Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 30, 2019 Statement from the President Regarding Emergency Measures to Address the Border Crisis   As everyone knows, the United States of America has been invaded by hundreds of thousands of people coming through Mexico and entering our country illegally.  This sustained influx of illegal aliens has profound consequences on every aspect of our national life—overwhelming our schools, overcrowding our hospitals, draining our welfare system, and causing untold amounts of crime.  Gang members, smugglers, human traffickers, and illegal drugs and narcotics of all kinds are pouring across the Southern Border and directly into our communities.  Thousands of innocent lives are taken every year as a result of this lawless chaos.  It must end NOW! Mexico’s passive cooperation in allowing this mass incursion constitutes an emergency and extraordinary threat to the national security and economy of the United States.  Mexico has very strong immigration laws and could easily halt the illegal flow of migrants, including by returning them to their home countries.  Additionally, Mexico could quickly and easily stop illegal aliens from coming through its southern border with Guatemala. For decades, the United States has suffered the severe and dangerous consequences of illegal immigration.  Sadly, Mexico has allowed this situation to go on for many years, growing only worse with the passage of time.  From a safety, national security, military, economic, and humanitarian standpoint, we cannot allow this grave disaster to continue.  The current state of affairs is profoundly unfair to the American taxpayer, who bears the extraordinary financial cost imposed by large-scale illegal migration.  Even worse is the terrible and preventable loss of human life.  Some of the most deadly and vicious gangs on the planet operate just across our border and terrorize innocent communities. Mexico must step up and help solve this problem.  We welcome people who come to the United States legally, but we cannot allow our laws to be broken and our borders to be violated.  For years, Mexico has not treated us fairly—but we are now asserting our rights as a sovereign Nation. To address the emergency at the Southern Border, I am invoking the authorities granted to me by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.  Accordingly, starting on June 10, 2019, the United States will impose a 5 percent Tariff on all goods imported from Mexico.  If the illegal migration crisis is alleviated through effective actions taken by Mexico, to be determined in our sole discretion and judgment, the Tariffs will be removed.  If the crisis persists, however, the Tariffs will be raised to 10 percent on July 1, 2019.  Similarly, if Mexico still has not taken action to dramatically reduce or eliminate the number of illegal aliens crossing its territory into the United States, Tariffs will be increased to 15 percent on August 1, 2019, to 20 percent on September 1, 2019, and to 25 percent on October 1, 2019.  Tariffs will permanently remain at the 25 percent level unless and until Mexico substantially stops the illegal inflow of aliens coming through its territory.  Workers who come to our country through the legal admissions process, including those working on farms, ranches, and in other businesses, will be allowed easy passage. If Mexico fails to act, Tariffs will remain at the high level, and companies located in Mexico may start moving back to the United States to make their products and goods.  Companies that relocate to the United States will not pay the Tariffs or be affected in any way. Over the years, Mexico has made massive amounts of money in its dealings with the United States, and this includes the tremendous number of jobs leaving our country. Should Mexico choose not to cooperate on reducing unlawful migration, the sustained imposition of Tariffs will produce a massive return of jobs back to American cities and towns.  Remember, our great country has been the “piggy bank” from which everybody wants only to TAKE.  The difference is that now we are firmly and forcefully standing up for America’s interests. We have confidence that Mexico can and will act swiftly to help the United States stop this long-term, dangerous, and deeply unfair problem.  The United States has been very good to Mexico for many years.  We are now asking that Mexico immediately do its fair share to stop the use of its territory as a conduit for illegal immigration into our country. The cartels and coyotes are having a greater and greater impact on the Mexican side of our Southern Border.  This is a dire threat that must be decisively eliminated.  Billions of dollars are made, and countless lives are ruined, by these ruthless and merciless criminal organizations.  Mexico must bring law and order to its side of the border.  Democrats in Congress are fully aware of this horrible situation and yet refuse to help in any way, shape, or form.  This is a total dereliction of duty.  The migrant crisis is a calamity that must now be solved—and can easily be solved—in Congress.  Our broken asylum laws, court system, catch-and-release, visa lottery, chain migration, and many other loopholes can all be promptly corrected.  When that happens, the measures being announced today can be more readily reduced or removed. The United States is a great country that can no longer be exploited due to its foolish and irresponsible immigration laws.  For the sake of our people, and for the sake of our future, these horrendous laws must be changed now. At the same time, Mexico cannot allow hundreds of thousands of people to pour over its land and into our country—violating the sovereign territory of the United States.  If Mexico does not take decisive measures, it will come at a significant price. We therefore look forward to, and appreciate, the swift and effective actions that we hope Mexico will immediately install. As President of the United States, my highest duty is the defense of the country and its citizens.  A nation without borders is not a nation at all.  I will not stand by and allow our sovereignty to be eroded, our laws to be trampled, or our borders to be disrespected anymore.

