Watch Live: Donald Trump holds his first press conference as President-elect

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BEEN YOU MUST DIVEST YOURSELF,
DISTANCING YOURSELF OR HAVING A
ARM'S LENGTH RELATIONSHIP TO
YOUR MANY BUSINESS ENTANGLE
ENTANGLEMENTS, NOT GOOD.
FEDERAL LAW DOES NOT REQUIRE HIM
TO DO THAT BUT HE WILL DO IT
NONETHELESS.
THE PROOF IS IN THE UNDERLYING
DOCUMENTS.
THAT MIGHT BE WHAT THESE
DOCUMENTS ARE ABOUT.
THESE MIGHT BE DOCUMENTS OF
SIGNE
SIGNE
SIGNE
SIGNED DIVESTITURES.
BUT THAT IS THE KEY WORD.
NOT DISTANCING YOURSELF, NOT
ARM'S LENGTH, NOT LETTING YOUR
CHILDREN IN THE FAMILY DEALING
WITH IT.
THOSE ISSUES.
>> PART OF IT IS I ASSUME WILL
HAPPEN TO THE CHILDREN, WILL
THERE BE A CONTINUING ROLE FOR
HIS CHILDREN.
>> WILL THERE BE A CONTINUING
ROLE FOR HIS CHILDREN AND HOW
WILL IT AFFECT JAROD KUSHNER HIS
SON IS LAW WHO IS GOING TO HAVE
A POSITION IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
HOW DOES HE DIVEST HIMSELF AND
HOW IT RELATES TO HIS WIFE,
IVANKA, DAUGHTER OF
PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP.
ALL OF THESE THINGS HAVE YET TO
BE RESOLVED.
AND THAT MIGHT BE A PART OF THE
PRESENTATION TODAY.
AND AS YOU POINTED OUT, THAT WAS
THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT OF THE
PRESS CONFERENCE FROM THE
BEGINNING.
IT WAS SCHEDULED FOR MED
DECEMBER AND THEN BECAUSE THE
DEAL ENTANGLEMENTS WERE SO
DIFFICULT TO RESOLVE, THEY
WANTED TO TAKE MORE TIME.
I WAS TOLD LAST NIGHT BY A
SENIOR TRUMP TRANSITION OFFICIAL
IT HAD NOT BEEN FULLY LAWYERED
EVEN AS LATE AS 11:30 LAST
NIGHT.
THEY WERE STILL WORKING OUT THE
FINAL DETAILS AND THEY MAY HAVE
IN FACT BEEN WORKED OUT AND THE
PRODUCT OF THAT WORKING OUT
MIGHT BE THERE.
BUT I DO KNOW AND CAN REPORT
AUTHORITATIVELY, THIS WAS --
THESE WERE EFFORTS GOING ON ALL
THE WAY UP INTO LATE LAST NIGHT.
>> HOW LONG DO WE EXPECT THE
PRESS CONFERENCE TO GO ON?
IS IT GOING TO BE OPEN ENDED OR
HAVE THEY SET LIMITS ON IT?
>> WE HAVE RECEIVED NO
INFORMATION AND NO LIMITS, NO
SUGGESTION OF HOW MANY QUESTIONS
WILL BE TAKEN, HOW MANY
FOLLOW-UPS WILL BE GRANTED, WHAT
THE PRESIDENT-ELECT IS WILLING
TO TALK ABOUT, WHAT HE IS
OVERALL COMPORTMENT OF LENGTH OF
THE PRESS KOCCONFERENCE IS GOINO
BE.
I CAN TELL YOU HAVING DONE A LOT
OF THE PRESS CONFERENCES DURING
THE CAMPAIGN, THEY WERE WIDE
RANGING, COVER 30, 35, 40
MINUTES AND HE WOULD TAKE A LOT
OF QUESTIONS.
SOME REPORTERS THAT HE WOULD
CALL ON AGAIN AND AGAIN.
I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE IN THAT
SITUATION.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW HE'S GOING TO
APPROACH THAT AS
PRESIDENT-ELECT.
