{"id":105200,"date":"2020-08-09T11:35:20","date_gmt":"2020-08-09T18:35:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/69.46.6.243\/?p=105200"},"modified":"2020-08-09T11:35:20","modified_gmt":"2020-08-09T18:35:20","slug":"president-trump-in-press-briefing-from-trump-national-at-bedminster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=105200","title":{"rendered":"President Trump in Press Briefing from Trump National at Bedminster"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Bedminster, NJ&#8230;Thank you very much everybody.  Thank you, and good afternoon.  My administration has been working around the clock in good faith to reach an agreement with Democrats on additional China virus relief.  Already, my administration has enacted over $3 trillion in historic relief, saving many tens of millions of dollars and jobs.  And you see how fast the economy is coming back.  It does look like it\u2019s going to be a very sharp \u201cV.\u201d  We have tremendous enthusiasm, tremendous spirit, and tremendous job growth.  We set a record on number of jobs in the last three months.  It\u2019s the most jobs ever created in a three-month period \u2014 during a three-month period.  That\u2019s great.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QCTicBFE5t0\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Before we begin, I\u2019ve just signed two bills that are great for our vets.  Our vets are very special.  We passed Choice, as you know \u2014 Veterans Choice \u2014 and Veterans Accountability.  And they\u2019ve been trying to get that passed for decades and decades and decades, and no President has ever been able to do it.  And we got it done so veterans have Choice.  And now you have Accountability \u2014 that if you don\u2019t love your vets, if you\u2019re in the VA and you don\u2019t love the vets or take care of the vets, you can actually get fired if you don\u2019t do your job.  We want people that love our vets.<\/p>\n<p>The first expands the eligibility for vets with blindness in both eyes.  So we have an expansion of benefits, an expansion of various elements of being and working with the VA for vets with blindness and \u2014 in particular, blindness in both eyes.  And we have a lot of problems with blindness in the VA, and we\u2019re doing something about it.  They\u2019ve been talking about this for many years.  So that is expanding eligibility for vets with blindness in both eyes.  Okay?<\/p>\n<p>Second is \u2014 requires the VA to establish a treatment court program for vets who need treatment rather than punishment for certain nonviolent crimes.  And you know what that all means, and it\u2019s really something that they\u2019ve been trying to get done for a long time.  The second requires the VA to establish a treatment court.  So this is a treatment court program for vets who need treatment rather than punishment for certain nonviolent crimes.  Okay?  I think it\u2019s self-explanatory.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve wanted this for a long time, they\u2019ve been trying to get it for a long time, and now we have it.  And I want to thank everybody for helping us get that done.  We had a lot of support from a lot of great people, including people in the VA.<\/p>\n<p>In the current negotiations, we have repeatedly stated our willingness to immediately sign legislation providing expanded unemployment benefits, protecting Americans from eviction, and providing additional relief payments to families.  Democrats have refused these offers; they want to negotiate.  What they really want is bailout money for states that are run by Democrat governors and mayors, and that have been run very badly for many, many years \u2014 and many decades, in fact.  You know the states; everybody knows who we\u2019re talking about and what we\u2019re talking about.  I don\u2019t think we have to go over it.<\/p>\n<p>But what the Democrats primarily want is bailout money.  It has nothing to do with the China virus.  It has nothing to do with anything that we\u2019ve been talking about over the last period of time.  They want to bailout states that have been badly managed by Democrats, badly run by Democrats for many years \u2014 and, in fact, in all cases, many decades.  And we\u2019re not willing to do that.<\/p>\n<p>Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer have chosen to hold this vital assistance hostage on behalf of very extreme partisan demands and the radical-left Democrats, and we just can\u2019t do that.  So, hopefully, we can do something with them at a later date, but we\u2019re going to be signing some bills in a little while that are going to be very important, and will take care of, pretty much, this entire situation.<\/p>\n<p>As we know it and as you have been covering it in some cases \u2014 actually covering it accurately \u2014 many of the far-left policies they\u2019re pushing have nothing to do, again, with what we have been working on so hard \u2014 namely, the corona.  