THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. I just want to say that we just spent quite a bit of time inside with the Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has been a friend of mine for a long time, long before my world of politics, early into his world of politics, I think. But we’ve been friends for a long time. We are probably now, despite what we read, we’re probably now — I think, at least as far as I’m concerned — closer than ever before. And the relationship is very good.
We’re fighting for the same thing. We’re fighting for lower taxes, big tax cuts, the biggest tax cuts in the history of our nation. We’re fighting for tax reform, as part of that. We are getting close to healthcare. We’ll come up in the early- to mid-part of next year. We’re going to have a vote; I think we already have the votes. We feel confident we have the votes. We pretty much know what the plan is.
I believe Republicans and Democrats are, as we speak, working together very hard, right now — working together to do an intermediate plan, a short-term plan, because Obamacare is a disaster. The rates have gone up. The premiums have gone up. The deductibles have gone through the roof. I mean, it’s terrible. If you look at the deductibles, unless you really have a problem, you’re not going to be able to use them.
So we have been working together long and hard. We think we’re in good shape for the budget, we hope. And we hope to be in good shape with, again, the largest tax cuts ever passed in this country. It’s going to spur business. You look at other countries, what they’ve done — and we’re competing with other countries. When China is at 15 percent, when I hear that Ireland is going to be reducing their cooperate rates down to 8 percent from 12. But you have other countries also reducing. We can’t be at 35 percent and think we’re going to remain competitive in terms of companies and in terms of jobs. So we worked on that.
I was very honored to see a man that I’ve had a lot of respect for, James Lee Witt, of the Clinton administration — the head of FEMA. He gave us an A-plus; I just see — it just came out. And I’ve always had respect for him. He gave us — he’s the FEMA director of the Clinton administration — gave us an A-plus for how we responded to the hurricane aftermath — all of the hurricanes. And that includes Puerto Rico.
So I just want to thank Mr. Witt, wherever you may be now, wherever you may be listening. I just want to say, I really much appreciate it. Because that took it out of politics — out of the world of politics, in that he was with the Clinton administration and I’m sure remains loyal to the Clinton administration. I hope he does.
So just to finish off, my relationship with this gentleman is outstanding, has been outstanding. We are working very hard to get the tax cuts. We will continue to work hard to get the healthcare completed. I’m going to be surprising some people with an economic development bill later on, but I haven’t even told Mitch because I want to focus on tax cuts and some other things right now.
One of the unspoken elements that we discussed at lunch — and it just is not talked about — yes, we got a great justice, Justice Gorsuch, into the United States Supreme Court. He is going to be outstanding, hopefully for many, many years. But something that people aren’t talking about is how many judges we’ve had approved, whether it be the court of appeals, circuit judges, whether it be district judges. We have — tremendous — right now under review; the Democrats are holding them up beyond anything — beyond comprehension, they’re holding them up.
I mean, frankly, they have terrible, terrible policy — terrible policy — and perhaps they’re not even good politicians, but they are good at obstruction. So I looked at some of these numbers, between the judges — and I want to say that we will set records in terms of the number of judges.
And if you read the Wall Street Journal, I have to give them a little bit of a — a person, a writer, I wont mention names — but you can see who has really been a really fair person — wrote an article or wrote an editorial, in a sense, saying how well we’re doing with judges and appointments. I think its one of the big unsung things of this administration, in addition to the fact that we have had a lot of legislation passed on the VA and lots of other things.
But the judge story is an untold story. Nobody wants to talk about it. But when you think about it, Mitch and I were saying, that has consequences 40 years out, depending on the age of the judge, but 40 years out. So numerous have been approved. Many, many are in the pipeline. The level of quality is extraordinary.
And I just wanted to say that we’re working very closely on that also, and getting really great reviews from those people and, in many cases, some scholars that have been studying it. There has never been anything like what we’ve been able to do together with judges.
So with that, Id like to have Mitch say a few words, and if you want to do a little question-and-answer, we can do that also.
Thank you very much. Thank you.
LEADER MCCONNELL: Well, thank you very much, Mr. President. I want to underscore what the President said. We have the same agenda.
ht/ all too much
That’s one frightened turtle.
