Karoline Leavitt holds a White House press briefing.
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00:00Good afternoon, everybody. Good to see you all. The thoughts and prayers of the entire White House remain with all of the Catholics around the world who are mourning the death of Pope Francis. Pope Francis touched millions of lives and dedicated his life to serving the Catholic Church. As a mark of respect for his memory, President Trump ordered flags be flown at half-staff and he will be traveling to attend his funeral in Rome.
00:26The President will depart from Washington on Friday morning and return to the United States on Saturday evening following the funeral service. I can also confirm the dates of the President's trip to the Middle East. He will travel to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates from May 13th until May 16th. And on Thursday of this week, President Trump will welcome Norwegian Prime Minister at the White House for a working visit. The two leaders will discuss trade and regional security. This will be the 13th head of state visit.
00:56President Trump's term already. At the border, President Trump continues to deliver on his promise to make America safe again. The Wall Street Journal captured the Trump effect in a recent article. Border crossings grind to a halt as Trump's tough policies take hold. U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded its lowest southwest border crossings in history in March. And we're seeing the same successes at our northern border. Here's how the New York Post put it.
01:23Northern border sector previously overrun by illegal migrants sees dramatic drop in crossings. We haven't seen anyone since November. End quote. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, just 54 illegal aliens were apprehended in the Swanton sector of our northern border, which stretches more than 300 miles in March.
01:43This is a drastic 95 percent drop from the more than 1,000 border crossings that were caught in March 2024. This is a main hotspot area that recorded more than 80 percent of all apprehensions along the northern border during the 2024 fiscal year.
01:58And new reporting from The Washington Times fully highlights the difference in Joe Biden's disgraceful approach to the border compared to President Trump's.
02:05Under Trump, border catch and release has dropped 99.99 percent from worst Biden month. You can't get much better than that. This statistic in particular is astounding.
02:18Border patrol agents caught and immediately released 189,604 illegal aliens into the United States in December 2023 at the height of the Biden border crisis.
02:29But under President Trump, border patrol agents caught and released only 20 illegal aliens into the U.S. in the month of February.
02:37Thanks to President Trump, operational control of the border is becoming a reality and the administration's historic enforcement measures are yielding huge results.
02:45Illegal aliens are finally getting the blunt message. If you cross the border illegally, you will be swiftly deported and never return to the United States of America.
02:54Efforts to arrest the criminal illegal alien invaders are continuing to ramp up.
03:00ICE Chicago arrested a Mexican national convicted of predatory sexual assault of a child in Cook County, Illinois.
03:07This week, ICE Denver arrested a Mexican national convicted of sexual assault of a child in Houston County, Texas.
03:14ICE Miami arrested a Nicaraguan convicted of aggravated battery in Hillsborough County, Florida.
03:20ICE Houston arrested a Salvadorian national convicted of attempted sexual assault of a child in Dallas County, Texas.
03:29And ICE Chicago arrested a Mexican national convicted of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor in Illinois.
03:35Despite the Democrats' insane objections, President Trump will continue to embolden law enforcement officers to arrest dangerous legal alien criminals and keep our communities safe.
03:44And also, thanks to President Trump's America First economic approach, investments continue to pour into our country.
03:51Swiss Pharmaceuticals Company announced they will be investing $50 billion in the United States over the next five years, creating 12,000 new quality jobs.
04:00Regeneron Pharmaceuticals also agreed to pay Fujifilm Technologies more than $3 billion over the next decade to help manufacture its medicines in the United States.
04:09It's a top priority for President Trump to ensure we are producing critical medicines and pharmaceutical drugs right here in America.
04:17And that is exactly what we continue to see happen every day.
04:20In other news, the Trump administration has announced we will put an end to Joe Biden's illegal student loan bailout attempts.
04:28No student loan has been referred to collections since March of 2020.
04:32That comes to an end.
04:33On May 5th, the Department of Education will resume involuntary collections for borrowers with defaulted federal student loans.
04:41The student loan portfolio controlled by the federal government is nearly $1.6 trillion.
04:46But fewer than four out of ten borrowers are in repayment.