You can call it so many different names.  What a horrible thing China released upon the world.<\/p>\n<p>One third of their bill \u2014 the HEROES Act \u2014 is spending completely unrelated money to the virus.  Here are just a few of the policies in their extreme-left bill.  And, again, this is a bill supported by Biden, and Biden is totally controlled now by the Bernie Sanders left wing of the party.  And, in fact, he\u2019s gone further left than Bernie Sanders ever dreamt of going.  So, obviously, other than Bernie have brought him left.  If you look at the manifesto that they\u2019ve agreed to, it\u2019s far further left than I\u2019ve ever heard anything about Bernie Sanders.<\/p>\n<p>The massive taxpayer bailout of badly run blue states we talked about \u2014 that\u2019s one of the things they\u2019re looking to do.  Measures designed to increase voter fraud.  Banning voter ID; they want to ban voter ID.  We should have voter ID in every state.  Every state should have voter ID.  You have ID on everything you do, practically, yet every- \u2014 everybody has voter ID.  Everybody has ID except for voters.  When you vote, you don\u2019t want ID; they don\u2019t want \u2014<\/p>\n<p>We have some states with it; it works out great.  And if you want to stop fraud in elections, have voter ID.  They want measures designed to increase voter fraud, which is banning voter ID in all states and banning requirements for signature verification in federal elections.<\/p>\n<p>Now, why would they want, in this bill \u2014 which really has nothing to do with what we\u2019re talking about: stimulus \u2014 something banning voter ID?  In every single state, they want to ban it, including states where we already have it, because we have some states where we have it \u2014 Indiana and others that do very well.<\/p>\n<p>Why would they want to ban voter ID in all states?  And why would they want to ban requirements for signature verification in federal election?  Who would want a bill banning signature verification?  What\u2019s that all about?<\/p>\n<p>You know what it\u2019s about?  Fraud.  That\u2019s what they want: fraud.  They want to try and steal this election because, frankly, it\u2019s the only way they can win the election.<\/p>\n<p>The bill also requires all states to do universal mail-in balloting \u2014 which nobody is \u2014 nobody is prepared for \u2014 regardless of whether or not they have the infrastructure.  They want to steal an election.  That\u2019s all this is all about: They want to steal the election.<\/p>\n<p>So, in the bill, they have a bill that requires all states to do universal mail-in balloting, regardless of whether or not they have the infrastructure.  Like in Nevada, it\u2019s such a disaster.  Their infrastructure is a total disaster.  They don\u2019t want to have signature verification, they don\u2019t want to have any of the safeguards that you need, and they don\u2019t want to have safeguards that are so common and so basic and even other states that we disagree with have.  This Nevada thing is a mess, but we\u2019ll see how the courts determine \u2014 what the courts determine.  But they certainly don\u2019t have the infrastructure in Nevada.  So we\u2019ll see how it is.<\/p>\n<p>As you know, we brought suit last week, and we\u2019ll see how that all works out.  I think we\u2019re going to win it.  But, basically, what they\u2019re trying to do with all of these requirements, including no signature verification: They\u2019re trying to steal an election.<\/p>\n<p>And I was in Ohio, I was in Texas, I was in Florida over the last four or five days.  And if you would see the crowds along the highways and the roadways, people have said they\u2019ve never seen anything like it, and they haven\u2019t seen anything like it.  And the press doesn\u2019t report it because they\u2019re fake news.<\/p>\n<p>They even want to force states to implement the controversial practice known as \u201cballot harvesting\u201d \u2014 a very dangerous practice \u2014 meaning they would allow Democrat Party operatives to deposit thousands and thousands of completed ballots at the post office without any verification of who filled them out, including a verification of signatures on the ballots.  So you\u2019re not even going to have a verified signature.  Anybody \u2014 I could sign it.  You could sign it.  Anybody in this room could sign it.  And that\u2019s going to count as a vote.  How can you do a thing like this?<\/p>\n<p>So this is what they\u2019re asking for.  This is what Nancy Pelosi and Crying Chuck Schumer are asking for.<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  (Laughter.)<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Okay?  It\u2019s ridiculous.  It\u2019s horrible.  