Out-of-town pool note #13 // Wheels down + gaggle transcript

AF1 was wheels down at JBA at 11:21 p.m. Eastern time. POTUS came back to the cabin early on in our flight, around 6:27 p.m. Arizona time, for about 13 minutes.

Know the video/audio was already shared by the White House mid-flight, but highlights below, followed by a full transcript. Questions not necessarily verbatim. (A huge thank you to co-pooler Tamara Keith for helping with the audio!)

Highlights:

• On his conversation with Elon Musk during the memorial: "Well Elon came over and said hello. It’s nothing to do with that. I thought it was nice, he came over, we had a little conversation. We had a very good relationship but it was nice that he came over."
• On Venezuela: "There are no boats in the water anymore. We’re looking for additional boats. You don’t even find a fishing boat. You don’t even find cruise liners anymore. There’s nothing in the water near Venezuela. It’s actually strange. You know what that means? That means there are no drugs coming in."
• On the timing of the National Guard arriving in Memphis: “Very soon."

Transcript:

I think we had a great tribute to a great man, a great wonderful guy. I hope you liked it. You know Doug — if you have any energy questions, we’re ready.

At the end of the ceremony, Mr. President, you and Erika shared a moment. If you don’t mind me asking, what words did you have for her?

Well, I’ve gotten to know her over the years. She’s great. You know, Charlie always used to say she’s very smart. You don’t always say that. You don’t necessarily say that about a lot of people. But he always felt she was, and she’s got a good heart. And, you know, she’s got a shot at making it even more special if you think about it. She’s gonna do good. I think she’s gonna do a good job.

That’s a hard thing to do. You know, it’s one thing to make a speech. But with that, for her to make that speech, because they had a really good relationship.

There are a number of spots in and around the White House that are named after specific people. I was wondering if you would be considering naming something after Charlie to honor his legacy?

It’s a good idea. There are, there are different little areas. Yeah, I like that idea. But we’re giving him, I think, even more importantly, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is the highest civilian — it’s, I guess they say, you know, if you think Congressional Medal of Honor is for military and this is for the civilians. So, it’s a great tribute to him. Great guy.

Any further details about the event?

I think the event was just a flawless event. It was beautiful. I thought the last song was incredible, the way it was, as we were leaving. In fact I think I’m going to — I said, who is singing that song, and I think what I’ll do is I’ll grab it — and I’ll use it at rallies. We have rallies to get people elected, and I’ll use it at some of the rallies. Wasn’t that beautiful? That was the best rendition I’ve ever heard.

What can you and your staff do to make sure that over the next three years that you carry forth the vision and the faith of Charlie in a way that honors him?

I think it’s going to be automatic, actually. And I think Turning Point is going to be a very big factor. You see the people. Now the press reported 200,000 because different areas, different stadiums and everything. There were a lot of people. That’s a big — that’s an NFL stadium. I think it’s going to be automatic, I really do, I think it’s automatic. They’re great people. He had a good staff and they’re great people.

Everyone is saying Charlie brought you and Elon back together. Is that true?

Well, Elon came over and said hello. No, it’s nothing to do with that. I thought it was nice, he came over, we had a little conversation. We had a very good relationship but it was nice that he came over.

Dana White was there, the great Dana White. You know, the big question is the, having the UFC fight as the — I know you won’t accept tickets because you’re with the fake news, you’re not allowed to accept tickets. But we’re going to have a UFC fight right at the White House, and we’re going to end up probably 6,000 people in front of the White House, and then on the Ellipse we’re going to have 80 or 90,000. It’s going to be an unbelievable event. But a lot of people are talking about it.

You’ve been calling on Europe to stop buying Russian oil. The U.S. has imported $755 million worth of Russian uranium and plutonium so far just this yer, that’s up from the Biden administration last year, about $100 million. Can you ask Europe to cut off purchasing —

Yeah, I could do that. Doug, do you know anything about that?

Burgum: Well, yeah, absolutely. This goes back not only drill baby drill but we’ve got to mine baby mine. We allowed ourselves to fall under dependence of both China and Russia for critical minerals. America buying uranium from Russia is not acceptable and so we’re working very hard, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, myself, to make sure we’ve got a plan so that the United States can get back into domestic enriched uranium production as quickly as possible.

On Venezuela, you said that —

There are no boats in the water anymore. We’re looking for additional boats. You don’t even find a fishing boat. You don’t even find cruise liners anymore. There’s nothing in the water near Venezuela. It’s actually strange. You know what that means? That means there are no drugs coming in.

You said that the price they’ll pay will beincalculable if they don’t take people back. What does that mean?

Well, you’re going to have to figure it out.

On your autism announcement tomorrow, multiple news outlets are reporting that you plan to tie Tylenol to increased risk of autism, can you confirm that?

Well, you’re going to see tomorrow, we’re going to do it tomorrow, but I think it’s a very big factor. I think, you’ll see what it is tomorrow. We have various things, but you’ll see what it is tomorrow. I think it’s going to be a very important news conference, and we want things to take effect immediately, if there’s a question, even if there’s a question, you just do it. But great research has been done. You know, if you think that, let’s say 15 years ago, they had 1 in 10,000 that were born with autism and now, it’s, think of it, 1 in 12, 1 in 10, boys, 1 in 10 or 12, two different studies. Girls, it’s 1 in 20. Can you imagine? 1 in 20. And let’s see, 22 years ago it was 1 in 20,000. But it got down to 1 in 10,000 about 17 years ago and now it’s 1 in 12. Actually boys are 1 in 12, and 1 in 10. I mean, can you imagine? 1 in 10, and it was 1 in 20,000? So there’s obviously something artificial that’s really wrong, and we think we know what that is.

