Karoline Leavitt holds a White House press briefing.
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NewsTranscript
00:00MS.
00:01Good afternoon, everybody.
00:02Good afternoon.
00:03MS.
00:04I apologize for my tardiness, but I came directly from the Oval.
00:07I have some newsy updates to share from the President, which I know you all very much value
00:11and appreciate.
00:12So let's get to it.
00:13The President promised millions of Christians across the country on the campaign trail that
00:17he would create a White House faith office when he returned to the White House, and he
00:22has delivered on that promise.
00:24The White House faith office has put together an extraordinary week-long celebration currently
00:29underway for Holy Week ahead of Easter Sunday.
00:33The President signed a Holy Week proclamation, filmed a special presidential video message,
00:39and will be hosting a pre-Easter dinner tomorrow night and a White House staff Easter worship
00:43service on Thursday.
00:45The President and the First Lady are honored to continue the tradition of the White House
00:49Easter egg roll, which will take place on the South Lawn next Monday.
00:53In other news, President Trump is turning America into a manufacturing superpower again.
00:58Yesterday, there was a monumental announcement by NVIDIA, one of the largest companies in
01:04the world.
01:05This is just the latest example.
01:07For the first time ever, chip-making giant NVIDIA will produce AI supercomputers entirely
01:13in the United States, as part of its pledge to produce $50 billion worth of AI infrastructure
01:20in our country over the next four years.
01:23With their manufacturing partners, they have commissioned more than a million square feet of manufacturing space
01:28to build and test NVIDIA Blackwell chips in the great state of Arizona, and AI supercomputers
01:35in the great state of Texas.
01:37NVIDIA's founder and CEO, Jensen Huang, touted how the engines of the world's AI infrastructure
01:43are being built in the United States for the first time.
01:47This is the Trump effect.
01:50This follows trillions in other U.S. investments announced already, including $500 billion from
01:55Apple in U.S.-based manufacturing and training, $100 billion from TSMC and U.S.-based chips
02:01manufacturing, and the $500 billion private investment led by OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank
02:07in artificial intelligence infrastructure.
02:10Under President Trump, we're going to produce the cars, the ships, the chips, the airplanes,
02:15the minerals, and medicines that we need right here in America at the hands of American workers.
02:21On the border, President Trump continues to break records and protect our homeland.
02:26According to CBP, Border Patrol apprehensions along the southwest border for the entire month
02:31of March 2025 were lower than the first two days of March 2024 under Joe Biden.
02:37Incredible law enforcement officers are arresting violent illegal aliens from American communities
02:42every day.
02:43Here are a few examples from the latest ICE report which I received this morning.
02:48ICE Los Angeles arrested a 54-year-old citizen of Mexico convicted of rape by threat, sodomy
02:53with a person under 14 years, and kidnapping in San Jose, California.
02:58ICE Houston has arrested a 23-year-old citizen of Mexico convicted of predatory criminal sexual
03:04assault of a child in Cook County, Illinois.
03:07ICE Houston arrested a 64-year-old citizen of Honduras convicted of murder in Los Angeles,
03:13California.
03:14ICE Chicago arrested a 49-year-old citizen of Guatemala convicted of assault and arson in
03:21Prince Williams, Virginia.
03:23Not far from here.
03:24ICE Denver arrested a 36-year-old citizen of Mexico who is registered as a sex offender
03:30and has been convicted of sexual assault of a child in Lake County, Colorado.
03:35ICE Baltimore arrested a 50-year-old citizen of China convicted of sex trafficking in Bel Air,
03:41Maryland.
03:42ICE Boston arrested a 46-year-old citizen of Jamaica convicted of three counts of rape
03:47of a child and two counts of indecent assault and battery of a child under 14 in Boston, Massachusetts.
03:55President Trump and our administration will not rest until every single violent illegal
03:59alien is removed from our country.
04:02The safety of the American people is too important to settle for anything less.
04:07On that note, the Democrat and media outrage over the deportation of Abrego Garcia, an MS-13
04:13El Salvadorian illegal alien criminal who was hiding in Maryland has been nothing short of
04:19despicable.
04:20Based on the sensationalism of many of the people in this room, you would think we deported a
04:24candidate for Father of the Year.
04:27That's because, unfortunately, many in this country care more about this quote-unquote Maryland
04:32father, illegal alien MS-13 gang member, than a Maryland mother and an American citizen who
04:39was brutally murdered at the hands of a different illegal alien.