04:51This is unsustainable, unfair, and a huge liability for American taxpayers.
04:57Debt cannot be wiped away.
04:58It just ends up getting transferred to others.
05:00So why should Americans who didn't go to college or went to college and responsibly paid back their loans pay for the student loans of other Americans?
05:08The Trump administration will never force taxpayers to pay student loan debts that don't belong to them.
05:14Student loan borrowers need clarity, and we're finally giving it to them.
05:18Borrowers will now be clearly expected to repay their loans, and those who default on their loan obligations will face involuntary collections.
05:25The government can and will collect defaulted federal student loan debt by withholding money from borrowers, tax refunds, federal pensions, and even their wages.
05:35America is $36 trillion in debt.
05:37We must get our fiscal house in order and restore common sense to our country.
05:41If you take out a loan, you have to pay it back.
05:44It's very simple.
05:45President Trump will not kick the can down the road anymore.
05:48Before we open it up to questions today, I want to commend our pool photographer, who is in the room with us today.
05:54ABC News photojournalist Melissa Young is retiring after 44 incredible years on the job, covering here at the White House.
06:32Congratulations to you, and we hope you enjoy retirement.
06:35I'm sure you will.
06:39And everybody else in the room will be very jealous of you as you're enjoying your rest.
06:43All right, let's get to it.
06:44We have an individual in our new media seat today.
06:47His name is Tim Poole.
06:48He's a political commentator and a media entrepreneur with millions of followers, a very big platform.
06:53Currently hosts TimCast IRL, a daily news and discussions show, and The Culture War, a weekly podcast exploring cultural and political issues.
07:01His programs feature in-depth conversations on topics such as free speech, censorship, identity politics, and societal change, often engaging with a diverse range of guests.
07:11He's in Washington today because we are also hosting a local media row across the street in the Eisenhower Building,
07:17which is a testament to our commitment to bring new voices into the White House to cover the president and this administration.
07:22So, Tim, why don't you kick us off today?
07:23Yes, many of the news organizations that are represented in this room have marked in lockstep on false narratives,
07:30such as the very fine people hoax, the Covington smear, and now what's being called the Maryland man hoax,
07:36where an MS-13 gang member adjudicated by two different judges, I believe, is just simply being referred to as a Maryland man over and over again.
07:44Now, in an effort from the White House to expand access to new companies, you've created this new media seat.
07:50So, I'm wondering if you can comment on following this expansion, you've had numerous outlets disparage the companies that you've had sit here,
07:59as well as the reporters.
08:00I'm wondering if you can comment on the unprofessional behavior, as well as elaborate if there's any plans to expand access to new companies.
08:06Sure.
08:07Well, we certainly welcome diverse viewpoints in this room, which is one of the reasons we have you in here,
08:12and there's many new faces in this room in comparison to the previous administrations.
08:16We want to welcome all viewpoints into this room.
08:18We welcome unbiased journalists who really care about the truth and the facts and the accuracy,
08:23and you rightfully pointed out the Maryland man story, which I, from this podium, when The Atlantic published it,
08:29on that very first day I came to this podium and said, this is wrong.
08:33The press in this room have this story wrong, and we have seen more and more evidence come to the table that we have had all along.
08:41We were always right.
08:42The President was always on the right side of this issue to deport this illegal criminal from our community.
08:46And it is despicable to see the media continue to refer to this individual as someone who is just a peaceful man living his life in Maryland.
08:53This is – was and always has been an illegal criminal, an MS-13 gang member, and a designated foreign terrorist.
09:00And the administration maintains our position to deport these individuals from our community.
09:04So thank you for being here, Tim.
09:05It's great to see you.
09:07Dasha, why don't you kick us off?
09:08Thank you, Karen.
09:09You're welcome.
09:09I really appreciate you.
09:10I have two questions, one on the Pentagon and another on the economy.
09:17You said on Fox News that the entire Pentagon is working against Secretary Hegseth.
09:23But the people who were fired were Hegseth's own guy.
09:28So how do you square that, and what do you say to concerns that that's bad management?
09:32They were Pentagon employees who leaked against their boss to news agencies in this room.