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AT THE 2019 UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY GRADUATION CEREMONY

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 30, 2019 REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AT THE 2019 UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY GRADUATION CEREMONY Falcon Stadium Colorado Springs, Colorado   12:00 P.M. MST THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you very much.  Please.  You just like all those brand new, beautiful airplanes that we're buying.  (Laughter.) Hello, Air Force Academy.  It's been a long time since I've been here.  And what a place.  What a place it is.  At ease, everybody.  (Laughter.) I'm thrilled to be here with all of you as we celebrate the incredible Class of 2019. AUDIENCE:  Strong! THE PRESIDENT:  And you truly make America proud.  You make us all proud.  Thank you very much.  Great job.  Really great job.  (Applause.) And I want to thank Secretary Wilson for the introduction and for her two years of service as the first graduate of the academy to be the very important Secretary of the Air Force at a time when we've really expanded out the Air Force and bought equipment like you've never seen before.  So, congratulations.  Thank you very much, Heather.  Beautiful job.  (Applause.) And I want to thank three other truly remarkable former cadets: your Superintendent, Lieutenant General Jay Silvaria.  (Applause.)  Class of 1985.  Jay, I thought you were a little bit younger than that.  (Laughter.)  General David Goldfein, Class of 1983.  Thank you, General.  (Applause.)  Great job.  Does a great job; respected by everybody.  And NORTHCOM Commander, General Terrence O'Shaughnessy, Class of 1986.  Thank you very much.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you, General. We're also grateful to be joined by Commander of U.S. Strategic Command, General John Hyten.  General, thank you very much.  (Applause.)  Spent a lot of time together talking about things.  (Laughter.) And Commander of Air Force Space Command, General Jay Raymond.  Thank you, General.  (Applause.)  Space Command. And to all of the distinguished faculty, coaches, and staff, thank you for forging and refining a new generation of American warriors. We're also joined by many distinguished Air Force veterans and academy graduates.  We applaud and salute you all.  Thank you very much.  Thank you for being here.  (Applause.) And to the thousands of moms and dads and grandparents and family members beaming with joy -- and that's what they're doing; they are beaming with joy -- thank you for raising rock-ribbed American patriots.  (Applause.) America is stronger thanks to your love and your support for these incredible people -- these incredible graduates. Cadets, join me in paying tribute to your amazing Air Force families.  Go ahead, pay tribute.  (Applause.)  That's beautiful.  That's beautiful.  Without them, you wouldn’t be here, and that's the way it is.  (Laughter.)  That's the way it is.  (Laughter.) Most of all, to the nearly 1,000 cadets -- who I have agreed to shake every single hand -- (applause) -- they gave me a choice.  They said, "Sir, you don’t have to shake any hands."  Some people do that.  Those are the smart ones.  They're out of here.  (Laughter.)  You can shake one hand to the one person, top of the class.  You could shake 10, 50, or 100, and you could also stay for 1,000.  And I'm staying for 1,000.  Okay?  (Applause.) And I know we're all going to make it.  (Laughter.)  There's no doubt about it, right?  There's no doubt about it. To the nearly 1,000 cadets who will soon become Second Lieutenants in the U.S. Air Force: You could have chosen any school, any career you wanted, but you chose a harder path and a higher calling: to protect and defend the United States of America.  I know what you’ve been through, and it’s tougher.  But you know what?  In the end, it’s better.  You’re going see.  You’ll see.  (Laughter.)  You’ll see. Today, you take your place as officers in the most powerful Air Force in the history of our country and, frankly and very easily, in the history of the world.  (Applause.)  America commends the integrity, devotion, and commitment of the Class of 2019.  (Applause.) When you choose the Air Force, you choose the noble road of service and duty and devotion.  You choose to break old boundaries, and unlock new frontiers, and live life on the cutting edge. The first air combat happened just one century ago.  You are the ones who will invent and define the next generation of air warfare.  And you are the ones who will secure American victory all the time.  Victory.  To dominate the future, America must rule the skies.  (Applause.) And that is what your time at this great academy has been all about: preparing you to do whatever it takes to learn, to adapt, and to win, win, win.  You’re going to win so much.  You’re going to get so tired of winning, but not really.  (Laughter and applause.)  Not really.  We never get tired of winning, do we? AUDIENCE:  No! THE PRESIDENT:  No. Over the past four years, that’s just what you’ve done.  You’ve worked.  You’ve preserved -- persevered.  You’ve excelled.  You’ve done so many things that nobody else can do.  And, in the end, you’ve come out on top. It took years of focus and discipline to get here, starting long before "Beast."  Right?  Beast.  You all know what “Beast” is, right?  (Laughter.)  Just being admitted to the Academy is a monumental achievement.  Only 1 out of every 10 applicants makes the cut.  And don’t forget: Out of those 10 applicants, there are hundreds that think about it, but they know they don’t even have a chance.  So remember that.  (Laughter and applause.)  It’s true, actually.  It’s actually -- actually true.  For those who are accepted, another 20 percent don’t make it to graduation, sadly. Only the best survive to the very end.  And here, under the majestic peaks of the Rockies, you have risen to every challenge, overcome every single obstacle, and proven yourselves worthy of the bars that will soon adorn your uniform.  (Applause.) You survived BCT, made it to Recognition, and earned your Prop and Wings.  (Applause.)  You soared in gliders, piloted aircraft, and launched satellites that are now orbiting way, way above us, looking down on us.  