04:42Of course, I am referring to Rachel Morin.
04:46And if you didn't see, yesterday, a Maryland jury found illegal alien Victor Antonio Martinez
04:51Hernandez guilty of murdering Rachel Morin in August of 2023.
04:56She was a 37-year-old mother of five who was jogging in an otherwise safe community northeast
05:01of Baltimore when this monster ambushed, strangled, and beat her to death before stuffing her brutalized
05:07body in a tunnel drain.
05:09The Morin family finally got justice yesterday, but they will never get Rachel back.
05:15Our hearts go out to Rachel's family, her five children, and her mother, Patty, who has
05:19suffered the unimaginable loss of her daughter.
05:23In case you missed it last week, President Trump signed a National Security Presidential
05:27Memorandum directing federal agencies administering federal land on the border to make land available
05:33to the Defense Department in a new national defense area.
05:37This followed the President's day-one executive order committing his administration to marshal
05:41all available resources and authorities to stop the unprecedented flood of illegal aliens
05:47into our country and to obtain complete operational control of the borders of the United States
05:52of America.
05:53Once again, the President is fulfilling another key promise.
05:57This new national defense area spans more than 170 miles across our border in New Mexico,
06:03but in the coming weeks, this administration will add more than 90 miles in the state of Texas.
06:09This national defense area will enhance our ability to detect, interdict, and prosecute
06:13the illegal aliens, criminal gangs, and terrorists who were able to invade our country without
06:18consequence for the past four years under the Biden administration.
06:22It will also bolster our defenses against fentanyl and other dangerous narcotics that have
06:27been poisoning our communities.
06:29With all of this work being done to make America great again, we continue to see a positive response
06:34from the American public.
06:35A brand-new poll published from the Daily Mail and JL Partners this morning found that
06:39President Trump's approval rating is at an all-time high.
06:43That's because the President is working tirelessly to keep his promises to the American people,
06:47as I just saw him doing today in the Oval Office.
06:50We have a reporter in our new media seat today, Matthew Foldy, I like your boots, Matt, who is
06:54the editor-in-chief of The Washington Reporter.
06:57Washington Reporter is a new, fast-growing outlet that breaks stories about legislation and
07:01interviews leaders in Congress and across the administration.
07:07The publication's readership includes the highest levels of business in government.
07:11And with that, please kick us off, Matt.
07:13And we've interviewed you as well.
07:15So, Caroline, thanks so much for having me here on behalf of our readership and the billions
07:19of Americans who I think appreciate what you're doing with the new media seat here and making
07:23this a more accessible briefing room.
07:25I'm curious, with Harvard, we saw the Trump administration today announced it's cutting
07:30around $2 billion, or freezing $2 billion in funds to Harvard because the campus has serious
07:36problems with violence and with anti-Semitism.
07:39We saw President Obama, former President Obama, side with Harvard, which rejected the Trump
07:43administration's demands.
07:44I'm curious, where does the administration see this going with Harvard and with other colleges
07:49and universities in America that are refusing to reform in the wake of the sort of craziness
07:54that we've seen take over some of them?
07:56MS.
07:57Thank you, Matt, for being here.
07:58And thanks for the question.
07:59When it comes to Harvard, the President's position on this is grounded in common sense,
08:04in the basic principle that Jewish American students or students of any faith should not
08:09be illegally harassed and targeted on our nation's college campuses.
08:14And we unfortunately saw that illegal discrimination take place on the campus of Harvard.
08:19There are countless examples to prove it, particularly with the stunning confession by then-Harvard
08:26President Claudine Gay, who said that bullying and harassment depended on the context.
08:32The President at that time made it clear to the American public he was not going to tolerate
08:36illegal harassment and anti-Semitism taking place in violations of federal law.
08:41So the President made it clear to Harvard, follow federal law.
08:45No longer break Title VI, which was passed by Congress to ensure no student can be discriminated
08:50against on the basis of race.
08:52And you will receive federal funding.
08:54Unfortunately, Harvard has not taken the President or the Administration's demands seriously.
09:00All the President is asking, don't break federal law and then you can have your federal funding.
09:04I think the President is also begging a good question.
09:07More than $2 billion out the door to Harvard when they have a more than $50 billion endowment.
09:12Why are the American taxpayers subsidizing a university that has billions of dollars in the bank
09:17already?
