About this transcript: This is a full AI-generated transcript of LEAVITT VS REPORTERS LIVE — Karoline Leavitt STORMS OUT Of White House Briefing After Fiery Clash from MIRROR NOW, published August 11, 2026. The transcript contains 31,529 words with timestamps and was generated using Whisper AI.
"the meetings and discussions between President Trump and President Xi, and I can tell you there is always a wide range of topics that come up. I would imagine this would be something. It's of high importance to the President and of this administration to obviously ensure that America remains..."
[0:00] the meetings and discussions between President Trump and President Xi, and I can tell you
[0:03] there is always a wide range of topics that come up. I would imagine this would be something. It's
[0:09] of high importance to the President and of this administration to obviously ensure that America
[0:14] remains dominant in the AI race, and we're obviously tracking the particular situation
[0:18] that you mentioned. I have one more, if you don't mind. This week we've seen some major players in
[0:22] Democrat politics voicing or alerting really on how much influence socialism, communism has had now
[0:30] on kind of mainstream Democrat politics. Is there any chance that the President would be interested
[0:34] or is considering working with left of center Democrats to push back on this? Well, unfortunately
[0:39] we don't seem to have too many of those left in the Democrat Party. We have literal self-proclaimed
[0:44] communists who are winning elections and who are claiming to be the new leadership of the Democrat
[0:50] Party. I think the vast majority of Americans understand the dangers of communism. Just look
[0:56] at countries all over this world. As an example, Cuba right now is a country that is about to be a
[1:02] failed state because of the communist policies of the past several decades. Communism should never
[1:08] be allowed to lead this country, and the President obviously is strictly opposed to it and all the
[1:14] dangers that it reaps. We've seen it happen across the world. Meredith. Just to continue on the
[1:20] Saudi nuclear deal. Do the Saudis agree with this interpretation since it wasn't part of the
[1:26] initial agreement? And has the President talked to MBS since this new condition? As you know,
[1:33] the President just put out this statement a few hours ago. I don't believe he's had a call
[1:37] with MBS in the hours since. However, this is something that he has raised in previous
[1:42] conversations and has also said many times in the past. John, in the back, go ahead.
[1:46] Thanks a lot, Carolyn. In regards to this deal, in the past, the Saudi government has said
[1:51] they will not consider entering into the Abraham Accords unless and until there's a Palestinian
[1:57] state. What makes you think that they're going to change their minds on their position regarding that?
[2:03] Again, I won't get ahead of the President's conversations, but this is something that he
[2:06] feels very strongly about and has spoken about it in the past and will continue to uphold.
[2:11] Can I ask you one other question? Sure. Just playing devil's advocate, why does Saudi Arabia
[2:16] get a civilian nuclear deal but Iran doesn't get a civilian nuclear deal? Well, again, this agreement
[2:23] is still being worked out. It will eventually hopefully be finalized with the condition that
[2:28] the President spoke about this morning. But this agreement in particular, as it's been discussed
[2:32] thus far, does give priority access for American companies and the Saudi nuclear energy program,
[2:37] which will ultimately benefit American industry workers and supply chains. So,
[2:41] the deal that has been discussed thus far and will continue to be discussed absolutely puts America
[2:46] first. And that's obviously very important to this President. Ed.
[2:49] Thanks, Carolyn. So, Friday, the Section 122, the 10 percent global tariff, goes away.
[2:55] Is the President going to ask Congress for an extension or what's next?
[2:58] Ms. Well, I know the USTR,
[3:01] our great Jameson Greer, trade representative,
[3:03] executive. We'll be having an announcement on that very soon, later today. I don't want to get
[3:08] ahead of him, so I would just tell you to stay tuned for more details.
[3:10] Okay. And then one more on the President's going to have some big utility companies
[3:15] at this event later on today. We're now a year and a half, so to speak into his
[3:21] energy, pro-energy policies. Is he going to pressure those executives to lower energy prices,
[3:26] not just maintain the prices?
[3:28] Ms. Well, look, as I mentioned earlier,
[3:30] the Ratepayer Protection Pledge is a novel idea drawn up by this President and his team to ensure
[3:36] that data centers and communities where those communities want data centers, that these big
[3:41] CEOs and energy companies are picking up the tab for the energy costs in these communities so the
[3:46] American taxpayer are not being fronted with those bills. And the pledge today is being expanded to
[3:51] acknowledge all elements involved in building and operating data center. The governors who appoint the
[3:56] state regulators who set the power prices, the utilities and the co-ops that sell the power,
[4:01] and in addition to the tech companies that have already signed the pledge.
[4:05] So you'll continue to hear more about that from the President in a few hours at 2.30 when he goes
[4:09] over to the EPA. Sophia.
[4:11] He's spoken to the President about what he wants to do about Chinese AI models if they are found to have
[4:17] stolen American IP. Does he want to sanction them? Or what actions can be taken without undermining
[4:24] broader U.S.-China trade tax or cutting off American startups that are increasingly reliant on them?
[4:30] Ms. Sure. Well, I won't get ahead of the President on any potential actions,
[4:34] but obviously these conversations are taking place. And again, they're of the utmost importance,
[4:38] not just for our national security, but to ensure America remains dominant in this space.
[4:42] Stephen.
[4:43] The Press. Thank you, Caroline. Two questions.
[4:45] Has President Trump spoken with FIFA President Gianni Infantino about his interest in nominating him
[4:51] for U.N. Secretary General? Can you explain his interest there? And secondly, just a minor point
[4:56] of clarification on the Saudi nuclear deal. Did Prime Minister Netanyahu request this provision?
[5:02] Ms. Not to my knowledge, no. Again, as I told you, this was an idea the President has long had.
[5:07] It was the President and his team in the first term that began and signed the Abraham Accords with
[5:13] several countries in the region between those countries and Israel. And the President obviously
[5:18] wants to expand on that historic accomplishment from his first term. To your first question about
[5:23] Gianni Infantino, I don't know if he and the President have discussed that. I haven't been
[5:28] present for all their conversations. I know they speak quite frequently and the President has a lot of
[5:32] respect for Gianni and what he has done with FIFA. As we all just saw, the World Cup was a tremendous
[5:37] success here at home. It not only was hugely beneficial to our businesses and our local economies across the
[5:45] country, but I think it showed that America is the greatest country on Earth. And the President is
[5:49] grateful to Gianni for all of the efforts that he had to make that dream a reality here in the United
[5:56] States. Danny. Thanks, Caroline. Is President Trump or the administration, do they have any plans to
[6:02] intervene in the extradition process for the Tate brothers? No. We've already answered that question.
[6:07] Elizabeth. Thank you, Caroline. Secretary Mullen said that election officials that knowingly allowed
[6:12] noncitizens to vote could be prosecuted and fined. Is this option being considered in New Jersey after
[6:18] the Governor revealed that thousands of noncitizens were registered to vote there? Well, for any
[6:22] prosecutions, obviously, I would always defer you to the Department of Justice. But what I will say
[6:26] on New Jersey and this Governor, the fact that she just all of a sudden decided to put out a press
[6:31] release saying President Trump and Republicans have been right about noncitizens on our voting rules
[6:36] is not a coincidence. I think this Governor is saying this because she realizes this administration is
[6:41] serious about getting to the bottom of illegal aliens voting and being on our voting voter rolls
[6:47] in our country. The Secretary of Homeland Security, as you know, sent a letter to several states, including
[6:53] New Jersey, requesting that noncitizens that are on their voter rolls need to be reported to DHS
[6:58] and need to be removed from those voter rolls. So that's why all of a sudden she is speaking truth
[7:04] about the fact that this does take place in states across the country. It is completely unacceptable to have
[7:08] noncitizens on American voter rolls voting in U.S. elections. And she says at 6,600, we suspect it's
[7:16] a heck of a lot more, not just in New Jersey, but in states across the country. The President is hellbent
[7:21] on getting to the bottom of this. And it's also why we need to pass the Save America Act to ensure that
[7:27] only U.S. citizens are voting in U.S. elections. And I understand the House had a great accomplishment
[7:33] yesterday with passing the budget resolution, which has as much of the Save America Act as possible.
[7:39] And we encourage the Senate to move forward with passing that resolution into law so the President
[7:44] can sign it into law by the August recess. It's of the utmost importance to this President,
[7:50] but also to the American people who support this bill overwhelmingly. Mary in the back.
[7:54] Two questions. One on Sophia Cunningham. Sophia Cunningham and the WNBA has been attacked as a
[8:03] MAGA Barbie for saying it's common sense for men to not be in women's sports in locker rooms. Is the
[8:08] President following this story and has he reached out to her? I don't believe he has reached out to
[8:13] her. I know he is following the story. As you know, this is something the President feels strongly
[8:19] about as well, and the American people do too, that men should not be playing in women's sports. It's
[8:24] completely ludicrous that anyone could support that. It's even more ludicrous that you do have
[8:29] Sophia Cunningham, a female athlete herself, very accomplished in her own right, coming forth and
[8:34] speaking that truth that men shouldn't play in women's sports. We want to protect women and girls
[8:39] and the backlash she is receiving from Democrats and left-wing fingers across the country.
[8:44] Tomorrow night, the President will attend the White House Correspondents Association Dinner Round 2,
[8:50] celebrating free speech and the First Amendment alongside all of you,
[8:53] members of the media. The President looks forward to finishing what he started before a despicable
[8:59] assassination attempt derailed the original event back in April, as we all know, and I encourage
[9:04] everyone watching tomorrow night to tune in for what promises to be a very entertaining and memorable
[9:09] evening. Looking ahead to next week, on Monday, President Trump will travel to Michigan to deliver
[9:16] remarks on the economy. On Tuesday afternoon, the President will deliver a tribute honoring the life and
[9:22] legacy of his dear friend Senator Lindsey Graham at the National Cathedral. And next Friday, the President will
[9:28] host the 13th Cabinet meeting of this term, of this term at Camp David, which will be a lot of fun and something
[9:35] different for the Cabinet to experience together. Turning now to the economy. A little more than a year after
[9:41] President Trump signed the Working Families Tax Cuts into law, this historic legislation continues to deliver
[9:48] on its promise, unleashing a genuine boom for American workers, families, and small businesses.
[9:55] The numbers speak for themselves. This was the biggest tax refund season in American history, with the average
[10:01] refund exceeding $3,400, an 11% increase over the last year. American families and workers claimed $82
[10:11] billion in direct tax relief, and 97% of filers received a tax cut. More than 29 million workers claimed
[10:19] no tax on overtime. More than 35 million seniors claimed no tax on Social Security. And nearly 8 million workers
[10:27] claimed no tax on tips. Thanks to the other pro-growth provisions in the Working Families Tax Cuts, like
[10:34] making the 20% small business tax deduction permanent and delivering 100% expensing for new factories,
[10:40] equipment, and research, the Trump Administration is setting up American manufacturers and workers
[10:46] to thrive like never before. Just this week, the National Association of Manufacturers, which is the
[10:52] largest manufacturing association in the country, released a detailed report showing exactly how
[10:58] these tax cuts are driving investment, job creation, innovation, and long-term growth in all 50 states.
[11:05] In fact, I'd like to take a moment to highlight just a few of the real American businesses that this law
[11:11] is helping. Pivot Manufacturing in Arizona made the largest equipment purchase in company history
[11:17] after the Trump tax cuts gave them the long-term certainty to invest with confidence. Winton Machine
[11:23] Company in Georgia is on pace for the best year in its history. Ketchy Inc. in North Carolina was able
[11:30] to purchase new machinery and expand its workforce by 25%. And Juergens in Ohio expanded its brand new facility
[11:38] to increase production, and they're also paying their workers even more thanks to the no tax on overtime
[11:43] provision. These are not just great statistics. These are American businesses with the confidence to
[11:49] grow, hire, and invest right here at home rather than offshoring their jobs. And a business opening
[11:55] or expanding in this country means more opportunity and higher wages for American workers. It means a
[12:01] chance for the American dream for young families, and it means restoring the belief that we can make
[12:07] and build things right here at home. This is what President Trump promised, and it's exactly what he is
[12:12] delivering with the help of Republicans in Congress. Democrats throw around the word affordability a
[12:18] lot. But when they had the chance to vote for the largest middle-class tax cuts in history,
[12:23] they refused. If Democrats got their way, it would have meant the largest tax increase in history,
[12:29] $4 trillion. 90% of Americans would have seen their taxes go up, and it would have been a complete
[12:35] disaster for our economy. That's the Democrat solution to, quote, affordability. It is raising
[12:41] your taxes. So I hope the press will cover more of the massive success stories resulting from the
[12:46] working families tax cuts and point out that every single Democrat on Capitol Hill voted against every
[12:53] single common sense provision that put more money back into the pockets of the American people.
[12:58] Finally, on the energy front, after this briefing, President Trump will participate in a historic
[13:04] ratepayer protection pledge event at the EPA headquarters down the street. The President
[13:09] will expand the ratepayer protection pledge to governors, state legislatures, developers,
[13:14] and power providers to ensure that everyone involved in building and powering data centers pays their own
[13:20] way, instead of passing those costs on to hardworking families. The President will be joined by Energy
[13:26] Secretary Chris Wright, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, and several governors who have already signed on to this
[13:32] pledge, and it has already proven to be remarkably successful. Nearly 200 additional stakeholders have
[13:38] signed on since it was first announced, including utilities, data center developers, public power
[13:44] authorities, co-ops, and state governors. As a result, the pledge now covers 80% of all the power
[13:51] delivered to American homes and businesses. President Trump's bold leadership is turning data centers from a
[13:57] source of concern into engines of growth and opportunity for communities across this country, all while
[14:03] cementing America's dominance over China in the global AI race. The President is ensuring the American
[14:10] people are never left footing the bill so private companies can benefit. Instead, President Trump is
[14:16] leveraging the data center boom to deliver real, tangible benefits for working families and small businesses.
[14:22] So we have a busy day here, rest assured. I'll take some questions. And here in our new media seat,
[14:27] we have Cam from Town Hall. Cam, thank you for being here. Why don't you kick us off today?
[14:31] Thank you. Two quick questions. One on Congress. First off, Speaker Mike Johnson passed a continuing
[14:36] resolution earlier this week. John Thunas said he wants to work with Democrats to find a way to fund the
[14:42] government. What is the White House's stance and the best way to keep the government funded?
[14:47] Well, the White House's stance is that the government needs to be funded. This President and Republicans on
[14:52] Capitol Hill from both chambers, as you just mentioned, the House and the Senate Republicans
[14:57] want to keep the government open. We want to work together to find ways to do that. And the White
[15:01] House will continuing will continue to have discussions with Senate leadership on the best
[15:05] path forward. I don't want to get ahead of those conversations. But the most important thing for the
[15:09] American people to know is that this President and this White House wants the government to remain
[15:14] open, unlike the Democrats in this town who have been acting as obstructionists. We've seen time and time
[15:19] again. They have chosen to block this administration, to block Republicans in Congress from keeping our
[15:25] government open, which does not help anyone. And it especially hurts the American people who depend
[15:30] on our government remaining open so they can access the critical services that our government provides
[15:35] to so many Americans across the country. So these conversations are continuing. But I think I just
[15:39] made the President's position quite clear. Thank you. And then on the Saudi Saudi Arabian nuclear deal,
[15:45] what steps is the U.S. taking to get Saudi Arabia to sign the Abraham Accords?
[15:50] Sure. Well, the President himself has spoken on this many times. His true social post this morning,
[15:57] and I will read it for those at home who missed it. The civil nuclear deal, there will be no enrichment
[16:01] of material. An important point being made between the Department of Energy and Saudi Arabia,
[16:06] which pertains only to non-military use, will be approved but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia
[16:14] joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords. The United States is not opposed to civil
[16:20] nuclear facilities, as we all know. Look, this is a condition that the President has spoken about
[16:26] many times with our Gulf and Arab allies. He wants to see these countries sign the Abraham Accord. It was
[16:33] one of the most historic accomplishments of his first term, and it continues to be a long-term goal of
[16:38] his to expand those accords to ultimately come to a place where the Middle East can be a peaceful and
[16:43] stable region. And yes, this deal with Saudi Arabia, the energy deal, is contingent on this
[16:49] condition as far as the President is concerned. So we'll continue to talk with our Saudi counterparts
[16:53] to get the deal finalized and hopefully see them joining the Abraham Accords very soon.
[16:57] Thank you.
[16:58] Thank you. Gabe.
[16:59] The Press, Caroline, thank you. With regards to the Saudi nuclear deal,
[17:02] why was that condition not mentioned yesterday when the Energy Secretary announced it?
[17:06] Well, look, the President is always the final dealmaker, as you know,
[17:10] and this is something that he has mentioned on numerous occasions. Going back, I can provide you
[17:15] with those statements. And he has said if they don't join the Abraham Accords, the deal is off. So
[17:21] we'll continue to have those conversations with our Saudi counterparts moving forward.
[17:24] So the deal is dead if Saudi Arabia doesn't join? And have you any indication that Saudi Arabia
[17:30] is even considering this?
[17:31] Again, we've spoken, the President has spoken directly with the Saudis about this in numerous
[17:35] conversations in the past, and the administration will continue to engage in those conversations.
[17:39] Alexandra.
[17:40] The Press, would be exempt from international inspections as part of this deal if it moves forward?
[17:44] I don't want to comment on the specifics of the deal, as we're still, again, as I just said,
[17:49] talking especially about this very important condition that the President raised this morning.
[17:52] Alexandra.
[17:53] Good to see you now that you're back.
[17:54] You too.
[17:54] The Press, so Treasury Secretary Besant voiced concern this week on China potentially distilling or
[18:00] stealing AI technology from the United States, kind of manipulating it as their own.
[18:06] Anthropics said that the largest distilling attack happened last month. Do you think this will come
[18:11] up when the President meets with President Xi in September?
[18:13] Ms. Well, I have had the honor of being part of some of the meetings and discussions between
[18:19] President Trump and President Xi, and I can tell you there is always a wide range of topics that come up.
[18:24] I would imagine this would be something. It's of high importance to the President and of this
[18:28] administration to obviously ensure that America remains dominant in the AI race. And we're
[18:34] obviously tracking the particular situation that you mentioned.
[18:36] The Press, I have one more if you don't mind.
[18:37] Ms. Sure.
[18:37] The Press, this week we've seen some major players in Democrat politics
[18:41] voicing or alerting, really, on how much influence
[18:45] socialism, communism has had now on kind of mainstream Democrat politics. Is there any
[18:50] chance that the President would be interested or is considering working with left of center
[18:54] Democrats to push back on this?
[18:56] Ms. Well, unfortunately, we don't seem to
[18:58] have too many of those left in the Democrat Party. We have literal self-proclaimed communists
[19:03] who are winning elections and who are claiming to be the new leadership of the Democrat Party.
[19:08] I think the vast majority of Americans understand the dangers of communism. Just look at countries
[19:14] all over this world. As an example, Cuba right now is a country that is about to be a failed state
[19:20] because of the communist policies of the past several decades. Communism should never
[19:25] be allowed to lead this country. And the President obviously is strictly opposed to it and all the
[19:32] dangers that it reaps. We've seen it happen across the world. Meredith.
[19:36] The Press, just to continue on the Saudi nuclear deal. Do the Saudis agree with this interpretation
[19:42] since it wasn't part of the initial agreement? And has the President talked to MBS since this new
[19:48] condition. As you know, the President just put out this statement a few hours ago. I don't believe
[19:53] he's had a call with MBS in the hours since. However, this is something that he has raised in previous
[19:59] conversations and has also said many times in the past. John, in the back, go ahead.
[20:03] Thanks a lot, Carolyn. In regards to this deal, in the past, the Saudi government has said
[20:08] that they will not consider entering into the Abraham Accords unless and until there's a Palestinian
[20:15] state. What makes you think that they're going to change their minds on their position regarding that?
[20:20] Again, I won't get ahead of the President's conversations, but this is something that he
[20:24] feels very strongly about and has spoken about it in the past and will continue to uphold.
[20:28] Can I ask you one other question?
[20:30] Sure.
[20:30] Just playing devil's advocate. Why does Saudi Arabia get a civilian nuclear deal,
[20:36] but Iran doesn't get a civilian nuclear deal?
[20:39] Well, again, this agreement is still being worked out. It will eventually,
[20:43] hopefully, be finalized with the condition that the President spoke about this morning.
[20:47] But this agreement in particular, as it's been discussed thus far, does give priority
[20:51] access for American companies and the Saudi nuclear energy program, which will ultimately benefit
[20:56] American industry workers and supply chains. So the deal that has been discussed thus far
[21:01] and will continue to be discussed absolutely puts America first. And that's obviously very
[21:05] important to this President. Ed.
[21:07] Thanks, darling. So Friday, the Section 122, the 10 percent global tariff,
[21:12] goes away. Is the President going to ask Congress for an extension or what's next?
[21:15] Well, I know the USTR, our great Jameson Greer, trade representative,
[21:21] will be having an announcement on that very soon, later today. I don't want to get ahead of him,
[21:26] so I would just tell you to stay tuned for more details.
[21:28] Okay. And then one more on the President's going to have some big utility companies
[21:32] at this event later on today. We're now a year and a half, so to speak, into his
[21:39] pro-energy policies. Is he going to pressure those executives to lower energy prices,
[21:44] not just maintain the prices?
[21:45] Well, look, as I mentioned earlier, the Ratepayer Protection Pledge is a novel idea drawn up by this
[21:51] President and his team to ensure that data centers and communities where those communities want data
[21:57] centers, that these big CEOs and energy companies are picking up the tab for the energy costs in
[22:02] these communities, so the American taxpayer are not being fronted with those bills. And the pledge
[22:07] today is being expanded to acknowledge all elements involved in building and operating data center,
[22:12] the governors who appoint the state regulators, who set the power prices, the utilities and the co-ops
[22:17] that sell the power, and in addition to the tech companies that have already signed the pledge.
