many are [00:04:58] crediting that to the president's [00:04:59] deportation efforts to remove illegal [00:05:01] aliens from our communities and [00:05:03] therefore from housing that should be [00:05:05] used for American citizens. At the [00:05:07] grocery store, the price of eggs, dairy, [00:05:10] cheese, fresh fruit, apples, oranges, [00:05:12] potatoes, tomatoes, and butter have [00:05:13] fallen since President Trump took [00:05:15] office. And he is continuing to fight [00:05:18] for even lower prices at the grocery [00:05:20] store for the American consumer. At the [00:05:22] gas pump, fuel prices are down by almost [00:05:25] 10% over the past year. The average [00:05:27] national price for a gallon of regular [00:05:29] gas is now less than $3 and is [00:05:32] approaching $2.70 [00:05:34] in some states and much lower than that. [00:05:36] In many states across the country as [00:05:38] well, we've seen in several states gas [00:05:40] is under $2 a gallon. And at the [00:05:43] pharmacy, prescription drug prices are [00:05:45] down over the past year with even more [00:05:47] price relief ahead for American patients [00:05:50] thanks to President Trump's most favored [00:05:52] nation drug pricing deals and the great [00:05:54] health care plan, which he is calling on [00:05:56] Congress to pass as soon as possible. [00:05:58] What President Trump wants Americans to [00:06:00] understand is that this is only the [00:06:02] start and the best is yet to come. The [00:06:05] historic success that we have seen since [00:06:06] he took office is just the beginning of [00:06:09] enormous growth and opportunity that we [00:06:11] are about to witness and I know the [00:06:13] president looks forward to hitting the [00:06:14] road and being with the great people of [00:06:16] Georgia tomorrow to talk about just [00:06:17] this. So with that today, I know there's [00:06:19] a lot of news. I will open it up to take [00:06:21] your questions and we're going to start [00:06:22] as always with our new media seat, the [00:06:24] great Michael Graham from Inside [00:06:26] Sources. Thank you for being here, [00:06:27] Michael. [00:06:28] >> Thank you for having us and uh thanks to [00:06:30] from our 200 newspaper partners around [00:06:31] the country. So, you mentioned gas, but [00:06:32] we didn't mention natural gas. And back [00:06:34] where you live, your friends and family [00:06:36] are paying among the highest prices for [00:06:38] natural gas to heat their home and for [00:06:40] electricity generation, the number one [00:06:41] source of power across New England. The [00:06:44] cheap gas is in Pennsylvania, the two [00:06:46] highest places to buy gas in the [00:06:47] country, New York City and Boston. The [00:06:50] problem is the blue states will not [00:06:52] allow the gas to travel to produce [00:06:54] electricity or to reach customers. When [00:06:56] President Trump first came back in [00:06:58] office, there was some talk him and [00:06:59] Governor Hokll in New York possibly [00:07:00] reaching a deal. When will consumers in [00:07:02] the Northeast feel relief from President [00:07:05] Trump's energy uh policies [00:07:07] [clears throat] and what can he do about [00:07:09] state objections to expansion of [00:07:11] infrastructure? Then I have a quick [00:07:12] followup. [00:07:12] >> Sure. Absolutely. Well, the president [00:07:14] has promised all Americans across the [00:07:16] country and in particular in the [00:07:18] Northeast where we do face much higher [00:07:19] costs of electricity and of energy [00:07:22] unfortunately uh because of the Democrat [00:07:25] policies in the area. From the federal [00:07:27] government's perspective, the president [00:07:28] and the National Energy Dominance [00:07:30] Council, Secretaries Wright and Bergam [00:07:32] are doing all we can when it comes to [00:07:34] federal permitting. The drill baby drill [00:07:36] agenda is obviously underway. The [00:07:38] president has made a huge push for more [00:07:40] fossil fuels in this country. Uh you [00:07:43] look at what he did last week with [00:07:44] respect to coal. Coal truly keeps the [00:07:46] lights on in this country. We learned [00:07:47] that in the recent winter storms. [00:07:50] However, there's only so much that can [00:07:51] be done at the federal level. That's why [00:07:53] the president has called on blue state [00:07:55] governors to participate in this energy [00:07:57] dominance agenda uh including governors [00:08:00] in New England in the northeast by [00:08:02] contacting Governor Hokll directly to [00:08:04] get this Constitution pipeline underway. [00:08:07] This is not only going to bring down the [00:08:08] cost of energy in the Northeast, it's [00:08:10] also going to support job growth uh and [00:08:12] and energy affordability uh and more [00:08:14] opportunity for workers in the [00:08:16] Northeast. And I just have a a quick [00:08:18] statistic uh here on energy that I found [00:08:21] fascinating and it's obviously true [00:08:23] because I'm saying it up here. Red [00:08:25] states with Republican legislators [00:08:27] currently enjoy lower average retail [00:08:29] electricity prices than blue states with [00:08:32] Democrat legislatures. Uh and that's [00:08:34] exactly why the president is calling on [00:08:36] all blue state governors uh across New [00:08:38] England and the northeast to get on [00:08:39] board. Let's bring prices down for all [00:08:41] Americans whether they live in a red or [00:08:43] a blue state. So right down the street [00:08:44] from your alma mada san college talk [00:08:46] about building an ice facility uh that's [00:08:48] causing a lot of political aida in New [00:08:50] Hampshire and for the Republican [00:08:52] governor Kelly Aayat seems to be some [00:08:53] miscommunications argued on both sides. [00:08:56] Even Republican supporters of Trump who [00:08:58] live in the town say we're not sure we [00:08:59] want this. What's your message to the [00:09:00] folks in New Hampshire about this [00:09:01] proposed ICE facility? [00:09:03] >> The message is that uh illegal [00:09:05] immigration while the border is secure [00:09:07] is still a problem across our entire [00:09:09] homeland. uh in the previous [00:09:10] administration allowed nearly 20 million [00:09:13] illegal aliens from countries all over [00:09:15] the world into our country and the [00:09:17] president and secretary gnome have done [00:09:19] a phenomenal