09:18And we certainly should not be funding a place where such grave anti-Semitism exists.
09:23I'm curious.
09:24You just mentioned Rachel Morin.
09:25I'm a Maryland man and I think most Marylanders appreciate what you were saying today.
09:30We've seen that Chris Van Hollen, who was Rachel Morin's senator, basically threatening to fly
09:42to El Salvador to press for the release of someone who was in America illegally.
09:47And not as much sort of from him about Rachel Morin's horrific murder and the verdict that
09:52was, I think, rightly reached yesterday.
09:54What does the administration think about the priorities we're seeing from Senate Democrats
09:58in terms of illegal immigrants instead of the work that agencies like ICE and DHS are
10:04doing with the Trump administration?
10:06MS.
10:07It's mind-boggling, the priorities of the modern-day Democrat Party.
10:11I think it's atrocious that you have Democrats in Congress on Capitol Hill who swear an oath
10:18to protect their constituents and to serve them in Washington, D.C., spending more time defending
10:24illegal immigrant gang members than their own constituents and law-abiding American citizens
10:29like Rachel Morin.
10:31And I saw the President personally on the campaign trail, and I continue to see him in his role
10:36as President of the United States, put American families first, reach out to the victims,
10:42the families of victims at the hands of illegal immigrant crime, and, frankly, the actions
10:47and the words of the Democrat Party proved they could not care less about the American public.
10:51And maybe if they did, they'd see a bit higher approval ratings right now.
10:54Thanks for being here with us today.
10:56Peter.
10:57Thank you, Caroline.
10:58To follow up on something that you just said, why do Ivy League schools get so much federal funding?
11:04MS.
11:05It's a very good question.
11:06And it's a question the President has obviously raised in his discussions and negotiations
11:10with not just Harvard, but also Columbia and many other Ivy League institutions.
11:15We have the Anti-Semitism Task Force, which the President promised and delivered on,
11:21the anti-Semitism task forces across the government, representatives from various federal agencies
11:26who meet on a weekly basis to discuss the question that you just raised.
11:30And I think a lot of Americans are wondering why their tax dollars are going to these universities
11:34when they are not only indoctrinating our nation's students but also allowing such egregious illegal behavior to occur.
11:41To follow up on immigration, deporting American citizens to Central American prisons, is it legal, or do you need to change the law to do it?
11:52MS.
11:53Well, it's another question that the President has raised.
11:55It's a legal question that the President is looking into.
11:58And he talked about this yesterday with his meeting with President Bukele in the Oval Office.
12:03He would only consider this, if legal, for Americans who are the most violent, egregious, repeat offenders of crime,
12:11who nobody in this room wants living in their communities.
12:14And then there's this CHNV thing.
12:18President Biden let more than 530,000 people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela, into the U.S. with this CHNV program.
12:27He did it with the stroke of a pen.
12:29And now a judge will not let President Trump undo it with the stroke of a pen.
12:35So are you guys going to give all 530,000-plus people individual deportation hearings, or are you just going to try to deport them?
12:45MS.
12:46I spoke to White House Counsel's Office about this this morning, because obviously another rogue district court judge is trying to block the administration's mass deportation efforts with this latest injunction.
12:56We will fight this in the court of law, and we will ensure that every individual who illegally entered our country and was really taken advantage of by the previous administration,
13:08because they abused the parole system in this country to fast-track legal status, as they said, for these illegal immigrants.
13:17And they completely abused our legal system.
13:21Many of these paroled individuals were then given temporary protective status, which the intention of that TPS was only supposed to be used in times of war or storm or destruction in the home countries of these migrants.
13:35It was completely abused.
13:37These migrants came here for economic reasons, and they illegally entered our country, and the President is not going to tolerate that.
13:44And so we will continue to focus on deporting as many individuals as we can.
13:49Jennifer.
13:50One on tariffs and one on Russia.
13:52Can you give us any sort of an update on which deals are in hand or are close, which countries are reaching a deal on tariffs?
13:59And then on Russia, can you give us an update on what the agreement was with Russia?
14:03The President yesterday said that he thinks we'll be seeing some very good deals very soon.
14:06Can you talk a little bit about what Russia agreed to?
14:08MS.
14:09Sure.
14:10I don't want to get ahead of our United States Trade Ambassador and Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Treasury,
14:15all the great individuals who are working incredibly hard to cut these good trade deals.
14:19And the President is deeply involved in this as well.