[22:22] So you'll continue to hear more about that from the President in a few hours at 2.30,
[22:26] when he goes over to the EPA. Sophia.
[22:28] The Press, the President, about what he wants to do about Chinese AI models, if they are found to
[22:35] have stolen American IP. Does he want to sanction them? Or what actions can be taken without
[22:41] undermining broader U.S.-China trade talks or cutting off American startups that are increasingly reliant on them?
[22:47] Ms. Sure. Well, I won't get ahead of the President on any potential actions,
[22:51] but obviously, these conversations are taking place. And again, they're of the utmost importance,
[22:55] not just for our national security, but to ensure America remains dominant in this space.
[23:00] Stephen. The Press, thank you, Caroline. And two questions.
[23:03] Has President Trump spoken with FIFA President Gianni Infantino about his interest in nominating him
[23:09] for U.N. Secretary General? Can you explain his interest there? And secondly, just a minor point of
[23:13] clarification on the Saudi nuclear deal. Did Prime Minister Netanyahu request this provision?
[23:19] Ms. Not to my knowledge, no. Again, as I told you, this was an idea the President has long had.
[23:25] It was the President and his team in the first term that began and signed the Abraham Accords with
[23:31] several countries in the region, between those countries and Israel. And the President obviously
[23:36] wants to expand on that historic accomplishment from his first term. To your first question about
[23:40] Gianni Infantino, I don't know if he and the President have discussed that. I haven't been
[23:45] present for all their conversations. I know they speak quite frequently, and the President has a
[23:49] lot of respect for Gianni and what he has done with FIFA. As we all just saw, the World Cup was a
[23:54] tremendous success here at home. It not only was hugely beneficial to our businesses and our local
[24:01] economies across the country, but I think it showed that America is the greatest country on Earth,
[24:06] and the President is grateful to Gianni for all of the efforts that he had to make that dream a
[24:12] reality here in the United States. Danny.
[24:14] The Press. Thanks, Caroline. Is President Trump or the administration,
[24:18] do they have any plans to intervene in the extradition process for the Tate brothers?
[24:23] Ms. No. We've already answered that question. Elizabeth.
[24:25] The Press. Thank you, Caroline. Secretary
[24:27] Mullen said that election officials that knowingly allowed non-citizens to vote could be prosecuted
[24:32] and fined. Is this option being considered in New Jersey after the Governor revealed that
[24:37] thousands of non-citizens were registered to vote there?
[24:39] Well, for any prosecutions, obviously, I would always defer you to the Department of Justice, but
[24:43] what I will say on New Jersey and this Governor, the fact that she just all of a sudden decided to
[24:47] put out a press release saying President Trump and Republicans have been right about non-citizens
[24:52] on our voting rolls is not a coincidence. I think this Governor is saying this because she realizes this
[24:58] administration is serious about getting to the bottom of illegal aliens voting and being on our
[25:03] voting voter rolls in our country. The Secretary of Homeland Security, as you know, sent a letter to
[25:09] several states, including New Jersey, requesting that non-citizens that are on their voter rolls need
[25:14] to be reported to DHS and need to be removed from those voter rolls. So that's why, all of a sudden,
[25:20] she is speaking truth about the fact that this does take place in states across the country. It is
[25:24] completely unacceptable to have non-citizens on American voter rolls voting in U.S. elections.
[25:31] And she says at 6,600, we suspect it's a heck of a lot more, not just in New Jersey,
[25:35] but in states across the country. The President is hell-bent on getting to the bottom of this.
[25:40] And it's also why we need to pass the Save America Act to ensure that only U.S. citizens are voting in
[25:47] U.S. elections. And I understand the House had a great accomplishment yesterday with passing
[25:52] the budget resolution, which has as much of the Save America Act as possible. And we encourage the
[25:57] Senate to move forward with passing that resolution into law so the President can sign it into law by
[26:03] the August recess. It's of the utmost importance to this President, but also to the American people
[26:08] who support this bill overwhelmingly. Mary, in the back. Two questions, one on some self-driving cars.
[26:16] Sure. Sophia Cunningham and the WNBA has been attacked as a MAGA Barbie for saying it's common
[26:22] sense for men to not be in women's sports in locker rooms. Is the President following this story,
[26:27] and has he reached out to her? I don't believe he has reached out to her. I know he is following the
[26:33] story. As you know, this is something the President feels strongly about as well, and the American people
[26:38] do too, that men should not be playing in women's sports. It's completely ludicrous that anyone could
[26:43] support that. It's even more ludicrous that you do have Sophia Cunningham, a female athlete herself,
[26:49] very accomplished in her own right, coming forth and speaking that truth that men should play in
[26:54] women's sports. We want to protect women and girls and the backlash she is receiving from Democrats and
[26:59] left-wing fingers across the country. Tomorrow night, the President will attend the White House
[27:04] Correspondents Association Dinner Round Two, celebrating free speech in the First Amendment alongside
[27:10] all of you, members of the media. The President looks forward to finishing what he started before
[27:15] a despicable assassination attempt derailed the original event back in April, as we all know,
[27:20] and I encourage everyone watching tomorrow night to tune in for what promises to be a very entertaining
[27:26] and memorable evening. Looking ahead to next week, on Monday, President Trump will travel to Michigan
[27:32] to deliver remarks on the economy. On Tuesday afternoon, the President will deliver a tribute honoring the
[27:38] life and legacy of his dear friend, Senator Lindsey Graham at the National Cathedral. And next Friday,
[27:45] the President will host the 13th Cabinet meeting of this term, of this term at Camp David, which will be
[27:51] a lot of fun and something different for the Cabinet to experience together. Turning now to the economy,
[27:57] a little more than a year after President Trump signed the Working Families Tax Cuts into law,
[28:02] this historic legislation continues to deliver on its promise, unleashing a genuine boom for American
[28:09] workers, families, and small businesses. The numbers speak for themselves. This was the biggest tax refund
[28:16] season in American history, with the average refund exceeding $3,400, an 11 percent increase over the last
[28:24] year. American families and workers claimed $82 billion in direct tax relief, and 97 percent of
[28:32] filers received a tax cut. More than 29 million workers claimed no tax on overtime. More than 35
[28:39] million seniors claimed no tax on Social Security. And nearly 8 million workers claimed no tax on tips.
[28:47] Thanks to the other pro-growth provisions in the Working Families Tax Cuts, like making the 20 percent
[28:53] small business tax deduction permanent and delivering 100 percent expensing for new factories, equipment,
[28:58] and research, the Trump administration is setting up American manufacturers and workers
[29:03] to thrive like never before. Just this week, the National Association of Manufacturers, which is the
[29:09] largest manufacturing association in the country, released a detailed report showing exactly how these
[29:15] tax cuts are driving investment, job creation, innovation, and long-term growth in all 50 states.
[29:22] In fact, I'd like to take a moment to highlight just a few of the real American businesses that this
[29:28] law is helping. Pivot Manufacturing in Arizona made the largest equipment purchase in company history
[29:34] after the Trump tax cuts gave them the long-term certainty to invest with confidence. Winton Machine
[29:40] Company in Georgia is on pace for the best year in its history. Ketchy Inc. in North Carolina was able to
[29:47] purchase new machinery and expand its workforce by 25 percent, and Juergens in Ohio expanded its brand
[29:54] new facility to increase production, and they're also paying their workers even more thanks to the
[29:59] no tax on overtime provision. These are not just great statistics, these are American businesses with
[30:05] the confidence to grow, hire, and invest right here at home rather than offshoring their jobs. And a business
[30:12] opening or expanding in this country means more opportunity and higher wages for American workers. It means
[30:18] a chance for the American dream for young families, and it means restoring the belief that we can make and build
[30:25] things right here at home. This is what President Trump promised, and it's exactly what he is delivering with the
[30:30] help of Republicans in Congress. Democrats throw around the word affordability a lot, but when they had the chance to vote for the
[30:38] largest middle-class tax cuts in history, they refused. If Democrats got their way, it would have meant the
[30:44] largest tax increase in history, $4 trillion. 90 percent of Americans would have seen their taxes go up,
[30:51] and it would have been a complete disaster for our economy. That's the Democrat solution to quote
[30:57] affordability. It is raising your taxes. So I hope the press will cover more of the massive success stories
[31:03] resulting from the working families tax cuts, and point out that every single Democrat on
[31:08] Capitol Hill voted against every single common-sense provision that put more money back into the
[31:14] pockets of the American people. Finally, on the energy front, after this briefing, President Trump
[31:19] will participate in a historic Ratepayer Protection Pledge event at the EPA headquarters down the street.
[31:26] The President will expand the Ratepayer Protection Pledge to governors, state legislatures, developers,
[31:32] and power providers to ensure that everyone involved in building empowering data centers pays their own
[31:38] way instead of passing those costs on to hardworking families. The President will be joined by Energy
[31:43] Secretary Chris Wright, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, and several governors who have already signed on to
[31:49] this pledge, and it has already proven to be remarkably successful. Nearly 200 additional stakeholders have
[31:55] signed on since it was first announced, including utilities, data center developers, public power
[32:01] authorities, co-ops, and state governors. As a result, the pledge now covers 80 percent of all the power
[32:08] delivered to American homes and businesses. President Trump's bold leadership is turning data centers
[32:14] from a source of concern into engines of growth and opportunity for communities across this country,
[32:20] all while cementing America's dominance over China in the global AI race. The President is ensuring the American
[32:27] people are never left footing the bill so private companies can benefit. Instead, President Trump is
[32:33] leveraging the data center boom to deliver real, tangible benefits for working families and small
[32:39] businesses. So we have a busy day here, rest assured. I'll take some questions. And here in our new media
[32:44] seat, we have Cam from Town Hall. Cam, thank you for being here. Why don't you kick us off today?
[32:48] Thank you. Two quick questions. One on Congress. First off, Speaker Mike Johnson passed a continuing resolution
[32:54] earlier this week. John Thunas said he wants to have Democrats find a way to fund the government. What is the
[33:01] White House's stance and the best way to keep the government funded? Well, the White House's stance is that the
[33:06] government needs to be funded. This president and Republicans on Capitol Hill from both chambers, as you just
[33:11] mentioned, the House and the Senate Republicans want to keep the government open. We want to work together to find ways
[33:17] to do that. And the White House will continuing will continue to have discussions with Senate leadership on the best path forward.
[33:23] I don't want to get ahead of those conversations. But the most important thing for the American people to know is that
[33:28] this president and this White House wants the government to remain open, unlike the Democrats in this town who have been
[33:34] acting as obstructionists. We've seen time and time again, they have chosen to block this administration, to block Republicans in
[33:41] Congress from keeping our government open, which does not help anyone. And it especially hurts the American people who depend on our
[33:47] government remaining open so they can access the critical services that our government provides to so
[33:52] many Americans across the country. So these conversations are continuing, but I think I just made the
[33:56] president's position quite clear. Thank you. And then on the Saudi Arabian nuclear deal, what steps is the U.S. taking to get
[34:04] Saudi Arabia to sign the Abraham Accords? Sure. Well, the president himself has spoken on this many times. His true social post this morning, and I will read it for those at home who missed it. The civil nuclear
[34:16] deal, there will be no enrichment of material, an important point being made between the Department of Energy and Saudi Arabia, which pertains only to non-military use, will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords. The United States is not opposed to civil nuclear facilities, as we all know. Look, this is a condition that the president has spoken about many times with our Gulf
[34:46] and Arab allies. He wants to see these countries sign the Abraham Accord. It was one of the most historic accomplishments of his first term, and it continues to be a long-term goal of his to expand those accords to ultimately come to a place where the Middle East can be a peaceful and stable region. And yes, this deal with Saudi Arabia, the energy deal, is contingent on this condition as far as the president is concerned. So we'll continue to talk with our Saudi counterparts to get the deal finalized and hopefully see them joining the Abraham Accords very soon. Thank you.
[35:15] Thank you.
[35:16] Ms. Thank you. Gabe.
[35:17] The Press, Caroline, thank you. With regards to the Saudi nuclear deal, why was that condition not mentioned yesterday when the energy secretary announced it?
[35:24] Ms. Well, look, the president is always the final dealmaker, as you know, and this is something that he has mentioned on numerous occasions. Going back, I can provide you with those statements. And he has said if they don't join the Abraham Accords, the deal is off. So we'll continue to have those conversations with our Saudi counterparts moving forward.
[35:41] The Press, Caroline. So the deal is dead if Saudi Arabia does a joint? And have you any indication that Saudi Arabia is even considering this?
[35:48] Ms. Again, the President has spoken directly with the Saudis about this in numerous conversations in the past, and the administration will continue to engage in those conversations. Alexandra.
[35:57] The Press, would Saudi Arabia be exempt from international inspections as part of this deal if it moves forward?
[36:01] Ms. I don't want to comment on the specifics of the deal as we're still, again, as I just said, talking especially about this very important condition that the President raised this morning. Alexandra.
[36:09] The Press, I'm good to see you now that you're back.
[36:11] Ms. You too.
[36:12] The Press, so Treasury Secretary Besant voiced concern this week on China potentially distilling or stealing AI technology from the United States, kind of manipulating it as their own.
[36:22] Anthropics said that the largest distilling attack happened last month. Do you think this will come up when the President meets with President Xi in September?
[36:30] Ms. Well, I have had the honor of being part of some of the meetings and discussions between President Trump and President Xi, and I can tell you there is going to be a big deal.
[36:38] There is always a wide range of topics that come up. I would imagine this would be something. It's of high importance to the President and of this administration to obviously ensure that America remains dominant in the AI race.
[36:50] And we're obviously tracking the particular situation that you mentioned.
[36:53] The Press, I have one more if you don't mind. This week we've seen some major players in Democrat politics voicing or alerting really on how much influence socialism, communism has had now on kind of mainstream Democrat politics.
[37:06] Is there any chance that the President would be interested or is considering working with left of center Democrats to push back on this?
[37:13] Ms. Well, unfortunately we don't seem to have too many of those left in the Democrat Party. We have literal self-proclaimed communists who are winning elections and who are claiming to be the new leadership of the Democrat Party.
[37:25] I think the vast majority of Americans understand the dangers of communism. Just look at countries all over this world. As an example, Cuba right now is a country that is about to be a failed state because of the communist policies of the past several decades.
[37:40] Communism should never be allowed to lead this country and the President obviously is strictly opposed to it and all the dangers that it reaps. We've seen it happen across the world. Meredith.
[37:52] The Press, just to continue on the Saudi nuclear deal. Do the Saudis agree with this interpretation since it wasn't part of the initial agreement and has the President talked to MBS since this new condition?
[38:06] Ms. As you know, the President just put out this statement a few hours ago. I don't believe he's had a call with MBS in the hours since. However, this is something that he has raised in previous conversations and has also said many times in the past.
[38:19] Jon, in the back, go ahead. The Press, in regards to this deal, in the past the Saudi government has said they will not consider entering into the Abraham Accords unless and until there's a Palestinian state. What makes you think that they're going to change their minds on their position regarding that?
[38:37] Ms. Again, I won't get ahead of the President's conversations, but this is something that he feels very strongly about and has spoken about it in the past and will continue to uphold.
[38:45] The Press, just playing devil's advocate, why does Saudi Arabia get a civilian nuclear deal but Iran doesn't get a civilian nuclear deal?
[38:55] Ms. Well, again, this agreement is still being worked out. It will eventually, hopefully, be finalized with the condition that the President spoke about this morning.
[39:03] But this agreement in particular, as it's been discussed thus far, does give priority access for American companies and the Saudi nuclear energy program, which will ultimately benefit American industry workers and supply chains.
[39:15] So, the deal that has been discussed thus far and will continue to be discussed absolutely puts America first. And that's obviously very important to this President. Ed.
[39:23] The Press, thanks. So, Friday, the Section 122, the 10 percent global tariff, goes away. Is the President going to ask Congress for an extension or what's next?
[39:31] Ms. Well, I know the USTR, our great Jameson Greer, trade representative, will be having an announcement on that very soon, later today. I don't want to get ahead of him, so I would just tell you to stay tuned for more details.
[39:45] The Press, and then one more on the President's going to have some big utility companies at this event later on today. We're now a year and a half, so speaking to his energy, pro-energy policies.
[39:57] Is he going to pressure those executives to lower energy prices, not just maintain the prices?
[40:02] Well, look, as I mentioned earlier, the Ratepayer Protection Pledge is a novel idea drawn up by this President, his team, to ensure that data centers and communities where those communities want data centers, that these big CEOs and energy companies are picking up the tab for the energy costs in these communities.
[40:19] So the American taxpayer are not being fronted with those bills. And the pledge today is being expanded to acknowledge all elements involved in building an operating data center.
[40:29] The governors who appoint the state regulators, who set the power prices, the utilities and the co-ops that sell the power, and in addition to the tech companies that have already signed the pledge.
[40:38] So you'll continue to hear more about that from the President in a few hours at 2.30 when he goes over to the EPA.
[40:44] Sophia.
[40:45] He's spoken to the President about what he wants to do about Chinese AI models if they are found to have stolen American IP.
[40:54] Does he want to sanction them? Or what actions can be taken without undermining broader U.S.-China trade talks or cutting off American startups that are increasingly reliant on them?
[41:04] Ms. Sure. Well, I won't get ahead of the President on any potential actions, but obviously these conversations are taking place.
[41:10] And again, they're of the utmost importance, not just for our national security, but to ensure America remains dominant in this space.
[41:16] Stephen.
[41:17] The Press. Thank you, Caroline. Two questions.
[41:19] Has President Trump spoken with FIFA President Gianni Infantino about his interest in nominating him for U.N. Secretary General?
[41:27] Can you explain his interest there? And secondly, just a minor point of clarification on the Saudi nuclear deal.
[41:32] Did Prime Minister Netanyahu request this provision?
[41:36] Ms. Not to my knowledge, no. Again, as I told you, this was an idea the President has long had.
[41:41] It was the President and his team in the first term that began and signed the Abraham Accords with several countries in the region, between those countries and Israel.
[41:51] And the President obviously wants to expand on that historic accomplishment from his first term.
[41:55] To your first question about Gianni Infantino, I don't know if he and the President have discussed that.
[42:01] I haven't been present for all their conversations.
[42:03] I know they speak quite frequently, and the President has a lot of respect for Gianni and what he has done with FIFA.
[42:08] As we all just saw, the World Cup was a tremendous success here at home.
[42:12] It not only was hugely beneficial to our businesses and our local economies across the country,
[42:19] but I think it showed that America is the greatest country on Earth.
[42:22] And the President is grateful to Gianni for all of the efforts that he had to make that dream a reality here in the United States.
[42:30] Danny.
[42:31] The Press, thanks, Caroline.
[42:32] Is President Trump or the administration, do they have any plans to intervene in the extradition process for the Tate brothers?
[42:39] No.
[42:40] We've already answered that question.
[42:41] Elizabeth.
[42:42] Thank you, Caroline.
[42:43] Secretary Mullen said that election officials that knowingly allowed noncitizens to vote could be prosecuted and fined.
[42:49] Is this option being considered in New Jersey after the Governor revealed that thousands of noncitizens were registered to vote there?
[42:55] Well, for any prosecutions, obviously, I would always defer you to the Department of Justice.
[42:59] But what I will say on New Jersey and this Governor, the fact that she just all of a sudden decided to put out a press release
[43:05] saying President Trump and Republicans have been right about noncitizens on our voting rolls is not a coincidence.
[43:11] I think this Governor is saying this because she realizes this administration is serious about getting to the bottom of illegal aliens voting
[43:19] and being on our voter rolls in our country.
[43:22] The Secretary of Homeland Security, as you know, sent a letter to several states, including New Jersey,
[43:28] requesting that noncitizens that are on their voter rolls need to be reported to DHS and need to be removed from those voter rolls.
[43:35] So that's why all of a sudden she is speaking truth about the fact that this does take place in states across the country.
[43:41] It is completely unacceptable to have noncitizens on American voter rolls voting in U.S. elections.
[43:47] And she says at 6,600, we suspect it's a heck of a lot more, not just in New Jersey, but in states across the country.
[43:54] The President is hellbent on getting to the bottom of this.
[43:57] And it's also why we need to pass the Save America Act to ensure that only U.S. citizens are voting in U.S. elections.
[44:05] And I understand the House had a great accomplishment yesterday with passing the budget resolution,
[44:10] which has as much of the Save America Act as possible.
[44:13] And we encourage the Senate to move forward with passing that resolution into law
[44:18] so the President can sign it into law by the August recess.
[44:21] It's of the utmost importance to this President, but also to the American people who support this bill overwhelmingly.
[44:27] Mary, in the back.
[44:29] Two questions, one on Sophia Cunningham and then on self-driving cars.
[44:34] Sophia Cunningham and the WNBA has been attacked as a MAGA Barbie for saying it's common sense for men
[44:40] to not be in women's sports and locker rooms.
[44:43] Is the President following this story and has he reached out to her?
[44:46] I don't believe he has reached out to her.
[44:49] I know he is following the story.
[44:51] As you know, this is something the President feels strongly about as well,
[44:54] and the American people do too, that men should not be playing in women's sports.
[44:59] It's completely ludicrous that anyone could support that.
[45:02] It's even more ludicrous that you do have Sophia Cunningham, a female athlete herself,
[45:07] very accomplished in her own right, coming forth and speaking that truth that men shouldn't play in women's sports.
[45:12] We want to protect women and girls and the backlash she is receiving from Democrats and left-wing fingers across the country.
[45:18] Tomorrow night, the President will attend the White House Correspondents Association Dinner Round 2,
[45:24] celebrating free speech and the First Amendment alongside all of you members of the media.
