In-town pool report #5 — gaggle quotes Pt. 1

Questions are paraphrased... POTUS DIRECT QUOTES in bold

Pt. 2 to follow

Q: Amy Acton hasn't spoken to her mother in nearly 50 years. Why should anyone listen to what she has to say?

"Well, I know nothing about it. All I know is the mother said very bad things about Acton, who I guess is running for governor against Vivek. And all I can say is Vivek is great. And I know one thing: if my mother said bad things about me, it would be a major news story, that's for sure. So I don't know what it is, but I guess the mother said very bad things about the one who's running for governor, and I think you have to take that seriously."

Q: Is there anything in a campaign ad that should be off limits?

I know one thing: if my mother said that about me, it would be — you would have hit goals. You would have been very happy about it. So I know nothing about it other than the mother said horrible things about a person that's running for governor of a great state, right? A great state, and if it's even a little bit true, you don't want her as governor.

Q: Ohio Republicans have called for the ad to come down. Why are you defending it?

"That's her opinion. I'm defending it because I know that if that ad were about my mother, you would love it. You would love every inch of it. And what's happened is the press has teamed up because he's a Republican, and they've tried to make it like it's a horrible thing. This is a mother saying very bad things about her daughter, and I don't know why that should be shielded. The only problem is the press has decided to unify and act like it's a horrible thing. It's horrible for her, and I told Vivek, I said, well, if it were about you, or about especially about me. If Mary McLeod, my mother, Mary McLeod Trump said that about me, you'd have it as your number one story."

Q: On Ukraine, Zelensky said these new Russian strikes overnight are proof that nothing's changed with Putin. That he doesn't want peace. How do you see it?

"Well, we'll see how it works out. That's been happening a lot."

Q: [Inaudible regarding Michigan] Any thoughts on how that's going to work out for Democrats?"

"Well, I won Michigan by a lot. It's a great state. I've done a lot for them, the Air Force base, and everything else. And I think we're going to do very well in Michigan. I really do."

Q: [inaudible]

"Well, if you ask me that same question about, let's say, my sister, I would say no. She said not to my knowledge. That tells you a lot, right there. No, she's. I've never been a big fan of hers. I'll be honest. Let's see how it all works out. But that statement tells you a lot."

Q: On POTUS' call to Elon Musk regarding Starlink in Ukraine

"Well, I don't want to say, but I know it was a very interesting situation. So I don't want to comment one way or the other. But my relationship with Elon is a very good one. Go ahead. Yeah, I don't want to comment on it. You know, whether I called or whether somebody else called doesn't make any difference. I guess the bottom line, he put it back. Any other questions? Go ahead. Say hello."

Q: on settlements with Camp Lejune soldiers

"If they can, yeah."

Q: Why not do so now, sir?

"I think if they can do it reasonably, they should settle. If they can't, they have to just go, but we want to take care of a lot of soldiers. If the soldiers were affected and it was it was a proper situation, we want to take care of it. We want to take care of our soldiers."

Q: Is that all dependent on the midterm results?

"Well, because if we're not there, then somebody else is going to have to settle it. So I can't speak for another administration, so if we do badly, or if the people that we need surrounding us can't get it done, because you have a lot of congressmen up, you have a lot of senators up, you have a lot of people involved in that whole situation. So if the Republicans don't do well, I would say that maybe they won't get their money."

Q: followup on his defense of Ramaswamy-Acton ad

"Well, I have no idea. I don't know the mother. I don't know her. I never heard of her until just recently, as somebody running for governor of Ohio. I can tell you this: if my mother ever made those statements? I have a mother. I had a mother who's up there right now, looking down. Mary McLeod Trump. If she ever made statements like that about me, you and your fake news station would have it front row center. You'd love it. What's happened is the press has ganged up on a woman making a horrible statement about her daughter, and I don't know why she should be shielded or the daughter should be shielded. Wait a minute. The mother made a horrible statement about the daughter. Said she was a dirty liar. She said she was a lot of different things. And I don't know why you're not allowed to say that. Gee, I know one thing. If my mother, who loved me, made those statements, you'd be the first one to be broadcasting, and you would have found nothing wrong with them. Amy Acton's mother said

horrible things about Amy Acton, and I don't know why you're not allowed to do that. You're not allowed to do broadcasting now. I'll say this: the press is ganged up because you hate it because that one ad should really win. If what the mother said about the daughter is half right, she has no right even running for the governor of Ohio."

Q: What about what Acton has said about her mother?

"I don't know what the daughter said. I don't know."

Q: outlines allegations against Acton's mother.

"When did she make that statement, just recently?"

Q: In the 1970's

"I have no idea. All I know is Amy Acton's mother said horrible things about Amy Acton, calling her a liar and other things and unreliable. A lot of very bad things, and I say that she's fair game. And I know one thing: if it were my mother, I'd be fair game, and you know that, and you know that well. You're trying to help Amy Acton get elected. The press has teamed up to help Amy Atkin get elected, and that's all it is. What the mother said is terrible. From the standpoint that I wouldn't want somebody like that to be the governor of a great state."

Q: [inaudible]

"The polling company just said that the numbers were fake, and I haven't had an apology from the New York Times, but you saw that polling company was a fake poll, and the New York Times uses that polling company. So, to the best of my knowledge, they have not apologized."

Q: do you think Republicans can keep the House and the Senate?

"Sure, but we'll see. When I run, we get almost 50 percent more voters. So, if I can get my voters out, we're going to win. If we can't get the voters out, I guess not. Typically, the the president of you know Republican, Democrat, whatever doesn't do well. I say this: if my call, if my people come out even a little bit, [inaudible] But I think the number is 49 or 50, 50% So when I run 50% more people come in, I guess that's a god for me. I'd like to see if I can get a lot of them out now. If we do that, we'll win easily in a landslide."

Christian Datoc
White House Correspondent
Washington Examiner