You performed advanced research, developed new technol -- techniques.  You honed your skills as cyber operators, and jumped out of planes thousands of feet above the Earth.  Not easy.  (Applause.)  For America’s airmen, the sky is never, ever the limit. That being said, even the best cadets can sometimes get a little bit carried away.  Lieutenant General Silvaria has informed me that a few cadets are still on restriction for pranks and other fairly bad mischief.  (Laughter.)  You know what I’m talking about, right?  And you all know who you are.  (Laughter.) So, keeping with tradition, and as your Commander-in-Chief, I hereby absolve and pardon all cadets serving restrictions and confinements.  (Applause.)  And that, you earned.  You earned it.  So you’re all on even footing.  Is that nice?  (Laughter.) This class has racked up a list of truly extraordinary achievements.  Two graduating cadets recently received one of the most prestigious awards in all of academia: Rhodes scholarships.  Please join me in congratulating cadets James Brahm and Madison Tung.  Please stand up.  (Applause.)  Wow. Thank you very much.  That’s a big -- a big, fat congratulations from me.  That’s a tremendous, tremendous job you’ve done.  Thank you.  Thank you, Madison.  Great job. On the athletic fields, the Air Force has won 15 conference championships over the last four years, which is really something.  A hundred and fifty-three athletes have earned All-American honors.  Stand up.  Stand up.  (Applause.)  All-American.  Wow.  (Applause.)  Wow.  It's fantastic. Congratulations.  Including Rifle Team members Anna Weilbacher and Spencer Cap, who helped the Falcons win the air rifle national title and beat the other service academies to bring home the President’s Trophy.  Please, stand up.  Stand up.  (Applause.)  It's fantastic.  But you didn't enjoy beating those other academies.  I don't think so, right?  Not too much. And graduating cadet Nick Ready became the first person from any service academy to win the College Home Run Derby -- wow, that's a big deal -- with a record-breaking 55 home runs.  Nick, where are you, Nick?  Stand up.  (Applause.) Come here, Nick.  Come here.  Get up here, Nick.  Come here.  (Applause.)  Come here, Nick. You know, they gave him such a lousy seat all the way back in the corner.  (Laughter.)  Come on up.  Baseball.  Home Run Derby.  That's something.  In all of college baseball.  Wow.  I want to feel this guy's muscles.  (Laughter.)      It's real.  That's real.  That's great.  Thank you very much, Nick.  That's a big deal.  That's a big deal.  (Applause.) The members of this class come from every background, every state in the union, and even from our allies overseas.  But through trial and training and tradition, you've become one family.  It's what's happened.  And like one family, you have all been pulling for one of your classmates, who has bravely fought his battle with cancer.  Today, Parker Hammond graduates as a munitions and missiles maintenance officer -- (applause) -- along with the class that has stood with him every step of the way.  (Applause.)  Great -- come on, Parker.  Get up here, Parker.  Parker.  Come here.  Come here, right?  Come here.  They love you, Parker.  Why do you like him so much?  (Applause.)  Great job.  Great.  (Applause.) A lot of good-looking people in this school, I have to say.  (Laughter.)  Thank you, Parker.   This class personifies the spirit of confidence and courage and unwavering commitment that has always defined the Long Blue Line.  (Applause.)  It's true.  It goes all the way back to the very beginning, to the first cadet in the Air Force history. On in-processing day, you've -- greeted at the base of a ramp by the statue of the legendary Val Bourque.  Val grew up in a blue-collar family in Massachusetts.  During his senior year in high school, he was recruited to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates.  That's another baseball player.  But instead, Val made the same choice as all of you: the choice of life of service.  That's what he wanted. Val joined the U.S. Air Force Academy.  He showed up at 4:30 a.m. on the Academy’s opening day in 1955, so he would be the first Air Force cadet in history to take the Oath of Allegiance.  He was thinking fast. The Academy proved an arduous challenge, however, for Val.  It wasn't easy.  As Val’s roommate said, “He was hanging on by a thread academically.  No one was tested more than Val was.  But he was at the very top in [his] character and [in] honor.”  That's what his roommate said. After Val finally made it to where you’re sitting today, he volunteered to go to Vietnam and he proved to be one of the best pilots America had.  He was amazing.  He was incredible.  After nearly a year of intense action, he was scheduled to return home.  He was very excited but he asked to lead one more mission.  On that day, Val’s plane was struck by enemy fire, and he made the ultimate sacrifice for his country.  He now rests on these precious grounds, and his fighting spirit lives in each and every one of you.  Great fighting spirit.  (Applause.) The heroes and legends of every generation have always had to confront new perils and defeat new dangers.  No one can foresee all of the challenges this class will face, but we do know that, with absolute certainty, you are going to be ready to serve.  You are going to be ready to lead.  You are going to be aiming at the absolute highest point.  And you are ready to “Fly, Fight, and Win.”  Always win.  (Applause.)  Always. You exemplify the grit, the guts, and the grace that make America’s Air Force, by far, the best in the world.  And in the words of your class motto, “Conquer Mind, Conquer All.” Each of you has the sharp intellect, deep character, inner strength, and the titanium courage to vanquish any menace that dares to threaten our country or our people.  (Applause.)  We’re always ready.  Right, General?  Always ready.  He’s ready.  I wonder how that’s going to be viewed -- that statement -- tomorrow in the press.  (Laughter.)  You can imagine.  And that’s okay.  Let them think whatever they want to think.  (Applause.)  More than half of you will soon head to pilot training, where you will prepare to unleash American thunder anywhere we need.  