[45:29] The President looks forward to finishing what he started before a despicable assassination attempt derailed the original event back in April, as we all know.
[45:38] And I encourage everyone watching tomorrow night to tune in for what promises to be a very entertaining and memorable evening.
[45:45] Looking ahead to next week, on Monday, President Trump will travel to Michigan to deliver remarks on the economy.
[45:52] On Tuesday afternoon, the President will deliver a tribute honoring the life and legacy of his dear friend, Senator Lindsey Graham, at the National Cathedral.
[46:01] And next Friday, the President will host the 13th Cabinet meeting of this term, of this term at Camp David,
[46:08] which will be a lot of fun and something different for the Cabinet to experience together.
[46:12] Turning now to the economy.
[46:14] A little more than a year after President Trump signed the Working Families Tax Cuts into law, this historic legislation continues to deliver on its promise,
[46:24] unleashing a genuine boom for American workers, families, and small businesses.
[46:29] The numbers speak for themselves.
[46:31] This was the biggest tax refund season in American history, with the average refund exceeding $3,400, an 11 percent increase over the last year.
[46:42] American families and workers claimed $82 billion in direct tax relief, and 97 percent of filers received a tax cut.
[46:51] More than 29 million workers claimed no tax on overtime.
[46:55] More than 35 million seniors claimed no tax on Social Security.
[47:00] And nearly 8 million workers claimed no tax on tips.
[47:04] Thanks to the other pro-growth provisions in the Working Families Tax Cuts,
[47:09] like making the 20 percent small business tax deduction permanent and delivering 100 percent expensing for new factories, equipment, and research,
[47:16] the Trump administration is setting up American manufacturers and workers to thrive like never before.
[47:23] Just this week, the National Association of Manufacturers, which is the largest manufacturing association in the country,
[47:30] released a detailed report showing exactly how these tax cuts are driving investment, job creation, innovation, and long-term growth in all 50 states.
[47:39] In fact, I'd like to take a moment to highlight just a few of the real American businesses that this law is helping.
[47:46] Pivot Manufacturing in Arizona made the largest equipment purchase in company history after the Trump tax cuts gave them the long-term certainty to invest with confidence.
[47:56] Winton Machine Company in Georgia is on pace for the best year in its history.
[48:02] Ketchy Inc. in North Carolina was able to purchase new machinery and expand its workforce by 25 percent.
[48:09] And Jergens in Ohio expanded its brand new facility to increase production.
[48:14] And they're also paying their workers even more thanks to the no tax on overtime provision.
[48:19] These are not just great statistics.
[48:21] These are American businesses with the confidence to grow, hire, and invest right here at home rather than offshoring their jobs.
[48:29] And a business opening or expanding in this country means more opportunity and higher wages for American workers.
[48:35] It means a chance for the American dream for young families.
[48:38] And it means restoring the belief that we can make and build things right here at home.
[48:44] This is what President Trump promised, and it's exactly what he is delivering with the help of Republicans in Congress.
[48:50] Democrats throw around the word affordability a lot.
[48:53] But when they had the chance to vote for the largest middle-class tax cuts in history, they refused.
[48:59] If Democrats got their way, it would have meant the largest tax increase in history, $4 trillion.
[49:05] Ninety percent of Americans would have seen their taxes go up, and it would have been a complete disaster for our economy.
[49:12] That's the Democrat's solution to, quote, affordability.
[49:15] It is raising your taxes.
[49:17] So I hope the press will cover more of the massive success stories resulting from the working families' tax cuts
[49:23] and point out that every single Democrat on Capitol Hill voted against every single common-sense provision
[49:29] that put more money back into the pockets of the American people.
[49:33] Finally, on the energy front, after this briefing, President Trump will participate in a historic ratepayer protection pledge event at the EPA headquarters down the street.
[49:43] The President will expand the ratepayer protection pledge to governors, state legislatures, developers, and power providers
[49:50] to ensure that everyone involved in building and powering data centers pays their own way, instead of passing those costs on to hardworking families.
[49:58] The President will be joined by Energy Secretary Chris Wright, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, and several governors who have already signed on to this pledge, and it has already proven to be remarkably successful.
[50:10] Nearly 200 additional stakeholders have signed on since it was first announced, including utilities, data center developers, public power authorities, co-ops, and state governors.
[50:21] As a result, the pledge now covers 80 percent of all the power delivered to American homes and businesses.
[50:28] President Trump's bold leadership is turning data centers from a source of concern into engines of growth and opportunity for communities across this country, all while cementing America's dominance over China in the global AI race.
[50:42] The President is ensuring the American people are never left footing the bill so private companies can benefit.
[50:48] Instead, President Trump is leveraging the data center boom to deliver real, tangible benefits for working families and small businesses.
[50:57] So we have a busy day here, rest assured.
[50:59] I'll take some questions.
[51:00] And here in our new media seat, we have Cam from Town Hall.
[51:03] Cam, thank you for being here.
[51:04] Why don't you kick us off today?
[51:05] Thank you.
[51:06] Two quick questions.
[51:07] One on Congress.
[51:08] First off, Speaker Mike Johnson passed a continuing resolution earlier this week.
[51:12] John Thunas said he wants to work with Democrats to find a way to fund the government.
[51:17] What is the White House's stance and the best way to keep the government funded?
[51:21] Well, the White House's stance is that the government needs to be funded.
[51:24] This President and Republicans on Capitol Hill from both chambers, as you just mentioned,
[51:29] the House and the Senate Republicans want to keep the government open.
[51:33] We want to work together to find ways to do that.
[51:35] And the White House will continue to have discussions with Senate leadership on the best path forward.
[51:40] I don't want to get ahead of those conversations.
[51:42] But the most important thing for the American people to know is that this President and this White House wants the government to remain open,
[51:49] unlike the Democrats in this town who have been acting as obstructionists.
[51:53] We've seen time and time again they have chosen to block this administration,
[51:57] to block Republicans in Congress from keeping our government open,
[52:00] which does not help anyone.
[52:02] And it especially hurts the American people who depend on our government remaining open
[52:06] so they can access the critical services that our government provides to so many Americans across the country.
[52:11] So these conversations are continuing, but I think I just made the President's position quite clear.
[52:15] Thank you.
[52:16] And then on the Saudi Arabian nuclear deal, what steps is the U.S. taking to get Saudi Arabia to sign the Abraham Accords?
[52:25] Sure.
[52:26] Well, the President himself has spoken on this many times, his true social post this morning,
[52:31] and I will read it for those at home who missed it.
[52:33] The civil nuclear deal, there will be no enrichment of material,
[52:37] an important point being made between the Department of Energy and Saudi Arabia,
[52:41] which pertains only to non-military use, will be approved,
[52:46] but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords.
[52:52] The United States is not opposed to civil nuclear facilities, as we all know.
[52:56] Look, this is a condition that the President has spoken about many times with our Gulf and Arab allies.
[53:04] He wants to see these countries sign the Abraham Accord.
[53:07] It was one of the most historic accomplishments of his first term,
[53:10] and it continues to be a long-term goal of his to expand those accords
[53:14] to ultimately come to a place where the Middle East can be a peaceful and stable region.
[53:18] And yes, this deal with Saudi Arabia, the energy deal, is contingent on this condition as far as the President is concerned.
[53:25] So we'll continue to talk with our Saudi counterparts to get the deal finalized
[53:29] and hopefully see them joining the Abraham Accords very soon.
[53:32] Thank you.
[53:33] Thank you.
[53:34] Gabe.
[53:35] Caroline, thank you.
[53:36] With regards to the Saudi nuclear deal, why was that condition not mentioned yesterday
[53:39] when the energy secretary announced it?
[53:41] Well, look, the President is always the final dealmaker, as you know,
[53:44] and this is something that he has mentioned on numerous occasions.
[53:47] Going back, I can provide you with those statements.
[53:50] And he has said if they don't join the Abraham Accords,
[53:54] the deal is off.
[53:55] So we'll continue to have those conversations with our Saudi counterparts moving forward.
[53:59] So the deal is dead if Saudi Arabia doesn't join?
[54:01] And have you any indication that Saudi Arabia is even considering this?
[54:06] Again, the President has spoken directly with the Saudis about this in numerous conversations in the past,
[54:11] and the administration will continue to engage in those conversations.
[54:14] Would Saudi Arabia be exempt from international inspections as part of this deal if it moves forward?
[54:19] I don't want to comment on the specifics of the deal as we're still, again, as I just said,
[54:23] talking especially about this very important condition that the President raised this morning.
[54:27] Alexandra.
[54:28] It's so good to see you now that you're back.
[54:29] You too.
[54:30] So Treasury Secretary Besant voiced concern this week on China potentially distilling or stealing AI technology from the United States,
[54:38] kind of manipulating it as their own.
[54:40] Anthropic said that the largest distilling attack happened last month.
[54:45] Do you think this will come up when the President meets with President Xi in September?
[54:49] Well, I have had the honor of being part of some of the meetings and discussions between President Trump and President Xi,
[54:55] and I can tell you there is always a wide range of topics that come up.
[54:59] I would imagine this would be something that's of high importance to the President and of this administration
[55:04] to obviously ensure that America remains dominant in the AI race.
[55:08] And we're obviously tracking the particular situation that you mentioned.
[55:11] I have one more, if you don't mind.
[55:12] Sure.
[55:13] This week we've seen some major players in Democrat politics voicing or alerting, really,
[55:18] on how much influence socialism, communism has had now on kind of mainstream Democrat politics.
[55:24] Is there any chance that the President would be interested or is considering working with left-of-center Democrats to push back on this?
[55:31] Well, unfortunately we don't seem to have too many of those left in the Democrat Party.
[55:35] We have literal self-proclaimed communists who are winning elections
[55:39] and who are claiming to be the new leadership of the Democrat Party.
[55:43] I think the vast majority of Americans understand the dangers of communism.
[55:48] Just look at countries all over this world.
[55:50] As an example, Cuba right now is a country that is about to be a failed state
[55:55] because of the communist policies of the past several decades.
[55:58] Communism should never be allowed to lead this country.
[56:02] And the President obviously is strictly opposed to it and all the dangers that it reaps.
[56:08] We've seen it happen across the world.
[56:10] Meredith.
[56:11] Just to continue on the Saudi nuclear deal,
[56:14] do the Saudis agree with this interpretation since it wasn't part of the initial agreement?
[56:19] And has the President talked to MBS since this new condition?
[56:24] As you know, the President just put out this statement a few hours ago.
[56:27] I don't believe he's had a call with MBS in the hours since.
[56:31] However, this is something that he has raised in previous conversations
[56:34] and has also said many times in the past.
[56:36] John, in the back, go ahead.
[56:38] Thanks a lot, Carolyn.
[56:39] In regards to this deal, in the past the Saudi government has said they will not consider entering into the Abraham Accords
[56:46] unless and until there's a Palestinian state.
[56:50] What makes you think that they're going to change their minds on their position regarding that?
[56:55] Again, I won't get ahead of the President's conversations,
[56:57] but this is something that he feels very strongly about and has spoken about it in the past and will continue to uphold.
[57:03] Can I ask you one other question?
[57:04] Sure.
[57:05] Just playing devil's advocate, why does Saudi Arabia get a civilian nuclear deal but Iran doesn't get a civilian nuclear deal?
[57:13] Well, again, this agreement is still being worked out.
[57:16] It will eventually hopefully be finalized with the condition that the President spoke about this morning.
[57:22] But this agreement in particular, as it's been discussed thus far,
[57:25] does give priority access for American companies and the Saudi nuclear energy program,
[57:29] which will ultimately benefit American industry workers and supply chains.
[57:33] So the deal that has been discussed thus far and will continue to be discussed absolutely puts America first,
[57:38] and that's obviously very important to this President.
[57:40] Ed.
[57:41] Thanks, Carolyn.
[57:42] So Friday, the Section 122, the 10 percent global tariff, goes away.
[57:46] Yes.
[57:47] Is the President going to ask Congress for an extension, or what's next?
[57:50] Well, I know the USTR, our great Jameson Greer, trade representative,
[57:55] will be having an announcement on that very soon, later today.
[57:59] I don't want to get ahead of him, so I would just tell you to stay tuned for more details.
[58:02] Okay.
[58:03] And then one more on the President is going to have some big utility companies at this event later on today.
[58:09] We're now a year and a half, so to speak, into his energy, pro-energy policies.
[58:15] Is he going to pressure those executives to lower energy prices, not just maintain the prices?
[58:20] Well, look, as I mentioned earlier, the Ratepayer Protection Pledge is a novel idea drawn up by this President, his team,
[58:27] to ensure that data centers and communities where those communities want data centers,
[58:32] that these big CEOs and energy companies are picking up the tab for the energy costs in these communities,
[58:37] so the American taxpayer are not being fronted with those bills.
[58:40] And the pledge today is being expanded to acknowledge all elements involved in building an operating data center,
[58:46] the governors who appoint the state regulators, who set the power prices,
[58:50] the utilities and the co-ops that sell the power,
[58:53] and in addition to the tech companies that have already signed the pledge.
[58:56] So you'll continue to hear more about that from the President in a few hours at 2.30 when he goes over to the EPA.
[59:01] Sophia.
[59:02] The Press.
[59:03] The Press.
[59:05] Have you spoken to the President about what he wants to do about Chinese AI models
[59:08] if they are found to have stolen American IP?
[59:11] Does he want to sanction them?
[59:13] Or what actions can be taken without undermining broader U.S.-China trade talks
[59:17] or cutting off American startups that are increasingly reliant on them?
[59:21] Ms. Sure.
[59:22] Well, I won't get ahead of the President on any potential actions,
[59:25] but obviously these conversations are taking place,
[59:27] and again, they're of the utmost importance not just for our national security
[59:31] but to ensure America remains dominant in this space.
[59:34] Stephen.
[59:35] The Press.
[59:36] Thank you, Caroline.
[59:37] Two questions.
[59:38] Has President Trump spoken with FIFA President Gianni Infantino
[59:41] about his interest in nominating him for U.N. Secretary General?
[59:44] Can you explain his interest there?
[59:46] And secondly, just a minor point of clarification on the Saudi nuclear deal,
[59:50] did Prime Minister Netanyahu request this provision?
[59:54] Ms. Not to my knowledge, no.
[59:55] Again, as I told you, this was an idea the President has long had.
[59:59] It was the President and his team in the first term that began and signed
[1:00:04] the Abraham Accords with several countries in the region,
[1:00:07] between those countries and Israel.
[1:00:09] And the President obviously wants to expand on that historic accomplishment
[1:00:12] from his first term.
[1:00:13] To your first question about Gianni Infantino,
[1:00:16] I don't know if he and the President have discussed that.
[1:00:19] I haven't been present for all their conversations.
[1:00:21] I know they speak quite frequently, and the President has a lot of respect
[1:00:24] for Gianni and what he has done with FIFA.
[1:00:26] As we all just saw, the World Cup was a tremendous amount of
[1:00:29] tremendous success here at home.
[1:00:31] It not only was hugely beneficial to our businesses
[1:00:35] and our local economies across the country,
[1:00:37] but I think it showed that America is the greatest country on Earth.
[1:00:40] And the President is grateful to Gianni for all of the efforts
[1:00:43] that he had to make that dream a reality here in the United States.
[1:00:48] Danny.
[1:00:49] The Press, thanks, Caroline.
[1:00:50] Is President Trump or the administration,
[1:00:52] do they have any plans to intervene in the extradition process
[1:00:55] for the Tate brothers?
[1:00:57] No.
[1:00:58] We've already answered that question.
[1:00:59] Elizabeth.
[1:01:00] Thank you, Caroline.
[1:01:01] Secretary Mullen said that election officials that knowingly allowed
[1:01:04] non-citizens to vote could be prosecuted and fined.
[1:01:07] Is this option being considered in New Jersey after the Governor
[1:01:10] revealed that thousands of non-citizens were registered to vote there?
[1:01:13] Well, for any prosecutions, obviously, I would always defer you
[1:01:16] to the Department of Justice.
[1:01:17] But what I will say on New Jersey and this Governor,
[1:01:20] the fact that she just all of a sudden decided to put out a press release
[1:01:23] saying President Trump and Republicans have been right about
[1:01:26] non-citizens on our voting rolls is not a coincidence.
[1:01:29] I think this Governor is saying this because she realizes this
[1:01:32] administration is serious about getting to the bottom of illegal
[1:01:35] aliens voting and being on our voter rolls in our country.
[1:01:39] The Secretary of Homeland Security, as you know, sent a letter to
[1:01:43] several states, including New Jersey, requesting that non-citizens
[1:01:47] that are on their voter rolls need to be reported to DHS
[1:01:50] and need to be removed from those voter rolls.
[1:01:52] So that's why all of a sudden she is speaking truth about the fact
[1:01:56] that this does take place in states across the country.
[1:01:58] It is completely unacceptable to have non-citizens on American
[1:02:02] voter rolls voting in U.S. elections.
[1:02:05] And she says at 6,600, we suspect it's a heck of a lot more,
[1:02:08] not just in New Jersey but in states across the country.
[1:02:11] The President is hell-bent on getting to the bottom of this.
[1:02:14] And it's also why we need to pass the Save America Act to ensure
[1:02:18] that only U.S. citizens are voting in U.S. elections.
[1:02:22] And I understand the House had a great accomplishment yesterday
[1:02:25] with passing the budget resolution, which has as much of the
[1:02:29] Save America Act as possible.
[1:02:30] And we encourage the Senate to move forward with passing that
[1:02:34] resolution into law so the President can sign it into law
[1:02:37] by the August recess.
[1:02:39] It's of the utmost importance to this President but also to the
[1:02:42] American people who support this bill overwhelmingly.
[1:02:45] Mary in the back.
[1:02:47] Two questions, one on Sophia Cunningham and the self-driving cars.
[1:02:51] Sure.
[1:02:52] Sophia Cunningham and the WNBA has been attacked as a MAGA Barbie
[1:02:55] for saying it's common sense for men to not be in women's sports
[1:02:59] in the locker rooms.
[1:03:00] Is the President following this story and has he reached out to her?
[1:03:03] I don't believe he has reached out to her.
[1:03:06] I know he is following the story.
[1:03:08] As you know, this is something the President feels strongly about
[1:03:11] as well and the American people do too.
[1:03:13] That men should not be playing in women's sports.
[1:03:16] It's completely ludicrous that anyone could support that.
[1:03:19] It's even more ludicrous that you do have Sophia Cunningham,
[1:03:22] a female athlete herself, very accomplished in her own right,
[1:03:25] coming forth and speaking that truth that men shouldn't play
[1:03:28] in women's sports.
[1:03:29] We want to protect women and girls and the backlash she is receiving
[1:03:32] from Democrats and left-wing fingers across the country.
[1:03:35] Tomorrow night, the President will attend
[1:03:38] the White House Correspondents Association Dinner Round 2,
[1:03:41] celebrating free speech and the First Amendment
[1:03:44] alongside all of you members of the media.
[1:03:47] The President looks forward to finishing what he started
[1:03:49] before a despicable assassination attempt derailed the original event
[1:03:53] back in April, as we all know.
[1:03:55] And I encourage everyone watching tomorrow night to tune in
[1:03:58] for what promises to be a very entertaining and memorable evening.
[1:04:02] Looking ahead to next week.
[1:04:04] On Monday, President Trump will travel to Michigan
[1:04:07] to deliver remarks on the economy.
[1:04:09] On Tuesday afternoon, the President will deliver a tribute
[1:04:12] honoring the life and legacy of his dear friend,
[1:04:15] Senator Lindsey Graham, at the National Cathedral.
[1:04:18] And next Friday, the President will host the 13th Cabinet meeting
[1:04:22] of this term at Camp David, which will be a lot of fun
[1:04:26] and something different for the Cabinet to experience together.
[1:04:29] Turning now to the economy.
[1:04:31] A little more than a year after President Trump signed
[1:04:33] the Working Families Tax Cuts into law, this historic legislation
[1:04:37] continues to deliver on its promise, unleashing a genuine boom
[1:04:42] for American workers, families, and small businesses.
[1:04:45] The numbers speak for themselves.
[1:04:48] This was the biggest tax refund season in American history,
[1:04:51] with the average refund exceeding $3,400, an 11% increase over the last year.
[1:04:59] American families and workers claimed $82 billion in direct tax relief
[1:05:04] and 97% of filers received a tax cut.
[1:05:08] More than 29 million workers claimed no tax on overtime.
[1:05:12] More than 35 million seniors claimed no tax on Social Security.
[1:05:17] And nearly 8 million workers claimed no tax on tips.
[1:05:21] Thanks to the other pro-growth provisions in the Working Families Tax Cuts,
[1:05:25] like making the 20% small business tax deduction permanent
[1:05:29] and delivering 100% expensing for new factories, equipment, and research,
[1:05:33] the Trump administration is setting up American manufacturers and workers
[1:05:37] to thrive like never before.
[1:05:40] Just this week, the National Association of Manufacturers,
[1:05:43] which is the largest manufacturing association in the country,
[1:05:46] released a detailed report showing exactly how these tax cuts
[1:05:50] are driving investment, job creation, innovation, and long-term growth in all 50 states.
[1:05:56] In fact, I'd like to take a moment to highlight just a few of the real American businesses
[1:06:01] that this law is helping.
[1:06:03] Pivot Manufacturing in Arizona made the largest equipment purchase in company history
[1:06:08] after the Trump tax cuts gave them the long-term certainty to invest with confidence.
[1:06:13] Winton Machine Company in Georgia is on pace for the best year in its history.
[1:06:18] Ketchy Ink in North Carolina was able to purchase new machinery
[1:06:22] and expand its workforce by 25%,
[1:06:25] and Juergens in Ohio expanded its brand-new facility to increase production,
[1:06:30] and they're also paying their workers even more
[1:06:33] thanks to the no tax on overtime provision.