IF HE'S GOING TO BE ANY
DIFFERENT.
>> IT IS INTERESTING HOW THAT
PRESS CONFERENCE HAS CHANGED.
IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT
BUSINESS AND WITHIN THE LAST 24
HOURS THE TONE AND THE TENOR HAS
CHANGED.
WHAT IS THE MAIN QUESTION IN THE
ROOM RIGHT NOW GIVEN THESE
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS?
>> THE EARLY QUESTIONS WILL BE
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO TELL THE
COUNTRY ABOUT THESE ALLEGATIONS.
WHAT IS YOUR ORIENTATION TO WHAT
YOU WERE TOLD, DO YOU BELIEVE
IT, DO YOU NOT BELIEVE IT.
AND WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO SAY
ON YOUR BEHALF ABOUT WHAT YOU
HAVE DONE AND WHAT YOU WILL DO
WITH RUSSIA AND CAN YOU
PERSUASIVELY EXPLAIN TO THE
AMERICAN PUBLIC WHY THIS ISSUE
OUGHT NOT TO CLOUD
INTERPRETATIONS OF WHATEVER YOUR
POLICY IS WITH RUSSIA AND CAN
YOU MAKE A CLEAN BREAK FROM YOUR
OWN PAST.
DO YOU NEED TO MAKE A CLEAN
BREAK FROM YOUR OWN PAST.
I THINK THOSE ARE ISSUES THAT
ARE GOING TO COME RIGHT OUT THE
FRONT OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE.
BUT THERE ARE A GREAT NUMBER OF
QUESTIONS ABOUT GOVERNING.
WE'VE HAD NO OPPORTUNITY TO ASK
THE PRESIDENT-ELECT ABOUT
ANYTHING REGARDING HIS DOMESTIC
POLICY AGENDA, WHAT ARE HIS TIME
LINES FOR THE REPEAL OF THE
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, TAX
REFORMS, SUPREME COURT NOMINEE,
CABINET APPOINTMENTS.
ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE FRESH
TERRAIN.
IF THIS IS A LONG RUNNING PRESS
CONFERENCE, HE'LL GET A CHANCE
TO TAKE QUESTIONS ON ALL OF
THOSE THINGS.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE SOME OF
THE CENTRAL QUESTIONS FOR THE
PRESIDENT-ELECT?
>> WELL, LET'S GO BACK TO THE
FINANCIAL DEALINGS.
HE CAN DECLARE A LOT OF THINGS
BUT WHAT'S THE PROOF.
IS HE GOING TO PROVIDE HIS TAX
RETURNS SO PEOPLE CAN CHECK THE
MATH.
SECONDARILY, WE HAD A BIG
CONVERSATION IN THE CAMPAIGN
ABOUT THE FUZZDY WALL BETWEEN
HILLARY CLINTON OF SECRETARY OF
STATE AND THE CLINTON
FOUNDATION.
WHAT'S DONALD TRUMP GOING TO DO
ABOUT THAT.
HE'S STILL GOT A FAMILY THAT HAS
CONTROL OVER ALL OF THOSE
THINGS.
WHAT KIND OF WALL IS HE GOING TO
BUILD.
WHAT KIND OF DISCLOSURES IS HE
GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE AUTOMATIC
WHEN THOSE COUNTRIES HAVE
BUSINESS WITH THE UNITED STATES
OR WHEN PEOPLE DO BUSINESS WITH
THE TRUMP DPACOMPANIES AS A WAY
INFLUENCE THE GOVERNMENT OF THE
UNITED STATES.
DONALD TRUMP HAS PROMISED TO
CHANGE THE WAY THINGS WORK IN
WASHINGTON.
YOU WOULD EXPECT HE MIGHT HAVE
SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THAT.
>> AND THE CAMPAIGN PROMISES, IN
TERMS OF WHAT IS THE WALL GOING
TO BE LIKE, WHAT WILL BE THE
IMMIGRATION POLICY.