It\u2019s a horrible thing.<\/p>\n<p>The Democrat bill includes stimulus checks for illegal aliens.  So if you were able to get into our country illegally \u2014 and our border is, as you know, doing very well right now.  We have a very strong border, and the wall is up to 276 miles.  And we\u2019ll be completed with it around the end of the year.  We\u2019re going to do some extra mileage in certain areas that people didn\u2019t realize were so bad, so we\u2019ll be completed with it.  Right after, we\u2019re going to do the additional mileage.  We\u2019ll do it probably a little bit after the year.<\/p>\n<p>I think, from what I\u2019ve heard, Joe Biden \u2014 Sleepy Joe \u2014 wants to rip the wall down.  He wants people to pour into our country.  They want to have open borders.  We don\u2019t want to have open borders.<\/p>\n<p>So the Democrat bill includes stimulus checks for illegal aliens.  They require the mass release of illegal aliens from detention.  They also compel the mass release of inmates, including serious felons.  How do you like that one?  And this is in the bill that we\u2019re talking about?  What does this have to do with stimulus, the economy?  What does this have to do with the coronavirus?  Another name.  What does this have to do with this?<\/p>\n<p>So, think of that: They required the mass release of illegal aliens from detention.  What does this have to do with what we\u2019re trying to do?  They want to put this \u2014 and this is a radical-left policy, so they can go to Portland and try and rip the place apart that they\u2019ve been doing for many years and they\u2019ve been doing for years and years.<\/p>\n<p>They also compel the mass release of inmates.  What does this have to do with what we\u2019re talking about?  This is Nancy Pelosi \u2014 Crazy Nancy \u2014 and Chuck Schumer.  They want to compel you to do this stuff, and this has nothing to do with what we\u2019re talking about, and it includes serious felons.  They want to have these people released on a mass basis, including serious felons.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s page 1,689; page 1,762.  Think of it: 1,762.  And that\u2019s nowhere near the end of their bill.  They have things in there that nobody has even at the time to look at or read.  These people \u2014 I don\u2019t \u2014 I honestly don\u2019t believe they love our country, you want to know the truth.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to demanding these extreme partisan provisions, Democrats are actively blocking the following measures: support for K-12 schools to help them safely open, additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program to help millions of workers on the payroll.  This is a great program.  Very successful.  Kept a lot of businesses open.  That\u2019s why we\u2019re doing so well in reopening our country.  Additional money for hospitals.  Testing and vaccines.  Direct payments of $3,400 for a family of four.<\/p>\n<p>Now, remember, this is what the extreme partisans \u2014 this \u2014 we got \u2014 we have to \u2014 this is what we\u2019re talking about.  Democrats are actively blocking the things that we want.  And what we want is good for people.  Those \u2014 these are things that they\u2019re blocking: support for K-12 schools, so they can open.  Think of that.<\/p>\n<p>Also, direct payments of the $3,400 for a family of four-plus, then funding for childcare and mental health care.  And you need that, especially when you have so much of a lockdown.  You need that: mental health care.<\/p>\n<p>Funding for broadband, airports, and agriculture, rental assistance, and support for community banks and credit unions to help them provide $100 billion in loans to the hardest-hit communities, including rural communities and farmers.  They don\u2019t want anybody to get that.  Democrats are obstructing all of it.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore, I\u2019m taking executive action.  We\u2019ve had it.  And we\u2019re going to save American jobs and provide relief to the American workers, and I\u2019ll be signing these bills in a very short period of time.<\/p>\n<p>First one is on providing a payroll tax holiday to Americans earning less than $100,000 per year.  In a few moments, I will sign a directive, instructing the Treasury Department to allow employers to defer payment of the employee portion of certain payroll taxes from September 1st.  And we\u2019re actually going to be making that; we just got the word.  We\u2019re just getting some word from a lot of people.  We didn\u2019t think we\u2019d have to do this because we thought the Democrats would be reasonable, but they\u2019ve been not only unreasonable, they\u2019ve been ridiculous.<\/p>\n<p>So we\u2019re going to make that August 1st, most likely.  It\u2019ll be August 1st.  We\u2019ll let you know the exact date, but we\u2019re looking like August 1st.  