09:38And it's been clear since day one from this administration that we are not going to tolerate individuals who leak to the mainstream media,
09:44particularly when it comes to sensitive information.
09:48And the Secretary of Defense is doing a tremendous job, and he is bringing monumental change to the Pentagon.
09:54And there's a lot of people in this city who reject monumental change,
09:58and I think, frankly, that's why we've seen a smear campaign against the Secretary of Defense since the moment that President Trump announced his nomination before the United States Senate.
10:06Let me reiterate, the President stands strongly behind Secretary Hegseth in the change that he is bringing to the Pentagon,
10:12and the results that he's achieved thus far speak for themselves.
10:15Is there an FBI investigation into the leaks the Secretary said that these people would be prosecuted?
10:20So is the FBI investigating?
10:22You have to ask the FBI.
10:23You have to ask the Department of Justice on what they plan to do.
10:26But certainly, we take leaks with the utmost seriously across this administration.
10:31You've seen people fired from the Department of Homeland Security.
10:33The President has made it clear it's an unacceptable behavior.
10:36On the economy, Caroline, Peter Navarro said that it's perfectly possible to do 90 deals in 90 days.
10:44We haven't seen one just yet.
10:46How soon might we see a deal, and what evidence can you share that progress is being made in these trade negotiations?
10:52Sure.
10:52Well, I spoke to our entire trade team this morning.
10:55There is a lot of progress being made.
10:56We now have 18 proposals on paper that have been brought to the trade team.
11:01Again, these are proposals on paper that countries have proposed to the Trump administration and to our government.
11:08You have Secretary Besant, Secretary Lutnik, Ambassador Greer, NEC Director Hassett, and Peter Navarro,
11:13the entire trade team meeting with 34 countries this week alone.
11:18We are moving at Trump speed to ensure these deals are made on behalf of the American worker and the American people.
11:25And just yesterday, it seemed to get a little bit lost in the news, and I think it's a disservice to the American public that it did.
11:31The Vice President announced terms of reference for a trade deal with India.
11:35That is a big deal.
11:37We know when we look at the numbers, the monetary trade barriers and the non-monetary trade barriers from India,
11:42they have been ripping off the United States and American workers for a very long time.
11:46So the fact that the Vice President, with Prime Minister Modi, on that trip in India,
11:51announced these terms of reference, which is essentially a framework to move the ball forward,
11:56to sign a good trade deal between our two nations, is great progress,
12:00and it speaks to the work ethic and the real labor that's being put into this effort by the President's trade team.
12:06Sure. Go ahead.
12:08The proposals that you talk about, is that enough to extend the pauses on these reciprocal tariffs,
12:14or does the President need to see, you know, these deals inked and signed to offer any sort of additional extension beyond the 90 days?
12:22Well, look, ask me in July when the deadline hits.
12:24I know I'll be answering those questions from all of you in this room.
12:27There's a lot of time left, and the President's trade team is working, again, at Trump's speed,
12:32as quickly as they can to ensure that these deals can be made.
12:35Are any of those conversations yet with China happening?
12:38I actually do have something to share on that.
12:40I asked the President about this before coming out here,
12:42and he wanted me to share with all of you that we're doing very well in respect to a potential trade deal with China.
12:48As I mentioned, there have now been 18 proposals in more than 100 countries around the world
12:53who are wanting to make a deal with the United States of America,
12:56and the President and the administration are setting the stage for a deal with China.
13:00So we feel everyone involved wants to see a trade deal happen,
13:05and the ball is moving in the right direction.
13:07Sure.
13:07Setting the stage for a deal with China, what does that mean?
13:10Has the President spoken directly with Xi yet?
13:13I don't have anything to read out on a direct talk between the President and President Xi,
13:18but we will continue to keep you updated.
13:20And Secretary Besson reportedly today told investors that the trade standoff with China,
13:25he expects, will be de-escalating soon,
13:27because as he described it, reportedly, the situation is unsustainable.
13:31Is the President considering taking steps to de-escalate the situation with China?
13:34Again, I just read you words directly from the President of the United States.
13:37Those are moments ago.
13:38That's where his head is at right now.
