In-town report #3 Oval quotes

Following POTUS’ brief opening remarks on the 2027 NFL Draft, several officials took turns speaking from a podium next to the Resolute Desk.

“We believe in investing in sports,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said. “Bringing this event to the nation’s capital” will boost the local economy.

“The draft has really become one of the great sports entertainment events,” NFL Commissioner Goodell said. Goodell said he expects more than 1 million people will attend the 2027 draft.

Trump said the draft will be "top of the line."

Trump then took several questions. The event was live-streamed by the White House. Please check quotes against transcript. Here are highlights:

On tariffs on foreign films: "Our film industry has been decimated," Trump said. "Hollywood doesn't do very much" he said, adding, "a lot of it has been taken to other countries."

On ending Russia's war in Ukraine: "We're in a good position to settle. They want to settle. Ukraine wants to settle," Trump said.

On President Putin's announcement of a three-day ceasefire: "It doesn't sound like much but it's a lot if you knew where we started from."

On the controversy over a social media picture depicting Trump dressed as the Pope: "I had nothing to do with it. I had no idea where it came from. Maybe it was AI."

On the administration's plans to give undocumented immigrants money to self-deport: "We're going to get them a beautiful flight back to where they came from." Trump also said some could later be let back into the U.S.

Trump also said, "We're being obstructed" by the courts on immigration policy. "It's very unfair."

"The courts have all of a sudden, out of nowhere, they've said maybe you're going to have to have trials," Trump said. "We're going to have 5 million trials?"

On reopening Alcatraz: "We're going to look at it," Trump said. He called the former prison-turned-national park a "big hulk" that was "rusting and rotting."

Trump was asked if he supported Israel's decision to expand the war in Gaza.

"We're going to help the people of Gaza get some food," Trump said. Hamas is "making it impossible."

The pool was ushered out of the Oval Office at 2:05 pm

Daniel Bush | White House Correspondent

NEWSWEEK

T | XXX-XXX-XXXX

E | [EMAIL ADDRESS] (mailto:[EMAIL ADDRESS])

W | newsweek.com