job at deporting uh nearly [00:09:22] 3 million illegals have left the country [00:09:24] either through deportation or [00:09:25] self-deportation under the over the past [00:09:28] year. Uh but obviously there are a lot [00:09:30] more illegal alien criminals left in our [00:09:32] homeland. That includes in New England. [00:09:34] Uh there are many within our communities [00:09:36] in New Hampshire, uh in Maine, and [00:09:38] definitely in Massachusetts, and in the [00:09:39] Boston suburbs that need to be arrested, [00:09:42] detained, and deported back to their [00:09:43] home countries. Um and so the president [00:09:46] and Secretary Gnome and I know ICE are [00:09:48] engaged with local governors across the [00:09:50] whole country, including in New [00:09:51] Hampshire, to open more detention [00:09:53] facilities. This is an unfortunate [00:09:55] consequence of the previous [00:09:56] administration's border invasion um that [00:09:59] the president has thankfully put a stop [00:10:00] to. But of course, we still need to [00:10:02] grapple with the illegal alien criminals [00:10:04] who are here, and that requires more [00:10:05] detention space. [00:10:07] >> Thank you, Michael. Garrett [00:10:08] >> um on Iran. I'm not asking you for like [00:10:11] military secrets here, but can you [00:10:12] [laughter] [00:10:13] >> can you can you share [00:10:16] >> unless you want to give them um can you [00:10:18] share a little bit about the president's [00:10:19] thinking on whether or not to strike [00:10:21] Iran, who he's talking to, what [00:10:23] information he's consuming, and why a [00:10:25] strike might be necessary on a nuclear [00:10:27] program he says was obliterated by the [00:10:29] last US strike. [00:10:30] >> Well, there's many reasons and arguments [00:10:33] that one could make uh for a strike [00:10:35] against the uh against Iran. Uh the [00:10:38] president had a very successful [00:10:40] operation as commander-in-chief with [00:10:42] operation midnight hammer as you know as [00:10:44] you just said uh totally obliterated [00:10:46] Iran's nuclear facilities. Um the [00:10:49] president has always been very clear [00:10:50] though with respect to Iran or any [00:10:52] country around the world. Diplomacy is [00:10:53] always his first option and Iran would [00:10:55] be very wise to make a deal with [00:10:58] President Trump and with this [00:11:00] administration. Uh he's talking to many [00:11:02] people of course his national security [00:11:04] team first and foremost uh and you know [00:11:06] who the members of that team are uh and [00:11:08] this is something obviously the [00:11:10] president takes seriously he's always [00:11:12] thinking about what's in the best [00:11:13] interest of the United States of America [00:11:15] of our military of the American people. [00:11:17] Um and that's how he makes decisions [00:11:19] with respect to military action of any [00:11:21] kind. [00:11:21] >> And on the flip side of that he's got [00:11:22] the State of the Union speech next week. [00:11:24] if he is going to take military action, [00:11:26] does the administration believe it's [00:11:28] important to sort of convince the [00:11:29] American people, sell the American [00:11:31] people? Will we hear something about [00:11:32] that in the State of the Union to make [00:11:34] the case for why something like that [00:11:35] might be necessary to risk American [00:11:37] lives? [00:11:37] >> Look, again, I'm not going to engage in [00:11:39] a hypothetical. Good try, Garrett. But I [00:11:41] you can't catch me there. I will say [00:11:43] with respect to the State of the Union, [00:11:44] you'll be hearing more about what is to [00:11:46] come from the president's speech very [00:11:47] soon at the appropriate time. It is [00:11:49] going to be a very good and powerful [00:11:51] speech, so everyone should tune in. Ed, [00:11:54] >> Caroline, thank you. I got two questions [00:11:56] for you. Sure. Um, about Independence [00:11:58] Hall in Philadelphia. Um, the [00:12:00] administration's decided to appeal a [00:12:02] judge's ruling that in essence was [00:12:04] trying to put the slavery displays back, [00:12:07] arguing that the federal government [00:12:08] believed it had the power to dissemble [00:12:09] and disassemble historical truths when [00:12:12] it has some domain over historical [00:12:13] facts. The judge said it does not. The [00:12:16] administration said that you were [00:12:17] planning to uh put up a updated [00:12:20] interpretive materials and provide a [00:12:21] fuller account of the history of slavery [00:12:24] uh at Independence Hall. What more was [00:12:26] the administration or is the [00:12:27] administration planning to add? [00:12:29] >> I'm not familiar with this specific [00:12:30] instance, Ed, to be honest with you, but [00:12:32] I will check in with the appropriate [00:12:34] people who are overseeing this and we'll [00:12:36] get you a more firm answer. [00:12:37] >> One other question then. Yesterday in [00:12:38] his statement about Jesse Jackson, the [00:12:40] president said, "Despite the fact that [00:12:41] I'm falsely and consistently called a [00:12:43] racist by the scoundrels and lunatics on [00:12:46] the radical left, Democrats all, it was [00:12:48] always my pleasure to help Jesse along [00:12:50] the way. Where or when does the [00:12:53] president believe he's been falsely [00:12:55] called racist?" [00:12:57] >> You're kidding, right? [laughter] [00:12:59] >> I will pull you plethora of examples. [00:13:02] So, I'm going to get my team in that [00:13:03] room to start uh going through the [00:13:05] internet of radical Democrats throughout [00:13:07] the years, Ed, who have accused this [00:13:09] president falsely of being a racist. And [00:13:12] I'm sure there's many people in this [00:13:13] room and on network television across [00:13:15] the country who have accused him of the [00:13:17] same. In fact, I know that because I've [00:13:19] seen it with my own eyes. And the [00:13:20] president very much looks forward to [00:13:22] having a event later this uh afternoon [00:13:25] at 3 pm to celebrate Black History Month [00:13:28] and to talk about how his policies are [00:13:30] advancing opportunity and prosperity for [00:13:32] all Americans through uh record tax cuts [00:13:36] through the Trump accounts that all [00:13:38] Americans can access regardless of race. [00:13:40] These are a great thing for the next [00:13:42] generation of Americans. The president [00:13:43] has also awarded hundreds of millions of [00:13:46] dollars in additional funding to [00:13:47] strengthen educational outcomes at [00:13:49] historically back black colleges and [00:13:51] universities across the country. Uh [00:13:53] again, the president is protecting the [00:13:55] hardearned benefits of the 2.4 million [00:13:57] black veterans who honorably served in [00:14:00] our nation's armed forces by reducing [00:14:01] the black backlog of veterans waiting [00:14:03] for their VA benefits uh and for their [00:14:06] home loans through the veteran uh [00:14:09] Department of Veterans Affairs. So, [00:14:11] there is a lot this president has done [00:14:12] for all Americans regardless of race, [00:14:14] and he has absolutely been falsely [00:14:17] called and smeared as a racist, and I'm [00:14:19] happy to provide you those receipts, and [00:14:20] we gladly will right after this [00:14:22] briefing. Uh, Jennifer, go ahead. [00:14:24] >> U, you mentioned the 5 billion in [00:14:26] pledges for the Board of Peace. Will we [00:14:28] be able to get a breakdown of which [00:14:29] countries are providing each of those [00:14:32] pledges and which countries are are [00:14:34] providing troops? [00:14:35] >> Sure, we're happy to provide that [00:14:36] breakdown. And I'm also happy to provide [00:14:38] the list of countries that will be [00:14:40] attending tomorrow. I know it's more [00:14:41] than 20 countries. I know there's a lot [00:14:43] of interest in that. I'll spare myself [00:14:45] reading you the list of 20 countries [00:14:46] from the podium, but we will provide it. [00:14:48] And the president will be opening the [00:14:50] meeting tomorrow with remarks and will [00:14:52] sort of formally be chairing the meeting [00:14:54] at the beginning before he departs uh [00:14:56] for Georgia tomorrow. [00:14:57] >> And then on the sewage spill, the sewage [00:14:59] pipe that broke on PTOAC, can you give [00:15:01] us an update on the federal government's [00:15:03] response? and officials have told CBS [00:15:06] that some of that aging infrastructure [00:15:08] is a concern that this particular pipe [00:15:10] wasn't even of the most urgent concern. [00:15:13] Do you know if the government is is [00:15:14] looking into which other pipes could be [00:15:17] at at risk of of collapsing? Well, the [00:15:20] next step in this process is for uh any [00:15:23] of the three local jurisdictions [00:15:25] involved, whether that's the [00:15:26] Commonwealth of Virginia, the state of [00:15:28] Maryland and Governor Moore, or the [00:15:30] District of Columbia to step forward and [00:15:32] to ask the federal government for help [00:15:34] uh and to ask uh for the Stafford Act to [00:15:36] be implemented here so that the federal [00:15:38] government can go and take control of [00:15:41] this local infrastructure that has been [00:15:43] abandoned and neglected by Governor [00:15:46] Moore in Maryland for far too long. In [00:15:48] fact, it's no secret uh that Maryland's [00:15:50] water and infrastructure are have been [00:15:51] in dire need of repair. Uh their [00:15:53] infrastructure has received a nearly [00:15:55] failing grade in the 2025 report card [00:15:58] from the American Society of Civil [00:16:00] Engineers. This is the same grade [00:16:01] they've received uh five years earlier. [00:16:04] There has been no improvement under the [00:16:06] leadership of Governor Moore. He's [00:16:07] clearly shown he's incapable of fixing [00:16:09] this problem, which is why President [00:16:11] Trump and the federal government are [00:16:12] standing by to step in. Uh, and for all [00:16:14] of the environmentalists in the room and [00:16:16] across the District of Columbia, let's [00:16:18] all hope and pray that this governor [00:16:20] does the right thing and ask President [00:16:21] Trump to get involved because it will be [00:16:23] an ecological and environmental disaster [00:16:26] uh if the federal government does not [00:16:27] step in to help. But of course, we need [00:16:29] the state and local jurisdictions to [00:16:31] make that formal request. That's part of [00:16:33] the legal process to move forward. [00:16:34] Follow [00:16:35] >> Peter. [00:16:36] >> So, you said that any of the three [00:16:38] Democrats just need to ask. A few [00:16:39] minutes ago, Maryland's Governor Wes [00:16:41] Moore Wow. [00:16:42] >> asked. He said, "If the president wants [00:16:44] me to ask nicely, our response is this. [00:16:46] Please, Mr. President, do your job." [00:16:50] >> To which I say, "I'll ask the president [00:16:53] and we will provide you with the next [00:16:55] steps." But in all seriousness, the [00:16:57] federal government has been preparing [00:16:58] plans. We've the White House has been in [00:17:00] contact uh with FEMA, with the Army [00:17:01] Corps of Engineers, with the [00:17:02] Environmental Protection Agency. Again, [00:17:04] we've been standing by. This is a [00:17:06] problem we want to fix, not just uh for [00:17:08] the federal government, but for everyone [00:17:10] who lives in the District of Columbia, [00:17:12] including all of you. So, you're [00:17:13] welcome. [00:17:13] >> To your point about that, there are a [00:17:15] lot of events coming up for America 250. [00:17:18] The president wants people from all over [00:17:19] to come to the nation's capital. Is he [00:17:21] worried that by the summer, the Ptoic [00:17:25] River will still smell like poop? [00:17:29] >> He is worried about that, which is why [00:17:32] uh the federal government wants to fix [00:17:34] it. and we hope that the local uh [00:17:36] authorities will cooperate with us in [00:17:38] doing so. [00:17:39] >> Steve, [00:17:39] >> what will the5 billion dollars be used [00:17:42] for in in board of peace and will that [00:17:44] be sort of a down payment for much more [00:17:46] money? [00:17:47] >> You'll be hearing more about that [00:17:48] tomorrow at the meeting. If you recall [00:17:49] at the first meeting when we were in [00:17:51] Davos, uh Jared Kushner did provide a [00:17:54] very detailed PowerPoint presentation [00:17:56] for the vision of Gaza, the [00:17:58] reconstruction and the humanitarian [00:18:00] efforts. of course providing local [00:18:02] security on the ground. That will be [00:18:03] part of the discussion tomorrow is how [00:18:05] can we maintain uh security. Uh first [00:18:08] you