Another 45 will join our Remotely Piloted Aircraft program.  A record number of you will become space operators.  You will specialize in combat rescues, intelligence, missile maintenance, weather, air traffic control, engineering, and much, much more. Each of you is graduating at a truly incredible time for our country.  Our country is doing well.  Our country is respected again.  (Applause.)  We are respected again.  And we’re reawakening American pride, American confidence, and American greatness.  You know that.  These gentlemen know it; I’ll tell you right now.  Thank you very much.  Thank you very much.  That’s very nice. And we are restoring the fundamental principle that our first obligation and highest loyalty is to the American citizen.  No longer will we sacrifice America’s interests to any foreign power.  We don’t do that anymore.  (Applause.)  In all things and ways, we are putting America first, and it’s about time.  (Applause.) Our economy is booming, our people are thriving, and our military is stronger, mightier, and more powerful -- with all of that new aircraft -- than ever before. I am committed to keeping our military the best trained, best equipped, and most technologically advanced fighting force anywhere under the sun.  (Applause.)  Last year, against some pretty strong opposition, which I’ll always have, we secured $700 billion to support our warfighters, followed by another $716 billion -- not million -- billion.  That’s with a “B.”  (Laughter.)  Seven hundred and sixteen billion dollars this year. That means we are delivering 56 new Air Force F-35s, brand new stealth.  (Applause.)  I asked somebody on the other side, “What do you think of that plane?”  A foreign leader.  They said, “We have a problem with it; we can’t see it."  (Laughter.) It’s always good.  It’s always good when they can’t see you. Twenty-four new Reaper remotely piloted Aircraft, fifteen new Pegasus aerial refueling aircraft, ten new combat rescue helicopters, and a well-earned pay raise for every soldier, sailor, airman, Coast Guardsman, and Marine in the United States military.  (Applause.)  And if anybody wants to give up your raise, it’s okay.  We’ll accept that.  Okay?  (Laughter.)  Don’t do it.  (Laughter.) We’re also asking Congress to invest more in hypersonic weapons.  We have things under development, the likes of which you’ve never seen; the likes of which you can’t even conceive.  Artificial intelligence, nuclear weapons and modernization, and space superiority.  And we’re soon having, as you know, something that I started.  And it started a little slow, and now everybody has embraced it: Space Force.  And you’re going to be working with them.  (Applause.) And, General, I want to thank you for helping us so much.  It’s been really great.  Working with you has been great.  A whole new force. In this stadium today are many of the future leaders who will develop the doctrine, strategy, and technology to restore America’s legacy of leadership in space.  As you know, other nations are moving aggressively to weaponize space with new technologies that can disrupt vital communications and blind satellites that are critical to our battlefield operations. It is a time for America to reclaim the ultimate high ground and prepare our young warriors of today for victory on the battlefield tomorrow.  It’s a very different battlefield.  It’s a very different type of warfare.  But we are so advanced.  And when you see what’s coming, you won’t even believe it.  And hopefully -- you know what?  Hopefully, we never have to use it.  Peace through strength.  Peace through strength.  (Applause.) As your Commander-in-Chief, I want you to know that we will pursue and maintain the overwhelming strength we need to deter any aggressor and thrash any foe.  For that reason, I am committed to building the Air Force we need with the full strength of 386 squadrons.  And we’re getting it done, too.  It’s happening rapidly. Because nothing will ever strike more fear in the hearts of our enemies or inspire more confidence in our friends than the roaring engines of American fighter jets, flown by the greatest pilots on the planet Earth, by far: you.  (Applause.)  The sound of American warplanes is the righteous sound of American justice. Today, you inherit a legacy of service and valor handed down through generations.  It's a tradition built by legends like Rickenbacker, Doolittle, Wagner, Archer, Boyd, Yeager, Sijan, Grissom, and Chapman.  Great people.  Great people.  (Applause.)  These trailblazers broke barriers after barrier, and they innovated and adapted to push America further, faster, and on to total victory. It is the same spirit embodied by your Class Exemplar, Neil Armstrong, who started out flying jets over Korea, and, 50 years ago this summer, planted our great American flag on the face of the moon.  Just like all the aces of our past and the heroes of our history, they were ready to lead when America needed them most.  And so is every cadet who graduates today.  Is that correct?  (Applause.)  I think so. You are the patriots whose names will go down in Air Force history.  You will redefine warfare at a very, very critical time in our country’s history.  You’ll win great battles and bring our enemies to crushing defeat.  You will explore the boundaries of space, and keep America forever proud and forever free. So today, you take the controls.  You’re going to push it up and chart your course across the sky.  Keep the wings level and true, because your country is sending you on a vital mission: to defend America, protect our people, and to pursue our nation’s great and glorious destiny. Nothing will stop you from victory.  Nothing will stop the U.S. Air Force.  And with your help, nothing ever, ever will stop the United States of America.  (Applause.) So I want to conclude by giving a very special congratulations to a very special group of amazing cadets and people.  It’s the Class of 2019. AUDIENCE:  Strong! THE PRESIDENT:  On behalf of our nation, God bless you, God bless the Air Force, and God bless America.  This is a great honor being with you.  Thank you.  And congratulations to everybody.  Thank you.  (Applause.)                                             END                 12:29 P.M. MST