Are you planning to announce any link between vaccines and autism?

Wait until you see tomorrow. Vaccines are very interesting. They can be great. But when you put the wrong stuff in them, and you know children get these massive vaccines like you’d give to a horse, like you’d give to a horse. And I’ve said for a long time — I mean this is no secret — spread them out over five years. Get five shots, small ones. Have you ever seen what they give? I mean, for a little baby to be injected with that much fluid, even beyond the actual ingredients, they have sometimes 80 different vaccines, it’s crazy. You know, that’s a common sense thing too. It’s like you’re shooting up a horse. You have a little body, a little baby, and you’re pumping this big thing, it’s a horrible thing. So I’ve always felt that, but we’ll be having a big discussion tomorrow about autism.

What do the Democrats stand for at this point?

I think chaos, confusion, anger. They’re losers. They don’t even want to extend the opening, we have a very successful country. If we gave them everything they wanted — they’re deranged — if we gave them everything they wanted, they wouldn’t extend, in my opinion. You know they say, oh they want to meet with me. It’s nonsense. But I’ll meet with them. But no, they’re angry — and they took a big loss and they’re doing worse now than they were during the election. They’re really doing very badly. I don’t think — Actually, I think they stand for chaos. They stand for nothing.

We reported on Friday that the Kavanaugh attempted assassin actually identifies as transgender. I just wanted to get your reaction to that and see if you had heard.

Well, it’s too bad. It’s a very sad thing going on with that. And I’ll have to take a look at it. We have to protect our Supreme Court judges and justices, and Justice Kavanaugh’s a great guy. I mean, it’s horrible, he’s been through a lot with us, all of them have, in a way. They didn’t give them the proper protection. We are giving them — you saw what, you know numerous bills, but we just passed another one. We have to protect the Supreme Court. We have to.

Should the FBI be investigating transgender extremism?

We’re looking at that and it seems like, you know, is that just a — what’s the reason for — yeah, it seems to be something, but we’re looking at it very strongly. Something seems to be going on, but you can’t make that statement yet. We’re looking at it very closely.

Mr. President, back in 2020, 2021, you were banned from Twitter, Facebook, basically every single platform on God’s green earth. Now many people on the left want to throw outcries about First Amendment claims after Jimmy Kimmel’s show was canceled. Do you find it hypocritical after what they did to you?

You know I did his show before I ran for politics, I did his show many times, and he was never one of the top people. Do you remember during the Academy Awards when he read my Truth just before giving out the best picture award, and I said, when he read it, it said he’s the worst host in the history of the Academy Awards. Look, Jimmy Kimmel suffers from two things. One he said a terrible thing about Charlie, but he also suffers from the fact that he has no talent and he’s got no ratings, a deadly combination. That’s deadly.

When is the National Guard going to be arriving in Memphis?

Very soon, yeah, very soon. We’re going to straighten that out just like we straightened out Washington, and we’re not letting Washington go, by the way. We’re not letting Washington — if we didn’t go there Washington would be leading the nation in crime. I mean, D.C., leading the nation in crime. And we have it down. I mean, it is a beautiful thing. And every person I meet is saying thank you, sir, they don’t care whether it’s the National Guard, they don’t care what it is, they’re not being raped, mugged, shot. Washington D.C. is now a very safe city. And you know what I drove through it yesterday, you probably saw, did you — everything was nice, the grass was, I thought I’d replace the grass, much of it doesn’t have to be repla — it looks so beautiful, it’s so well maintained, and that’s by us.

There could be a major push for a two-state solution [at UNGA]. Obviously the U.S. and Israel have not signed onto that. Is there still a possibility in your mind that there would be a diplomatic solution to this conflict?

I hope so. I’d like to see a diplomatic solution. There’s a lot of anger and a lot of hatred, you know that, and there has been for a lot of years. This is not something that — but hopefully we’ll get something done. We’re studying Gaza and dealing with Gaza very strongly. That’s a real mess.

The investigation is still ongoing into Charlie Kirk’s killer and whether he had ties to groups —

When you look, they’ve seen a lot for an investigation that’s ongoing. I think they’ve done an incredible job. Even the shells, I mean the shells, so many different things. I mean, what’s to say?

Have they found direct links about other people and does that affect your decision about how to proceed?

No, I think, as far as I’m concerned, but they’re going to do a final report. Were there other people involved, is what you’re asking. It would look to me like not. Now he did have a friend, but the friend seemed to be a little bit surprised.

In regards to Pam Bondi, who should she focus on as far as bringing accountability?

Everybody, everybody, really. It’s a big office. She’s doing a good job, but focus on everybody. There were a lot of crooked people that were here before me. You had people that almost destroyed our country. If I didn’t win this election, our country would be destroyed. We wouldn’t have a country right now. Thank you very much. Thank you very much everybody.

Megan Messerly

White House Reporter

POLITICO