must uh achieve security to get to [00:18:10] prosperity which is sort of the second [00:18:12] part of this plan. So you'll be hearing [00:18:14] more about that tomorrow. But I would [00:18:16] just point out $5 billion worth of [00:18:18] investment. We're talking about [00:18:20] reconstructing Gaza. I remember when [00:18:22] those words came from the president's [00:18:23] lips uh in the East Room many months ago [00:18:26] and all of you in the press were [00:18:27] bewildered at how the president uh could [00:18:30] have such an ambitious goal of [00:18:31] rebuilding Gaza which is obviously a [00:18:33] place that has been just turmoiled by [00:18:35] violence and chaos for many many years [00:18:37] but we are well underway in doing that [00:18:39] and it's a historic accomplishment for [00:18:40] this president. [00:18:41] >> Secondly, is the president seeing seeing [00:18:44] enough progress in the Iran talks to let [00:18:46] negotiations go a little further? Where [00:18:48] do things stand after yesterday's talks? [00:18:50] I I think you heard uh from the [00:18:52] administration and the State Department [00:18:53] yesterday that there was a little bit of [00:18:55] progress made, but we're still very far [00:18:56] apart on some issues. I believe the [00:18:58] Iranians are expected to come back to us [00:19:01] uh with some more detail in the next [00:19:03] couple of weeks and so the president [00:19:04] will continue to watch how this plays [00:19:06] out. [00:19:07] >> Follow up on that. Thank you, Caroline. [00:19:08] On on these Iran uh talks, I mean, how [00:19:10] much time is the president willing to [00:19:12] give it before he is seriously maybe [00:19:15] considering military action? Is he [00:19:16] willing to give it that full two weeks? [00:19:18] And has he given the Iranian officials a [00:19:20] deadline on when he wants to see a deal? [00:19:22] >> It's a fair question, Rachel, but I'm [00:19:24] not going to set deadlines on behalf of [00:19:25] the president of the United States from [00:19:26] up. [00:19:27] >> And just one more on the shutdown. Um, [00:19:29] we're now in this partial shutdown um [00:19:31] over uh DHS funding. Has the president [00:19:34] personally spoken to the Democratic [00:19:35] leaders in Congress? Can we expect to [00:19:37] see them at the White House to try to [00:19:39] make a deal on this? [00:19:39] >> Uh, not to my knowledge. He hasn't had [00:19:41] any direct conversation or [00:19:43] correspondence with Democrat lawmakers [00:19:45] recently. It doesn't mean he's not [00:19:46] willing to. I'm just not aware of any [00:19:48] conversations that have taken place. I [00:19:50] do know the White House uh and the [00:19:52] president's representatives have been in [00:19:54] direct conversations with both Democrats [00:19:56] and Republicans, but of course, [00:19:58] Democrats are the reason that the [00:19:59] Department of Homeland Security is [00:20:01] currently shut down. Um they have chosen [00:20:03] to act against the American people for [00:20:06] political reasons. Uh, and now we have [00:20:08] FEMA workers, the men and women of the [00:20:10] United States Coast Guard, men and women [00:20:12] of TSA who keep our airports moving, who [00:20:15] will be working without paychecks, uh, [00:20:17] for no good reason other than the [00:20:19] Democrats wanting to pick a fight with [00:20:20] Donald Trump. And the president thinks [00:20:22] that is irresponsible and despicable. He [00:20:24] wants the government to be open. We've [00:20:26] been engaged in good faith negotiations [00:20:29] with Democrats. Last night they sent [00:20:31] over a counter proposal that frankly was [00:20:33] very unserious and we hope they get [00:20:35] serious very soon because Americans are [00:20:37] going to be impacted by this. [00:20:39] >> Sure. [00:20:39] >> Thanks Caroline. Um President Trump has [00:20:42] talked about a forthcoming executive [00:20:44] order on voter ID. Is there more details [00:20:46] you can provide about for that and can [00:20:49] you talk about any steps that you're [00:20:51] taking to overcome core challenges that [00:20:53] you've kind of faced in this area before [00:20:54] on voting? Well, as the president said [00:20:56] in that truth social post, he's [00:20:57] discussing and exploring legal options [00:21:00] for a potential executive order with [00:21:02] respect to voter ID, but this is [00:21:03] something he's made very clear he wants [00:21:06] Congress to get done. The Save America [00:21:08] Act is a common sense piece of [00:21:10] legislation that has now passed the [00:21:12] House of Representatives to ensure that [00:21:14] voter ID is a requirement in the United [00:21:17] States of America. This is a common [00:21:19] sense policy that nearly 90% of the [00:21:21] country agrees with. You need an ID to [00:21:24] go and and purchase alcohol. You need an [00:21:26] ID to go to the library and check out a [00:21:28] book. Uh and so the president thinks you [00:21:30] should have an ID to vote in our [00:21:32] nation's elections. And I know the vast [00:21:34] majority of Americans agree with him on [00:21:35] that. And he wants Congress to move and [00:21:37] move quickly to get it done. [00:21:39] >> Thank you so [00:21:41] on on Cuba. You know, it's increasingly [00:21:43] being described as a humanitarian [00:21:45] crisis. Can what is a successful outcome [00:21:49] for the US that the US wants to see in [00:21:53] Cuba? Is there anything less than regime [00:21:55] change that would be considered success? [00:21:58] >> I think as Secretary Rubio has [00:22:00] articulated and the president himself, [00:22:02] we obviously want to see uh flourishing [00:22:04] and prosperous democracies all over the [00:22:06] world. Uh especially in our own [00:22:09] hemisphere. Uh I'm not dictating any [00:22:11] actions the United States may take to [00:22:13] get there. Uh but I of course that's in [00:22:15] the United States best interest to have [00:22:17] Cuba be a truly free and prosperous [00:22:19] democracy. Unfortunately, right now that [00:22:22] is not the case. They are uh a regime [00:22:24] that is falling. Their country is [00:22:26] collaps collapsing and that's why we [00:22:28] believe it's in their best interest to [00:22:29] make very dramatic changes very soon. Um [00:22:32] and we'll see what they decide to do. [00:22:34] >> Sure. [00:22:35] >> Thank you so much. Uh following up on [00:22:36] Gaza, this $5 billion, who exactly would [00:22:39] be in charge of managing this this [00:22:42] money? Would that be the president [00:22:43] himself making the final decisions on [00:22:46] how these funds are are spent? [00:22:47] >> It will be the board of peace which the [00:22:49] president is of course the chairman of [00:22:50] but all of the member parties I believe [00:22:52] will have votes on the funding and then [00:22:54] of course there is that technocratic [00:22:56] layer underneath the official board of [00:22:58] peace with the member countries that [00:23:00] will be making decisions as well. So, [00:23:02] uh, if you just go back and look at the [00:23:04] first event that we had where we sort of [00:23:05] unveiled the structure of the board of [00:23:07] peace, um, that structure remains in [00:23:09] place and they'll be overseeing the [00:23:11] funds that will be announced tomorrow [00:23:12] for their reconstruction and [00:23:13] humanitarian efforts. [00:23:15] >> Sure. [00:23:15] >> Another question on that board of peace [00:23:17] announcement. You mentioned uh there [00:23:19] will be the announcement of who [00:23:20] comprises that international stability [00:23:22] force. How soon will that force be [00:23:24] deployed? And have all of the regional [00:23:27] partners, all of the regional countries [00:23:28] signed off on the makeup of that force? [00:23:31] I don't have a timeline for you today, [00:23:32] but again, I'm sure you'll hear more [00:23:34] about this tomorrow. So, [00:23:36] >> you'll join us at the event. Deanna, [00:23:38] >> thanks Caroline. Two questions. First, [00:23:40] the president has talked a lot about [00:23:41] housing affordability and several [00:23:44] countries that are facing housing [00:23:46] shortages, including Canada, for [00:23:47] example, have imposed a ban on [00:23:50] noncitizens, [00:23:52] like foreigners, um, from buying their [00:23:54] houses. Do you know if that's a strategy [00:23:57] that the president would be willing to [00:23:58] deploy? Uh well, first of all, the [00:24:01] president is obviously committed to [00:24:03] deporting illegal aliens from our [00:24:05] country and those who are not lawfully [00:24:07] present in the United States, which he [00:24:09] has done at a record pace, which has led [00:24:11] to the falling of rents, as I pointed [00:24:13] out in my opening remarks. Uh secondly, [00:24:15] the president has recently announced [00:24:17] that he is fighting for a ban uh on [00:24:20] institutional investors in Wall Street [00:24:22] billionaire corporations um from buying [00:24:24] up single family homes that should be [00:24:26] lived in in his opinion by American [00:24:29] families. We know this is going to have [00:24:30] a remarkable in impact uh on the housing [00:24:33] market and on prices and supply and [00:24:35] demand for the American consumer and the [00:24:37] American family. And then thirdly, the [00:24:39] president is also expediting permitting [00:24:41] as fast as we possibly can uh to build [00:24:43] more homes to increase supply to [00:24:45] obviously bring down the cost of of of [00:24:48] home ownership and and purchasing homes [00:24:50] for the American people. And then also, [00:24:52] as I mentioned as well, we do see [00:24:53] mortgage rates falling. So, all of this [00:24:55] is is combining to make housing more [00:24:57] affordable in this country. There's [00:24:59] still a lot more to do. Uh the president [00:25:01] is still digging his way out of the mess [00:25:02] that was created uh by Joe Biden's [00:25:05] administration and jacking up mortgage [00:25:07] rates and jacking up housing costs. Uh [00:25:09] but we do see very positive trends in [00:25:11] this direction. And the president wants [00:25:12] the United States to be a nation uh of [00:25:15] owners, not renters. He wants families [00:25:17] to live in homes, not institutions and [00:25:19] big corporations. Michael [00:25:21] >> Ukraine, Caroline, secondly on Ukraine. [00:25:23] Yesterday, Zalinski said in an interview [00:25:26] that he doesn't he says that it's not [00:25:28] fair that the president is saying that [00:25:30] Ukraine has to make concessions. He's [00:25:33] saying this publicly and not Russia. Has [00:25:36] the president seen these comments? And [00:25:37] when the president says that Ukraine has [00:25:39] to make concessions, is he referring to [00:25:42] giving up Dunbos? [00:25:43] >> I think the president would respond to [00:25:45] that by saying he does not think it's [00:25:46] fair that thousands of Ukrainians are [00:25:48] losing their lives and Russians too in [00:25:51] this deadly war. And that's why the [00:25:53] president and his team have committed a [00:25:55] tremendous amount of time and energy in [00:25:57] bringing this war that is very far away [00:25:59] from the United States of America. But [00:26:00] nevertheless, this is a president of [00:26:02] peace and so he's committed a tremendous [00:26:04] amount of time and energy to bringing [00:26:06] this war to an end. Just yesterday, [00:26:08] there was another round of trilateral [00:26:10] talks between the US, Russia, and [00:26:12] Ukraine. Uh there was meaningful [00:26:13] progress made uh in both parties, both [00:26:16] sides agreed to update their respective [00:26:18] leaders and to continue to work towards [00:26:20] a peace deal together. So there will be [00:26:21] another round of talks in the future, [00:26:23] but I think the president views this [00:26:25] entire situation as very unfair, not [00:26:28] just for Russians and Ukrainians who [00:26:30] have lost their lives, but also for the [00:26:32] American people uh and the American [00:26:33] taxpayer who were footing the bill for [00:26:35] this war effort before President Trump [00:26:36] put a stop to it. And I would just [00:26:38] remind uh remind everyone around the [00:26:41] world that the United States is still [00:26:42] selling weapons to NATO that are then [00:26:44] being sent to Ukraine in their defense [00:26:46] of their freedom uh in their borders. [00:26:49] >> Michael Caroline, Russia is reportedly [00:26:52] joining Iran for joint naval exercises [00:26:54] in the Gulf of Oman this week. Has the [00:26:56] president issued any kind of warning to [00:26:58] Russia or even China not to involve [00:27:01] itself if the US decides to strike Iran? [00:27:04] >> Uh not to my knowledge, no or not that I [00:27:06] would dictate from this podium. I [00:27:08] wouldn't reveal the president's private [00:27:09] conversations with world leaders uh with [00:27:11] respect to that. Again, when it comes to [00:27:13] Iran, uh the president uh has a decision [00:27:16] to make and he will do that and I'm not [00:27:18] going to broadcast what that decision [00:27:19] may be ahead of him. [00:27:21] >> President Barack Obama, Caroline, was [00:27:23] recently asked if aliens are real. He [00:27:25] says they're real, but he hasn't seen [00:27:27] them. President's daughter-in-law, Laura [00:27:29] Trump, told Miranda Divine of the New [00:27:31] York Post that the president has a [00:27:33] prepared speech on this issue that he [00:27:35] prepares to deliver at the right time. [00:27:37] Is that true? And [laughter] does the [00:27:39] Trump administration believe aliens are [00:27:41] real? [00:27:42] >> Well, a speech on aliens would be news [00:27:44] to me. That sounds very exciting, [00:27:46] though. I'll have to check in with our [00:27:47] speech writing team. Uh, and that would [00:27:50] be of great interest to me personally, [00:27:51] and I'm sure all of you in this room and [00:27:53] apparently former President Obama, too. [00:27:55] So, we'll keep you posted on that. [00:27:57] Tyler, [00:27:58] >> Caroline, um the White House has touted [00:28:02] uh an unprecedented amount of [00:28:03] cooperation with counties in Minneapolis [00:28:05] after uh the negotiations with Tom Hman. [00:28:08] Are those written or verbal deals with [00:28:10] the sheriff? Um how many have agreed to [00:28:13] cooperate on immigration enforcement who [00:28:15] previously refused to do so? [00:28:16] >> Yeah, the last time I spoke with Mr. [00:28:18] Hman, which was just a few days ago, he [00:28:19] assured us that nearly every single [00:28:22] county in the state of Minnesota has [00:28:24] agreed uh to notify ICE when they are [00:28:26] releasing criminal illegal aliens from [00:28:28] their jails. This is an unprecedented [00:28:30] level of cooperation that we have not [00:28:33] seen. Uh it has led to not only [00:28:35] cooperation uh to detain illegal aliens [00:28:37] in Minnesota, uh which just this past [00:28:40] week, I have looked at the list, they've [00:28:42] detained some very heinous people who [00:28:44] none of you would want living in your [00:28:46] communities. uh but has also led to a [00:28:48] much more calm situation on the ground. [00:28:50] We've also seen and you've seen this [00:28:51] with your own eyes play out. Uh the [00:28:53] local police and the state police have [00:28:55] now cooperated in the arrests of [00:28:57] left-wing agitators and criminals who [00:29:00] are unlawfully obstructing immigration [00:29:02] enforcement in their efforts. So this is [00:29:04] a huge win. Uh and again the president [00:29:06] sent Mr. their home into Minnesota to uh [00:29:09] do a job and he has done it well and I [00:29:11] think the situation on the ground proves [00:29:12] that. [00:29:14] >> Are those like written agreements that [00:29:15] they've been signed by various officials [00:29:18] in the state? [00:29:18] >> These are agreements that have been made [00:29:20] by state and local officials uh in the [00:29:22] federal government and we are seeing [00:29:23] that cooperation play out every single [00:29:26] day. Uh these counties are notifying ICE [00:29:28] when they are releasing criminal [00:29:29] illegals from their jail and we do know [00:29:31] that they are arresting left-wing [00:29:32] agitators who are impe unlawfully [00:29:35] impeding law enforcement. There's video [00:29:37] to show that them show it yourself. You [00:29:39] can view it with your own eyes. [00:29:42] >> John, [00:29:43] >> thank you. [00:29:44] >> The uh you mentioned two things. DHS [00:29:47] closed and the Save Act IDs. Both of [00:29:51] these could get solved in 15 minutes if [00:29:55] Senate leader John Thoon simply got rid [00:29:57] of this phony 60 vote closure rule and [00:30:00] got 51 votes and that would be the end [00:30:03] of it because everyone in this room [00:30:05] knows if the Democrats take over they'll [00:30:08] get rid of that rule in 90 minutes. They [00:30:10] already tried it one time and the two [00:30:12] two Democratic senators that stopped it [00:30:15] are no longer there. Mansion and Cinema. [00:30:18] President Trump is backing a lot of [00:30:20] these senators for reelection and yet [00:30:23] they will not get rid of the 60 vote [00:30:26] closure rule which is holding everything [00:30:28] up. What is the president's position on [00:30:31] John Thoon in the Senate finally getting [00:30:33] rid of this so this legislation can get [00:30:36] moved? [00:30:37] >> Well, the president has a good [00:30:38] relationship with Senate Majority Leader [00:30:41] John Thun. They keep in very close [00:30:43] contact and they work together all of [00:30:45] the time. I hear your passion and your [00:30:48] voice and I know it's shared by many [00:30:50] Americans across the country including [00:30:52] the president himself. He wants to see [00:30:54] the safe act voted and he's expressed [00:30:56] that uh both publicly to all of you the [00:30:58] American people but also privately in [00:31:00] his conversations uh with Senate [00:31:03] Majority Leader Thoon and many other [00:31:05] members of Congress as well. [00:31:07] >> Yes, Rav. Go ahead. Good to see So JB [00:31:09] Pritzker just recently signed uh the [00:31:12] bill the law went into effect in January [00:31:14] and it's supposedly going to allocate [00:31:16] about 2.5 billion to illegals to go to [00:31:20] college and financial aid um in the [00:31:22] state of Illinois. What is the White [00:31:24] House's reaction to this? Illinois is [00:31:25] already by 2027 they're supposed to have [00:31:27] a $3 billion deficit. What's your [00:31:30] reaction to that? [00:31:31] >> Yeah, we'll have to take a look at that. [00:31:32] Uh I would say the president certainly [00:31:35] thinks that Governor Pritsker is not [00:31:37] doing a very good job of managing his [00:31:39] state as evidenced by the not only the [00:31:41] waste, fraud and abuse uh but also the [00:31:43] crime in the city of Chicago that [00:31:45] unfortunately Governor Prit Pritsker has [00:31:47] refused to pick up the phone call phone [00:31:50] and and call the White House and ask for [00:31:51] help on uh which is something his [00:31:53] residents