1600 Daily The White House • May 30, 2019 President Trump’s Message to 2019 Graduates of the U.S. Air Force Academy

The White House • May 30, 2019 President Trump’s message to 2019 graduates of the U.S. Air Force Academy The 61st graduating class of the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado had a very special guest deliver today’s commencement address: their Commander-in-Chief.    Watch: President Trump thanks 2019 U.S. Air Force Academy graduates   “You could have chosen any school, any career you wanted, but you chose a harder path and a higher calling to protect and defend the United States of America,” President Donald J. Trump told the group of nearly 1,000 cadets. “You know what—in the end, it’s better.” “You are ready to fly, fight—and win! Always win.”  Watch the President’s full speech here. Video of the day: The First Lady visits Tokyo’s Digital Art Museum  During her visit with President Trump to Tokyo last weekend, First Lady Melania Trump accompanied Japanese First Lady Akie Abe on a special tour through the teamLab Borderless Exhibit at the Mori Building Digital Art Museum. The museum itself is a unique cultural experience made up of colorful and interactive exhibits. Mrs. Trump is now the first American First Lady to see it in person. “Mrs. Abe is a wonderful host and it is great to be back in Tokyo, exploring more of this wonderful city,” the First Lady said during her visit. In photos: First Lady Melania Trump visits Akasaka Palace with Mrs. Abe  Photo of the Day Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks First Lady Melania Trump meets with schoolchildren creating Be Best artwork during her tour of the teamLab Borderless Exhibit at the Mori Building Digital Art Museum in Tokyo | May 26, 2019

May 30, 2019 REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP BEFORE MARINE ONE DEPARTURE

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 30, 2019 REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP BEFORE MARINE ONE DEPARTURE South Lawn   8:10 A.M. EDT      THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning, everybody.  We just had news that Turkey released a prisoner that we were trying to get, and they released him a little while ago into home custody and will be released from home custody to the United States pretty soon.  And I just want to thank President Erdoğan.  We dealt with that, and he was -- it was great.      They released this prisoner, hostage -- whatever you want to call him.  He's at home custody, in Turkey.  He'll be released fairly soon, so that's good news.  I guess, probably, you know about that.      Other than that, I think things are going very well.  The economy is doing fantastically well, beyond any expectation.  Unemployment numbers are just about the best in the history of our country.  Employment numbers are the best.  We have close to 160 million people working today, which is more than we've ever had before.      I'm going out to Colorado today to give the commencement address for the Air Force, which is actually very exciting for me.  It's an amazing place.  These are great people.  So I look forward to doing that.      Any questions?          Q    What did you make of Mueller's statement yesterday?     THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I think it was the same as the report.  There wasn’t much change. It was, to me, the same as the report.  And there's no obstruction.  You see what we're saying.  There's no obstruction, there's no collusion, there's no nothing.  It's nothing but a witch hunt.  This is a witch hunt by the media and the Democrats.  They're partners. And it keeps going.  I thought it was finished when the report was released, but it goes on.  And, to me, it was the same, frankly, as the report.  And he said, basically, it was the same as the report.      Q    Do you still think Robert Mueller behaved honorably?      THE PRESIDENT:  I think he's totally conflicted.  Because, as you know, he wanted to be the FBI Director, and I said no.  As you know, I had a business dispute with him.  After he left the FBI, we had a business dispute.  Not a nice one.  He wasn’t happy with what I did, and I don’t blame him.  But I had to do it because that was the right thing to do.  But I had a business dispute.      And he loves Comey.  You look at the relationship with those two.  So whether it's love or deep like, but he was conflicted.      Look, Robert Mueller should've never been chosen because he wanted the FBI job and he didn’t get it.  And the next day, he was picked as Special Counsel.  So you tell somebody, "I’m sorry, you can’t have the job.”  And then, after you say that, he’s going to make a ruling on you?  It doesn’t work that way.  Plus, we had a business dispute.  Plus, his relationship with Comey was extraordinary.      Now, one other thing I’ll say: Why didn’t he investigate Strzok, and Page, and McCabe, and Comey and all the lies, and Brennan and the lies, and Clapper and the lies to Congress, and all of the things that happened to start this investigation?  Why didn’t Comey come clean?  Why didn’t Comey come clean and say the things that he knows are fact?  Why didn’t Mueller investigate Comey, his best friend or his very good friend?  And there are so many other things.      Here’s a question.  This is a study of Russia.  Why didn’t they invest the insurance policy?  In other words, should Hillary Clinton lose, we’ve got an insurance policy.  Guess what?  What we’re in right now is the insurance policy.      Q    Do you think he behaved dishonorably?      THE PRESIDENT:  I think he is a total conflicted person.  I think Mueller is a true Never Trumper.  He’s somebody that dislikes Donald Trump.  He’s somebody that didn’t get a job that he requested that he wanted very badly, and then he was appointed.  And despite that -- and despite $40 million, 18 Trump haters, including people that worked for Hillary Clinton and some of the worst human beings on Earth -- they got nothing.  It’s pretty amazing.      Q    Do you believe that Russia helped you get elected?      THE PRESIDENT:  No, Russia did not help me get elected.      Q    That’s what it said (inaudible).          THE PRESIDENT:  You know who got me elected?  You know who got me elected?  I got me elected.  