McConnell looked like Sheriff Lombardo up there, singing for his supper. Not that PDT is anything like Aaron Rouse, but Lombardo and McConnell both look broken now.
And with Bannon on the outside now, Trump’s hands are clean and no one can say he didn’t try to get McConnell in line with the agenda — established in the written platform of the RNC and explained at the convention — that the People lawfully elected. Ryan better get a clue, too.
Mr. President, please do NOT trust this man’s words – only his actions, and what he ends up accomplishing. No way in hell is there any reason, with a republican majority, that we can’t have the Trump agenda that we demanded at the polls. If there is a lack of party discipline for the agenda to pass, then that’s just their convenient ‘out’.
I wonder if McConnell got some sobering polling.
McConnell not to be trusted just like Ryan.
Only one for the people is Trump.
My respect for McCONnell has not increased. Trump has the bull(shitter) by the horns.
McCONnell appears more concerned about the Senate Races and support from RINOs to maintain his position versus Trumps legislative agenda and judicial nominations.
Is he going to fulfill his duties and responsibilities as Senate Majority Leader and actually lead?? The jury is still out.
This might be four dimensional chess. Good Cop, Donald Trump, Bad Cop, Mean old Bannon.
Trump has the rinos by the nutsack. They hoped he would give up and submit. He did the opposite and he is kicking their their no good ass into reality. I love President Trump!
I like the hell out of mean old Bannon too!
Found a turtle in the rough today, picked it up and threw it back into the pond, oh swamp. Just sayin’.
MAGA.
I watched this presser and I thought at times McConnell looked scared to death. I would love to have been the proverbial fly on the wall when he met with President Trump. I doubt it was all that congenial and am confident Trump laid out exactly what would happen if McConnell didn’t get that band of obstructionists of his in line.
turtle isnt much smarter than he looks. He also mocked Bannon. hmpf. Bannon is on his way to AZ to campaign for Kelly against fruiti flake. Another Judge Roy Moore style defeat for the turtle
“fruiti flake”
Jeff’s sharp as a marble isn’t he. I mean really, how stupid can you get? The polls are out Jeff. You freaken RINO. I hope you have a back up plan pal. Maybe Car Sales. Used of course.
President Trump said “I’d like to have Mitch say a few words.”
Mitch doesn’t say anything.
He mumbles.
Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. Love the weird look in the turtle’s eyes.
Donald Trump. The Donald. The Don.
Kiss his ring, Mitch. Go ahead. It’ll be fine.
Trumps just trolling him.
What was Trumps IQ again? They try and hide that little tidbit. I watched some asshole on TV try and explain that “Well he’s older now so he is just a super genius not a mega genius. Trump never says or tweets anything without purpose. It’s a beautiful thing to watch.
If Trump wanted to be evil, he’d be the evilist politician there ever was.
Or is he??? Depends on what side of the glass you are on.
PDJT pollished and buffed Mitch’s head while twisting Mitch’s man bits. I was ROTFLMAO, and howelling at the line about Mitch and pharma money.
PJ
“PDJT pollished and buffed”
He’s on point. Knows what he think needs to be done and he’s executing like a BOSS. Turtle Boy is not sleeping well tonight. Probably because the Secretary of Transportation is calling him a RINO DUMB ASS BITCH.
I think he threatened making a batch of turtle soup for dinner.
Guess what McConell’s getting for Christmas?
Fired.
If you’s guys want a plain explanation of what’s going down with McConnell and the RINO swamp, listen to Bannon, Moore, Ingraham, Gorka, et al speeches at the Value Voters Summit. Bannon lit up!
Rush had a fill in host a few weeks ago who did a hilarious impersonation of McConnell after being ‘lobbied’ in favor of a Gummi Bear subsidy. LOL funny, and educational at the same time.
you have to hand it to trump, standing up there with a man who has stabbed him in the back numerous times.
the only way I would be seen next to him is if it was so I could abuse him in front of everyone.
you know,
push him down.
kick him when he was down.
spit on him.
point and laugh at him.
not the weinstein kind of abuse.