[1:06:36] These are not just great statistics.
[1:06:38] These are American businesses with the confidence to grow,
[1:06:41] hire, and invest right here at home rather than offshoring their jobs.
[1:06:46] And a business opening or expanding in this country means more opportunity
[1:06:50] and higher wages for American workers.
[1:06:52] It means a chance for the American dream for young families,
[1:06:55] and it means restoring the belief that we can make and build things right here at home.
[1:07:01] This is what President Trump promised,
[1:07:03] and it's exactly what he is delivering with the help of Republicans in Congress.
[1:07:07] Democrats throw around the word affordability a lot,
[1:07:10] but when they had the chance to vote for the largest middle-class tax cuts in history,
[1:07:15] they refused.
[1:07:16] If Democrats got their way, it would have meant the largest tax increase in history,
[1:07:21] $4 trillion.
[1:07:23] 90% of Americans would have seen their taxes go up,
[1:07:26] and it would have been a complete disaster for our economy.
[1:07:29] That's the Democrat solution to, quote, affordability.
[1:07:32] It is raising your taxes.
[1:07:34] So I hope the press will cover more of the massive success stories
[1:07:37] resulting from the working families' tax cuts,
[1:07:40] and point out that every single Democrat on Capitol Hill
[1:07:43] voted against every single common-sense provision
[1:07:46] that put more money back into the pockets of the American people.
[1:07:50] Finally, on the energy front, after this briefing,
[1:07:53] President Trump will participate in a historic Ratepayer Protection Pledge event
[1:07:58] at the EPA headquarters down the street.
[1:08:01] The President will expand the Ratepayer Protection Pledge to governors,
[1:08:05] state legislatures, developers, and power providers
[1:08:08] to ensure that everyone involved in building and powering data centers
[1:08:12] pays their own way instead of passing those costs on to hardworking families.
[1:08:17] The President will be joined by Energy Secretary Chris Wright,
[1:08:20] EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin,
[1:08:22] and several governors who have already signed on to this pledge,
[1:08:25] and it has already proven to be remarkably successful.
[1:08:28] Nearly 200 additional stakeholders have signed on since it was first announced,
[1:08:33] including utilities, data center developers, public power authorities,
[1:08:37] co-ops, and state governors.
[1:08:39] As a result, the pledge now covers 80 percent of all the power
[1:08:43] delivered to American homes and businesses.
[1:08:46] President Trump's bold leadership is turning data centers from a source of concern
[1:08:50] into engines of growth and opportunity for communities across this country,
[1:08:55] all while cementing America's dominance over China in the global AI race.
[1:09:00] The President is ensuring the American people are never left footing the bill
[1:09:04] so private companies can benefit.
[1:09:06] Instead, President Trump is leveraging the data center boom
[1:09:09] to deliver real, tangible benefits for working families and small businesses.
[1:09:14] So we have a busy day here, rest assured.
[1:09:16] I'll take some questions.
[1:09:17] And here in our new media seat, we have Cam from Town Hall.
[1:09:20] Cam, thank you for being here.
[1:09:21] Why don't you kick us off today?
[1:09:23] Thank you.
[1:09:24] Two quick questions.
[1:09:25] One on Congress.
[1:09:26] First off, Speaker Mike Johnson passed a continuing resolution earlier this week.
[1:09:30] John Thunas said he wants to work with Democrats to find a way to fund the government.
[1:09:35] What is the White House's stance and the best way to keep the government funded?
[1:09:39] Well, the White House's stance is that the government needs to be funded.
[1:09:42] This President and Republicans on Capitol Hill from both chambers, as you just mentioned,
[1:09:46] the House and the Senate Republicans want to keep the government open.
[1:09:50] We want to work together to find ways to do that,
[1:09:52] and the White House will continue to have discussions with Senate leadership on the best path forward.
[1:09:58] I don't want to get ahead of those conversations, but the most important thing for the American people to know
[1:10:02] is that this President and this White House wants the government to remain open,
[1:10:06] unlike the Democrats in this town who have been acting as obstructionists.
[1:10:10] We've seen time and time again they have chosen to block this administration,
[1:10:14] to block Republicans in Congress from keeping our government open,
[1:10:17] which does not help anyone, and it especially hurts the American people
[1:10:21] who depend on our government remaining open so they can access the critical services
[1:10:25] that our government provides to so many Americans across the country.
[1:10:28] So these conversations are continuing, but I think I just made the President's position quite clear.
[1:10:33] Thank you. And then on the Saudi Arabian nuclear deal,
[1:10:37] what steps is the U.S. taking to get Saudi Arabia to sign the Abraham Accords?
[1:10:42] Sure. Well, the President himself has spoken on this many times.
[1:10:47] His true social post this morning, and I will read it for those at home who missed it,
[1:10:51] the civil nuclear deal, there will be no enrichment of material,
[1:10:54] an important point being made between the Department of Energy and Saudi Arabia,
[1:10:59] which pertains only to non-military use, will be approved,
[1:11:03] but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords.
[1:11:09] The United States is not opposed to civil nuclear facilities, as we all know.
[1:11:14] Look, this is a condition that the President has spoken about many times with our Gulf and Arab allies.
[1:11:22] He wants to see these countries sign the Abraham Accord.
[1:11:25] It was one of the most historic accomplishments of his first term,
[1:11:28] and it continues to be a long-term goal of his to expand those accords
[1:11:32] to ultimately come to a place where the Middle East can be a peaceful and stable region.
[1:11:36] And yes, this deal with Saudi Arabia, the energy deal,
[1:11:40] is contingent on this condition as far as the President is concerned.
[1:11:43] So we'll continue to talk with our Saudi counterparts to get the deal finalized,
[1:11:46] and hopefully see them joining the Abraham Accords very soon.
[1:11:50] Thank you.
[1:11:51] Gabe.
[1:11:52] The Press, Caroline, thank you.
[1:11:53] With regards to the Saudi nuclear deal,
[1:11:54] why was that condition not mentioned yesterday when the Energy Secretary announced it?
[1:11:59] Well, look, the President is always the final dealmaker, as you know,
[1:12:02] and this is something that he has mentioned on numerous occasions.
[1:12:05] Going back, I can provide you with those statements.
[1:12:08] And he has said if they don't join the Abraham Accords, the deal is off.
[1:12:13] So we'll continue to have those conversations with our Saudi counterparts moving forward.
[1:12:16] So the deal is dead if Saudi Arabia doesn't join?
[1:12:19] And have you any indication that Saudi Arabia is even considering this?
[1:12:23] Again, the President has spoken directly with the Saudis about this
[1:12:27] in numerous conversations in the past,
[1:12:28] and the administration will continue to engage in those conversations.
[1:12:31] Would Saudi Arabia be exempt from international inspections as part of this deal if it moves forward?
[1:12:36] I don't want to comment on the specifics of the deal as we're still, again, as I just said,
[1:12:40] talking especially about this very important condition that the President raised this morning.
[1:12:44] Alexandra.
[1:12:46] Good to see you.
[1:12:47] You're back.
[1:12:48] You too.
[1:12:49] So Treasury Secretary Besant voiced concern this week on China potentially distilling or stealing
[1:12:53] AI technology from the United States, kind of manipulating it as their own.
[1:12:58] Anthropik said that the largest distilling attack happened last month.
[1:13:03] Do you think this will come up when the President meets with President Xi in September?
[1:13:06] Well, I have had the honor of being part of some of the meetings and discussions between President Trump and President Xi,
[1:13:12] and I can tell you there is always a wide range of topics that come up.
[1:13:16] I would imagine this would be something that's of high importance to the President and of this administration
[1:13:21] to obviously ensure that America remains dominant in the AI race,
[1:13:25] and we're obviously tracking the particular situation that you mentioned.
[1:13:28] I have one more if you don't mind.
[1:13:29] Sure.
[1:13:30] This week we've seen some major players in Democrat politics voicing or alerting, really,
[1:13:35] on how much influence socialism, communism has had now on kind of mainstream Democrat politics.
[1:13:41] Is there any chance that the President would be interested or is considering working with left-of-center Democrats to push back on this?
[1:13:47] Well, unfortunately we don't seem to have too many of those left in the Democrat Party.
[1:13:52] We have literal self-proclaimed communists who are winning elections and who are claiming to be the new leadership of the Democrat Party.
[1:14:00] I think the vast majority of Americans understand the dangers of communism.
[1:14:05] Just look at countries all over this world.
[1:14:07] As an example, Cuba right now is a country that is about to be a failed state because of the communist policies of the past several decades.
[1:14:15] Communism should never be allowed to lead this country,
[1:14:20] and the President obviously is strictly opposed to it and all the dangers that it reaps.
[1:14:26] We've seen it happen across the world.
[1:14:28] Meredith.
[1:14:29] Just to continue on the Saudi nuclear deal,
[1:14:32] do the Saudis agree with this interpretation since it wasn't part of the initial agreement,
[1:14:37] and has the President talked to NBS since this new condition?
[1:14:41] As you know, the President just put out this statement a few hours ago.
[1:14:45] I don't believe he's had a call with NBS in the hours since.
[1:14:48] However, this is something that he has raised in previous conversations and has also said many times in the past.
[1:14:54] John, in the back, go ahead.
[1:14:55] Thanks a lot, Carolyn.
[1:14:56] In regards to this deal, in the past the Saudi government has said they will not consider entering into the Abraham Accords unless and until there's a Palestinian state.
[1:15:07] What makes you think that they're going to change their minds on their position regarding that?
[1:15:12] Again, I won't get ahead of the President's conversations,
[1:15:14] but this is something that he feels very strongly about and has spoken about it in the past and will continue to uphold.
[1:15:20] Can I ask you one other question?
[1:15:21] Sure.
[1:15:22] Just playing devil's advocate, why does Saudi Arabia get a civilian nuclear deal but Iran doesn't get a civilian nuclear deal?
[1:15:30] Well, again, this agreement is still being worked out.
[1:15:33] It will eventually hopefully be finalized with the condition that the President spoke about this morning.
[1:15:39] But this agreement in particular, as it's been discussed thus far, does give priority access for American companies and the Saudi nuclear energy program,
[1:15:46] which will ultimately benefit American industry workers and supply chains.
[1:15:50] So the deal that has been discussed thus far and will continue to be discussed absolutely puts America first.
[1:15:55] And that's obviously very important to this President.
[1:15:58] Ed.
[1:15:59] The Press.
[1:16:00] Thanks, Caroline.
[1:16:01] So Friday, the Section 122, the 10 percent global tariff, goes away.
[1:16:04] Is the President going to ask Congress for an extension or what's next?
[1:16:07] Well, I know the USTR, our great Jameson Greer, trade representative, will be having an announcement on that very soon, later today.
[1:16:17] I don't want to get ahead of him, so I would just tell you to stay tuned for more details.
[1:16:20] Okay, and then one more on the President's going to have some big utility companies at this event later on today.
[1:16:26] We're now a year and a half, so to speak, into his energy, pro-energy policies.
[1:16:32] Is he going to pressure those executives to lower energy prices, not just maintain the prices?
[1:16:37] Well, look, as I mentioned earlier, the Ratepayer Protection Pledge is a novel idea drawn up by this President, his team,
[1:16:44] to ensure that data centers and communities where those communities want data centers,
[1:16:49] that these big CEOs and energy companies are picking up the tab for the energy costs in these communities,
[1:16:55] so the American taxpayer are not being fronted with those bills.
[1:16:58] And the pledge today is being expanded to acknowledge all elements involved in building an operating data center.
[1:17:04] The governors who appoint the state regulators, who set the power prices, the utilities and the co-ops that sell the power,
[1:17:10] and in addition to the tech companies that have already signed the pledge.
[1:17:13] So you'll continue to hear more about that from the President in a few hours at 2.30 when he goes over to the EPA.
[1:17:19] Sophia.
[1:17:20] The Press.
[1:17:22] The Press.
[1:17:23] Tell the President about what he wants to do about Chinese AI models if they are found to have stolen American IP.
[1:17:29] Does he want to sanction them?
[1:17:31] Or what actions can be taken without undermining broader U.S.-China trade talks
[1:17:35] or cutting off American startups that are increasingly reliant on them?
[1:17:39] Sure.
[1:17:40] Well, I won't get ahead of the President on any potential actions,
[1:17:43] but obviously these conversations are taking place.
[1:17:45] And again, they're of the utmost importance, not just for our national security,
[1:17:49] but to ensure America remains dominant in this space.
[1:17:52] Stephen.
[1:17:53] The Press.
[1:17:54] Thank you, Caroline.
[1:17:55] Two questions.
[1:17:56] Has President Trump spoken with FIFA President Gianni Infantino
[1:17:59] about his interest in nominating him for U.N. Secretary General?
[1:18:02] Can you explain his interest there?
[1:18:04] And secondly, just a minor point of clarification on the Saudi nuclear deal.
[1:18:08] Did Prime Minister Netanyahu request this provision?
[1:18:12] Not to my knowledge, no.
[1:18:13] Again, as I told you, this was an idea the President has long had.
[1:18:17] It was the President and his team in the first term that began and signed
[1:18:22] the Abraham Accords with several countries in the region,
[1:18:25] between those countries and Israel.
[1:18:27] And the President obviously wants to expand on that historic accomplishment
[1:18:30] from his first term.
[1:18:31] To your first question about Gianni Infantino,
[1:18:34] I don't know if he and the President have discussed that.
[1:18:37] I haven't been present for all their conversations.
[1:18:39] I know they speak quite frequently, and the President has a lot of respect
[1:18:42] for Gianni and what he has done with FIFA.
[1:18:44] As we all just saw, the World Cup was a tremendous success here at home.
[1:18:49] It not only was hugely beneficial to our businesses
[1:18:53] and our local economies across the country,
[1:18:55] but I think it showed that America is the greatest country on Earth.
[1:18:58] And the President is grateful to Gianni for all of the efforts
[1:19:01] that he had to make that dream a reality here in the United States.
[1:19:06] Danny.
[1:19:07] Thanks, Caroline.
[1:19:08] Is President Trump or the administration,
[1:19:10] do they have any plans to intervene in the extradition process for the Tait brothers?
[1:19:15] No.
[1:19:16] We've already answered that question.
[1:19:17] Elizabeth.
[1:19:18] Thank you, Caroline.
[1:19:19] Secretary Mullen said that election officials that knowingly allowed
[1:19:22] non-citizens to vote could be prosecuted and fined.
[1:19:25] Is this option being considered in New Jersey after the Governor revealed
[1:19:28] that thousands of non-citizens were registered to vote there?
[1:19:30] Well, for any prosecutions, obviously, I would always defer you to the Department of Justice.
[1:19:35] But what I will say on New Jersey and this Governor,
[1:19:38] the fact that she just all of a sudden decided to put out a press release
[1:19:41] saying President Trump and Republicans have been right about
[1:19:44] non-citizens on our voting rolls is not a coincidence.
[1:19:47] I think this Governor is saying this because she realizes this
[1:19:50] administration is serious about getting to the bottom of illegal aliens voting
[1:19:54] and being on our voting voter rolls in our country.
[1:19:57] The Secretary of Homeland Security, as you know,
[1:20:00] sent a letter to several states, including New Jersey,
[1:20:03] requesting that non-citizens that are on their voter rolls need to be reported
[1:20:07] to DHS and need to be removed from those voter rolls.
[1:20:10] So that's why, all of a sudden, she is speaking truth about the fact that this
[1:20:14] does take place in states across the country.
[1:20:16] It is completely unacceptable to have non-citizens on American voter rolls
[1:20:20] voting in U.S. elections.
[1:20:22] And she says at 6,600, we suspect it's a heck of a lot more,
[1:20:27] not just in New Jersey, but in states across the country.
[1:20:29] The President is hellbent on getting to the bottom of this.
[1:20:32] And it's also why we need to pass the Save America Act to ensure
[1:20:36] that only U.S. citizens are voting in U.S. elections.
[1:20:40] And I understand the House had a great accomplishment yesterday
[1:20:43] with passing the budget resolution, which has as much of the Save America Act as possible.
[1:20:48] And we encourage the Senate to move forward with passing that resolution into law
[1:20:53] so the President can sign it into law by the August recess.
[1:20:56] It's of the utmost importance to this President,
[1:20:59] but also to the American people who support this bill overwhelmingly.
[1:21:02] Mary in the back.
[1:21:05] Two questions. One on Sophia Cunningham.
[1:21:07] I'll drive the cars.
[1:21:08] Sure.
[1:21:09] Sophia Cunningham in the WNBA has been attacked as a MAGA Barbie
[1:21:12] for saying it's common sense for men to not be in women's sports in locker rooms.
[1:21:17] Is the President following this story, and has he reached out to her?
[1:21:20] I don't believe he has reached out to her.
[1:21:22] I know he is following the story.
[1:21:25] As you know, this is something the President feels strongly about as well,
[1:21:28] and the American people do too, that men should not be playing in women's sports.
[1:21:33] It's completely ludicrous that anyone could support that.
[1:21:36] It's even more ludicrous that you do have Sophia Cunningham,
[1:21:39] a female athlete herself, very accomplished in her own right,
[1:21:42] coming forth and speaking that truth that men shouldn't play in women's sports.
[1:21:45] We want to protect women and girls and the backlash she is receiving from Democrats
[1:21:50] and left-wing fingers across the country.
[1:21:52] Tomorrow night, the President will attend the White House Correspondents Association
[1:21:57] Dinner Round 2, celebrating free speech and the First Amendment alongside all of you,
[1:22:02] members of the media.
[1:22:03] The President looks forward to finishing what he started before a despicable assassination attempt
[1:22:08] derailed the original event back in April, as we all know.
[1:22:11] And I encourage everyone watching tomorrow night to tune in
[1:22:15] for what promises to be a very entertaining and memorable evening.
[1:22:19] Looking ahead to next week, on Monday, President Trump will travel to Michigan
[1:22:24] to deliver remarks on the economy.
[1:22:26] On Tuesday afternoon, the President will deliver a tribute honoring the life
[1:22:30] and legacy of his dear friend, Senator Lindsey Graham, at the National Cathedral.
[1:22:35] And next Friday, the President will host the 13th Cabinet meeting of this term,
[1:22:40] of this term at Camp David, which will be a lot of fun and something different for the Cabinet to experience together.
[1:22:46] Turning now to the economy.
[1:22:48] A little more than a year after President Trump signed the Working Families Tax Cuts into law,
[1:22:53] this historic legislation continues to deliver on its promise, unleashing a genuine boom for American workers, families, and small businesses.
[1:23:03] The numbers speak for themselves.
[1:23:05] This was the biggest tax refund season in American history, with the average refund exceeding $3,400, an 11% increase over the last year.
[1:23:16] American families and workers claimed $82 billion in direct tax relief, and 97% of filers received a tax cut.
[1:23:25] More than 29 million workers claimed no tax on overtime.
[1:23:30] More than 35 million seniors claimed no tax on Social Security.
[1:23:34] And nearly 8 million workers claimed no tax on tips.
[1:23:38] Thanks to the other pro-growth provisions in the Working Families Tax Cuts, like making the 20% small business tax deduction permanent
[1:23:46] and delivering 100% expensing for new factories, equipment, and research,
[1:23:51] the Trump administration is setting up American manufacturers and workers to thrive like never before.
[1:23:57] Just this week, the National Association of Manufacturers, which is the largest manufacturing association in the country,
[1:24:04] released a detailed report showing exactly how these tax cuts are driving investment, job creation, innovation, and long-term growth in all 50 states.
[1:24:14] In fact, I'd like to take a moment to highlight just a few of the real American businesses that this law is helping.
[1:24:21] Pivot Manufacturing in Arizona made the largest equipment purchase in company history
[1:24:26] after the Trump tax cuts gave them the long-term certainty to invest with confidence.
[1:24:31] Winton Machine Company in Georgia is on pace for the best year in its history.
[1:24:36] Ketchy Ink in North Carolina was able to purchase new machinery and expand its workforce by 25%.
[1:24:43] And Juergens in Ohio expanded its brand new facility to increase production.
[1:24:48] And they're also paying their workers even more thanks to the no tax on overtime provision.
[1:24:53] These are not just great statistics.
[1:24:55] These are American businesses with the confidence to grow, hire, and invest right here at home, rather than offshoring their jobs.
[1:25:03] And a business opening or expanding in this country means more opportunity and higher wages for American workers.
[1:25:09] It means a chance for the American dream for young families.
[1:25:12] And it means restoring the belief that we can make and build things right here at home.
[1:25:18] This is what President Trump promised, and it's exactly what he is delivering with the help of Republicans in Congress.
[1:25:24] Democrats throw around the word affordability a lot.
[1:25:27] But when they had the chance to vote for the largest middle-class tax cuts in history, they refused.
[1:25:33] If Democrats got their way, it would have meant the largest tax increase in history, $4 trillion.
[1:25:39] 90% of Americans would have seen their taxes go up, and it would have been a complete disaster for our economy.
[1:25:46] That's the Democrat solution to, quote, affordability.
[1:25:49] It is raising your taxes.
[1:25:51] So I hope the press will cover more of the massive success stories resulting from the working families tax cuts
[1:25:57] and point out that every single Democrat on Capitol Hill voted against every single common-sense provision
[1:26:03] that put more money back into the pockets of the American people.
[1:26:07] Finally, on the energy front, after this briefing, President Trump will participate in a historic
[1:26:13] Ratepayer Protection Pledge event at the EPA headquarters down the street.
[1:26:18] The President will expand the Ratepayer Protection Pledge to governors, state legislatures, developers,
[1:26:24] and power providers to ensure that everyone involved in building and powering data centers pays their own way,
[1:26:31] instead of passing those costs on to hardworking families.