Russia didn’t help me at all.  Russia, if anything, I think, helped the other side.  What you ought to ask is this: Do you think the media helped Hillary Clinton get elected?  She didn’t make it, but you take a look at collusion between Hillary Clinton and the media.  You take a look at collusion between Hillary Clinton and Russia.  She had more to do, in the campaign, with Russia than I did.  I had nothing to do.         And, by the way, that’s one other thing.  If you look, this was all about Russia, Russia, Russia.  They don’t talk about Russia anymore because it turned out to be a hoax.  It was all a hoax.  And then they say, “Gee, he fought back.  Isn’t that terrible?  He fought back.”  Of course, I fight back.  Because it was a false accusation -- a totally false accusation.  And it’s a disgrace.  And it’s a very -- it’s a very sad period for this country.      And I think, in the end, I will consider what’s happening now to be one of my greatest achievements: exposing this corruption.      Q    Do you think they’re going to impeach you?      THE PRESIDENT:  I don’t see how they can.  Because they’re possibly allowed, although I can’t imagine the courts allowing it.  I’ve never gone into it.  I never thought that would even be possible to be using that word.  To me, it’s a dirty word -- the word “impeach.”  It’s a dirty, filthy, disgusting word.  And it had nothing to do with me.      So I don’t think so, because there was no crime.  You know, it’s “high crimes and…” not “with” or “or.”  It’s “high crimes and misdemeanors.”  There was no high crime and there was no misdemeanor.  So how do you impeach based on that? And it came out that there was nothing to do with Russia.  The whole thing is a scam.  It’s one of -- it’s a giant presidential harassment.  And, honestly, I hope it goes down as one of my greatest achievements because I’ve exposed corruption -- I’ve exposed corruption like nobody knew existed. Q    China says it's going to restrict (inaudible) and rare earth elements if your trade strategy (inaudible). THE PRESIDENT:  I think we’re doing very well with China. Come here, I want to shake your hand.  Come here.  You’ve treated me fairly.  Thank you.  Thank you. Q    Mr. President -- THE PRESIDENT:  Wait.  Wait.  I want to answer a real reporter’s question.  We’re going to answer a real reporter’s question, okay? China would love to make a deal with us.  We had a deal, and they broke the deal.  I think, if they had to do again, they wouldn’t have done what they did.  We’re taking in billions of dollars in tariffs.  China is subsidizing products.  So the United States taxpayer is paying for very little of it.  And if you look at inflation and if you look at pricing, it’s gone up very little. The tariffs are having a devastating effect on China.  People are fleeing the country with their companies.  These companies are leaving for Vietnam, other parts of Asia, and they’re even coming to the United States because then there’s no tariff. I think we’re doing very well with China.  We’ll see what happens.  But I can tell you China very much wants to make a deal because the companies are leaving China to avoid the tariff.  China is becoming a very weakened nation, just as Iran has become a very weakened nation.  And Iran wants to make a deal also. Q    Will you see Boris Johnson or Nigel Farage in the UK? THE PRESIDENT:  Say it? Q    Will you see Boris or Mr. Farage? THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I may.  Nigel Farage is a friend of mine.  Boris is a friend of mine.  They’re two very good guys.  Very interesting people.  Nigel has had a big victory; he’s picked up 32 percent of the vote, starting from nothing.  And I think they’re big powers over there.  I think they’ve done a good job. Q    Would you support either of them? THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I like them.  I mean, they’re friends of mine, but I haven’t thought about supporting them.  Maybe it’s not my business to support people.  But I have a lot of respect for both of those men. Q    On the USS McCain, do you think it's fair to the sailors of the John McCain that they were banned from hearing you speak simply because they (inaudible)? THE PRESIDENT:  Yeah, I don’t know what happened.  I wasn’t involved.  I would not have done that.  I was very angry with John McCain because he killed healthcare.  I was not a big fan of John McCain in any way, shape, or form.  I think John McCain had a lot to getting President Bush -- a lot to do with it -- to go into the Middle East, which was a catastrophe. To me, John McCain -- I wasn’t a fan.  But I would never do a thing like that.  Now, somebody did it because they thought I didn’t like him, okay?  And they were well meaning, I will say.  I didn’t know anything about it.  I would never have done that. Q    Do you owe the sailors of the McCain an apology? THE PRESIDENT:  No, not at all.  I heard sailors all went on.  We had a tremendous group of sailors from various ships.  It was a beautiful day.  But the McCain thing, I knew nothing about. Q    What are you doing to (inaudible) foreign adversaries from interfering in 2020? THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I think I’ve been much tougher on elections than President Obama.  President Obama was told, in 2016, just before the election in September, that Russia may try and interfere with the election.  He did nothing.  And the reason he did nothing is he thought Hillary was going to win. We are doing a lot, and we’re trying to do paper ballots, as a back-up system, as much as possible.  Because going to good, old-fashioned paper, in this modern age, is the best way to do it. Q    (Inaudible) talks with President Putin?  What does the U.S. gain from that? THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I think we want to have a relationship with Russia and China and everybody.  And I’ve said that for a long time.  Getting along with Russia, getting along with China is a good thing if we can do it on fair terms or our terms.      Q    (Inaudible) with Venezuela?      THE PRESIDENT:  Well, Venezuela -- we're just on watch.  We'll see what happens.  I'd love to see them work out their problems.  I understand there are a lot of talks going on.  But I'm all for the people of Venezuela.  