want him to do but he refuses [00:31:55] to do for political reasons. As for the [00:31:57] specific money, we'll take a look and [00:31:58] get you an answer. You're welcome, John. [00:32:01] Thanks a lot, Caroline. Two questions. [00:32:03] One is about the president's trip to [00:32:06] Georgia tomorrow. If you can provide [00:32:08] some additional information about that, [00:32:10] why northwest Georgia uh was chosen for [00:32:12] this particular trip, for instance. [00:32:14] >> Sure. Uh well, Georgia is obviously a [00:32:17] very important state to the president [00:32:18] and to the Republican party. Uh and the [00:32:21] president loves the people of Georgia. [00:32:22] He'll be touring, like I said, a steel [00:32:25] facility. And then he'll also be [00:32:26] stopping by another local business. And [00:32:28] he will be giving remarks on [00:32:30] affordability, on the economy, on all of [00:32:32] the great economic news that I just [00:32:34] shared with you earlier. He'll be [00:32:35] meeting and greeting with everyday [00:32:37] Americans. Uh, and that's what the [00:32:39] president loves to do, to get out across [00:32:40] the country. Uh, and he's spoken about [00:32:42] his intention to, uh, go across the [00:32:45] country a lot more, and obviously [00:32:46] tomorrow's trip is evidence of that. And [00:32:48] then secondly, uh, last week, as you [00:32:50] know, big event that took place in the [00:32:52] Roosevelt room, the president announcing [00:32:54] that the EPA has repealed these [snorts] [00:32:57] federal limits on emissions for cars, [00:33:00] trucks, and power plants. And in the [00:33:02] president's presentation, he mentioned [00:33:04] that American families will save $2500 [00:33:08] for a new car or truck. Where is the [00:33:11] promise coming from automakers that [00:33:13] they're going to pass along their [00:33:15] savings to those families all across the [00:33:18] country? [00:33:18] >> It's a great question, John. That was an [00:33:20] economic analysis that was provided to [00:33:22] the president and I'm I'd be happy to [00:33:24] provide that to you. Uh so you can take [00:33:26] a look yourself, but I'm glad you [00:33:28] brought up the president's announcement [00:33:29] last week because this is one of the [00:33:31] largest deregulatory actions ever taken [00:33:34] uh in the United States of America. And [00:33:36] overall, it's going to save our country. [00:33:38] $1.3 trillion dollar uh in regulatory [00:33:42] regulatory burdens um that have really [00:33:45] done nothing for our country, nothing [00:33:47] for our environment, nothing for our [00:33:48] economy. In fact, this announcement [00:33:51] received widespread and bipartisan [00:33:53] praise. I think I recall seeing the [00:33:55] editorial board of the Washington Post [00:33:57] of all places even commending the [00:33:59] president and administrator Zelden for [00:34:01] this historic action last week. So [00:34:03] there's no doubt it is going to save the [00:34:05] American consumer money and I'd be happy [00:34:07] to provide that specific economic [00:34:08] analysis to you. [00:34:10] >> Sure. In the middle. Go ahead. [00:34:12] >> Yes. [00:34:12] >> Thank you. Uh Governor Moore in Maryland [00:34:15] signed a bill that is ending the law [00:34:18] enforcement cooperation with ICE and by [00:34:20] doing that a lot of local sheriffs are [00:34:22] not happy and in fact they met today in [00:34:24] Annapolis to come up with a legal [00:34:26] action. What is the message of the White [00:34:28] House to those sheriffs and to the [00:34:29] residents of Maryland? Well, first of [00:34:31] all, it's another despicable action by [00:34:33] Governor Wes Moore. Why would you [00:34:35] prevent your state and local law [00:34:37] enforcement from cooperating with [00:34:38] federal law enforcement? If you just ask [00:34:40] them, to your point, if you ask sheriff [00:34:43] across the country, if they want to have [00:34:45] that level of cooperation and [00:34:46] coordination with the federal [00:34:48] government, of course they do. It makes [00:34:50] their jobs easier. It keeps them out of [00:34:51] hostile and dangerous environments. It [00:34:54] allows them to detain illegal alien [00:34:56] criminals who have committed heinous [00:34:58] crimes in our country. uh with with um [00:35:02] the most safe circumstances possible. [00:35:05] So, the president of course continues to [00:35:07] always stand on the side of law [00:35:08] enforcement and this is another just [00:35:11] horrible and frankly political action [00:35:13] taken by Governor Wesmore and [00:35:15] unfortunately the people of his state [00:35:17] are going to reap the consequences of [00:35:18] it. [00:35:20] >> Sure. [00:35:20] >> Thank you, Caroline. Um, President Trump [00:35:22] just said on True Social that it would [00:35:24] be a big mistake for the UK to hand over [00:35:27] control of Chagos Islands to Maitius, [00:35:29] but the State Department earlier this [00:35:31] week has said the US does support that [00:35:32] handover. So, does this post now suggest [00:35:35] that the US does not or that Trump uh, [00:35:37] President Trump had changed his mind on [00:35:39] this? [00:35:39] >> The post should be taken as the policy [00:35:41] of the Trump administration. It's coming [00:35:43] straight from the horse's mouth. When [00:35:44] you see it on Truth Social, you know [00:35:46] it's directly from President Trump. [00:35:47] That's the beauty of this president and [00:35:49] his transparency and and relaying uh [00:35:51] this administration's policies to all of [00:35:53] you and to the rest of the world. [00:35:57] >> Go ahead. [00:35:58] >> There's been a series of walkouts from [00:36:01] public school students uh that have been [00:36:04] sort of provoked by uh number of public [00:36:07] school administrators. Uh what are your [00:36:10] thoughts on this? What's the [00:36:11] administration's thoughts on this? Will [00:36:12] they be taking any actions on these [00:36:14] walkouts against ICE? Uh, look, I think [00:36:18] obviously the president and the [00:36:19] administration support the First [00:36:21] Amendment rights of all American [00:36:23] citizens and if they're peacefully [00:36:25] protesting, um, then that that's their [00:36:27] constitutional obligation and right and [00:36:29] responsibility to do so. Of course, the [00:36:31] administration also wants to see [00:36:33] American