[1:26:34] The President will be joined by Energy Secretary Chris Wright, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin,
[1:26:39] and several governors who have already signed on to this pledge.
[1:26:42] And it has already proven to be remarkably successful.
[1:26:45] Nearly 200 additional stakeholders have signed on since it was first announced,
[1:26:50] including utilities, data center developers, public power authorities, co-ops, and state governors.
[1:26:56] As a result, the pledge now covers 80 percent of all the power delivered to American homes and businesses.
[1:27:03] President Trump's bold leadership is turning data centers from a source of concern
[1:27:07] into engines of growth and opportunity for communities across this country,
[1:27:12] all while cementing America's dominance over China in the global AI race.
[1:27:17] The President is ensuring the American people are never left footing the bill so private companies can benefit.
[1:27:24] Instead, President Trump is leveraging the data center boom to deliver real, tangible benefits for working families and small businesses.
[1:27:32] So we have a busy day here, rest assured. I'll take some questions.
[1:27:35] And here in our new media seat, we have Cam from Town Hall.
[1:27:38] Cam, thank you for being here. Why don't you kick us off today?
[1:27:40] Thank you. Two quick questions. One on Congress. First off, Speaker Mike Johnson passed a continuing resolution earlier this week.
[1:27:47] John Thune has said he wants to work with Democrats to find a way to fund the government.
[1:27:52] What is the White House's stance and the best way to keep the government funded?
[1:27:56] Well, the White House's stance is that the government needs to be funded.
[1:27:59] This President and Republicans on Capitol Hill from both chambers, as you just mentioned, the House and the Senate Republicans, want to keep the government open.
[1:28:07] We want to work together to find ways to do that, and the White House will continue to have discussions with Senate leadership on the best path forward.
[1:28:15] I don't want to get ahead of those conversations, but the most important thing for the American people to know is that this President and this White House wants the government to remain open,
[1:28:24] unlike the Democrats in this town who have been acting as obstructionists.
[1:28:28] We've seen time and time again they have chosen to block this administration, to block Republicans in Congress from keeping our government open,
[1:28:35] which does not help anyone, and it especially hurts the American people who depend on our government remaining open so they can access the critical services that our government provides to so many Americans across the country.
[1:28:46] So these conversations are continuing, but I think I just made the President's position quite clear.
[1:28:50] Thank you. And then on the Saudi Arabian nuclear deal, what steps is the U.S. taking to get Saudi Arabia to sign the Abraham Accords?
[1:29:00] Sure. Well, the President himself has spoken on this many times. His true social post this morning, and I will read it for those at home who missed it,
[1:29:08] the civil nuclear deal, there will be no enrichment of material, an important point being made between the Department of Energy and Saudi Arabia,
[1:29:16] which pertains only to non-military use, will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords.
[1:29:27] The United States is not opposed to civil nuclear facilities, as we all know.
[1:29:31] Look, this is a condition that the President has spoken about many times with our Gulf and Arab allies.
[1:29:39] He wants to see these countries sign the Abraham Accord.
[1:29:42] It was one of the most historic accomplishments of his first term, and it continues to be a long-term goal of his to expand those accords
[1:29:49] to ultimately come to a place where the Middle East can be a peaceful and stable region.
[1:29:53] And yes, this deal with Saudi Arabia, the energy deal, is contingent on this condition as far as the President is concerned.
[1:30:00] So we'll continue to talk with our Saudi counterparts to get the deal finalized and hopefully see them joining the Abraham Accords very soon.
[1:30:07] Thank you.
[1:30:08] Thank you.
[1:30:09] Gabe.
[1:30:10] Caroline, thank you.
[1:30:11] With regards to the Saudi nuclear deal, why was that condition not mentioned yesterday when the energy secretary announced it?
[1:30:17] Well, look, the President is always the final dealmaker, as you know, and this is something that he has mentioned on numerous occasions.
[1:30:23] Going back, I can provide you with those statements.
[1:30:26] And he has said if they don't join the Abraham Accords, the deal is off.
[1:30:30] So we'll continue to have those conversations with our Saudi counterparts moving forward.
[1:30:33] So the deal is dead if Saudi Arabia doesn't join?
[1:30:36] And have you any indication that Saudi Arabia is even considering this?
[1:30:40] No.
[1:30:41] Again, the President has spoken directly with the Saudis about this in numerous conversations in the past, and the administration will continue to engage in those conversations.
[1:30:49] Alexandra.
[1:30:50] The Press, would it be exempt from international inspections as part of this deal if it moves forward?
[1:30:54] I don't want to comment on the specifics of the deal, as we're still, again, as I just said, talking especially about this very important condition that the President raised this morning.
[1:31:02] Alexandra.
[1:31:03] Good to see you.
[1:31:04] You're back.
[1:31:05] You too.
[1:31:06] So Treasury Secretary Besant voiced concern this week on China potentially distilling or stealing AI technology from the United States, kind of manipulating it as their own.
[1:31:15] Anthropic said that the largest distilling attack happened last month.
[1:31:20] Do you think this will come up when the President meets with President Xi in September?
[1:31:24] Well, I have had the honor of being part of some of the meetings and discussions between President Trump and President Xi,
[1:31:30] and I can tell you there is always a wide range of topics that come up.
[1:31:34] I would imagine this would be something.
[1:31:36] It's of high importance to the President and of this administration to obviously ensure that America remains dominant in the AI race.
[1:31:43] And we're obviously tracking the particular situation that you mentioned.
[1:31:46] I have one more, if you don't mind.
[1:31:47] Sure.
[1:31:48] This week we've seen some major players in Democrat politics voicing or alerting, really, on how much influence socialism, communism has had now on kind of mainstream Democrat politics.
[1:31:59] Is there any chance that the President would be interested or is considering working with left-of-center Democrats to push back on this?
[1:32:06] Well, unfortunately, we don't seem to have too many of those left in the Democrat Party.
[1:32:10] We have literal self-proclaimed communists who are winning elections and who are claiming to be the new leadership of the Democrat Party.
[1:32:18] I think the vast majority of Americans understand the dangers of communism.
[1:32:23] Just look at countries all over this world.
[1:32:25] As an example, Cuba right now is a country that is about to be a failed state because of the communist policies of the past several decades.
[1:32:33] Communism should never be allowed to lead this country.
[1:32:37] And the President obviously is strictly opposed to it and all the dangers that it reaps.
[1:32:43] We've seen it happen across the world.
[1:32:45] Meredith.
[1:32:46] Just to continue on the Saudi nuclear deal, do the Saudis agree with this interpretation since it wasn't part of the initial agreement?
[1:32:54] And has the President talked to MBS since this new condition?
[1:32:58] As you know, the President just put out this statement a few hours ago.
[1:33:02] I don't believe he's had a call with MBS in the hours since.
[1:33:06] However, this is something that he has raised in previous conversations and has also said many times in the past.
[1:33:11] John, in the back, go ahead.
[1:33:13] Thanks a lot, Carolyn.
[1:33:14] In regards to this deal, in the past, the Saudi government has said they will not consider entering into the Abraham Accords unless and until there's a Palestinian state.
[1:33:25] What makes you think that they're going to change their minds on their position regarding that?
[1:33:30] Again, I won't get ahead of the President's conversations, but this is something that he feels very strongly about and has spoken about it in the past and will continue to uphold.
[1:33:38] Can I ask you one other question?
[1:33:39] Sure.
[1:33:40] Just playing devil's advocate, why does Saudi Arabia get a civilian nuclear deal but Iran doesn't get a civilian nuclear deal?
[1:33:48] Well, again, this agreement is still being worked out.
[1:33:51] It will eventually, hopefully, be finalized with the condition that the President spoke about this morning.
[1:33:57] But this agreement in particular, as it's been discussed thus far, does give priority access for American companies and the Saudi nuclear energy program, which will ultimately benefit American industry workers and supply chains.
[1:34:08] So the deal that has been discussed thus far and will continue to be discussed absolutely puts America first.
[1:34:13] And that's obviously very important to this President.
[1:34:15] Ed.
[1:34:16] Thanks, Charlie.
[1:34:17] So Friday, the Section 122, the 10 percent global tariff, goes away.
[1:34:21] Yes.
[1:34:22] Is the President going to ask Congress for an extension or what's next?
[1:34:25] Well, I know the USTR, our great Jameson Greer, trade representative, will be having an announcement on that very soon, later today.
[1:34:34] I don't want to get ahead of him.
[1:34:35] So I would just tell you to stay tuned for more details.
[1:34:37] Okay.
[1:34:38] And then one more on the President's going to have some big utility companies at this event later on today.
[1:34:44] We're now a year and a half, so to speak, into his energy, pro-energy policies.
[1:34:50] Is he going to pressure those executives to lower energy prices, not just maintain the prices?
[1:34:55] Well, look, as I mentioned earlier, the Ratepayer Protection Pledge is a novel idea drawn up by this President and his team to ensure that data centers and communities,
[1:35:05] where those communities want data centers, that these big CEOs and energy companies are picking up the tab for the energy costs in these communities,
[1:35:12] so the American taxpayer are not being fronted with those bills.
[1:35:15] And the pledge today is being expanded to acknowledge all elements involved in building an operating data center,
[1:35:22] the governors who appoint the state regulators, who set the power prices, the utilities and the co-ops that sell the power,
[1:35:28] and in addition to the tech companies that have already signed the pledge.
[1:35:31] So you'll continue to hear more about that from the President in a few hours.
[1:35:34] in a few hours at 2.30 when he goes over to the EPA.
[1:35:37] Sophia.
[1:35:38] The Press, the President, about what he wants to do about Chinese AI models
[1:35:43] if they are found to have stolen American IP.
[1:35:47] Does he want to sanction them?
[1:35:49] Or what actions can be taken without undermining broader U.S.-China trade talks
[1:35:53] or cutting off American startups that are increasingly reliant on them?
[1:35:57] Sure.
[1:35:58] Well, I won't get ahead of the President on any potential actions,
[1:36:01] but obviously these conversations are taking place.
[1:36:03] And again, they're of the utmost importance, not just for our national security,
[1:36:06] but to ensure America remains dominant in this space.
[1:36:09] Stephen.
[1:36:10] The Press.
[1:36:11] Thank you, Caroline.
[1:36:12] Two questions.
[1:36:13] Has President Trump spoken with FIFA President Johnny Infantino about his interest in nominating him for U.N. Secretary General?
[1:36:20] Can you explain his interest there?
[1:36:21] And secondly, just a minor point of clarification on the Saudi nuclear deal.
[1:36:25] Did Prime Minister Netanyahu request this provision?
[1:36:29] Not to my knowledge, no.
[1:36:30] Again, as I told you, this was an idea the President has long had.
[1:36:34] It was the President and his team in the first term that began and signed the Abraham Accords
[1:36:40] with several countries in the region between those countries and Israel.
[1:36:44] And the President obviously wants to expand on that historic accomplishment from his first term.
[1:36:48] To your first question about Gianni Infantino, I don't know if he and the President have discussed that.
[1:36:54] I haven't been present for all their conversations.
[1:36:56] I know they speak quite frequently, and the President has a lot of respect for Gianni and what he has done with FIFA.
[1:37:02] As we all just saw, the World Cup was a tremendous success here at home.
[1:37:06] It not only was hugely beneficial to our businesses and our local economies across the country,
[1:37:12] but I think it showed that America is the greatest country on Earth.
[1:37:15] And the President is grateful to Gianni for all of the efforts that he had to make that dream a reality here in the United States.
[1:37:23] Danny.
[1:37:24] The Press, thanks, Caroline.
[1:37:25] Is President Trump or the administration, do they have any plans to intervene in the extradition process for the Tate brothers?
[1:37:32] No.
[1:37:33] We've already answered that question.
[1:37:34] Elizabeth.
[1:37:35] Thank you, Caroline.
[1:37:36] Secretary Mullen said that election officials that knowingly allowed noncitizens to vote could be prosecuted and fined.
[1:37:42] Is this option being considered in New Jersey after the Governor revealed that thousands of noncitizens were registered to vote there?
[1:37:48] Well, for any prosecutions, obviously, I would always defer you to the Department of Justice.
[1:37:52] But what I will say on New Jersey and this Governor, the fact that she just all of a sudden decided to put out a press release saying
[1:37:58] President Trump and Republicans have been right about noncitizens on our voting rolls is not a coincidence.
[1:38:04] I think this Governor is saying this because she realizes this administration is serious about getting to the bottom of illegal aliens voting and being on our voting voter rolls in our country.
[1:38:15] The Secretary of Homeland Security, as you know, sent a letter to several states, including New Jersey, requesting that noncitizens that are on their voter rolls need to be reported to DHS and need to be removed from those voter rolls.
[1:38:27] So that's why all of a sudden she is speaking truth about the fact that this does take place in states across the country.
[1:38:34] It is completely unacceptable to have noncitizens on American voter rolls voting in U.S. elections.
[1:38:40] And she says at 6600, we suspect it's a heck of a lot more, not just in New Jersey, but in states across the country.
[1:38:46] The President is hellbent on getting to the bottom of this.
[1:38:49] And it's also why we need to pass the Save America Act to ensure that only U.S. citizens are voting in U.S. elections.
[1:38:58] And I understand the House had a great accomplishment yesterday with passing the budget resolution, which has as much of the Save America Act as possible.
[1:39:06] And we encourage the Senate to move forward with passing that resolution into law so the President can sign it into law by the August recess.
[1:39:14] It's of the utmost importance to this President, but also to the American people who support this bill overwhelmingly.
[1:39:20] Mary in the back.
[1:39:22] Two questions, one on Sophia Cunningham and then on self-driving cars.
[1:39:25] Sure.
[1:39:26] Sophia Cunningham and the WNBA has been attacked as a MAGA Barbie for saying it's common sense for men to not be in women's sports in locker rooms.
[1:39:34] Is the President following this story and has he reached out to her?
[1:39:38] I don't believe he has reached out to her.
[1:39:41] I know he is following the story.
[1:39:43] As you know, this is something the President feels strongly about as well and the American people do too.
[1:39:48] That men should not be playing in women's sports.
[1:39:51] It's completely ludicrous that anyone could support that.
[1:39:54] It's even more ludicrous that you do have Sophia Cunningham, a female athlete herself, very accomplished in her own right, coming forth and speaking that truth that men shouldn't play in women's sports.
[1:40:04] We want to protect women and girls and the backlash she is receiving from Democrats and left-wing fingers across the country.
[1:40:11] Tomorrow night, the President will attend the White House Correspondents Association Dinner Round 2, celebrating free speech and the First Amendment alongside all of you members of the media.
[1:40:21] The President looks forward to finishing what he started before a despicable assassination attempt derailed the original event back in April, as we all know.
[1:40:30] And I encourage everyone watching tomorrow night to tune in for what promises to be a very entertaining and memorable evening.
[1:40:37] Looking ahead to next week, on Monday, President Trump will travel to Michigan to deliver remarks on the economy.
[1:40:44] On Tuesday afternoon, the President will deliver a tribute honoring the life and legacy of his dear friend, Senator Lindsey Graham, at the National Cathedral.
[1:40:53] And next Friday, the President will host the 13th Cabinet meeting of this term at Camp David, which will be a lot of fun and something different for the Cabinet to experience together.
[1:41:04] Turning now to the economy.
[1:41:07] A little more than a year after President Trump signed the Working Families Tax Cuts into law, this historic legislation continues to deliver on its promise, unleashing a genuine boom for American workers, families and small businesses.
[1:41:21] The numbers speak for themselves.
[1:41:23] This was the biggest tax refund season in American history, with the average refund exceeding $3,400, an 11% increase over the last year.
[1:41:34] American families and workers claimed $82 billion in direct tax relief and 97% of filers received a tax cut.
[1:41:43] More than 29 million workers claimed no tax on overtime.
[1:41:47] More than 35 million seniors claimed no tax on Social Security.
[1:41:51] And nearly 8 million workers claimed no tax on tips.
[1:41:56] Thanks to the other pro-growth provisions in the Working Families Tax Cuts, like making the 20% small business tax deduction permanent and delivering 100% expensing for new factories, equipment and research, the Trump administration is setting up American manufacturers and workers to thrive like never before.
[1:42:15] Just this week, the National Association of Manufacturers, which is the largest manufacturing association in the country, released a detailed report showing exactly how these tax cuts are driving investment, job creation, innovation and long-term growth in all 50 states.
[1:42:31] In fact, I'd like to take a moment to highlight just a few of the real American businesses that this law is helping.
[1:42:38] Pivot Manufacturing in Arizona made the largest equipment purchase in company history after the Trump tax cuts gave them the long-term certainty to invest with confidence.
[1:42:48] Winton Machine Company in Georgia is on pace for the best year in its history.
[1:42:54] Catchy Inc. in North Carolina was able to purchase new machinery and expand its workforce by 25%.
[1:43:00] And Juergens in Ohio expanded its brand new facility to increase production.
[1:43:05] And they're also paying their workers even more thanks to the no tax on overtime provision.
[1:43:11] These are not just great statistics.
[1:43:13] These are American businesses with the confidence to grow, hire and invest right here at home rather than offshoring their jobs.
[1:43:21] And a business opening or expanding in this country means more opportunity and higher wages for American workers.
[1:43:27] It means a chance for the American dream for young families and it means restoring the belief that we can make and build things right here at home.
[1:43:36] This is what President Trump promised and it's exactly what he is delivering with the help of Republicans in Congress.
[1:43:42] Democrats throw around the word affordability a lot, but when they had the chance to vote for the largest middle-class tax cuts in history, they refused.
[1:43:51] If Democrats got their way, it would have meant the largest tax increase in history, $4 trillion.
[1:43:57] Ninety percent of Americans would have seen their taxes go up and it would have been a complete disaster for our economy.
[1:44:04] That's the Democrat solution to, quote, affordability.
[1:44:07] It is raising your taxes.
[1:44:09] So I hope the press will cover more of the massive success stories resulting from the working families tax cuts and point out that every single Democrat on Capitol Hill voted against every single
[1:44:20] common sense provision that put more money back into the pockets of the American people.
[1:44:25] Finally, on the energy front, after this briefing, President Trump will participate in a historic ratepayer protection pledge event at the EPA headquarters down the street.
[1:44:35] The President will expand the ratepayer protection pledge to governors, state legislatures, developers, and power providers to ensure that everyone involved in building empowering data centers pays their own way,
[1:44:47] instead of passing those costs on to hardworking families.
[1:44:51] The President will be joined by Energy Secretary Chris Wright, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, and several governors who have already signed on to this pledge.
[1:44:59] And it has already proven to be remarkably successful.
[1:45:02] Nearly 200 additional stakeholders have signed on since it was first announced, including utilities, data center developers, public power authorities, co-ops, and state governors.
[1:45:13] As a result, the pledge now covers 80 percent of all the power delivered to American homes and businesses.
[1:45:20] President Trump's bold leadership is turning data centers from a source of concern into engines of growth and opportunity for communities across this country,
[1:45:29] all while cementing America's dominance over China in the global AI race.
[1:45:34] The President is ensuring the American people are never left footing the bill so private companies can benefit.
[1:45:40] Instead, President Trump is leveraging the data center boom to deliver real, tangible benefits for working families and small businesses.
[1:45:49] So we have a busy day here, rest assured.
[1:45:51] I'll take some questions.
[1:45:52] And here in our new media seat we have Cam from Town Hall.
[1:45:55] Cam, thank you for being here.
[1:45:56] Why don't you kick us off today?
[1:45:57] Thank you.
[1:45:58] Two quick questions.
[1:45:59] One on Congress.
[1:46:00] First off, Speaker Mike Johnson passed a continuing resolution earlier this week.
[1:46:05] John Thune has said he wants to work with Democrats to find a way to fund the government.
[1:46:09] What is the White House's stance and the best way to keep the government funded?
[1:46:13] Well, the White House's stance is that the government needs to be funded.
[1:46:16] This president and Republicans on Capitol Hill from both chambers, as you just mentioned, the House and the Senate Republicans want to keep the government open.
[1:46:24] We want to work together to find ways to do that, and the White House will continue to have discussions with Senate leadership on the best path forward.
[1:46:32] I don't want to get ahead of those conversations, but the most important thing for the American people to know is that this president and this White House wants the government to remain open, unlike the Democrats in this town who have been acting as obstructionists.
[1:46:44] We've seen time and time again they have chosen to block this administration, to block Republicans in Congress from keeping our government open, which does not help anyone.
[1:46:53] And it especially hurts the American people who depend on our government remaining open so they can access the critical services that our government provides to so many Americans across the country.
[1:47:02] So these conversations are continuing, but I think I just made the president's position quite clear.
[1:47:07] Thank you. And then on the Saudi Arabian nuclear deal, what steps is the U.S. taking to get Saudi Arabia to sign the Abraham Accords?
[1:47:16] Sure. Well, the president himself has spoken on this many times. His true social post this morning, and I will read it for those at home who missed it,
[1:47:25] the civil nuclear deal, there will be no enrichment of material, an important point being made between the Department of Energy and Saudi Arabia,
[1:47:33] which pertains only to non-military use, will be approved but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords.
[1:47:44] The United States is not opposed to civil nuclear facilities, as we all know.
[1:47:48] Look, this is a condition that the president has spoken about many times with our Gulf and Arab allies.
[1:47:56] He wants to see these countries sign the Abraham Accord. It was one of the most historic accomplishments of his first term,
[1:48:02] and it continues to be a long-term goal of his to expand those accords to ultimately come to a place where the Middle East can be a peaceful and stable region.
[1:48:10] And, yes, this deal with Saudi Arabia, the energy deal, is contingent on this condition as far as the president is concerned.
[1:48:17] So we'll continue to talk with our Saudi counterparts to get the deal finalized and hopefully see them joining the Abraham Accords very soon.