So it\u2019d be August 1st through the end of 2020.  This will mean bigger paychecks for working families, as we race to produce a vaccine and eradicate the China virus once and for all.<\/p>\n<p>And we\u2019re doing very good with the numbers.  You see it\u2019s going down in Arizona very, very substantially and rapidly.  Going down in California.  Going down in Texas.  Going down in Florida.  Other areas are propping up a little bit, but we\u2019re watching them very closely.  We understand the disease, and we\u2019re watching them very closely, especially our senior citizens and our senior citizens\u2019 residences.<\/p>\n<p>If I\u2019m victorious on November 3rd, I plan to forgive these taxes and make permanent cuts to the payroll tax.  So I\u2019m going to make them all permanent.<\/p>\n<p>Now, Joe Biden and the Democrats may not want that.  They don\u2019t want that because they\u2019re adding $3 trillion in taxes.  So they\u2019ll have the option of raising everybody\u2019s taxes and taking this away.<\/p>\n<p>But if I win, I may extend and terminate.  In other words, I\u2019ll extend it beyond the end of the year and terminate the tax.  And so, we\u2019ll see what happens.  Biden probably won\u2019t be doing that; you\u2019ll have to ask him.  I don\u2019t think he knows what he\u2019s doing.<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  (Laughter and applause.)<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Second, I\u2019m signing an executive order directing the Department of Housing and Urban Development, HHS, and CDC to make sure renters and homeowners can stay in their homes.<\/p>\n<p>So I\u2019m protecting people from eviction.  Yet you\u2019ve been hearing a lot about eviction, and the Democrats don\u2019t want to do anything having to do with protecting people from eviction.  I said, \u201cLet\u2019s do that separately.  That can be a totally separate thing from passing along money so people can live.\u201d  And they didn\u2019t even want to protect people from eviction.<\/p>\n<p>So, they would get evicted \u2014 it\u2019s not their fault that this virus came into our country; it\u2019s China\u2019s fault.  And came into the world \u2014 by the way, a lot of the people, a lot of the states that were doing the best are having some problems.  A lot of the states that we weren\u2019t thinking were doing the best are doing very well.<\/p>\n<p>You look at some of the countries involved.  Some of the countries that were really standing out as examples are now exploding.  But they\u2019ll get it down; they understand it.  We\u2019re dealing with them.  We\u2019re dealing with a lot of countries.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re providing thousands and thousands of ventilators all over the world right now.  We make a lot of ventilators.  We started off with very little, and we\u2019re making a lot.  And we have thousands in our stockpile, but we\u2019re making thousands a month.  And we\u2019re providing many of them \u2014 thousands and thousands \u2014 to other countries that would never be able to get them.<\/p>\n<p>The Department of Housing and Urban Development will also provide financial assistance to struggling renters and homeowners, and work with landlords and lenders to keep Americans safely in their homes.  So we don\u2019t want people being evicted.  And the bill \u2014 the act that I\u2019m signing will solve that problem, largely \u2014 hopefully, completely.<\/p>\n<p>The third action I\u2019m taking today will also provide additional support for Americans who are unemployed due to the China virus.  Under the CARES Act, I proudly signed expanded unemployment benefits into law.  Congressional Democrats have stonewalled our efforts to extend this relief.  They even oppose measures that would give bonuses to workers returning to the job.  They were totally opposed to that.<\/p>\n<p>For this reason, I\u2019m taking action to provide an additional or an extra $400 per week in expanded benefits: $400.  Okay?  So, that\u2019s generous, but we want to take care of our people.  Again, it wasn\u2019t their fault; it was China\u2019s fault.<\/p>\n<p>States will be asked to cover 25 percent of the cost using existing funding, such as the tens of billions of dollars available to them through the Coronavirus Relief Fund.  Under this plan, states will be able to offer greater benefits if they so choose, and the federal government will cover 75 percent of the cost.  So we\u2019re all set up.  It\u2019s $400 per week.<\/p>\n<p>And we\u2019re doing that without the Democrats.  We should have been able to do it very easily with them, but they want all of these additional things that have nothing to do with helping people.<\/p>\n<p>Fourth, I am signing a directive providing relief to student loan borrowers.  