school children in school uh, [00:36:35] learning and educating. And I think it [00:36:37] does speak to uh, the left-wing bias [00:36:40] that is unfortunately very present uh, [00:36:42] in our nation's public school system. [00:36:44] And it's something that uh Secretary [00:36:46] McMahon has been working very hard to [00:36:48] root out of our public school system by [00:36:50] ensuring that local governance and local [00:36:53] control uh takes place over our nation's [00:36:56] public schools and that parents and [00:36:58] educators closest to students uh have a [00:37:00] a greater say over curriculum and [00:37:02] academia in our country. [00:37:04] >> Take a couple more. Go ahead. [00:37:05] >> Thank you, Caroline. Uh the Vatican [00:37:07] announced earlier today that they would [00:37:09] not be joining the Board of Peace [00:37:11] initiatives over concerns that it could [00:37:13] potentially compete with the United [00:37:15] Nations over handling crisis conflicts. [00:37:18] What's the White House's response to [00:37:19] that? [00:37:20] >> Yeah, look, we saw that. I think it's [00:37:22] deeply unfortunate. Uh I don't think [00:37:24] that peace should be partisan or [00:37:26] political or controversial. Uh and of [00:37:29] course the administration wants all [00:37:31] those who were invited to join the Board [00:37:33] of Peace to join because again the Board [00:37:35] of Peace is overseeing the [00:37:36] reconstruction of a territory that has [00:37:38] been plagued with violence, with [00:37:40] bloodshed, with poverty for far too [00:37:43] long. And this president has a very bold [00:37:45] and ambitious plan and vision to rebuild [00:37:48] and reconstruct Gaza, which is well [00:37:49] underway because of the Board of Peace. [00:37:52] this is a a legitimate organization [00:37:55] where there are tens of of member [00:37:57] countries from around the world. Um, and [00:38:00] we think that's an unfortunate decision [00:38:04] >> in the back. Sure. Caroline, [00:38:07] >> I'll go to both of you. Sure. [00:38:08] >> Go ahead and then Jake, you can go. [00:38:10] >> Caroline, can you tell me um is there an [00:38:12] update regarding the tariff rate checks [00:38:15] uh that the White House has promised? I [00:38:17] don't have an update for you on [00:38:18] timeline, but I know that it's something [00:38:20] that the president and his economic team [00:38:22] continue to very seriously discuss. [00:38:24] >> Thank you, Carolyn. I've got two [00:38:26] questions. Uh, first, does the president [00:38:28] see some sort of religious or prophetic [00:38:31] component to the unfolding developments [00:38:35] in the Middle East? [00:38:37] >> Um, I haven't spoken to him about that [00:38:39] particular perspective, uh, to be honest [00:38:41] with you. But of course the president [00:38:43] wants peace for all people of all faiths [00:38:45] all around the world and that's part of [00:38:47] his his push uh to create peace in the [00:38:50] Middle East which he has done [00:38:51] successfully. [00:38:52] >> And my second question is as this [00:38:54] popularity rises around the world um and [00:38:57] especially in regions where he's [00:38:59] invested so much effort in promoting [00:39:00] peace and ending wars. Uh do you think [00:39:03] we might be watching the emergence of a [00:39:05] global MAGA movement? [cough] Is this [00:39:07] something that the president has has uh [00:39:10] discussed at all? Well, I don't know, [00:39:11] Jake, but I sure hope so. [00:39:14] >> Take a couple more. Go ahead. [00:39:17] >> Sure. [00:39:17] >> I wanted to ask you about Iran. As the [00:39:19] US military builds up uh around Iran, is [00:39:22] President Trump coordinating war plans [00:39:24] with Israel so that if he does decide to [00:39:26] strike that Israel be a part of those [00:39:28] strikes? [00:39:28] >> Uh, look, I don't have any specifics on [00:39:30] the president's recent conversations [00:39:31] with Israel. As you know, Prime Minister [00:39:33] Netanyahu was just here at the White [00:39:34] House last week or the week before. Uh, [00:39:37] but again, with respect to Iran, there [00:39:38] was some progress made yesterday. There [00:39:40] are still a lot of details to discuss uh [00:39:42] and we'll continue to to see how this [00:39:44] plays out. You know, the United States [00:39:46] government of course is is always in [00:39:48] close communication and correspondence [00:39:49] with the state of Israel and that starts [00:39:51] right at the top with the president and [00:39:52] Prime Minister Netanyahu themselves. [00:39:55] >> One more. Go ahead. [00:39:56] >> Last week we saw the underlying [00:39:57] affidavit for the search warrant that [00:39:59] was executed in Fulton County and there [00:40:01] was not any mention in that document [00:40:04] about foreign election interference in [00:40:06] the 2020 election. I'm wondering if DNI [00:40:08] Gabbard has uncovered that in Georgia or [00:40:11] in Puerto Rico where we know her team [00:40:14] was sent as well. [00:40:15] >> I don't have any updates for you on that [00:40:16] today. I would defer you to uh the [00:40:18] director's office herself. [00:40:20] >> Two questions. One, on the pres on the [00:40:22] president's schedule today, it says he [00:40:23] has signing time. What is he signing [00:40:25] today? Are we expecting executive orders [00:40:27] or actions? Uh that's the first [00:40:28] question. And then second, uh the Wall [00:40:30] Street Journal is reporting that a US [00:40:32] arm sale package for Taiwan is in limbo. [00:40:35] Um, can you just confirm this reporting [00:40:37] slash offer any additional comment? And [00:40:39] how concerned is the administration that [00:40:41] if a if an arms deal with Taiwan went [00:40:43] through that this could disrupt the [00:40:45] China US uh trade truce? [00:40:47] >> Sure. Well, I haven't read the full Wall [00:40:48] Street Journal report. I will just say [00:40:50] with respect to an arms sale to Taiwan, [00:40:52] I don't have any announcements or [00:40:53] updates on that for you today. Uh and to [00:40:56] your first question about what the [00:40:57] president will be signing, he will be [00:40:58] signing an executive order uh which you [00:41:00] will all be hearing about later this [00:41:02] afternoon and you will see him in one [00:41:04] hour at the Black History Month [00:41:06] reception. We'll see you there. Thank [00:41:07] you.