Out-of-town pool report 5: Trump remarks

The president kicked off the roundtable and spoke for about 12 minutes, largely about his administration’s goals of bringing mining and refining back to the US.

(As usual, check all quotes to tape).

He announced “an unprecedented financial commitment to our nation's mining schools” of $100 million.

“It's going to keep us nice and young and vibrant. The schools came to us seeking 10 million dollars per year in funding,” Trump said. “We’re thrilled to announce that we're delivering 100 million dollars to train the next generation of American miners.”

He also said the administration was announcing more mining projects and giving $81 million in grants specifically to the Colorado School of Mines, the South Dakota School of Mines, and Johns Hopkins University.

He said the US is opening up new mines at the fastest pace since the 1950s.

“Critical minerals are the raw materials of American strength that power everything from advanced weaponry to automobiles, and we want these essential products to be mined, refined, and made right here in the USA with the American skill and American hands."

"We have better skill. We have better hands than anybody in the world.”

He gave a shoutout to Jarrod Agen of the National Energy Dominance Council.

And as mentioned in the prior note, he also joked about the decor at the State Department and said he’d like to take some chandeliers, columns and paintings back to the White House: “I want to thank our great Secretary of State Marco Rubio for hosting us. This is a beautiful building, but you know, the president's allowed to remove things from any building. I'm liking the chandeliers. I like those Corinthian columns, but I don't know. Cutting them out would be not good. Beautiful columns, but I'm allowed to do it. Every once in a while, I come in here and grab a painting and put it in the Oval Office, but not too much.”

Rubio, Burgum and Lutnick are speaking now, in that order. Rubio joked that the president shouldn't look at the painting behind him or he'd take it.

They’ll be followed by speakers from the University of Arizona School of Mining and Engineering in Minerals, the Colorado School of Mines and the CEO of MP Materials.

Cheyenne Haslett

White House Reporter, POLITICO