REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP IN WORKING VISIT WITH CARIBBEAN LEADERS

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 22, 2019 REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP IN WORKING VISIT WITH CARIBBEAN LEADERS Mar-a-Lago Palm Beach, Florida   2:23 P.M. EDT      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Thank you very much.  We're honored to be with some terrific people that have been friends of mine -- in many cases, friends of mine.  They've done a wonderful job in their respective countries. And we'll be talking about many subjects –- trade; we always talk about trade.  But we'll also be discussing, I have a feeling, Venezuela.  That may come up in our conversation.  It's become a very big topic all over the world -- Venezuela. And we look forward to spending a lot of time together this afternoon and discussing ways that we can be beneficial to you and you can be beneficial to us.  And we very much appreciate your being at Mar-a-Lago.  It's a great honor.  Thank you very much.  Thank you everybody.      If you'd like to say something to the media -- maybe we'll start with you.      PRIME MINISTER CHASTANET:  First of all, I want to thank you very much for extending the invitation to Saint Lucia to participate.  I want to thank you for the support and leadership that you've been providing in our region. You know, the United States is our biggest trading partner. PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Right. PRIME MINISTER CHASTANET:  And we’d like to think of the amount of trade that also the U.S. benefits from in the Caribbean. And so we're very much looking forward to these discussions today and seeing how we can enhance the relationship to our mutual benefits.      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Very good.  Thank you.      Please.      PRESIDENT MOÏSE:  (As interpreted.)  Thank you, Mr. President, on behalf of Haiti.  Haiti and the United States are two countries that are not only friends, but very close.  I am a friend, and Miami is actually less than two hours away from our islands.  And we are here this afternoon; we’ll have discussions of good things -- things that will be positive for both countries.  Thank you.      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Thank you.      PRESIDENT SÁNCHEZ:  (As interpreted.)  Thank you.  Thank you all.  Thank you, Mr. President, for your invitation.  We thank you.  The Dominican Republic and the United States of America are two important partners.  In fact, the United States is our main economic partner, and we are here to discuss issues of the region and we are here to your avail to collaborate.  Thank you.      PRIME MINISTER HOLNESS:  Mr. President, thank you for the invitation.  We look forward to discussions on energy, on trade, but on security as well.  We look forward to discussing regional issues to do with the peace and stability of the region and how we can move forward with the prosperity of our people.  So we thank you again for the invitation.      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Thank you.  Thank you very much. PRIME MINISTER MINNIS:  Thank you very much, Mr. President.  I'm delighted to have been invited here today to discuss certain issues that are of mutual benefit to both of us.  The Bahamas -- the United States have been our number-one trading partner.  We are neighbors.  We have great relationship.  We will continue to foster such a relationship.  I know that the meetings and the discussion today will be very productive, and we expect to come out with positive views and feelings.  Thank you very much.      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Yeah, I think that'll happen.  Thank you very much.  We appreciate it, everybody.  And we look forward to the discussion.  Thank you. Thank you all very much.  Thank you.                                END                 2:27 P.M. EDT