14:21He has made it clear to his trade team he wants to personally sign off on all of these deals, too.
14:26And so I don't want to get ahead of them on announcements.
14:28But obviously, as you've heard from numerous administration officials, there have been many talks with countries.
14:34We've had more than 15 deals, pieces of paper put on the table, proposals that are actively being considered.
14:40And as we've said consistently, more than 75 countries have reached out.
14:44So there's a lot of work to do.
14:45We very much understand that.
14:47But we do believe that we can announce some deals very soon.
14:50And then on Russia, can you say, did Russia agree to anything with Special Envoy Steve Witkoff?
14:55MS.
14:56I don't want to get ahead of those negotiations as well.
14:59What I can tell you is that they were – a productive conversation was had.
15:03As the presidential envoy, Steve Witkoff, said last night, he believes that Russia wants to end this war,
15:10and the President believes that as well.
15:12There is incentive for Russia to end this war.
15:15And perhaps that could be economic partnerships with the United States, but we need to see a ceasefire first.
15:20And the President and the presidential envoy, Witkoff, made that very clear to the Russians.
15:25Gabe.
15:26Thank you, Caroline.
15:27MS.
15:28Yeah.
15:29And I also want to thank your press office for releasing that information that you cited up there
15:33regarding the ICE arrests over the last couple of days.
15:36And I have them right here, but what I might ask is, why not release the same information for those who were deported to El Salvador?
15:44MS.
15:45Well, first of all, the information was released by the Department of Homeland Security.
15:49Individuals on the flights to El Salvador are foreign terrorists, and those are counterterrorism operations.
15:55They are much different than the arrests and final order of removals that you see on a day-to-day basis
16:00that law enforcement agents are conducting around the country.
16:02That information was not – to that detail was not released by the .
16:06MS.
16:07I just told you the reason.
16:08It was a counterterrorism operation, a deportation of foreign terrorists, not illegal criminals who have been convicted of heinous crimes living in our American communities.
16:17It's two different things – foreign terrorists, illegal immigrant criminal.
16:20Two different things, two different definitions.
16:21You should look them up.
16:22Christian, go ahead.
16:23Yeah.
16:24Thanks, Caroline.
16:25Does the President support raising the corporate tax rate to pay for all these other tax cuts he wants to see move through Congress?
16:32MS.
16:33Look, I've seen this idea proposed.
16:34I've heard this idea discussed.
16:36But I don't believe the President has made a determination on whether he supports it or not.
16:40And then secondly, do you have any information on the status of Eden Alexander?
16:45Hamas says they lost contact with the unit guarding him following an Israeli airstrike earlier today.
16:51MS.
16:52I don't have updates.
16:53I have not seen that report, but I can certainly check in with our National Security Council.
16:57I have spoken to the President about Eden Alexander, and he's made it very clear to our national security team that finding him is a priority, but unfortunately I don't have any updates to share.
17:06But it's a very important matter, and certainly we can check in.
17:09Sure.
17:10Hi.
17:11MS.
17:12Hi.
17:13How concerned is the President that a federal judge could hold a Trump administration official in contempt of court for defying deportation orders?
17:21MS.
17:22We are complying with all court orders.
17:24So I see what you're trying to do there with that question.
17:26But we're very confident that every action taken by this administration is within the confines of the law, and we continue to comply with the court's orders.
17:34And you have seen that.
17:36And the President made that clear yesterday in the Oval Office with President Bukele.
17:40Sure.
17:41Thanks, Caroline.
17:42Could you just go back to El Salvador, could you just explain to us a little bit more about the legal basis on which you may be able to do?
17:51MS.
17:52We're looking at it, and when I have more for you to share, I certainly will.
17:53Sure.
17:54Hi.
17:55Thanks.
17:56Still going off the El Salvador questions.
17:57Yesterday in the Oval Office, administration officials made it very clear that El Salvador is responsible for Mr. Obrado Garcia, yet El Salvador's President said we are not going to do anything with him.
18:18So my question is, who is responsible for this man and where he's going to end up?
18:23MS.
18:24Well, no.
18:25First of all, President Bukele said that he is not going to smuggle a foreign terrorist back into the United States of America, as many in this room in the Democrat Party seemingly want him to do.
18:35Abrego Garcia was a foreign terrorist.
18:38He is an MS-13 gang member.
18:41He was engaged in human trafficking.
18:43He illegally came into our country.