You know that probably better than anyone.      Steve, go ahead.      Q    In Israel, Netanyahu has been failing to form a coalition.  Are you worried about that?      THE PRESIDENT:  Well, it's too bad what happened in Israel.  It looked like a total win for Netanyahu, who's a great guy.  He's a great guy.  And now they're back in the debate stage and they're back in the election stage.  That is too bad, because they don’t need this.  I mean, they've got enough turmoil over there.  It's a tough place.  I feel very badly about that.      It looks like they're talking, but more likely they'll have to go back into election mode.  That's too bad.      Q    The Mueller report said Russia was trying to help you and hurt Hillary Clinton.  Was Mueller wrong about that?      THE PRESIDENT:  I believe that Russia would rather have Hillary Clinton as President of the United States than Donald Trump.  The reason is: Nobody has been tougher on Russia than me.  Whether it's our energy policy, which was not hers; whether it's the pipelines, as you know, in Europe, going all over the place that I've been bitterly complaining about; whether it's Ukraine; whether it's a whole host of things -- there has nobody ever been more tough or difficult for Russia than Donald Trump.      Now, I have to tell you this: I put sanctions on Russia at a level that nobody has seen before.  Nobody even wants to write about it. With all of that, I want to get along with Russia, and I want to get along with China, and I want to get along with Europe.  I want to get along with everybody, if it's possible.  I even want to get along with Iran, and Iran wants to talk.  And if they want to talk, I'm available.  Thank you.      Q    (Inaudible) what you hope to do?      THE PRESIDENT:  Well, we’re going to be staying at Doonbeg, in Ireland because it's convenient and it's a great place.  But it's convenient.  We'll be meeting with a lot of the Irish officials, and it'll be an overnight stay.  And I look forward to that.      Q    What will you be discussing with the Taoiseach?      THE PRESIDENT:  A lot of the things that you (inaudible).      Q    Mr. President, do you think the White House should apologize for (inaudible) John McCain?      THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I can't because I didn’t know anything about it.  I don't know who did it.  We'll probably be able to find out who did it.  They thought they were doing me a favor because they know I am not a fan of John McCain.  John McCain killed healthcare for the Republican Party and he killed healthcare for the nation.  I disagree with John McCain on the way he handled the vets, because I said you got get to Choice.  He was never able to get Choice.  I got Choice.  I disagreed with John McCain on the Middle East.  He helped force Bush to make a very bad decision and go into the Middle East.      So, I wasn’t a fan of John McCain and I never will be.  But certainly, I couldn’t care less whether or not there's a boat named after his father.      Q    Robert Mueller did not say "no obstruction."  He said he did not feel he could charge with you a crime because (inaudible).      THE PRESIDENT:  There were no charges.  None.  If you look at -- if you look at Bill Clinton, that very nice gentleman who's been so much on my side, as you know, his special prosecutor -- it was guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty.  So many guiltys.  With me, there was no guilty.  Number one, there was no crime.  And number two, I fought back.  And I'll tell you --      Q    (Inaudible) said he couldn’t say "no crime."      THE PRESIDENT:  Wait.  Wait.  Wait.  Wait.  Well, here was no collusion.  There was no collusion.  Read volume one.  There was no collusion.      Q    (Inaudible.)  He said he could not say there was no crime.  He could not clear you.      THE PRESIDENT:  That means you're innocent.  That means you're innocent. Q    He said he couldn’t say you were innocent. THE PRESIDENT:  Excuse me -- then he should've said "you're guilty."      Q    But he said he couldn’t do that because that would be unfair.  (Inaudible.)      THE PRESIDENT:  That's wrong.  That's wrong.  No.  Because he said it -- he said it differently the first time.  So he said, essentially, "You're innocent."  I'm innocent of all charges.  And, you know, the thing that nobody brings up: There was no crime.  They're saying "he's obstructing something" and there was no crime.  And nobody brings it up.      Also, someday, you ought to read a thing called Article 2.  Read Article 2, which gives the President powers that you wouldn’t believe.  But I don’t even have to rely on Article 2.  There was no crime.  There was no obstruction.  There was no collusion.  There was no nothing.  And this is from a group of people that hate me.  If they only found anything, they would've had it.  And he knows that better than anybody.      Q    He did not say that you were innocent.  He said he did not --      THE PRESIDENT:  There was no crime, there was no charge because he had no information.      Q    Do you agree with Louisiana's ban on abortion at six weeks?  Is that a good law?      THE PRESIDENT:  Well, we're going to have a statement about it.  And I'm also going to have, probably today, a major statement on the border.  This is a big league statement.  But we are going to do something very dramatic on the border, because people are coming into our country -- the Democrats will not give us laws.  They will not change laws.  They will not meet.  They will not do anything.  They want to have open borders.  They want to have crime.  They want to have drugs pouring into our country.  They want to have human trafficking.  I'm going to be making a statement probably tomorrow but maybe today.      Q    Are you closing the border?      THE PRESIDENT:  No, I'm not closing the border.  I'm doing something else.      We're going to be having a major statement on the border sometime later today or tomorrow.      Q    What's the (inaudible) of it?      THE PRESIDENT:  It will be a statement having to do with the border and having to do with people illegally coming over the border.  And it will be my biggest statement, so far, on the border.  We have brought something to the light of the people.  They see now it's a national emergency, and most people agree.  The Democrats agree too, but they won't give us the legislation you need to fix it.          Right now, when you catch somebody, you have to release them.  They won't give us the legislation.  Whether it's chain migration or whether it's lottery, they won't give us any.  And the asylum procedures are ridiculous.  No place in the world has what we have in terms of ridiculous immigration laws. So I will be making a major statement -- I would say my biggest statement -- on the border, probably today or tomorrow. Thanks.                           END                8:27 A.M. EDT