13:40Caroline, I have two questions.
13:43One on immigration and one on China.
13:44First on immigration.
13:46Roughly, how many illegal immigrants and aliens do we have in our country,
13:49and how many does the administration plan on deporting?
13:51Sure.
13:52Well, you'd have to ask the Department of Homeland Security for a specific number,
13:56but we suspect it's definitely in the millions,
13:58perhaps upwards of 20 million people,
14:00that were allowed into the country illegally by the previous administration.
14:04And the President and his team are focused on deporting as many as we possibly can,
14:10and they are moving as quickly as possible.
14:12The President's team has made it clear we need more funding from Congress to do more.
14:17We need more ICE agents out on the ground doing this very important work.
14:20And we also need rogue district court judges to stop acting as judicial activists,
14:26trying to block the administration from deporting illegal criminals from our nation's interior.
14:30The American public elected the President to do this,
14:33and he's following through with that promise.
14:34And we have over a quarter million Chinese nationals in our country right now on student visas.
14:39Does the administration believe there's any national security concern
14:41when it comes to those over a quarter million Chinese nationals in our country?
14:44Well, as you know, when it comes to foreign visas,
14:47the Secretary of State remains – has the right to revoke visas of those
14:51who we feel are acting in an adversarial way to our foreign policy interests here in the United States.
14:57He has that authority according to the Immigration and Nationality Act.
15:01So I would defer you to the State Department for any individual case.
15:04But they are looking at individuals who are given the privilege of being on a visa in our country.
15:09And if they are acting, again, adversarial to our foreign policy interests,
15:13their visa can be revoked, and they should be aware of that.
15:15Can you go ahead, Caroline?
15:16Can you go ahead, Caroline?
15:16Can you go ahead, Caroline?
15:16Can you go ahead, Caroline?
15:16Sure.
15:16Go ahead.
15:17Yes.
15:19I'm calling on you.
15:20Thank you, Caroline.
15:21You're welcome.
15:21Over the last few weeks, several countries have warned their citizens about travel to the U.S.
15:25And the Department of Commerce's own stats know that from a lot of –
15:28show that from a lot of countries the number of visitors is falling.
15:32Is the way to have any message for people that might be reconsidering business or tourism travel to the U.S.?
15:37Where did you see that report?
15:39The statistics come from the Department of Commerce.
15:42Said what?
15:43It's hard to hear you.
15:44Sorry.
15:45That visitors from a lot of country have fallen in the – from a lot of countries have fallen in the last three months.
15:50I'd have to look at that report to comment on the merits of it.
15:52I think most people around the world recognize the United States of America is a great place to do business.
15:57It's a beautiful place to visit.
15:59And they should certainly come here because it's a much safer country than it was four years ago under the previous president.
16:04Libby, good to see you.
16:05The Press.
16:05Caroline, a question about this upcoming announcement from HHS to ban food dyes.
16:09During the first week of the administration, the FDA announced that it's pulling its plan to ban menthol cigarettes.
16:15So two questions for you.
16:16How do you square a ban on menthol cigarettes being pulled and then announcing this ban on food dyes?
16:23And then how does the president feel about this upcoming ban that's the RFK – that RFK is going to announce?
16:27Sure.
16:28Well, look, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the president nominated him because he trusts him to make this country healthy again.
16:34It's not just a slogan.
16:35It really is a movement that has broken ground across the country.
16:39There's millions of people who believe in RFK Jr., Secretary Kennedy, and what he's doing.
16:44I won't – don't want to get ahead of HHS with this historic announcement later and the details of it.
16:48But obviously, the Secretary feels that he has reason and evidence to announce the ban on artificial dyes later, and I'll let him speak to that this afternoon.
16:56Phil.
16:56The Press, the president's starting process of reclassifying more than 50,000 federal employees of Schedule F.
17:03We've already seen him march through a number of government agencies.
17:06I'm curious, should we expect mass firings, or is this a case-by-case approach, a scalpel or a fledgehammer?
17:13Well, look, as you saw on Friday, the president put out a statement about it.
17:17The Office of Personnel Management reclassified workers.