[1:48:24] Thank you. Gabe.
[1:48:26] Caroline, thank you. With regards to the Saudi nuclear deal, why was that condition not mentioned yesterday when the energy secretary announced it?
[1:48:33] Well, look, the president is always the final dealmaker, as you know, and this is something that he has mentioned on numerous occasions.
[1:48:39] Going back, I can provide you with those statements. And he has said if they don't join the Abraham Accords, the deal is off.
[1:48:47] So we'll continue to have those conversations with our Saudi counterparts moving forward.
[1:48:50] So the deal is dead if Saudi Arabia doesn't join? And have you any indication that Saudi Arabia is even considering this?
[1:48:57] Again, we've spoken, the president has spoken directly with the Saudis about this in numerous conversations in the past,
[1:49:02] and the administration will continue to engage in those conversations. Alexandra.
[1:49:06] Would Saudi Arabia be exempt from international inspections as part of this deal if it moves forward?
[1:49:10] I don't want to comment on the specifics of the deal as we're still, again, as I just said, talking especially about this very important condition that the president raised this morning.
[1:49:19] Alexandra.
[1:49:20] It's good to see you now that you're back.
[1:49:21] You too.
[1:49:22] So Treasury Secretary Besant voiced concern this week on China potentially distilling or stealing AI technology from the United States,
[1:49:30] kind of manipulating it as their own. Anthropic said that the largest fee in September.
[1:49:35] Well, I have had the honor of being part of some of the meetings and discussions between
[1:49:40] President Trump and President Xi, and I can tell you there is always a wide range of topics that come up.
[1:49:45] I would imagine this would be something. It's of high importance to the president and of this administration
[1:49:50] to obviously ensure that America remains dominant in the AI race.
[1:49:54] And we're obviously tracking the particular situation that you mentioned.
[1:49:57] I have one more, if you don't mind.
[1:49:58] Sure.
[1:49:59] This week we've seen some major players in Democrat politics voicing or alerting, really,
[1:50:04] on how much influence socialism, communism has had now on kind of mainstream Democrat politics.
[1:50:10] Is there any chance that the president would be interested or is considering working with left-of-center Democrats to push back on this?
[1:50:17] Well, unfortunately we don't seem to have too many of those left in the Democrat Party.
[1:50:21] We have literal self-proclaimed communists who are winning elections and who are claiming to be the new leadership of the Democrat Party.
[1:50:29] I think the vast majority of Americans understand the dangers of communism.
[1:50:34] Just look at countries all over this world.
[1:50:36] As an example, Cuba right now is a country that is about to be a failed state because of the communist policies of the past several decades.
[1:50:44] Communism should never be allowed to lead this country, and the president obviously is strictly opposed to it and all the dangers that it reaps.
[1:50:54] We've seen it happen across the world.
[1:50:57] Meredith.
[1:50:58] Just to continue on the Saudi nuclear deal, do the Saudis agree with this interpretation since it wasn't part of the initial agreement?
[1:51:06] And has the president talked to MBS since this new condition?
[1:51:10] As you know, the president just put out this statement a few hours ago.
[1:51:15] I don't believe he's had a call with MBS in the hours since.
[1:51:18] However, this is something that he has raised in previous conversations and has also said many times in the past.
[1:51:24] John, in the back, go ahead.
[1:51:25] The Press.
[1:51:26] Thanks a lot, Carolyn.
[1:51:27] In regards to this deal, in the past, the Saudi government has said they will not consider entering into the Abraham Accords unless and until there's a Palestinian escape.
[1:51:37] What makes you think that they're going to change their minds on their position regarding that?
[1:51:42] Again, I won't get ahead of the president's conversations, but this is something that he feels very strongly about and has spoken about it in the past and will continue to uphold.
[1:51:50] The Press.
[1:51:51] Can I ask you one other question?
[1:51:52] Sure.
[1:51:53] Just playing devil's advocate.
[1:51:54] Why does Saudi Arabia get a civilian nuclear deal but Iran doesn't get a civilian nuclear deal?
[1:52:01] Well, again, this agreement is still being worked out.
[1:52:03] It will eventually, hopefully, be finalized with the condition that the president spoke about this morning.
[1:52:09] But this agreement in particular, as it's been discussed thus far, does give priority access for American companies and the Saudi nuclear energy program, which will ultimately benefit American industry workers and supply chains.
[1:52:20] So the deal that has been discussed thus far and will continue to be discussed absolutely puts America first.
[1:52:26] And that's obviously very important to this president.
[1:52:28] Ed.
[1:52:29] Thanks, darling.
[1:52:30] So, Friday, the Section 122, the 10 percent global tariff, goes away.
[1:52:34] Yes.
[1:52:35] Is the president going to ask Congress for an extension or what's next?
[1:52:37] Well, I know the USTR, our great Jameson Greer, trade representative, will be having an announcement on that very soon, later today.
[1:52:47] I don't want to get ahead of him, so I would just tell you to stay tuned for more details.
[1:52:50] Okay, and then one more on the president's going to have some big utility companies at this event later on today.
[1:52:57] We're now a year and a half, so to speak, into his energy, pro-energy policies.
[1:53:02] Is he going to pressure those executives to lower energy prices, not just maintain the prices?
[1:53:07] Well, look, as I mentioned earlier, the Ratepayer Protection Pledge, Ed, is a novel idea drawn up by this president, his team,
[1:53:15] to ensure that data centers and communities, where those communities want data centers,
[1:53:20] that these big CEOs and energy companies are picking up the tab for the energy costs in these communities,
[1:53:25] so the American taxpayer are not being fronted with those bills.
[1:53:28] And the pledge today is being expanded to acknowledge all elements involved in building and operating data center,
[1:53:34] the governors who appoint the state regulators, who set the power prices, the utilities and the co-ops that sell the power,
[1:53:41] and in addition to the tech companies that have already signed the pledge.
[1:53:44] So you'll continue to hear more about that from the president in a few hours at 2.30 when he goes over to the EPA.
[1:53:49] Sophia.
[1:53:50] Have you spoken to the president about what he wants to do about Chinese AI models if they are found to have stolen American IP?
[1:53:59] Does he want to sanction them?
[1:54:01] Or what actions can be taken without undermining broader U.S.-China trade talks
[1:54:05] or cutting off American startups that are increasingly reliant on them?
[1:54:09] Ms. Sure.
[1:54:10] Well, I won't get ahead of the president on any potential actions,
[1:54:13] but obviously these conversations are taking place.
[1:54:15] And again, they're of the utmost importance, not just for our national security,
[1:54:18] but to ensure America remains dominant in this space.
[1:54:21] Stephen.
[1:54:22] The Press.
[1:54:23] Thank you, Caroline.
[1:54:24] Two questions.
[1:54:25] Has President Trump spoken with FIFA President Gianni Infantino about his interest in nominating him for U.N. Secretary General?
[1:54:32] Can you explain his interest there?
[1:54:34] And secondly, just a minor point of clarification on the Saudi nuclear deal.
[1:54:38] Did Prime Minister Netanyahu request this provision?
[1:54:41] Ms. Not to my knowledge, no.
[1:54:42] Again, as I told you, this was an idea the President has long had.
[1:54:46] It was the President and his team in the first term that began and signed the Abraham Accords
[1:54:52] with several countries in the region between those countries and Israel.
[1:54:56] And the President obviously wants to expand on that historic accomplishment from his first term.
[1:55:00] To your first question about Gianni Infantino, I don't know if he and the President have discussed that.
[1:55:06] I haven't been present for all their conversations.
[1:55:08] I know they speak quite frequently and the President has a lot of respect for Gianni and what he has done with FIFA.
[1:55:14] As we all just saw, the World Cup was a tremendous success here at home.
[1:55:18] It not only was hugely beneficial to our businesses and our local economies across the country,
[1:55:25] but I think it showed that America is the greatest country on Earth.
[1:55:28] And the President is grateful to Gianni for all of the efforts that he had to make that dream a reality here in the United States.
[1:55:36] Danny.
[1:55:37] Thank you, Caroline.
[1:55:38] Is President Trump or the administration, do they have any plans to intervene in the extradition process for the Tate brothers?
[1:55:45] No.
[1:55:46] We've already answered that question.
[1:55:47] Elizabeth.
[1:55:48] Thank you, Caroline.
[1:55:49] Secretary Mullen said that election officials that knowingly allowed non-citizens to vote could be prosecuted and fined.
[1:55:55] Is this option being considered in New Jersey after the Governor revealed that thousands of non-citizens were registered to vote there?
[1:56:01] Well, for any prosecutions, obviously, I would always defer you to the Department of Justice.
[1:56:05] But what I will say on New Jersey and this Governor, the fact that she just all of a sudden decided to put out a press release saying
[1:56:11] President Trump and Republicans have been right about non-citizens on our voting rolls is not a coincidence.
[1:56:16] I think this Governor is saying this because she realizes this administration is serious about getting to the bottom of illegal aliens voting and being on our voting voter rolls in our country.
[1:56:27] The Secretary of Homeland Security, as you know, sent a letter to several states, including New Jersey, requesting that non-citizens that are on their voter rolls need to be reported to DHS and need to be removed from those voter rolls.
[1:56:40] So that's why all of a sudden she is speaking truth about the fact that this does take place in states across the country.
[1:56:46] It is completely unacceptable to have non-citizens on American voter rolls voting in U.S. elections.
[1:56:52] And she says at 6,600, we suspect it's a heck of a lot more, not just in New Jersey, but in states across the country.
[1:56:59] The President is hellbent on getting to the bottom of this.
[1:57:02] And it's also why we need to pass the Save America Act to ensure that only U.S. citizens are voting in U.S. elections.
[1:57:10] And I understand the House had a great accomplishment yesterday with passing the budget resolution, which has as much of the Save America Act as possible.
[1:57:18] And we encourage the Senate to move forward with passing that resolution into law so the President can sign it into law by the August recess.
[1:57:26] It's of the utmost importance to this President, but also to the American people who support this bill overwhelmingly.
[1:57:32] Mary in the back.
[1:57:34] Two questions, one on Sophia Cunningham and then on self-driving cars.
[1:57:38] Sophia Cunningham and the WNBA has been attacked as a MAGA Barbie for saying it's common sense for men to not be in women's sports in locker rooms.
[1:57:46] Is the President following this story and has he reached out to her?
[1:57:50] I don't believe he has reached out to her.
[1:57:53] I know he is following the story.
[1:57:55] As you know, this is something the President feels strongly about as well and the American people do too.
[1:58:00] That men should not be playing in women's sports.
[1:58:03] It's completely ludicrous that anyone could support that.
[1:58:06] It's even more ludicrous that you do have Sophia Cunningham, a female athlete herself, very accomplished in her own right, coming forth and speaking that truth.
[1:58:14] That men shouldn't play in women's sports.
[1:58:16] We want to protect women and girls and the backlash she is receiving from Democrats and left-wing fingers across the country.
[1:58:23] Tomorrow night, the President will attend the White House Correspondents Association Dinner Round Two, celebrating free speech and the First Amendment alongside all of you members of the media.
[1:58:34] The President looks forward to finishing what he started before a despicable assassination attempt derailed the original event back in April, as we all know.
[1:58:42] And I encourage everyone watching tomorrow night to tune in for what promises to be a very entertaining and memorable evening.
[1:58:49] Looking ahead to next week, on Monday, President Trump will travel to Michigan to deliver remarks on the economy.
[1:58:56] On Tuesday afternoon, the President will deliver a tribute honoring the life and legacy of his dear friend, Senator Lindsey Graham, at the National Cathedral.
[1:59:05] And next Friday, the President will host the 13th Cabinet meeting of this term, of this term at Camp David, which will be a lot of fun and something different for the Cabinet to experience together.
[1:59:16] Turning now to the economy.
[1:59:19] A little more than a year after President Trump signed the Working Families Tax Cuts into law, this historic legislation continues to deliver on its promise, unleashing a genuine boom for American workers, families and small businesses.
[1:59:34] The numbers speak for themselves.
[1:59:36] This was the biggest tax refund season in American history, with the average refund exceeding $3,400, an 11% increase over the last year.
[1:59:47] American families and workers claimed $82 billion in direct tax relief and 97% of filers received a tax cut.
[1:59:56] More than 29 million workers claimed no tax on overtime.
[2:00:00] More than 35 million seniors claimed no tax on Social Security.
[2:00:04] And nearly 8 million workers claimed no tax on tips.
[2:00:08] Thanks to the other pro-growth provisions in the Working Families Tax Cuts, like making the 20% small business tax deduction permanent and delivering 100% expensing for new factories, equipment and research,
[2:00:21] The Trump administration is setting up American manufacturers and workers to thrive like never before.
[2:00:27] Just this week, the National Association of Manufacturers, which is the largest manufacturing association in the country, released a detailed report showing exactly how these tax cuts are driving investment, job creation, innovation and long-term growth in all 50 states.
[2:00:44] In fact, I'd like to take a moment to highlight just a few of the real American businesses that this law is helping.
[2:00:51] Pivot Manufacturing in Arizona made the largest equipment purchase in company history after the Trump tax cuts gave them the long-term certainty to invest with confidence.
[2:01:01] Winton Machine Company in Georgia is on pace for the best year in its history.
[2:01:07] Ketchy Inc. in North Carolina was able to purchase new machinery and expand its workforce by 25%.
[2:01:13] And Jergens in Ohio expanded its brand new facility to increase production.
[2:01:18] And they're also paying their workers even more thanks to the no tax on overtime provision.
[2:01:24] These are not just great statistics.
[2:01:26] These are American businesses with the confidence to grow, hire and invest right here at home rather than offshoring their jobs.
[2:01:34] And a business opening or expanding in this country means more opportunity and higher wages for American workers.
[2:01:40] It means a chance for the American dream for young families.
[2:01:43] And it means restoring the belief that we can make and build things right here at home.
[2:01:49] This is what President Trump promised, and it's exactly what he is delivering with the help of Republicans in Congress.
[2:01:55] Democrats throw around the word affordability a lot.
[2:01:58] But when they had the chance to vote for the largest middle-class tax cuts in history, they refused.
[2:02:04] If Democrats got their way, it would have meant the largest tax increase in history, $4 trillion.
[2:02:10] 90% of Americans would have seen their taxes go up, and it would have been a complete disaster for our economy.
[2:02:16] That's the Democrat solution to, quote, affordability.
[2:02:19] It is raising your taxes.
[2:02:21] So I hope the press will cover more of the massive success stories resulting from the working family's tax cuts
[2:02:27] and point out that every single Democrat on Capitol Hill voted against every single common-sense provision
[2:02:33] that put more money back into the pockets of the American people.
[2:02:37] Finally, on the energy front, after this briefing, President Trump will participate in a historic ratepayer protection pledge event at the EPA headquarters down the street.
[2:02:47] The President will expand the ratepayer protection pledge to governors, state legislatures, developers, and power providers
[2:02:54] to ensure that everyone involved in building and powering data centers pays their own way,
[2:03:00] instead of passing those costs on to hardworking families.
[2:03:03] The President will be joined by Energy Secretary Chris Wright, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin,
[2:03:08] and several governors who have already signed on to this pledge, and it has already proven to be remarkably successful.
[2:03:14] Nearly 200 additional stakeholders have signed on since it was first announced, including utilities, data center developers,
[2:03:22] public power authorities, co-ops, and state governors.
[2:03:25] As a result, the pledge now covers 80 percent of all the power delivered to American homes and businesses.
[2:03:32] President Trump's bold leadership is turning data centers from a source of concern into engines of growth and opportunity for communities across this country,
[2:03:41] all while cementing America's dominance over China in the global AI race.
[2:03:47] The President is ensuring the American people are never left footing the bill so private companies can benefit.
[2:03:53] Instead, President Trump is leveraging the data center boom to deliver real, tangible benefits for working families and small businesses.
[2:04:01] So we have a busy day here, rest assured.
[2:04:03] I'll take some questions.
[2:04:04] And here in our new media seat, we have Cam from Town Hall.
[2:04:07] Cam, thank you for being here.
[2:04:08] Why don't you kick us off today?
[2:04:09] Thank you.
[2:04:10] Two quick questions.
[2:04:11] One on Congress.
[2:04:12] First off, Speaker Mike Johnson passed a continuing resolution earlier this week.
[2:04:17] John Thunas said he wants to work with Democrats to find a way to fund the government.
[2:04:22] What is the White House's stance and the best way to keep the government funded?
[2:04:26] Well, the White House's stance is that the government needs to be funded.
[2:04:29] This President and Republicans on Capitol Hill from both chambers, as you just mentioned, the House and the Senate Republicans want to keep the government open.
[2:04:37] We want to work together to find ways to do that.
[2:04:39] And the White House will continuing will continue to have discussions with Senate leadership on the best path forward.
[2:04:44] I don't want to get ahead of those conversations.
[2:04:46] But the most important thing for the American people to know is that this President and this White House wants the government to remain open,
[2:04:53] unlike the Democrats in this town who have been acting as obstructionists.
[2:04:57] We've seen time and time again they have chosen to block this administration, to block Republicans in Congress from keeping our government open,
[2:05:04] which does not help anyone.
[2:05:06] And it especially hurts the American people who depend on our government remaining open so they can access the critical services that our government provides to so many Americans across the country.
[2:05:15] So these conversations are continuing, but I think I just made the President's position quite clear.
[2:05:20] Thank you. And then on the Saudi Arabian nuclear deal, what steps is the U.S. taking to get Saudi Arabia to sign the Abraham Accords?
[2:05:29] Sure. Well, the President himself has spoken on this many times.
[2:05:34] His true social post this morning, and I will read it for those at home who missed it.
[2:05:38] The civil nuclear deal, there will be no enrichment of material.
[2:05:41] An important point being made between the Department of Energy and Saudi Arabia, which pertains only to non-military use,
[2:05:48] will be approved but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords.
[2:05:57] The United States is not opposed to civil nuclear facilities, as we all know.
[2:06:01] Look, this is a condition that the President has spoken about many times with our Gulf and Arab allies.
[2:06:08] He wants to see these countries sign the Abraham Accord.
[2:06:11] It was one of the most historic accomplishments of his first term, and it continues to be a long-term goal of his to expand those accords
[2:06:18] to ultimately come to a place where the Middle East can be a peaceful and stable region.
[2:06:22] And, yes, this deal with Saudi Arabia, the energy deal, is contingent on this condition as far as the President is concerned.
[2:06:29] So we'll continue to talk with our Saudi counterparts to get the deal finalized and hopefully see them joining the Abraham Accords very soon.
[2:06:36] Thank you.
[2:06:37] Thank you.
[2:06:38] Gabe.
[2:06:39] The Press, Caroline, thank you.
[2:06:40] With regards to the Saudi nuclear deal, why was that condition not mentioned yesterday when the Energy Secretary announced it?
[2:06:45] Well, look, the President is always the final dealmaker, as you know, and this is something that he has mentioned on numerous occasions.
[2:06:52] Going back, I can provide you with those statements.
[2:06:55] And he has said if they don't join the Abraham Accords, the deal is off.
[2:06:59] So we'll continue to have those conversations with our Saudi counterparts moving forward.
[2:07:03] So the deal is dead if Saudi Arabia doesn't join?
[2:07:05] And have you any indication that Saudi Arabia is even considering this?
[2:07:10] Again, the President has spoken directly with the Saudis about this in numerous conversations in the past,
[2:07:15] and the administration will continue to engage in those conversations.
[2:07:18] Would Saudi Arabia be exempt from international inspections as part of this deal if it moves forward?
[2:07:23] I don't want to comment on the specifics of the deal as we're still, again, as I just said,
[2:07:28] talking especially about this very important condition that the President raised this morning.
[2:07:31] Alexandra.
[2:07:32] Good to see you.
[2:07:33] You're back.
[2:07:34] You too.
[2:07:35] So Treasury Secretary Besant voiced concern this week on China potentially distilling or stealing AI technology from the United States,
[2:07:42] kind of manipulating it as their own.
[2:07:44] Anthropics said that the largest distilling attack happened last month.
[2:07:49] Do you think this will come up when the President meets with President Xi in September?
[2:07:53] Well, I have had the honor of being part of some of the meetings and discussions between President Trump and President Xi,
[2:07:59] and I can tell you there is always a wide range of topics that come up.
[2:08:03] I would imagine this would be something that's of high importance to the President and of this administration
[2:08:08] to obviously ensure that America remains dominant in the AI race,
[2:08:12] and we're obviously tracking the particular situation that you mentioned.
[2:08:15] I have one more if you don't mind.
[2:08:16] Sure.
[2:08:17] This week we've seen some major players in Democrat politics voicing or alerting, really,
[2:08:22] on how much influence socialism, communism has had now on kind of mainstream Democrat politics.
[2:08:28] Is there any chance that the President would be interested or is considering working with left-of-center Democrats to push back on this?
[2:08:35] Well, unfortunately we don't seem to have too many of those left in the Democrat Party.
[2:08:39] We have literal self-proclaimed communists who are winning elections and who are claiming to be the new leadership of the Democrat Party.
[2:08:47] I think the vast majority of Americans understand the dangers of communism.
[2:08:52] Just look at countries all over this world.
[2:08:54] As an example, Cuba right now is a country that is about to be a failed state because of the communist policies of the past several decades.
[2:09:02] Communism should never be allowed to lead this country and the President obviously is strictly opposed to it and all the dangers that it reaps.
[2:09:12] We've seen it happen across the world.
[2:09:14] Meredith.
[2:09:15] Just to continue on the Saudi nuclear deal.
[2:09:18] Do the Saudis agree with this interpretation since it wasn't part of the initial agreement?
[2:09:23] And has the President talked to MBS since this new condition?
[2:09:28] As you know, the President just put out this statement a few hours ago.