Earlier this year, we slashed student loan interest rates to zero.  I don\u2019t know if people know that because the press doesn\u2019t ever report it, but maybe they\u2019re watching now.<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  (Laughter.)<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  The press doesn\u2019t report a lot of good things that are good for the people and good for the country.<\/p>\n<p>Earlier this year, we slashed student loans\u2019 interest rates to zero percent and suspended student loan payments, and Congress extended that policy through September 30th.  Today, I\u2019m extending this policy through the end of the year, and we\u2019ll extend it further than that \u2014 most likely, right after December 1st.  So we look like we\u2019re going to be extending that.  They\u2019re paying zero interest.  And again, not their fault that their colleges are closed down and not their fault that they\u2019re unable to get what they bargained for.<\/p>\n<p>Through these four actions, my administration will provide immediate and vital relief to Americans struggling in this difficult time.  And the beautiful thing about this difficult time is we\u2019re now coming back and setting records.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ll also ensure that our economic comeback continues full speed ahead.  And with the $400 and all of the other measures that we\u2019re talking about and will be signing in a little while, that will happen.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re further looking at additional tax cuts, including income tax relief, income tax cuts, and capital gains tax cuts.  So we\u2019re going to be looking at that \u2014 capital gains \u2014 for the purpose of creating jobs, and income tax is self-explanatory.  And it\u2019ll be income tax for middle-income and lower-income people, but middle-income people because they pay a lot of income tax and you do have tax inequality.  I\u2019m saying that as a Republican, and you do have tax inequality.<\/p>\n<p>So we\u2019re going to be looking at income tax, and we\u2019re going to be looking at capital gains tax cuts on both, and maybe substantial.  And we\u2019ll be reporting back fairly shortly on that.  That\u2019s big news.  That\u2019s big news, but very important.  We want to have our jobs flourish.  We want to have our companies do great.  We want to have the 401(k)s, which are now at a level \u2014 if you look at the stock market, it\u2019s great.<\/p>\n<p>If you have stocks in NASDAQ, you\u2019re higher than you ever were, including even \u2014 this is still during the pandemic.  The stock market \u2014 because they see such incredible things are happening, smart people \u2014 the stock market is that almost an all-time high.  We\u2019re just short of it.  And NASDAQ is higher than it ever was.  It\u2019s broken the record 14 times in the last couple of months.<\/p>\n<p>So, 401(k)s are doing fantastically.  I hope you kept your stocks.  I hope you didn\u2019t sell.  I hope you had confidence in your President and confidence that the President was going to be reelected.<\/p>\n<p>And I will tell you this, that the biggest tailwind, the biggest problem that we have, with respect to the stock market \u2014 which is not much of a problem because it\u2019s doing so well, but it would be actually much higher \u2014 is the possibility that these radical-left Democrats could win.  And if they win, we\u2019re going to have a crash.  We\u2019re going to have a terrible problem because they\u2019re going to raise taxes \u2014 3 trillion dollars\u2019 worth of taxes.  And that\u2019s going to affect everybody from middle-income to upper-income, to jobs, to companies.  Your 401(k)s will go down like a rock.  Your stocks will go down like a rock.<\/p>\n<p>You know, and don\u2019t forget: These big companies \u2014 you have stocks in these companies.  You know, you own stocks.  And they have millions and millions of shareholders.  And whether it\u2019s pension funds or anybody else, you all have stocks.  So there are big companies, but a lot of people own that stock, and we want to keep it going.<\/p>\n<p>But we do have, I guess you could say, not a tailwind; it\u2019s a headwind \u2014 I guess would be a better description. But it is; it\u2019s a headwind.  And when you think of it, that\u2019s \u2014 in my opinion, it would be much higher.<\/p>\n<p>But you look at what they want to do.  They want to raise everybody\u2019s taxes \u2014 everybody.  And they want to do the Green New Deal, which will decimate our country and decimate \u2014 it\u2019s ridiculous, too.  It\u2019s childish.  I actually say the Green New Deal is childish.  It\u2019s for children.  It\u2019s not for adults.<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  (Laughter.)<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Anybody that believes in that is \u2014 I don\u2019t know, maybe it\u2019s politics.  