17:21They're now called Schedule Policy slash Career.
17:23And all the president is trying to do is ensure that federal workers are being held accountable for corrupt behavior.
17:31If they are engaging in corruption as a government worker, they should no longer have their job.
17:35I think that's pretty common sense.
17:36He also believes that bureaucrats should be acting in accordance to the will of the American public, who duly elected this president.
17:45Not just this president, but all future presidents.
17:47If you work for the government, you should be adhering to the will of the American public and advancing the administration's goals and interests.
17:53And if you are not doing that, then you should go find another job whose interests you align with.
17:59So as for specific firings, I would defer you to the specific agencies, but the president in this move, and Office of Personnel Management,
18:07it will make it easier to get rid of rogue bureaucrats who are engaging in corruption.
18:11And then another quick question about Google.
18:13Real quick, a federal court ruled last Thursday that Google's dominance of online advertising and ad tech markets violated U.S. antitrust laws.
18:22I know the president has spoken to a number of folks in big tech, and Google's CEO was even at his inauguration.
18:29I'm curious, what is the president's reaction to that court ruling?
18:34I'll have to ask him, and I'll get back to you, Phil.
18:36Thank you, Caroline.
18:36You're welcome.
18:37John.
18:37Thanks a lot, Caroline.
18:39Some economic questions for you.
18:41Kevin Hassett has been a key economic advisor to the president in both of his terms.
18:46In 2022 –
18:47And he still is.
18:47And he still is.
18:48He was just in my office.
18:49Absolutely.
18:50In 2022, he said that the independence of the Fed is super important.
18:55That's a direct quote.
18:56Is that something that the president subscribes to?
18:59Does he still believe in the independence of the Federal Reserve?
19:02Well, look, I think the president has made his position on the Fed and on Powell quite clear.
19:08The president believes that they have been making moves and taking action in the name of politics,
19:14rather in the name of what's right for the American economy.
19:17The president has the right to express his displeasure with the Fed, and he has the right to say he believes interest rates should be lower.
19:25He believes Americans should be able to borrow money cheaper than they currently are right now.
19:29And I also spoke to Kevin Hassett about the Fed as well.
19:32And he has called into question the Fed's independence and whether they are actually doing things, again,
19:37out of the best interest of the economy, or are they doing it for partisan reasons.
19:42The president wants to see interest rates lower.
19:45He has made that quite clear.
19:46We've also seen, if I may, just, I'm sorry, one more, Caroline, just about, I said two economic questions, about the dollar.
19:53We've seen the dollar at multi-year lows versus the euro and other currencies around the world.
19:58Is it the administration's policy for a strong dollar?
20:03How does it view the dollar versus other currencies around the world?
20:06The president wants to see the dollar remain as the world's reserve currency for our long-term fiscal stability and our economic growth.
20:13He's been quite clear about that.
20:15Sure.
20:16And then to the woman behind you, who I haven't seen before.
20:19Welcome.
20:20Go ahead, Mary.
20:21Earth Day and then the Supreme Court, if that's okay.
20:24That's right.
20:24It's Earth Day.
20:25Yes.
20:26Happy Earth Day, everyone.
20:27I saw the president truthing about the garbage pile up from China and the Pacific, and then I believe Lee Zeldin is headed to San Diego to investigate the pile of sewage from Mexico.
20:38Can you speak to what the White House has planned for Earth Day and anything in that area for me?
20:42Sure.
20:43I do have points from the EPA.
20:45Administrator Zeldin is doing a fantastic job, and they are always sharing their accomplishments with the White House, which we very much appreciate.
20:52He will be traveling.
20:53I believe he's in California today for sewage situation.
20:59Here you go.
21:00Administrator Zeldin met with his Mexican counterpart to discuss steps Mexico needs to take to ensure the water entering the United States is clean and safe.
21:07And he's holding a press conference in San Diego today with elected officials and local stakeholders on the Tijuana River sewage crisis.
21:14I would also add from the president himself, he has always maintained he wants America to have the cleanest air and the cleanest water.
21:21And we want to do what's right for our environment and for our Earth.
21:24And a lot of that is making sure that we have clean and sustainable energy.
