On his way to his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club for a ten day vacation, Trump answered questions from the press and made a few comments on several pressing topics, including gun legislation, tariff wars, and Joe Biden.
Many questions and comments focused primarily on gun legislation. Trump claimed he has the support for background checks from both Republicans and Democrats and that he has a great relationship with the NRA. “They’re beautiful people.” He also claimed the NRA will eventually come around and support background checks because they support Trump.
Trump: I think a lot of really meaningful things on background checks will take place — including red flags, including a lot of other very, very important items. And the Republicans are looking at it very seriously https://t.co/aIBVcqAtrN pic.twitter.com/vOPMNl4tcZ
— POLITICO (@politico) August 9, 2019
TRUMP on gun control: "The gun doesn't pull the trigger. A mind — a sick mind pulls the trigger." pic.twitter.com/hD44M6dbUl
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 9, 2019
President Trump: "I have a great relationship with the NRA." https://t.co/RQqRvaup5B pic.twitter.com/wT2nCwXOl6
— The Hill (@thehill) August 9, 2019
Trump offered a message to kids returning to school from summer vacation:
Reporter: What's your message to children who are nervous about going back to school after recent mass shootings?
— NBC News (@NBCNews) August 9, 2019
President Trump: "Go and really study hard, and some day you'll grow up and maybe be president of the US … They have nothing to worry about." pic.twitter.com/sS57dIDdBU
The president also said he has a greater influence over both the Senate and the House and recently had a “great talk” with “Chuck and Nancy.”
“I think with a lot of success that we have, I think I have a greater influence now over the Senate and over the House. I think we can get something really good done. I think we can have some meaningful background checks.”
He added that there was no need to bring the Senate back from recess since he believes a great package will materialize before Congress returns.
President Trump says there's no need to bring the Senate back into session for gun control measures: "I think we'll have a very good package by the time they come back" pic.twitter.com/ZsXN9MK8su
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) August 9, 2019
Trump also teased the press about receiving another “beautiful letter” from Kim Jung Un and alluded to meeting with the dictator in the near future.
NEW: Pres. Trump says he got a "very beautiful letter" from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un yesterday, adding that he believes they will have another meeting: "Maybe I'll release the results of the letter, but it was very positive." https://t.co/Z0kLq3TFN0 pic.twitter.com/OSZev1wohE
— ABC News (@ABC) August 9, 2019
He also commented on Joe Biden’s latest gaffe claiming “poor kids” are “just as talented as white kids.” Biden corrected himself immediately and said, “wealthy kids.”
Biden in Iowa: “Poor kids are just as smart as white kids.”
— Tania Singh (@TwinklingTania) August 9, 2019
Yikes.
pic.twitter.com/opMbfAZOnA
Trump picked up on the gaffe and went on to label Joe Biden a racist. He also accused Biden of “not playing with a full deck.” Trump’s re-election campaign is now using this snip to score political points but they’re not playing the speech in its entirety or full context.
When asked if he was a White Supremacist or White Nationalist, Trump replied that he doesn’t like when it happens because he’s “not any of those things.” He then went on to label Hollywood as the real racists.
"I’m not any of those things," President Trump says when asked about being called a white supremacist and white nationalist by some Democrats. "I think it’s a disgrace" pic.twitter.com/mMzqIy5p5n
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) August 9, 2019
Trump, sweating profusely, says "Hollywood is racist … what they're doing with the kind of movies they're putting out — it's actually very dangerous for our country." pic.twitter.com/ALXznOJ1iv
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 9, 2019
And to prove he’s not a racist, Trump said he would “love” to see Colin Kaepernick play in the NFL again, “if he’s good enough.”
While speaking to reporters this morning, @realDonaldTrump was asked if @Kaepernick7 should get another opportunity to play in the NFL.
— Mike Brest (@MikeBrestDC) August 9, 2019
He said, "I would love to see [Colin] Kaepernick" return to the league "if he's good enough." pic.twitter.com/YssGstX5iK
On China:
President @realDonaldTrump talks China before Marine One departure: pic.twitter.com/cKS7fa7p6V
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 9, 2019
Upon hearing those remarks, Wall Street reacted:
Dow falls 1% after Trump says he's not ready to do a China trade deal yet https://t.co/2LaozYM2HR pic.twitter.com/wWDuQMfr6q
— CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) August 9, 2019
Trump also defended the ICE raids that happened in Mississippi yesterday that ripped even more families apart:
Trump defends deportation raids at Mississippi food processing plants that left children abandoned because it's "a very good deterrent," again floats idea of using white supremacist mass shooting & need for stronger background checks as leverage for hardline immigration reform pic.twitter.com/VshDSE8WEG
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 9, 2019
Trump will now spend the next ten days at his Bedminster golf club.