I'M FASCINATED BY THE QUESTION,
HIS RELUCTANCE TO TALK ABOUT
PUTIN AND HIS RELATIONSHIP AND
WHATEVER THESE DISCLOSURES MAY
BE AND WHETHER THEY HAVE ANY
SUBSTANCE.
>> THERE'S THAT AND HE'S NEVER
CONDEMNED THE RUSSIANS FOR
MEDDLING IN THE U.S. ELECTION.
RIN
IF THAT'S THE CASE, WHAT DOES
THAT MEAN, THAT RUSSIANS ARE
ONGOING IN THEIR REPORTS TO
DESTABILIZE AMERICAN
INSTITUTIONS.
WHAT IS HE GOING TO DO TO STOP
THEM.
HE HASN'T CONDEMNED THEM YET.
>> AND NOT JUST AMERICAN
INSTITUTIONS, THE GERMAN
GOVERNMENTS, OTHER GOVERNMENTS.
>> WHAT WOULD BE THE
DISADVANTAGE WHEN YOU'RE ABOUT
TO WALK INTO THE OVAL OFFICE TO
SENDING A STRONG MESSAGE TO
RUSSIA WHO HAS A NUMBER OF
FOREIGN POLICY EXPERTS, WHO IS
NOT OUR FRIEND.
>> IF YOU CHANNEL DONALD TRUMP
FOR A MOMENT, THE
DISADVANTAGE -- OR THE ADVANTAGE
YOU KEEP THEM GUESSING, CREATE A
BETTER RELATIONSHIP.
COUNTER BALANCE AGAINST CHINA.
THOSE WOULD BE SOME.
>> AT THE SAME TIME THE PRESS
CONFERENCE IS GOING ON, ON
CAPITOL HILL THERE ARE
CONFIRMATION HEARINGS FOR HIS
NOMINEE TO BE SECRETARY OF
STATE.
>> AND HE'S ANSWERED THEM, REX
TILLER SORN HAS BEEN STRONG ON
RUSSIA, STRONG ON NATO.
SAYING THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT
PEOPLE IN REPUBLICAN CIRCLES
HAVE WANTED DONALD TRUMP TO SAY.
>> CLEARLY LAYING OUT THE THREAT
FROM RUSSIA AS HE SEES IT?
>> IT IS A REAL THREAT.
THAT RUSSIA IS NOT A COUNTRY
WITH WHICH RUSSIA CAN BE PALS.
>> DONALD TRUMP'S ADVISERS HAVE
JUST ENTERED THE ROOM.
WE JUST SAW JAROD KUSHNER.
>> SCHEDULED TO BE SENIOR
ADVISER.
>> HE'S JUST ENTERED THE ROOM
AND GONE TO THE FRONT ROW.
STEVE BANNON HAS ENTERED THE
ROOM.
MAJOR GARRETT, WHAT CAN YOU TELL
US ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE SEEING?
>> THIS IS STANDING ROOM ONLY AS
TRUMP TOWER'S LOBBY CAN
ACCOMMO
ACCOMMODATE.
THERE IS NOT ROOM FOR ONE OTHER
HUMAN BEING IN THE LOBBY.
IF YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF ISSUES
WITH CLAST P CLAUSTROPHOBIA, THT
WHERE YOU WANT TO BE.
STEVE BANNON, KELLY ANNE CONWAY
AND JAROD KUSHNER, RUDY
GIULIANI.
ALL OF THOSE WERE TALKED ASBOUT
DURING THE TRANSITION AND NONE
OF THEM WORKED OUT.
RUDY GIULIANI WAS ON THE OUTS
BUT HE IS VERY MUCH BACK IN THE
INNER CIRCLE, AN ADVISER, PART
OF AN EMERGING KITCHEN CABINET
THAT WILL INCLUND CURRENT NEW
JERSEY GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE
WHO HAD A FALLING OUT DURING THE
TRANSITION WITH PRESIDENT-ELECT
TRUMP.
THESE FALLING OUTS ARE TEMPORARY
AND THEY CAN BE RE-EVALUATED AND
I'M TOLD AUTHORITATIVELY BOTH
HAVE.