I don\u2019t even think it\u2019s good politics.  They seem to think so.  We\u2019ll see how they do.  But I don\u2019t think it\u2019s good politics, and it\u2019ll decimate our economy.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve learned a great deal about this virus and how to treat it.  Our strategy is to aggressively shield those at the greatest risk while allowing younger and healthier citizens to safely resume work and school.<\/p>\n<p>I noticed that some of the Democrats that I would say are very strongly on the left are now coming out and saying we really have to open our schools for the good of the economy.  I was shocked to see a couple of them \u2014 you know they are.<\/p>\n<p>We urge all Americans to socially distance and avoid large crowds and all of the things that we talk about all the time.  We have to \u2014 we have to go and make sure that everything is in good shape.  We really are \u2014 we\u2019re coming back very, very strong.  We\u2019re doing very well with the virus because all of those states that everybody thought would be in a bad position for a long time, they\u2019re all coming down.  Governors have done a great job.<br \/>\nDon\u2019t forget, we\u2019re dealing with governors.  Some have done a fantastic job.  All have worked hard.  Some have done a much better job than others.  And someday, if you\u2019d like to know, I\u2019ll give you the good ones and the bad ones.  We\u2019ll give you some good ones and some bad ones.<\/p>\n<p>But, by contrast, the never-ending lockdown being proposed by some, mostly \u2014 I guess you could almost say \u201calmost all\u201d \u2014 in the Democrat Party, would inflict unimaginable harm to our people and to our health for decades to come.  It\u2019ll hurt our economy, and they view that as a good thing.  They actually view that as a good thing because they\u2019re interested in one date: November 3rd.<\/p>\n<p>And I actually think it\u2019s bad politics, and I think they\u2019re starting to come along because I\u2019m seeing more and more people want to open up.  And you see the devastating results of lockdowns, too.  You know, you have depression and suicide and drugs and alcohol and bad marriages.  Marriages that were very good turned out to be very bad.<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  (Laughter.)<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  It\u2019s an amazing thing, and it\u2019s \u2014 who would think it?  But people get along for 20 years; I guess they didn\u2019t know each other very well, and now they\u2019re not getting along.<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  (Laughter.)<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  And you had the opposite, also.  You\u2019ve had people to get along better.  They like each other more than they thought.  That\u2019s okay, too.<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  (Laughter.)<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  That, we like.  But the other situation is very, very \u2014 very, very bad.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ll develop a vaccine.  We\u2019re going to have it very soon, and we\u2019re ready to distribute it.  And we\u2019re \u2014 we\u2019ve got the military ready.  \u201cLogistics,\u201d it\u2019s called.  And we\u2019ll end this pandemic, and we will rebuild the greatest economy in the history of the world.<\/p>\n<p>You know, we created the greatest economy in the history of the world \u2014 the highest stock market ever.  And we\u2019re very close to getting that back.  That, I have to say, is way ahead of schedule.  Highest stock market ever.  Best employment numbers for African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans.<\/p>\n<p>And, by the way, Hispanic Americans just set a record for new jobs.  African Americans just set a record for new jobs just now \u2014 during the pandemic, the last month.  And Asian Americans just set a record for new jobs.  So we\u2019re very proud of what\u2019s happening.<\/p>\n<p>And I will now sign the executive action.  And then, if you want, we can ask a few questions.<\/p>\n<p>Okay, Kelly.  Yeah, let me do this first, and then you can do some questions.  Thank you very much.<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Okay, so this is for the authorization of  other needs assistance program, major disasters declaration related to the coronavirus disease.<\/p>\n<p>(The memorandum is signed.)<\/p>\n<p>Okay?  So this \u2014 authority invested in me \u2014 this is the payment relief during the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>(The memorandum is signed.)<\/p>\n<p>This is fighting the spread of the COVID-19 by providing assistance to renters and homeowners.  We\u2019re doing assistance.<\/p>\n<p>(The executive order are signed.)