18:46And so deporting him back to El Salvador was always going to be the end result.
18:51There is never going to be a world in which this is an individual who is going to live a peaceful life in Maryland because he is a foreign terrorist and a MS-13 gang member.
19:00Not only have we confirmed that, President Bukele yesterday in the Oval Office confirmed that as well.
19:06So he went back to his home country where he will face consequences for his gang affiliation and his engagement in human trafficking.
19:14I'm not sure what is so difficult about this for everyone in the media to understand.
19:18And it's appalling, truly appalling, that there has been so much time covering this alleged human trafficker and this gang member, MS-13 gang member.
19:30It's truly striking to me.
19:34Karen.
19:35Thank you, Caroline.
19:36The President was posting on Truth Social today about helping American farmers.
19:39And last week in his Cabinet meeting he was talking about a plan to work with farmers to retain workers who are in the U.S. illegally provided that they leave and then come back through what he said would be a legal process.
19:51Can you give details on what that would look like, how many workers he's talking about, how long a plan like that would take to implement,
19:58and the timeline for more details on getting this actually to implementation?
20:02MS.
20:03I can check in with our immigration and our policy team and get you some more details on that, Karen.
20:06And is this something he wants to roll out soon?
20:09I mean, he was talking back and forth with Secretary Rollins.
20:11MS.
20:12Right.
20:13This is kind of imminent that he wants to do this.
20:14MS.
20:15Yeah, look, the President is in constant communication with all of his Cabinet secretaries, particularly Secretary Rollins, who has the backs of American farmers and ranchers.
20:23It's something that he spoke about with her in the front of all the cameras in the Cabinet Room.
20:28But I'll check in with not only our immigration team but also with USDA and we'll get you an answer.
20:33Jonathan.
20:34Hi, Caroline.
20:35MS.
20:36Hi.
20:37It's good to see you in here.
20:38You too.
20:39The President has long said that it would be an abuse of power for a President to direct prosecutors to investigate him.
20:44Last week, President Trump explicitly directed the Justice Department to scrutinize Chris Krebs to see if it can find any evidence of criminal wrongdoing.
20:55How is that not an abuse of power to direct the Justice Department to look into an individual, a named individual?
21:03MS.
21:04Look, the President signed that executive order.
21:05It's the position of the President in this White House that it's well within his authority to do it.
21:10Otherwise, he wouldn't have signed it.
21:12And he signed it, and that's his policy.
21:14Jeff, how are you doing?
21:15Hi, thanks.
21:16Thanks, Caroline.
21:17A follow-up on Harvard.
21:18The President floated on true social, I believe, the possibility of removing tax-exempt status.
21:23How serious is that threat that I know the universities is considering?
21:27And then a follow-up question on foreign policy.
21:30What are your – can you give us an update on what the President hopes to come from the next round of talks with Iran?
21:35MS.
21:36Sure.
21:37First, when it comes to Harvard, as I said, the President has been quite clear they must follow federal law.
21:41He also wants to see Harvard apologize.
21:43And Harvard should apologize for the egregious anti-Semitism that took place on their college campus against Jewish American students.
21:51There were professors who said that he had engaged in discriminatory behavior against Jewish students.
21:59Of course, you had the former President of the University saying bullying and harassment depends on the context.
22:04You also had an encampment on Harvard Yard that we all saw play out before the cameras.
22:10The university failed to impose formal discipline on any students for this anti-Semitic conduct violations, including the occupation of a campus building and the disruption of classes with bullhorns.
22:19The President believes Harvard should apologize to its Jewish American students for allowing such egregious behavior.
22:26As for the tax-exempt status, I would defer you to the IRS for any updates.
22:29I do want to answer your question on Iran, of course.
22:31The maximum pressure campaign on Iran continues.
22:34But as you know, the President has made it clear he wants to see dialogue and discussion with Iran while making his directive about Iran never being able to obtain a nuclear weapon quite clear.
22:44And the President spoke to the Sultan of Oman today who helped facilitate these talks.
22:49I have a readout for all of you.
22:51He held a call with the Sultan of Oman today, and he thanked him for hosting the first direct meeting between the United States and Iran
22:58and emphasized the need for Iran to end its nuclear program through negotiations.
23:02The two leaders also discussed the United States' ongoing operations against the Houthis
23:07and emphasized that the Houthis will pay a severe price until they end their attacks on maritime traffic in the Red Sea.