21:29And we know that we produce natural gas cleaner and more efficiently than any country in this world, and the president wants to see that continue.
21:36And then on the Supreme Court, I know the court is hearing a case dealing with parents who don't want their kids having to read gender ideology books in schools.
21:43Can you comment on that case and what the Trump administration hopes to see come from that?
21:47Sure. We hope the Supreme Court will do the right thing, and the president has been very clear.
21:50He stands on the side of parental rights, and he believes strongly that parents should have a greater say in their children's education,
21:57in the content, if you will, that children are being exposed to in our public school system.
22:02Sure. Go ahead.
22:02Hi, Caroline. Thank you.
22:03Hi.
22:03I'm Caroline Lumetta with World News Group.
22:06The administration ended some temporary protections for Afghans, including several hundred Christians who have been punished by the Taliban.
22:12Is the president considering any exceptions for Afghans who could face death or torture if they return to their home country?
22:19So let's just be clear about one thing.
22:21We didn't end that proactively.
22:23It expired.
22:24And it's because the previous administration illegally paroled millions of people, or hundreds of thousands of people, I'm sorry, into the country,
22:33and then gave them temporary protective status, which, again, is a temporary status.
22:38It's not a permanent status in this country.
22:40And if there are individuals here who came in through the Biden administration who want to claim asylum, there is a legal process to do that,
22:47and those cases will be adjudicated by a judge on a case-by-case basis.
22:51We have a legal immigration process in this country for a reason, and all this administration is trying to do is effectuate that.
22:59Reagan.
23:00Thank you, Caroline.
23:00I have two questions for you on immigration.
23:02March deportation numbers were down slightly from the same time period last year.
23:08SCOTUS recently ordered a pause on deporting Trendyiragla members with the Alien Enemies Act.
23:15I'm curious what other tools the administration is looking at to boost those deportation numbers.
23:20Sure.
23:21Well, we are obviously complying with the court's order.
23:23However, it was a temporary pause.
23:25The Supreme Court basically said, sit tight, and they will follow up with an order.
23:29And we're confident that the Supreme Court will rule on the side of law and recognize the president absolutely has the executive authority to deport foreign terrorists from our nation's interior under the Alien Enemies Act.
23:41We feel very strongly about that, and we're confident the courts will side with the president and his executive authority.
23:47As for deportations, we continue to deport illegal criminals under Title VIII, which is an immigration authority given to our Border Patrol agents and the Department of Homeland Security to deport illegal criminals from this country.
23:59And the administration continues to do that at record speed as quickly as they can with the resources that they have.
24:06The DOJ recently dropped charges against the MS-13 leader caught in Woodbridge, Virginia, with the idea that this will expedite the deportation process.
24:14Does the administration plan to drop charges against other criminal illegals to speed along the deportation process?
24:20You'd have to ask the Department of Justice.
24:22Obviously, that's within their purview, and I can't speak for them.
24:25However, it is our goal to deport as many illegal criminals and aliens from our country as we possibly can as quickly as we can.
24:32Jackie.
24:32Thank you, Caroline.
24:33We've heard so much about this Saudi trip planning, and the president's mentioned it himself before.
24:38But I don't think we've ever heard on the record what he hopes to achieve in Saudi Arabia and what the purpose of the trip is.
24:43Sure. Well, the president looks forward to this.
24:45It was supposed to be his first foreign visit, but of course now he is going to Rome this weekend to honor the Pope and attend the funeral.
24:52The president looks to strengthen the ties between the United States and these countries in which he will be visiting.
24:57He'll be having many bilateral meetings and talks, and we look forward to the trip and hope to see many of you there.
25:02And the meetings in London this week, do they have any nexus with the plans in Saudi Arabia?
25:07MS. I can't speak to that.
25:10However, I do have an update on meetings when it comes to the Russia-Ukraine war.
25:14I was just in the Oval Office with the president, Steve Whitcoff, and they wanted everybody to know that the negotiations continue.
25:21We feel, again, we're hopefully moving in the right direction, and the special envoy, Steve Whitcoff, will be heading to Russia again later this week to continue talks with Vladimir Putin.