[2:09:31] I don't believe he's had a call with MBS in the hours since.
[2:09:35] However, this is something that he has raised in previous conversations and has also said many times in the past.
[2:09:41] John, in the back, go ahead.
[2:09:42] Thanks a lot, Carolyn.
[2:09:43] In regards to this deal, in the past the Saudi government has said they will not consider entering into the Abraham Accords
[2:09:50] unless and until there's a Palestinian state.
[2:09:54] What makes you think that they're going to change their minds on their position regarding that?
[2:09:59] Again, I won't get ahead of the President's conversations, but this is something that he feels very strongly about
[2:10:04] and has spoken about it in the past and will continue to uphold.
[2:10:07] Can I ask you one other question?
[2:10:08] Sure.
[2:10:09] Just playing devil's advocate, why does Saudi Arabia get a civilian nuclear deal but Iran doesn't get a civilian nuclear deal?
[2:10:17] Well, again, this agreement is still being worked out.
[2:10:21] It will eventually, hopefully, be finalized with the condition that the President spoke about this morning.
[2:10:27] But this agreement in particular, as it's been discussed thus far, does give priority access for American companies
[2:10:32] and the Saudi nuclear energy program was far and will continue to be discussed.
[2:10:37] Absolutely puts America first.
[2:10:38] And that's obviously very important to this President.
[2:10:40] Ed.
[2:10:41] Thanks, Carolyn.
[2:10:42] So Friday, the Section 122, the 10 percent global tariff goes away.
[2:10:46] Yes.
[2:10:47] Is the President going to ask Congress for an extension or what's next?
[2:10:50] Well, I know the USTR, our great Jameson Greer, trade representative, will be having an announcement on that very soon, later today.
[2:10:59] I don't want to get ahead of him, so I would just tell you to stay tuned for more details.
[2:11:02] Okay.
[2:11:03] And then one more on the President's going to have some big utility companies at this event later on today.
[2:11:09] We're now a year and a half, so to speak, into his energy, pro-energy policies.
[2:11:15] Is he going to pressure those executives to lower energy prices, not just maintain the prices?
[2:11:20] Well, look, as I mentioned earlier, the Ratepayer Protection Pledge is a novel idea drawn up by this President, his team,
[2:11:28] to ensure that data centers and communities where those communities want data centers,
[2:11:32] that these big CEOs and energy companies are picking up the tab for the energy costs in these communities,
[2:11:37] so the American taxpayer are not being fronted with those bills.
[2:11:40] And the pledge today is being expanded to acknowledge all elements involved in building an operating data center,
[2:11:47] the governors who appoint the state regulators, who set the power prices, the utilities and the co-ops that sell the power,
[2:11:53] and in addition to the tech companies that have already signed the pledge.
[2:11:56] So you'll continue to hear more about that from the President in a few hours at 2.30 when he goes over to the EPA.
[2:12:02] Sophia.
[2:12:03] Have you spoken to the President about what he wants to do about Chinese AI models if they are found to have stolen American IP?
[2:12:11] Does he want to sanction them? Or what actions can be taken without undermining broader U.S.-China trade talks
[2:12:17] or cutting off American startups that are increasingly reliant on them?
[2:12:21] Sure. Well, I won't get ahead of the President on any potential actions,
[2:12:25] but obviously these conversations are taking place.
[2:12:27] And again, they're of the utmost importance, not just for our national security,
[2:12:30] but to ensure America remains dominant in this space.
[2:12:33] Stephen.
[2:12:34] The Press. Thank you, Caroline.
[2:12:35] I have two questions.
[2:12:36] The Press.
[2:12:37] Has President Trump spoken with FIFA President Gianni Infantino about his interest in nominating him for U.N. Secretary General?
[2:12:44] Can you explain his interest there?
[2:12:45] And secondly, just a minor point of clarification on the Saudi nuclear deal.
[2:12:50] Did Prime Minister Netanyahu request this provision?
[2:12:53] Not to my knowledge, no.
[2:12:54] Again, as I told you, this was an idea the President has long had.
[2:12:58] It was the President and his team in the first term that began and signed the Abraham Accords
[2:13:04] with several countries in the region between those countries and Israel.
[2:13:08] And the President obviously wants to expand on that historic accomplishment from his first term.
[2:13:13] To your first question about Gianni Infantino, I don't know if he and the President have discussed that.
[2:13:18] I haven't been present for all their conversations.
[2:13:20] I know they speak quite frequently, and the President has a lot of respect for Gianni and what he has done with FIFA.
[2:13:26] As we all just saw, the World Cup was a tremendous success here at home.
[2:13:30] It not only was hugely beneficial to our businesses and our local economies across the country,
[2:13:36] but I think it showed that America is the greatest country on Earth.
[2:13:39] And the President is grateful to Gianni for all of the efforts that he had to make that dream a reality here in the United States.
[2:13:47] Danny.
[2:13:48] The Press, thanks, Caroline.
[2:13:49] Is President Trump or the administration, do they have any plans to intervene in the extradition process for the Tate brothers?
[2:13:56] No.
[2:13:57] We've already answered that question.
[2:13:58] Elizabeth.
[2:13:59] Thank you, Caroline.
[2:14:00] Secretary Mullen said that election officials that knowingly allowed non-citizens to vote could be prosecuted and fined.
[2:14:06] Is this option being considered in New Jersey after the Governor revealed that thousands of non-citizens were registered to vote there?
[2:14:12] Well, for any prosecutions, obviously, I would always defer you to the Department of Justice.
[2:14:16] But what I will say on New Jersey and this Governor, the fact that she just all of a sudden decided to put out a press release saying
[2:14:23] President Trump and Republicans have been right about non-citizens on our voting rolls is not a coincidence.
[2:14:28] I think this Governor is saying this because she realizes this administration is serious about getting to the bottom of illegal aliens voting
[2:14:35] and being on our voter rolls in our country.
[2:14:39] The Secretary of Homeland Security, as you know, sent a letter to several states, including New Jersey, requesting that non-citizens that are on their voter rolls
[2:14:48] need to be reported to DHS and need to be removed from those voter rolls.
[2:14:51] So that's why all of a sudden she is speaking truth about the fact that this does take place in states across the country.
[2:14:57] It is completely unacceptable to have non-citizens on American voter rolls voting in U.S. elections.
[2:15:04] And she says at 6,600, we suspect it's a heck of a lot more, not just in New Jersey, but in states across the country.
[2:15:10] The President is hellbent on getting to the bottom of this.
[2:15:13] And it's also why we need to pass the Save America Act to ensure that only U.S. citizens are voting in U.S. elections.
[2:15:21] And I understand the House had a great accomplishment yesterday with passing the budget resolution,
[2:15:27] which has as much of the Save America Act as possible.
[2:15:30] And we encourage the Senate to move forward with passing that resolution into law,
[2:15:35] so the President can sign it into law by the August recess.
[2:15:38] It's of the utmost importance to this President, but also to the American people who support this bill overwhelmingly.
[2:15:44] Mary, in the back.
[2:15:46] Thank you, Caroline. Two questions. One on Sophia Cunningham and then on self-driving cars.
[2:15:50] Sure.
[2:15:51] Sophia Cunningham and the WNBA has been attacked as a MAGA Barbie for saying it's common sense for men to not be in women's sports in locker rooms.
[2:15:59] Is the President following this story, and has he reached out to her?
[2:16:02] I don't believe he has reached out to her.
[2:16:05] I know he is following the story.
[2:16:07] As you know, this is something the President feels strongly about as well, and the American people do too,
[2:16:12] that men should not be playing in women's sports.
[2:16:15] It's completely ludicrous that anyone could support that.
[2:16:18] It's even more ludicrous that you do have Sophia Cunningham, a female athlete herself, very accomplished in her own right,
[2:16:25] coming forth and speaking that truth that men shouldn't play in women's sports.
[2:16:28] We want to protect women and girls, and the backlash she is receiving from Democrats and left-wing fingers across the country.
[2:16:35] Tomorrow night, the President will attend the White House Correspondents Association Dinner Round Two,
[2:16:41] celebrating free speech and the First Amendment alongside all of you, members of the media.
[2:16:46] The President looks forward to finishing what he started before a despicable assassination attempt derailed the original event back in April, as we all know.
[2:16:54] And I encourage everyone watching tomorrow night to tune in for what promises to be a very entertaining and memorable evening.
[2:17:01] Looking ahead to next week, on Monday, President Trump will travel to Michigan to deliver remarks on the economy.
[2:17:08] On Tuesday afternoon, the President will deliver a tribute honoring the life and legacy of his dear friend, Senator Lindsey Graham, at the National Cathedral.
[2:17:17] And next Friday, the President will host the 13th Cabinet meeting of this term, of this term at Camp David,
[2:17:24] which will be a lot of fun and something different for the Cabinet to experience together.
[2:17:28] Turning now to the economy. A little more than a year after President Trump signed the Working Families Tax Cuts into law,
[2:17:35] this historic legislation continues to deliver on its promise, unleashing a genuine boom for American workers, families, and small businesses.
[2:17:45] The numbers speak for themselves. This was the biggest tax refund season in American history, with the average refund exceeding $3,400,
[2:17:55] an 11% increase over the last year. American families and workers claimed $82 billion in direct tax relief,
[2:18:04] and 97% of filers received a tax cut. More than 29 million workers claimed no tax on overtime.
[2:18:12] More than 35 million seniors claimed no tax on Social Security. And nearly 8 million workers claimed no tax on TIPS.
[2:18:20] Thanks to the other pro-growth provisions in the Working Families Tax Cuts,
[2:18:25] like making the 20% small business tax deduction permanent and delivering 100% expensing for new factories, equipment, and research,
[2:18:33] the Trump administration is setting up American manufacturers and workers to thrive like never before.
[2:18:39] Just this week, the National Association of Manufacturers, which is the largest manufacturing association in the country,
[2:18:46] released a detailed report showing exactly how these tax cuts are driving investment, job creation, innovation, and long-term growth in all 50 states.
[2:18:56] In fact, I'd like to take a moment to highlight just a few of the real American businesses that this law is helping.
[2:19:04] Pivot Manufacturing in Arizona made the largest equipment purchase in company history
[2:19:09] after the Trump tax cuts gave them the long-term certainty to invest with confidence.
[2:19:14] Winton Machine Company in Georgia is on pace for the best year in its history.
[2:19:19] Ketchy Inc. in North Carolina was able to purchase new machinery and expand its workforce by 25%.
[2:19:26] And Juergens in Ohio expanded its brand new facility to increase production.
[2:19:31] And they're also paying their workers even more thanks to the no tax on overtime provision.
[2:19:36] These are not just great statistics.
[2:19:38] These are American businesses with the confidence to grow, hire, and invest right here at home, rather than offshoring their jobs.
[2:19:46] And a business opening or expanding in this country means more opportunity and higher wages for American workers.
[2:19:52] It means a chance for the American dream for young families.
[2:19:55] And it means restoring the belief that we can make and build things right here at home.
[2:20:01] This is what President Trump promised, and it's exactly what he is delivering with the help of Republicans in Congress.
[2:20:07] Democrats throw around the word affordability a lot.
[2:20:10] But when they had the chance to vote for the largest middle-class tax cuts in history, they refused.
[2:20:16] If Democrats got their way, it would have meant the largest tax increase in history, $4 trillion.
[2:20:23] 90% of Americans would have seen their taxes go up, and it would have been a complete disaster for our economy.
[2:20:29] That's the Democrat solution to, quote, affordability.
[2:20:32] It is raising your taxes.
[2:20:34] So I hope the press will cover more of the massive success stories resulting from the working families' tax cuts,
[2:20:40] and point out that every single Democrat on Capitol Hill voted against every single common-sense provision
[2:20:46] that put more money back into the pockets of the American people.
[2:20:50] Finally, on the energy front, after this briefing, President Trump will participate in a historic
[2:20:55] Ratepayer Protection Pledge event at the EPA headquarters down the street.
[2:21:00] The President will expand the Ratepayer Protection Pledge to governors, state legislatures, developers, and power providers
[2:21:07] to ensure that everyone involved in building and powering data centers pays their own way,
[2:21:13] instead of passing those costs on to hardworking families.
[2:21:16] The President will be joined by Energy Secretary Chris Wright, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin,
[2:21:21] and several governors who have already signed on to this pledge.
[2:21:24] And it has already proven to be remarkably successful.
[2:21:27] Nearly 200 additional stakeholders have signed on since it was first announced,
[2:21:32] including utilities, data center developers, public power authorities, co-ops, and state governors.
[2:21:38] As a result, the pledge now covers 80% of all the power delivered to American homes and businesses.
[2:21:45] President Trump's bold leadership is turning data centers from a source of concern
[2:21:49] into engines of growth and opportunity for communities across this country,
[2:21:54] all while cementing America's dominance over China in the global AI race.
[2:21:59] The President is ensuring the American people are never left footing the bill
[2:22:04] so private companies can benefit.
[2:22:06] Instead, President Trump is leveraging the data center boom
[2:22:09] to deliver real, tangible benefits for working families and small businesses.
[2:22:14] So we have a busy day here, rest assured.
[2:22:16] I'll take some questions.
[2:22:17] And here in our new media seat, we have Cam from Town Hall.
[2:22:20] Cam, thank you for being here.
[2:22:21] Why don't you kick us off today?
[2:22:22] Thank you.
[2:22:23] Two quick questions.
[2:22:24] One on Congress.
[2:22:25] First off, Speaker Mike Johnson passed a continuing resolution earlier this week.
[2:22:30] John Thunas said he wants to work with Democrats to find a way to fund the government.
[2:22:35] What is the White House's stance and the best way to keep the government funded?
[2:22:38] Well, the White House's stance is that the government needs to be funded.
[2:22:42] This President and Republicans on Capitol Hill from both chambers, as you just mentioned,
[2:22:46] the House and the Senate Republicans want to keep the government open.
[2:22:50] We want to work together to find ways to do that.
[2:22:52] And the White House will continue to have discussions with Senate leadership on the best path forward.
[2:22:57] I don't want to get ahead of those conversations.
[2:22:59] But the most important thing for the American people to know is that this President and this White House
[2:23:04] wants the government to remain open, unlike the Democrats in this town who have been acting as obstructionists.
[2:23:10] We've seen time and time again they have chosen to block this administration, to block Republicans in Congress from keeping our government open,
[2:23:17] which does not help anyone and it especially hurts the American people who depend on our government remaining open
[2:23:23] so they can access the critical services that our government provides to so many Americans across the country.
[2:23:28] So these conversations are continuing, but I think I just made the President's position quite clear.
[2:23:32] Thank you. And then on the Saudi Arabian nuclear deal, what steps is the U.S. taking to get Saudi Arabia to sign the Abraham Accords?
[2:23:42] Sure. Well, the President himself has spoken on this many times.
[2:23:46] His true social post this morning, and I will read it for those at home who missed it,
[2:23:50] the civil nuclear deal, there will be no enrichment of material, an important point being made between the Department of Energy and Saudi Arabia,
[2:23:58] which pertains only to non-military use, will be approved but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords.
[2:24:09] The United States is not opposed to civil nuclear facilities, as we all know.
[2:24:13] Look, this is a condition that the President has spoken about many times with our Gulf and Arab allies.
[2:24:21] He wants to see these countries sign the Abraham Accord.
[2:24:24] It was one of the most historic accomplishments of his first term, and it continues to be a long-term goal of his to expand those accords
[2:24:31] to ultimately come to a place where the Middle East can be a peaceful and stable region.
[2:24:35] And, yes, this deal with Saudi Arabia, the energy deal, is contingent on this condition as far as the President is concerned.
[2:24:42] So we'll continue to talk with our Saudi counterparts to get the deal finalized and hopefully see them joining the Abraham Accords very soon.
[2:24:49] Thank you. Gabe.
[2:24:51] The Press, Caroline, thank you. With regards to the Saudi nuclear deal, why was that condition not mentioned yesterday when the energy secretary announced the deal?
[2:24:58] Well, look, the President is always the final dealmaker, as you know, and this is something that he has mentioned on numerous occasions.
[2:25:05] Going back, I can provide you with those statements.
[2:25:07] And he has said if they don't join the Abraham Accords, the deal is off.
[2:25:12] So we'll continue to have those conversations with our Saudi counterparts moving forward.
[2:25:15] So the deal is dead if Saudi Arabia doesn't join? And have you any indication that Saudi Arabia is even considering this?
[2:25:22] Again, the President has spoken directly with the Saudis about this in numerous conversations in the past,
[2:25:28] and the administration will continue to engage in those conversations.
[2:25:30] Would Saudi Arabia be exempt from international inspections as part of this deal if it moves forward?
[2:25:35] I don't want to comment on the specifics of the deal as we're still, again, as I just said, talking especially about this very important condition that the President raised this morning.
[2:25:43] Alexandra.
[2:25:45] So good to see you. You're back.
[2:25:46] You too.
[2:25:47] So Treasury Secretary Besant voiced concern this week on China potentially distilling or stealing AI technology from the United States,
[2:25:55] kind of manipulating it as their own.
[2:25:57] Anthropics said that the largest distilling attack happened last month.
[2:26:02] Do you think this will come up when the President meets with President Xi in September?
[2:26:05] Well, I have had the honor of being part of some of the meetings and discussions between President Trump and President Xi,
[2:26:11] and I can tell you there is always a wide range of topics that come up.
[2:26:16] I would imagine this would be something.
[2:26:18] It's of high importance to the President and of this administration to obviously ensure that America remains dominant in the AI race.
[2:26:25] And we're obviously tracking the particular situation that you mentioned.
[2:26:28] I have one more if you don't mind.
[2:26:29] Sure.
[2:26:30] This week we've seen some major players in Democrat politics voicing or alerting really on how much influence socialism,
[2:26:37] communism has had now on kind of mainstream Democrat politics.
[2:26:41] Is there any chance that the President would be interested or is considering working with left-of-center Democrats to push back on this?
[2:26:47] Well, unfortunately we don't seem to have too many of those left in the Democrat Party.
[2:26:52] We have literal self-proclaimed communists who are winning elections and who are claiming to be the new leadership of the Democrat Party.
[2:27:00] I think the vast majority of Americans understand the dangers of communism.
[2:27:05] Just look at countries all over this world.
[2:27:07] As an example, Cuba right now is a country that is about to be a failed state because of the communist policies of the past several decades.
[2:27:15] Communism should never be allowed to lead this country.
[2:27:19] And the President obviously is strictly opposed to it and all the dangers that it reaps.
[2:27:25] We've seen it happen across the world.
[2:27:27] Meredith.
[2:27:28] Just to continue on the Saudi nuclear deal.
[2:27:31] Do the Saudis agree with this interpretation since it wasn't part of the initial agreement?
[2:27:36] And has the President talked to NBS since this new condition?
[2:27:40] As you know, the President just put out this statement a few hours ago.
[2:27:44] I don't believe he's had a call with NBS in the hours since.
[2:27:48] However, this is something that he has raised in previous conversations and has also said many times in the past.
[2:27:53] John, in the back, go ahead.
[2:27:54] Thanks a lot, Carolyn.
[2:27:55] In regards to this deal, in the past the Saudi government has said they will not consider entering into the Abraham Accords unless and until there's a Palestinian state.
[2:28:06] What makes you think that they're going to change their minds on their position regarding that?
[2:28:11] Again, I won't get ahead of the President's conversations, but this is something that he feels very strongly about and has spoken about it in the past and will continue to uphold.
[2:28:20] Can I ask you one other question?
[2:28:21] Sure.
[2:28:22] Just playing devil's advocate.
[2:28:23] Why does Saudi Arabia get a civilian nuclear deal but Iran doesn't get a civilian nuclear deal?
[2:28:30] Well, again, this agreement is still being worked out.
[2:28:32] It will eventually, hopefully, be finalized with the condition that the President spoke about this morning.
[2:28:38] But this agreement in particular, as it's been discussed thus far, does give priority access for American companies and the Saudi nuclear energy program, which will ultimately benefit American industry workers and supply chains.
[2:28:49] So the deal that has been discussed thus far and will continue to be discussed absolutely puts America first.
[2:28:55] And that's obviously very important to this President.
[2:28:57] Ed.
[2:28:58] Thanks, Carolyn.
[2:28:59] So Friday, the Section 122, the 10 percent global tariff, goes away.
[2:29:03] Is the President going to ask Congress for an extension or what's next?
[2:29:06] Well, I know the USTR, our great Jameson Greer, trade representative, will be having an announcement on that very soon, later today.
[2:29:16] I don't want to get ahead of him, so I would just tell you to stay tuned for more details.
[2:29:19] Okay.
[2:29:20] And then one more on the President's going to have some big utility companies at this event later on today.
[2:29:26] We're now a year and a half, so to speak, into his energy, pro-energy policies.
[2:29:31] Is he going to pressure those executives to lower energy prices, not just maintain the prices?
[2:29:36] Well, look, as I mentioned earlier, the Ratepayer Protection Pledge is a novel idea drawn up by this President, his team,
[2:29:44] to ensure that data centers and communities where those communities want data centers,
[2:29:48] that these big CEOs and energy companies are picking up the tab for the energy costs in these communities,
[2:29:54] so the American taxpayer are not being fronted with those bills.
[2:29:57] And the pledge today is being expanded to acknowledge all elements involved in building an operating data center,
[2:30:03] the governors who appoint the state regulators, who set the power prices, the utilities and the co-ops that sell the power,
[2:30:10] and in addition to the tech companies that have already signed the pledge.
[2:30:13] So you'll continue to hear more about that from the President in a few hours at 2.30 when he goes over to the EPA.
[2:30:18] Sophia.
[2:30:19] You've spoken to the President about what he wants to do about Chinese AI models if they are found to have stolen American IP.