23:14As you know, an additional negotiation between Steve Witkoff and Iran's representative has been scheduled for Saturday.
23:21And since these are ongoing negotiations, I have nothing more to add on that.
23:24Can I talk about Iran?
23:25MS.
23:26Sure.
23:27Thank you, Caroline.
23:28You said that the President said that Iran will never have nuclear weapons.
23:31Is the focus on dismantling the entire nuclear program or just restricting enriched uranium or the missile program?
23:41MS.
23:42The President does not want to see Iran have a nuclear program.
23:45He does not want Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.
23:48He's been very clear about this.
23:50Shelby.
23:51Thanks, Caroline.
23:52MS.
23:53Shelby, you have a seat today.
23:54I know.
23:55Stole it.
23:56First, is the President expecting to extend the TikTok ban that's now June 19th if China doesn't come to the table in time?
24:02MS.
24:03Well, June 19th is a long ways away, obviously.
24:05I think it's two months away.
24:06Two months is a long time.
24:08And the Trump administration, as you have all seen, we work at Trump's feet around here.
24:11We get a lot done.
24:12So definitely don't want to get ahead.
24:14The Vice President continues to lead these negotiations and talks.
24:17The President is involved, and they're ongoing.
24:18And then the President previously said he'd consider reducing tariffs on China in order to get a TikTok deal done.
24:25Is that option still on the table?
24:27MS.
24:28Look, the President has made his position on China quite clear, although I do have an additional statement that he just shared with me in the Oval Office.
24:35The ball is in China's court.
24:38China needs to make a deal with us.
24:40We don't have to make a deal with them.
24:42There's no difference between China and any other country except they are much larger.
24:46And China wants what we have, what every country wants what we have, the American consumer.
24:53Or to put it another way, they need our money.
24:56So the President, again, has made it quite clear that he's open to a deal with China, but China needs to make a deal with the United States of America.
25:02On tariffs.
25:03MS.
25:04Sure.
25:05Yesterday in the Oval Office, President Trump suggested that there could be some help for automakers.
25:15I'm wondering what that looks like.
25:17Is it tariff relief on the 25% tariffs that are in place right now, or the new tariffs that are coming up in May on auto parts?
25:24And a second on Canada, if I may, President Trump's tone when it comes to Canada-U.S. relations.
25:29Canadians have noticed it's shifted a bit in the past few weeks, ever since the election campaign started.
25:36He stopped talking about Canada becoming the 51st state, at least publicly.
25:40I'm wondering if that's on purpose and why.
25:42MS.
25:43I would reject the President's position on Canada has shifted.
25:46Perhaps he just hasn't been asked about Canada by questions from this group in the Oval Office when they see him almost every day.
25:52But the President still maintains his position on Canada.
25:55The United States has been subsidizing Canada's national defense, and he believes that Canadians would benefit greatly from becoming the 51st state of the United States of America.
26:04As for autos and auto parts, I don't have anything to read out for you there, but I think the point the President was making is flexibility.
26:10And he has flexibility when it comes to negotiations and talks.
26:14But ultimately, his goal in his fair trade deals that he is pursuing with many countries around the world is to put the American worker first.
26:23And we had automakers and autoworkers here at the White House on Liberation Day who believe in this President and his negotiating ability to put them first and to bring those jobs back to the United States of America.
26:37And the President has been very clear about that in his conversations with the automakers as well.
26:40Can I hold on to this, Caroline?
26:41MS.
26:42Deanna.
26:43Deanna, go ahead.
26:44Thanks, Caroline.
26:45One on Ukraine and one on China.
26:46On Ukraine this past weekend, Zelenskyy offered an invitation to President Trump, extending an offer for him to visit Ukraine.
26:54Just wondering if there's any update on that.
26:56Has Trump seen that offer and what he's thinking about?
26:58MS.
26:59I don't know.
27:00Actually, I haven't talked to the President about that or if he saw Zelenskyy's offer.
27:04I'm sure he did.
27:05I haven't spoken to him about it.
27:06I can ask him what he thinks.
27:08I certainly don't have any plans to share on a potential trip to Ukraine, though.
27:11And then on China, this last week, Chinese officials were posting videos on social media sites depicting Trump, J.D. Vance, Elon Musk,
27:22in AI-generated videos working in factories putting together Nike shoes and iPhones and products like that.
27:31Does the White House, have they seen these videos?
27:33Do you guys have a response to that?