<\/p>\n<p>And this is deferral payroll tax obligations.  So this is your payroll tax obligations, which we\u2019re going to end up terminating eventually, right?<\/p>\n<p>(The memorandum is signed.)<\/p>\n<p>How many \u2014 how many pictures can you take over there?<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  (Laughter.)<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  I mean, you\u2019re taking hundreds of pictures.  What are you doing?<\/p>\n<p>Okay.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Can you get at the microphone, sir?<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  I will.  I will.<\/p>\n<p>So, that\u2019s the story.  Would anybody like a pen?  Would anybody like a pen?  Would anybody \u2014<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE MEMBER:  I do!<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Why do we hand these \u2014 we\u2019ll hand these out to you in the back.  Okay, fine.<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>Q    Mr. President \u2014<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Yes, please.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Yes, sir.  Can we start with the $400, sir?  So I just wanted to get your reaction.  So you\u2019re saying the states will have to cover some of the costs, sir.  Which governors have told you that \u2014 which governors have told you that they would sign onto it?<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Well, if they don\u2019t, they don\u2019t.  That\u2019s up to them.  But if they don\u2019t, they don\u2019t.  That\u2019s going to be their problem.  I don\u2019t think their people will be too happy.  They have the money.  So I don\u2019t think their people will be too happy.  But if they don\u2019t, they don\u2019t.<\/p>\n<p>But again, the states have the money.  It\u2019s sitting there.<\/p>\n<p>All right.  Kelly.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Sir, why did you decide on $400, when previously families were receiving $600?<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Yeah.<\/p>\n<p>Q    That will be a hardship for many.  What do you say to them?<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Well, no, it\u2019s not a hardship.  This is the money that they need, this is the money they want, and this gives them a great incentive to go back to work.<\/p>\n<p>So, this was much more than was originally agreed.  The 600 was a number that was there.  And as you know, they were diff- \u2014 there was difficulty with the 600 number because it really was a disincentive.<\/p>\n<p>Yeah.  Go ahead, please.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Sir, the payroll tax cut was opposed by both parties on Capitol Hill.  Can you give your rationale as to why you think that\u2019s important, particularly since it doesn\u2019t help Americans who (inaudible)?<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Yeah.  Okay.  It helps people greatly.  It helps our country get back.  And anybody that would say anything different, I think, is very foolish.  Everybody wanted it.  By the way, the Democrats want it.  The Republicans want it.  They just couldn\u2019t get it \u2014 they just couldn\u2019t come to an agreement, but everybody wants it.<\/p>\n<p>And the very important thing is the people want it, and the people need it, actually.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Mr. President \u2014<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Yeah.  Yes.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Mr. President, you said that this will pretty much take care of the entire situation.  But, as you said, there\u2019s not money for reopening schools, other important items.  Is your administration willing to go back to Democrats to try to actually negotiate some of these big things?<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Well, the answer is yes, but we have money to do other things, and we have a lot of money that was unspent, and we\u2019ll be able to do things with the money that was unspent.  We have significant money that was unspent, and we will be able to use that for different purposes.<\/p>\n<p>Go ahead.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Mr. President \u2014<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Go ahead.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Mr. President, when will this relief get in the hands of Americans that need it?  What date?<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  We think it\u2019s going to be very rapid.  We want it to be very rapid.  It\u2019s going to be distributed in a way that \u2014 whichever the fastest way.  There are various methods, and it will be rapidly distributed.<\/p>\n<p>Q    But you said you\u2019re also expecting legal challenges with this, right?  So why \u2014<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  I didn\u2019t say that.  