[2:30:28] Does he want to sanction them?
[2:30:30] Or what actions can be taken without undermining broader U.S.-China trade talks
[2:30:34] or cutting off American startups that are increasingly reliant on them?
[2:30:38] Sure.
[2:30:39] Well, I won't get ahead of the President on any potential actions,
[2:30:42] but obviously these conversations are taking place.
[2:30:44] And again, they're of the utmost importance, not just for our national security,
[2:30:48] but to ensure America remains dominant in this space.
[2:30:50] Stephen.
[2:30:51] The Press.
[2:30:52] Thank you, Caroline.
[2:30:53] Two questions.
[2:30:54] Has President Trump spoken with FIFA President Gianni Infantino
[2:30:58] about his interest in nominating him for U.N. Secretary General?
[2:31:01] Can you explain his interest there?
[2:31:02] And secondly, just a minor point of clarification on the Saudi nuclear deal.
[2:31:07] Did Prime Minister Netanyahu request this provision?
[2:31:11] Not to my knowledge, no.
[2:31:12] Again, as I told you, this was an idea the President has long had.
[2:31:16] It was the President and his team in the first term that began and signed the Abraham Accords
[2:31:22] with several countries in the region, between those countries and Israel.
[2:31:26] And the President obviously wants to expand on that historic accomplishment from his first term.
[2:31:30] To your first question about Gianni Infantino, I don't know if he and the President have discussed that.
[2:31:36] I haven't been present for all their conversations.
[2:31:38] I know they speak quite frequently.
[2:31:39] And the President has a lot of respect for Gianni and what he has done with FIFA.
[2:31:43] As we all just saw, the World Cup was a tremendous success here at home.
[2:31:47] It not only was hugely beneficial to our businesses and our local economies across the country,
[2:31:54] but I think it showed that America is the greatest country on Earth.
[2:31:57] And the President is grateful to Gianni for all of the efforts that he had to make that dream a reality here in the United States.
[2:32:05] Danny.
[2:32:06] Thanks, Caroline.
[2:32:07] Is President Trump or the administration, do they have any plans to intervene in the extradition process for the Tate brothers?
[2:32:14] No.
[2:32:15] We've already answered that question.
[2:32:16] Elizabeth.
[2:32:17] Thank you, Caroline.
[2:32:18] Secretary Mullen said that election officials that knowingly allowed non-citizens to vote could be prosecuted and fined.
[2:32:24] Is this option being considered in New Jersey after the Governor revealed that thousands of non-citizens were registered to vote there?
[2:32:30] Well, for any prosecutions, obviously, I would always defer you to the Department of Justice.
[2:32:34] But what I will say on New Jersey and this Governor, the fact that she just all of a sudden decided to put out a press release saying,
[2:32:40] President Trump and Republicans have been right about non-citizens on our voting rolls, is not a coincidence.
[2:32:46] I think this Governor is saying this because she realizes this administration is serious about getting to the bottom of illegal aliens voting
[2:32:53] and being on our voter rolls in our country.
[2:32:56] The Secretary of Homeland Security, as you know, sent a letter to several states, including New Jersey,
[2:33:02] requesting that non-citizens that are on their voter rolls need to be reported to DHS and need to be removed from those voter rolls.
[2:33:09] So that's why, all of a sudden, she is speaking truth about the fact that this does take place in states across the country.
[2:33:15] It is completely unacceptable to have non-citizens on American voter rolls voting in U.S. elections.
[2:33:21] And she says at 6,600, we suspect it's a heck of a lot more, not just in New Jersey, but in states across the country.
[2:33:28] The President is hell-bent on getting to the bottom of this.
[2:33:31] And it's also why we need to pass the Save America Act to ensure that only U.S. citizens are voting in U.S. elections.
[2:33:39] And I understand the House had a great accomplishment yesterday with passing the budget resolution,
[2:33:44] which has as much of the Save America Act as possible.
[2:33:47] And we encourage the Senate to move forward with passing that resolution into law,
[2:33:52] so the President can sign it into law by the August recess.
[2:33:56] It's of the utmost importance to this President, but also to the American people who support this bill overwhelmingly.
[2:34:02] Mary, in the back.
[2:34:05] Two questions. One on Sophia Cunningham, self-driving cars.
[2:34:07] Sure.
[2:34:08] Sophia Cunningham and the WNBA has been attacked as a MAGA Barbie for saying it's common sense for men to not be in women's sports in locker rooms.
[2:34:16] Is the President following this story, and has he reached out to her?
[2:34:20] I don't believe he has reached out to her. I know he is following the story.
[2:34:25] As you know, this is something the President feels strongly about as well, and the American people do too,
[2:34:30] that men should not be playing in women's sports.
[2:34:33] It's completely ludicrous that anyone could support that.
[2:34:36] It's even more ludicrous that you do have Sophia Cunningham, a female athlete herself, very accomplished in her own right,
[2:34:42] coming forth and speaking that truth that men shouldn't play in women's sports.
[2:34:45] We want to protect women and girls and the backlash she is receiving from Democrats and left-wing fingers across the country.
[2:34:52] Tomorrow night, the President will attend the White House Correspondents Association Dinner Round 2,
[2:34:58] celebrating free speech and the First Amendment alongside all of you members of the media.
[2:35:03] The President looks forward to finishing what he started before a despicable assassination attempt derailed the original event back in April, as we all know.
[2:35:11] And I encourage everyone watching tomorrow night to tune in for what promises to be a very entertaining and memorable evening.
[2:35:19] Looking ahead to next week, on Monday, President Trump will travel to Michigan to deliver remarks on the economy.
[2:35:26] On Tuesday afternoon, the President will deliver a tribute honoring the life and legacy of his dear friend, Senator Lindsey Graham, at the National Cathedral.
[2:35:35] And next Friday, the President will host the 13th Cabinet meeting of this term at Camp David, which will be a lot of fun and something different for the Cabinet to experience together.
[2:35:46] Turning now to the economy. A little more than a year after President Trump signed the Working Families Tax Cuts into law,
[2:35:53] this historic legislation continues to deliver on its promise, unleashing a genuine boom for American workers, families and small businesses.
[2:36:03] The numbers speak for themselves. This was the biggest tax refund season in American history, with the average refund exceeding $3,400, an 11% increase over the last year.
[2:36:16] American families and workers claimed $82 billion in direct tax relief and 97% of filers received a tax cut.
[2:36:25] More than 29 million workers claimed no tax on overtime. More than 35 million seniors claimed no tax on Social Security.
[2:36:33] And nearly 8 million workers claimed no tax on tips.
[2:36:38] Thanks to the other pro-growth provisions in the Working Families Tax Cuts, like making the 20% small business tax deduction permanent and delivering 100% expensing for new factories, equipment and research,
[2:36:50] the Trump Administration is setting up American manufacturers and workers to thrive like never before.
[2:36:56] Just this week, the National Association of Manufacturers, which is the largest manufacturing association in the country, released a detailed report showing exactly how these tax cuts are driving investment, job creation, innovation and long-term growth in all 50 states.
[2:37:13] In fact, I'd like to take a moment to highlight just a few of the real American businesses that this law is helping.
[2:37:20] Pivot Manufacturing in Arizona made the largest equipment purchase in company history after the Trump tax cuts gave them the long-term certainty to invest with confidence.
[2:37:30] Winton Machine Company in Georgia is on pace for the best year in its history.
[2:37:35] Ketchy Inc. in North Carolina was able to purchase new machinery and expand its workforce by 25%.
[2:37:42] And Juergens in Ohio expanded its brand new facility to increase production, and they're also paying their workers even more thanks to the no tax on overtime provision.
[2:37:53] These are not just great statistics.
[2:37:55] These are American businesses with the confidence to grow, hire and invest right here at home rather than offshoring their jobs.
[2:38:03] And a business opening or expanding in this country means more opportunity and higher wages for American workers.
[2:38:09] It means a chance for the American dream for young families, and it means restoring the belief that we can make and build things right here at home.
[2:38:18] This is what President Trump promised, and it's exactly what he is delivering with the help of Republicans in Congress.
[2:38:24] Democrats throw around the word affordability a lot, but when they had the chance to vote for the largest middle-class tax cuts in history, they refused.
[2:38:33] If Democrats got their way, it would have meant the largest tax increase in history, $4 trillion.
[2:38:39] Ninety percent of Americans would have seen their taxes go up, and it would have been a complete disaster for our economy.
[2:38:46] That's the Democrat solution to, quote, affordability.
[2:38:49] It is raising your taxes.
[2:38:51] So I hope the press will cover more of the massive success stories resulting from the working families tax cuts and point out that every single Democrat on Capitol Hill voted against every single common-sense provision that put more money back into the pockets of the American people.
[2:39:06] Finally, on the energy front, after this briefing, President Trump will participate in a historic Ratepayer Protection Pledge event at the EPA headquarters down the street.
[2:39:18] The President will expand the Ratepayer Protection Pledge to governors, state legislatures, developers, and power providers to ensure that everyone involved in building and powering data centers pays their own way, instead of passing those costs on to hardworking families.
[2:39:33] The President will be joined by Energy Secretary Chris Wright, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, and several governors who have already signed on to this pledge, and it has already proven to be remarkably successful.
[2:39:45] Nearly 200 additional stakeholders have signed on since it was first announced, including utilities, data center developers, public power authorities, co-ops, and state governors.
[2:39:56] As a result, the pledge now covers 80% of all the power delivered to American homes and businesses.
[2:40:02] President Trump's bold leadership is turning data centers from a source of concern into engines of growth and opportunity for communities across this country,
[2:40:12] all while cementing America's dominance over China in the global AI race.
[2:40:17] The President is ensuring the American people are never left footing the bill so private companies can benefit.
[2:40:23] Instead, President Trump is leveraging the data center boom to deliver real, tangible benefits for working families and small businesses.
[2:40:31] So we have a busy day here, rest assured. I'll take some questions.
[2:40:35] And here in our new media seat, we have Cam from Town Hall. Cam, thank you for being here. Why don't you kick us off today?
[2:40:40] Thank you. Two quick questions. One on Congress. First off, Speaker Mike Johnson passed a continuing resolution earlier this week.
[2:40:47] John Thunas said he wants to work with Democrats to find a way to fund the government.
[2:40:52] What is the White House's stance and the best way to keep the government funded?
[2:40:56] Well, the White House's stance is that the government needs to be funded this president and Republicans on Capitol Hill from both chambers.
[2:41:02] As you just mentioned, the House and the Senate Republicans want to keep the government open.
[2:41:07] We want to work together to find ways to do that. And the White House will continuing will continue to have discussions with Senate leadership on the best path forward.
[2:41:14] I don't want to get ahead of those conversations, but the most important thing for the American people to know is that this president in this White House wants the government to remain open.
[2:41:23] Unlike the Democrats in this town who have been acting as obstructionists, we've seen time and time again, they have chosen to block this administration, to block Republicans in Congress from keeping our government open, which does not help anyone.
[2:41:36] And it especially hurts the American people who depend on our government remaining open so they can access the critical services that our government provides to so many Americans across the country.
[2:41:45] So these conversations are continuing, but I think I just made the president's position quite clear.
[2:41:50] Thank you. And then on the Saudi Saudi Arabian nuclear deal, what steps is the U.S. taking to get Saudi Arabia to sign the Abraham Accords?
[2:41:59] Sure. Well, the president himself has spoken on this many times, his true social post this morning, and I will read it for those at home who missed it.
[2:42:07] For those at home who missed it, the civil nuclear deal, there will be no enrichment of material, an important point being made between the Department of Energy and Saudi Arabia,
[2:42:16] which pertains only to non-military use, will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords.
[2:42:27] In other words, the United States is not opposed to civil nuclear facilities, as we all know.
[2:42:32] Look, this is a condition that the president has spoken about many times with our Gulf and Arab allies.
[2:42:39] He wants to see these countries sign the Abraham Accord.
[2:42:42] It was one of the most historic accomplishments of his first term, and it continues to be a long-term goal of his to expand those accords,
[2:42:49] to ultimately come to a place where the Middle East can be a peaceful and stable region.
[2:42:53] And, yes, this deal with Saudi Arabia, the energy deal, is contingent on this condition as far as the president is concerned.
[2:43:00] So we'll continue to talk with our Saudi counterparts to get the deal finalized and hopefully see them joining the Abraham Accords very soon.
[2:43:07] Thank you.
[2:43:08] Gabe.
[2:43:09] The Press, Caroline, thank you.
[2:43:10] With regards to the Saudi nuclear deal, why was that condition not mentioned yesterday when the Energy Secretary announced it?
[2:43:16] Well, look, the president is always the final dealmaker, as you know, and this is something that he has mentioned on numerous occasions,
[2:43:22] going back, I can provide you with those statements.
[2:43:25] And he has said if they don't join the Abraham Accords, the deal is off.
[2:43:30] So we'll continue to have those conversations with our Saudi counterparts moving forward.
[2:43:33] So the deal is dead if Saudi Arabia doesn't join?
[2:43:35] And have you any indication that Saudi Arabia is even considering this?
[2:43:40] Again, the President has spoken directly with the Saudis about this in numerous conversations in the past,
[2:43:45] and the administration will continue to engage in those conversations.
[2:43:48] Alexandra.
[2:43:49] Would Saudi Arabia be exempt from international inspections as part of this deal if it moves forward?
[2:43:53] I don't want to comment on the specifics of the deal as we're still, again, as I just said,
[2:43:57] talking especially about this very important condition that the President raised this morning.
[2:44:01] Alexandra.
[2:44:02] Good to see you.
[2:44:03] You're back.
[2:44:04] You too.
[2:44:05] So Treasury Secretary Besant voiced concern this week on China potentially distilling or stealing AI technology from the United States,
[2:44:12] kind of manipulating it as their own.
[2:44:15] Anthropics said that the largest distilling attack happened last month.
[2:44:19] Do you think this will come up when the President meets with President Xi in September?
[2:44:23] Well, I have had the honor of being part of some of the meetings and discussions between President Trump and President Xi,
[2:44:29] and I can tell you there is always a wide range of topics that come up.
[2:44:33] I would imagine this would be something that's of high importance to the President and of this administration
[2:44:38] to obviously ensure that America remains dominant in the AI race,
[2:44:42] and we're obviously tracking the particular situation that you mentioned.
[2:44:45] I have one more, if you don't mind.
[2:44:46] Sure.
[2:44:47] This week we've seen some major players in Democrat politics voicing or alerting, really,
[2:44:52] on how much influence socialism, communism has had now on kind of mainstream Democrat politics.
[2:44:58] Is there any chance that the President would be interested or is considering working with left-of-center Democrats to push back on this?
[2:45:05] Well, unfortunately we don't seem to have too many of those left in the Democrat Party.
[2:45:09] We have literal self-proclaimed communists who are winning elections and who are claiming to be the new leadership of the Democrat Party.
[2:45:17] I think the vast majority of Americans understand the dangers of communism.
[2:45:22] Just look at countries all over this world.
[2:45:24] As an example, Cuba right now is a country that is about to be a failed state because of the communist policies of the past several decades.
[2:45:32] Communism should never be allowed to lead this country,
[2:45:37] and the President obviously is strictly opposed to it and all the dangers that it reaps.
[2:45:43] We've seen it happen across the world.
[2:45:45] Meredith.
[2:45:46] Just to continue on the Saudi nuclear deal.
[2:45:49] Do the Saudis agree with this interpretation since it wasn't part of the initial agreement?
[2:45:54] And has the President talked to MBS since this new condition?
[2:45:58] As you know, the President just put out this statement a few hours ago.
[2:46:02] I don't believe he's had a call with MBS in the hours since.
[2:46:05] However, this is something that he has raised in previous conversations and has also said many times in the past.
[2:46:11] John, in the back, go ahead.
[2:46:12] Thanks a lot, Carolyn.
[2:46:13] In regards to this deal, in the past the Saudi government has said they will not consider entering into the Abraham Accords unless and until there's a Palestinian state.
[2:46:24] What makes you think that they're going to change their minds on their position regarding that?
[2:46:29] They've spoken about it in the past and will continue to uphold.
[2:46:32] Can I ask you one other question?
[2:46:33] Sure.
[2:46:34] Just playing devil's advocate, why does Saudi Arabia get a civilian nuclear deal but Iran doesn't get a civilian nuclear deal?
[2:46:43] Well, again, this agreement is still being worked out.
[2:46:46] It will eventually, hopefully, be finalized with the condition that the President spoke about this morning.
[2:46:51] But this agreement in particular, as it's been discussed thus far, does give priority access for American companies and the Saudi nuclear energy program,
[2:46:59] which will ultimately benefit American industry workers and supply chains.
[2:47:02] So the deal that has been discussed thus far and will continue to be discussed absolutely puts America first.
[2:47:08] And that's obviously very important to this President.
[2:47:10] Ed.
[2:47:11] Thanks, Carolyn.
[2:47:12] So Friday, the Section 122, the 10 percent global tariff, goes away.
[2:47:16] Is the President going to ask Congress for an extension or what's next?
[2:47:19] Well, I know the USTR, our great Jameson Greer, trade representative, will be having an announcement on that very soon, later today.
[2:47:29] I don't want to get ahead of him.
[2:47:30] So I would just tell you to stay tuned for more details.
[2:47:32] Okay.
[2:47:33] And then one more on the President's going to have some big utility companies at this event later on today.
[2:47:39] We're now a year and a half, so speaking to his energy, pro-energy policies.
[2:47:44] Is he going to pressure those executives to lower energy prices, not just maintain the prices?
[2:47:49] Well, look, as I mentioned earlier, the Ratepayer Protection Pledge is a novel idea drawn up by this President and his team to ensure that data centers and communities where those communities want data centers, that these big CEOs and energy companies are picking up the tab for the energy costs in these communities.
[2:48:07] So the American taxpayer are not being fronted with those bills.
[2:48:10] And the pledge today is being expanded to acknowledge all elements involved in building an operating data center, the governors who appoint the state regulators, who set the power prices, the utilities and the co-ops that sell the power, and in addition to the tech companies that have already signed the pledge.
[2:48:26] So you'll continue to hear more about that from the President in a few hours at 2.30 when he goes over to the EPA.
[2:48:31] Sophia.
[2:48:32] Have you spoken to the President about what he wants to do about Chinese AI models if they are found to have stolen American IP?
[2:48:41] Does he want to sanction them?
[2:48:43] Or what actions can be taken without undermining broader U.S.-China trade talks or cutting off American startups that are increasingly reliant on them?
[2:48:51] Sure.
[2:48:52] Well, I won't get ahead of the President on any potential actions, but obviously these conversations are taking place.
[2:48:57] And again, they're of the utmost importance, not just for our national security, but to ensure America remains dominant in this space.
[2:49:03] Stephen.
[2:49:04] The Press.
[2:49:05] Thank you, Caroline.
[2:49:06] Two questions.
[2:49:07] Has President Trump spoken with FIFA President Gianni Infantino about his interest in nominating him for U.N. Secretary General?
[2:49:14] Can you explain his interest there?
[2:49:15] And secondly, just a minor point of clarification on the Saudi nuclear deal.
[2:49:20] Did Prime Minister Netanyahu request this provision?
[2:49:23] Not to my knowledge, no.
[2:49:24] Again, as I told you, this was an idea the President has long had.
[2:49:28] It was the President and his team in the first term that began and signed the Abraham Accords with several countries in the region, between those countries and Israel.
[2:49:38] And the President obviously wants to expand on that historic accomplishment from his first term.
[2:49:43] To your first question about Gianni Infantino, I don't know if he and the President have discussed that.
[2:49:48] I haven't been present for all their conversations.
[2:49:50] I know they speak quite frequently, and the President has a lot of respect for Gianni and what he has done with FIFA.
[2:49:56] As we all just saw, the World Cup was a tremendous success here at home.
[2:50:00] It not only was hugely beneficial to our businesses and our local economies across the country, but I think it showed that America is the greatest country on Earth.
[2:50:10] And the President is grateful to Gianni for all of the efforts that he had to make that dream a reality here in the United States.
[2:50:17] Danny.
[2:50:18] Thanks, Caroline.
[2:50:19] Is President Trump or the administration, do they have any plans to intervene in the extradition process for the Tate brothers?
[2:50:26] No.
[2:50:27] We've already answered that question.
[2:50:28] Elizabeth.
[2:50:29] Thank you, Caroline.
[2:50:30] Secretary Mullen said that election officials that knowingly allowed non-citizens to vote could be prosecuted and fined.
[2:50:36] Is this option being considered in New Jersey after the governor revealed that thousands of non-citizens were registered to vote there?
[2:50:42] Well, for any prosecutions, obviously, I would always defer you to the Department of Justice.
[2:50:46] But what I will say on New Jersey and this governor, the fact that she just all of a sudden decided to put out a press release saying President Trump and Republicans have been right about non-citizens on our voting rolls is not a coincidence.
[2:50:58] I think this governor is saying this because she realizes this administration is serious about getting to the bottom of illegal aliens voting and being on our voting voter rolls in our country.
[2:51:09] The Secretary of Homeland Security, as you know, sent a letter to several states, including New Jersey, requesting that non-citizens that are on their voter rolls need to be reported to DHS and need to be removed from those voter rolls.
[2:51:22] So that's why all of a sudden she is speaking truth about the fact that this does take place in states across the country.
[2:51:28] It is completely unacceptable to have non-citizens on American voter rolls voting in U.S. elections.
[2:51:34] And she says at 6,600, we suspect it's a heck of a lot more, not just in New Jersey, but in states across the country.
[2:51:40] The President is hellbent on getting to the bottom of this.
[2:51:43] And it's also why we need to pass the Save America Act to ensure that only U.S. citizens are voting in U.S. elections.
[2:51:51] And I understand the House had a great