27:34MS.
27:35I have seen the videos.
27:36I'm not sure who made the videos or if we can verify the authenticity.
27:40But whoever made it clearly does not see the potential of the American worker, the American workforce.
27:46The President believes in the American people, and he knows that we have the best not only consumer base in the world,
27:51but also the best workforce in the world.
27:53And that's why he's so focused on bringing investments home and shoring up our critical supply chains
27:59and bolstering our manufacturing here as well.
28:01Brett.
28:02Thanks, Caroline.
28:03Would the President support a ban on members of Congress trading stocks?
28:07MS.
28:08I'm certain that's something the President would be interested in looking at,
28:11and I can ask him if he would support such a bill.
28:14Sure.
28:15Yes.
28:16I have a question about the President's post from this morning on farmers.
28:19He asked farmers to be patient and just hold on.
28:22But a lot of farmers that I've talked to in the last week or so have said they're in the middle of spring planting season
28:27and that a trade war makes everything sort of up in the air.
28:31What would his message to them be?
28:34And also, is there anything specifically planned to provide relief like in President Trump's last term?
28:39MS.
28:40Yes.
28:41Well, relief is being considered.
28:42The Secretary of Agriculture I know has spoken to the President about that, and again, it's being considered.
28:47And as for the President's message to the farmers, he put it out himself.
28:50He could speak for himself much better than I can speak for him.
28:53And so I would just direct you to the statement he had telling the farmers again and reiterating his support for them
28:58and that he has their backs, which he certainly does.
29:01Kelly, in the back.
29:02Well, thanks, Caroline.
29:03Two questions.
29:04The first one, a Georgia man was just arrested over alleged threats to kill Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
29:12Reportedly, there is now increased security around the FBI Deputy Director.
29:15Can you talk about the level of threats against various administration officials?
29:19And then a second one on Biden.
29:20MS.
29:21I'm sorry to hear that.
29:22I had not seen that report.
29:23It's very unfortunately and obviously the White House, the President, and the entire administration condemn any threats of violence against any administration officials or public officials on both sides of the aisle here in Washington, D.C.
29:36It shouldn't be tolerated, and we commend the local law enforcement agencies for arresting this individual.
29:41But on President Biden, he's former President Biden.
29:43He's set to deliver his first major speech since leaving office tonight.
29:48He plans to talk about what I'm told will be Social Security under the current administration, closing of offices, longer wait times, harder for seniors and people with disabilities to access earned benefits, is what Democrats have been saying today.
30:03I wanted to get the President's response or if he plans to respond to this and comments on what Democrats are calling cuts to Social Security.
30:11MS.
30:12My first reaction when seeing former President Biden was speaking tonight was I'm shocked that he is speaking at nighttime.
30:18I have thought his bedtime was much earlier than his speech tonight.
30:22I understand the topic of his speech will be Social Security.
30:25Let me make it very clear ahead of former President Biden's remarks.
30:29The President, this President, President Trump, is absolutely certain about protecting Social Security benefits for law-abiding, taxpaying American citizens and seniors who have paid into this program.
30:44He will always protect that program.
30:45He campaigned on it, he protected it in his first term, and he's back again to continue protecting it.
30:50On the topic of Social Security, I have some news before I let you all go.
30:54Later this afternoon, the President will be signing a presidential memorandum aimed at stopping illegal aliens and other ineligible people from obtaining Social Security Act benefits.
31:05The memorandum will direct the administration to ensure ineligible aliens are not receiving funds from the Social Security Act programs.
31:13It will expand the Social Security Administration's Fraud Prosecutor Program to at least 50 U.S. attorney offices,
31:20and establishes a Medicare and Medicaid fraud prosecution program in 15 U.S. attorney offices.
31:26The memorandum will also require the Social Security Administration inspector general to investigate earning reports for individuals aged 100 or older with mismatched Social Security records to combat identity theft.
31:39And the memorandum will direct the Social Security Administration to consider whether to reinstate the use of civil monetary penalties against individuals who engage in Social Security fraud, an effort that has been paused for several years.
31:52These taxpayer-funded benefits should be only for eligible taxpayers.
31:56And President Biden should think about what he did in his last term, which is allow tens of millions of illegal people into our country, many of whom were fraudulently receiving these benefits.
32:06So you'll hear from the President on that later, and we will see you later in the East Room.
32:10Bye, guys.
32:11Thanks, Caroline.