In-town pool note 5: rest of remarks, pool ushered out, Otter link

Otter link:

https://otter.ai/u/VpY1IzT-lWpheop363cfXAJRJvA

Hegseth spoke next on nuclear needs for national security. POTUS, seated at Resolute Desk, then introduced head of Constellation Energy, Joe Dominguez, who said the company will be largest electricity producer in the world when projects are done.

Dominguez said the EO will address regulation.

Other energy industry leaders spoke of innovation, small reactors, nuclear fuel.

Staff secretary Will Scharf introduced first EO, on need for speeding up approval of nuclear sites.

POTUS cracked a joke about autopens, before signing the first EO. Second EO is on bringing nuclear regulatory process in line with needs. Next EO is on nuclear reactor testing. Next EO invokes the defense production act in reinvigorating the nuclear industrial base.

Last EO is on promoting “gold standard science.”

Press Q and A:

On nuclear safety, concerns?

POTUS expressed confidence in safety in nuclear power - “very safe and clean”

Safety and proliferation risks?

We're going to get it very fast, and we're going to get it very safe, and we're going to get the people in and out.

On European trade:

They’ve treated us very badly over the years

Why 50 percent tariff on Europe?

I’m not looking for a deal, I’ve said it’s 50 percent

Anything EU can do?

I dunno , we will see…. They haven’t treated us properly

On Apple, do you have power to tariff one company?

It would be more, it would be Samsung

When they build their plant here there’s no tariff

What makes you confident Apple can build in this country in a way that’s affordable?

The economics so computerized. Now, these plants are amazing, if you look at them, but they can do that.

We’ve been ripped off by every country in the world…. We have a potential to do numbers like we’ve never seen.

Q blocking other universities besides Harvard from having foreign students?

Considering it

Q considering shortening the 90 day pause on other counties?

Pool abruptly ushered out at 2:27.

Toward the end of the presser, POTUS' cellphone rang and he declined the call. Said it was a member of Congress, but would not say who. Then it rang again -- a different member of Congress, he said, and again, he declined. POTUS was asked if it was an iPhone. He smiled wryly and said yes.

--

Linda Feldmann

Washington Bureau Chief

The Christian Science Monitor

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Twitter: @linda_feldmann

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