West Wing Reads Democrats Should Forget Impeachment and Turn the Page

Democrats Should Forget Impeachment and Turn the Page “It would be divisive for the nation and a boon to our global competitors if Democrats choose to hobble our national agenda with superfluous, partisan impeachment,” Carrie Sheffield writes in CNN. “Clearly, Mueller is moving on and it's time for us to move on as a country, too.” Despite the spin from Congressional Democrats looking for cover to pursue more political, obstructionist investigations, “special counsel Robert Mueller was not secretly gunning for impeachment in his statement on Wednesday . . . By a nearly 20-point margin, the American people do not want impeachment, according to polling by the Washington Post and ABC News. Let's move on and focus on issues that actually help the country, like opioid crisis alleviation, national security, infrastructure and health care.” Click here to read more. “Mr. Mueller’s analysis of the obstruction evidence in his own report makes clear that no investigation was obstructed. Not the FBI’s counterintelligence probe, and not his own. No witnesses were interfered with, and Mr. Mueller was allowed over two years to issue nearly 500 search-and-seizure warrants and interview anyone he wanted, including anyone in the White House,” The Wall Street Journal editorial board writes. The report also “shows beyond doubt, there is no evidence of a conspiracy, broad or narrow.” Robert Mueller’s “message was another disappointment for Democrats, since it boils down to: I’m not going to help you drag this out,” the New York Post editorial board writes. “Nothing changed after Mueller’s press conference. Except this: Democrats can’t have it both ways — shying from impeachment but wallowing in endless investigations and testimony that create more noise without shedding any new light.” “Luckily for American agriculture, President Trump negotiated a new trade agreement with Canada and Mexico called the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, commonly referred to as the USMCA, which will help agriculture immensely,” state agriculture officials Chris Chinn, Steve Wellman, and Mike Naig write in The Missouri Times. “Across the country and all industry sectors, the USMCA will create roughly 176,000 jobs and inject more than $68 billion into the economy by increasing exports to Canada and Mexico.” “Everyone is curious about how such false information could have been pushed up the Obama administration’s chain of command to start a secret examination of a rival political campaign. The Democrats seem curiously uncurious to get to the bottom of the mystery,” The Washington Times editorial board writes.

President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees and United States Marshal Nominee

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 29, 2019 President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees and United States Marshal Nominee Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate: David B. Barlow of Utah, to serve as Judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah. David Barlow is a partner in the Salt Lake City office of Dorsey & Whitney LLP, where his practice focuses on representing companies in civil litigation and white-collar investigations. Before joining Dorsey, Mr. Barlow was a Vice President for Walmart’s Health and Wellness businesses and in private practice with Sidley Austin LLP.  Earlier in his career, Mr. Barlow served as United States Attorney for the District of Utah and as General Counsel and Chief Judiciary Counsel for United States Senator Mike Lee.  Mr. Barlow received his B.A., summa cum laude, from Brigham Young University and his J.D. from Yale Law School. Robert A. Molloy of the Virgin Islands, to serve as Judge on the U.S. District Court for the U.S. Virgin Islands.  Robert Molloy is a Judge on the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands.  Prior to taking the bench in 2013, Judge Molloy served as an Assistant Attorney General of Labor in the Virgin Islands Office of Collective Bargaining.  Judge Molloy served as a law clerk to Judge Raymond L. Finch of the U.S. District Court of the Virgin Islands and earned a B.S. from Hampton University, his J.D. from American University Washington College of Law, and his M.B.A. from American University Kogod School of Business. Kevin R. Sweazea of New Mexico, to serve as Judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico. Kevin Sweazea is a Magistrate Judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico. Before being selected as a Magistrate Judge in 2017, Judge Sweazea served as a Judge on New Mexico’s Seventh Judicial District Court since 2001, including ten years as Chief Judge.  Early in his career, Judge Sweazea worked for various New Mexico law firms in private practice, where his practice included litigation, regulatory, and transactional matters.  Judge Sweazea has also served as a member of the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board and Socorro County Land Use Commission.  Judge Sweazea earned his B.Acy. from New Mexico State University and his J.D. from Baylor University Law School. Fernando L.G. Sablan of Guam, to serve as U.S. Marshal for Guam and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands. Fernando Sablan is a former officer for the United States Customs and Border Protection in Guam, where he served until his retirement in 2017.  Earlier in his career, Mr. Sablan served as an officer in the Guam Police Department for 22 years, earning the rank of Police Major.  Mr. Sablan received his A.S., cum laude, from Guam Community College. ###