No, no.  I didn\u2019t say that.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Yes, you did.  Yesterday, sir, you said that you were expecting legal hurdles \u2014<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  I \u2014 I said I \u2014 what I said is people can do whatever they want.  I guess maybe they\u2019ll bring legal actions; maybe they won\u2019t, but they won\u2019t win.  They won\u2019t win.<\/p>\n<p>Q    But if legal action is brought against you on this, why not just work with Congress on this deal?<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I\u2019m not saying they\u2019re not going to come back and negotiate.  They might very well come back and negotiate.<\/p>\n<p>Q    But you\u2019re signing the executive order today, and Americans want to know when they\u2019re going to see this relief.  What date will they see it?<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Very soon.  They\u2019re going to see it very soon.  Look, it\u2019s \u2014<\/p>\n<p>Q    Very soon?<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  There it is.  Right there.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Thirty million Americans are out of work, sir.<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Excuse me.  Excuse me.  There it is, right there.<\/p>\n<p>Go ahead.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Mr. President, though, this is expected to be tied up in the court.  So this relief is either going to be delayed or blocked indefinitely.<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Oh, I don\u2019t think so.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Is this just political theater?<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  I think this is going to go very rapidly through the courts.<\/p>\n<p>Q    But are you giving people false hope?<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  This will go very \u2014 if \u2014 if we get sued.  Maybe we won\u2019t get sued.  If we get sued, it\u2019s somebody that doesn\u2019t want people to get money.  Okay?  And that\u2019s not going to be a very popular thing.<\/p>\n<p>Q    But should a President be able to go around Congress?  Are you trying to set a new precedent \u2014<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  No.  No.<\/p>\n<p>Q    \u2014 that the President can go around Congress and decide how money is collected and spent?<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  You ever hear the word \u201cobstruction\u201d?<\/p>\n<p>Q    Yes.  You were investigated for that.<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  They\u2019ve obstructed.  Congress has obstructed.  The Democrats have obstructed people from getting desperately needed money.<\/p>\n<p>Q    But this is in the Constitution, Mr. President.<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Go ahead, please.  Right here.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Mr. President, sir \u2014<\/p>\n<p>Q    Why do you keep saying that you passed Veterans \u2014<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  No, no.  You\u2019re finished.<\/p>\n<p>Go ahead, please.  Please.<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Go ahead.<\/p>\n<p>Q    (Inaudible) Veterans Choice?  It was passed in 2014.<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Okay, excuse me.<\/p>\n<p>Go ahead, please.<\/p>\n<p>Q    But it\u2019s a false statement, sir.<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Okay, thank you very much everybody.  Thank you very much.<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>END             4:53 P.M. EDT<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bedminster, NJ&#8230;Thank you very much everybody. Thank you, and good afternoon. My administration has been working around the clock in good faith to reach an agreement with Democrats on additional China virus relief. Already, my administration has enacted over $3 trillion in historic relief, saving many tens of millions of dollars and jobs. And you [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":105202,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,5,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-105200","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-government","category-news","last_archivepost"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Fullscreen-capture-892020-113404-AM.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105200","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=105200"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105200\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/105202"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=105200"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=105200"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=105200"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}