25:31Is that why Rubio is not heading to London? Is he accompanying Whitcoff to Moscow?
25:35MS. I can't speak for the Secretary of State's travel schedule. I defer you to the Department of State.
25:39And then more broadly just about the peace agreement, the talks that are ongoing.
25:44Rubio had said, Secretary Rubio had said that if things don't go the right way, that the U.S. might need to take a step back.
25:51What does stepping back look like?
25:52Is that a step back from brokering peace, or would that imply a broader withdrawal from U.S. support for Ukraine and the war?
26:01MS. Look, I think it would be unwise for me to broadcast that from this podium.
26:05Ultimately, that's a decision for the president to make.
26:07But he's made it very clear he wants to see peace, he wants to see this war end, and he wants to stop the killing on both sides of this war.
26:15And he's been very clear about that for quite some time.
26:17And he has grown frustrated with both sides of this war, and he's made that very known.
26:21Thank you, Caroline.
26:24Last week, the president talked about nonprofit groups, specifically taking on CRU, and he hinted that there could be further actions taken against nonprofits.
26:35Does the White House have any plans for any sort of actions against NGOs, nonprofits, or other similar groups?
26:42Is any of that coming up? Is that being worked on at this time?
26:44I'll have to check in with our policy team and get back to you.
26:47Sure.
26:49Thank you, Caroline.
26:50Travis Gilmore with the Epoch Times.
26:51Are some colleges using taxpayer funds to further political agendas?
26:56And what is the administration's response to Harvard's lawsuit?
26:59Sure.
27:00Well, the president has made it quite clear that it's Harvard who has put themselves in the position to lose their own funding by not obeying federal law.
27:09And we expect all colleges and universities who are receiving taxpayer funds to abide by federal law.
27:15It's quite simple.
27:16And the president made it clear he's not going to tolerate violations of federal law.
27:20He's not going to tolerate illegal harassment and violence towards Jewish American students or students of any faith on our campuses across the country.
27:28And so we will be responding to the lawsuit in court.
27:31And again, it's quite simple.
27:33If you want federal dollars, obey federal law.
27:35And just to quickly follow up on China.
27:36Sure.
27:37Any response to reports that China is targeting U.S. trade allies with potential retaliatory measures for supporting U.S. agendas?
27:45I think the numbers and the sheer number of countries that have reached out to the United States and reached out to this administration to cut good trade deals speak for themselves.
27:54The entire world knows that they need the United States of America and they want to do business here.
27:58And so we'll stay focused on cutting good trade deals on behalf of the American worker.
28:02Stephanie.
28:04Can you notice any additional details from the president's call with Netanyahu today?
28:08I did speak to the president about it.
28:10It was a good call.
28:11They spoke particularly about Iran and the negotiations that are underway with that – with Iran and the United States.
28:19And the president has made it very clear repeatedly, but I'll reiterate, there is no daylight between the United States of America and the state of Israel.
28:27He stands strongly behind our ally.
28:29He's made it quite clear when it comes to Iran that we want to see a deal, and Iran has a choice to make.
28:34But the president has also made it very clear, and he reiterated that in his call with Prime Minister Netanyahu today about the need for Iran to never obtain a nuclear weapon.
28:43I do have one more bit of news that I would like to share with all of you.
28:48Just give me one second to find it.
28:50And it's in regards to the terrorist attack that took place in India earlier today.
28:55The president has been briefed by the National Security Advisor, and he's being kept up to speed as more facts are learned.
29:02What we know already is dozens were killed and even more were injured in a brutal terrorist attack in a popular tourist location in South Kashmir.
29:09President Trump will be speaking with Prime Minister Modi as soon as he possibly can to express his heartfelt condolences for those lost.
29:17And our prayers are with those injured and our nation's support for our ally, India.
29:21These types of horrific events by terrorists are why those of us who work for peace and stability in the world continue our mission.
29:27So we'll give you a readout of that call later this afternoon.
29:30There's a lot of work to be had.
29:31You may hear from the president later this afternoon as well, and we'll see you all later.
29:35For any Americans among those dual American citizens, we'll keep you open.