CHRISTIE AND GIULIANI ARE BACK
IN THE INNER CIRCLE ADVISING
PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP ON AN
INFORMAL BASIS.
AND RUBY GIULIANI'S PRESENCE
HERE IS SIGNIFICANT OF THAT
MOVING BACK INTO THE TRUMP WORLD
AND IN A SIGNIFICANT WAY.
>> ANY TALK OF A SPECIFIC
APPOINTMENT?
>> NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF RIGHT
NOW, CHARLIE.
AND I'M JUST TOLD
PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP IS IN THE
ELEVATOR, THE DOORS ARE OPENING
AND I BELIEVE HE IS HEADING
TOWARD THE PODIUM NOW.
>> LET ME ASK YOU QUICKLY, THEN,
JOHN AS WE SEE HIM, WHAT DO WE
EXPECT TO BE, OTHER THAN
OBAMACARE, HIS FIRST BIG
LEGISLATIVE PUSH?
>> HE'S GOT THE WALL.
THAT CAN BE PART OF THE BUDGET.
BUT THAT'S A KEY PART OF HIS --
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> YOU CAN SEE THE PRESIDENT
STANDING WITH HIS SON WAITING TO
GO TO THE PODIUM.
>> TWO SONS AND I VOON KA.
>> IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE
HERE TODAY.
AFTER THE PRESIDENT-ELECT MAKES
SOME REMARKS HE'S INTRODUCE MS.
SHERRY DILLON, A PROMINENT
ATTORNEY IN D.C. WHO STRUCTURED
THE AGREEMENTS PURSUANT TO THE
PRESIDENT'S BUSINESS
ARRANGEMENTS AND SHE'LL GIVE
BREE REMARKS.
I WANT TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION
TO A REPORT THAT WAS PUBLISHED
IN BUZZFEED LAST NIGHT.
IT'S FRANKLY OUTRAGEOUS AND
HIGHLY IRRESPONSIBLE FOR A LEFT
WING BOMB TO DROP HIGHLY
SALACIOUS AND FLAT OUT FALSE
INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET JUST
DAYS BEFORE HE TAKES THE OATH OF
OFFICE.
ACCORD TO BUZZFEED'S OWN EDITOR,
THERE ARE SOME SERIOUS REASONS
TO DOUBT THE ALLEGATIONS IN THE
REPORT.
THE EXECUTIVE EDITOR OF THE "THE
NEW YORK TIMES" ALSO DISMISSED
THE REPORT BY SAYING IT WAS
QUOTE TOTALLY UNSUBSTANTIATED,
ECHOING THE CONCERNS THAT MANY
OTHER REPORTERS EXPRESSED ON THE
INTER
INTERNET.
THE FACT THAT BUZZ FOOED AND CNN
MADE THE DECISION TO RUN WITH
THIS CLAIM IS A SAD PATHETIC
ATTEMPT TO GET CLICKS.
THE REPORT IS NOT AN
INTELLIGENCE REPORT, PLAIN AND
SIMPLE.
ONE ISSUE THAT THE REPORT TALKED
ABOUT WAS THE REPORT OF THREE
INDIVIDUALS ASSOCIATED WITH THE
CA
COME PAIN.
THESE THREE INDIVIDUALS, CARTER
PAIGE IS ON INDIVIDUAL WHO THE
PRESIDENT-ELECT DOES NOT KNOW
AND WAS PUT ON NOTICE MONTHS AGO
BY THE CAMPAIGN.
PAL MANAFORT HAS DENIED ANY OF
THIS INVOLVEMENT AND MICHAEL
COHEN WHO HAS VISITED PRAGUE IN
AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, DID NOT
LEAVE OR ENTER THE UNITED STATES
DURING THIS TIME.
WE ASKED HIM TO PRODUCE HIS
PASSPORT TO CONFIRM HIS
WHEREABOUTS ON THE DATES IN
QUESTION AND THERE WAS NO DOUBT
THAT HE WAS NOT IN PRAGUE.
IN FACT MR. COHEN HAS NEVER BEEN
IN PRAGUE.
A NEW REPORT SUGGESTS THAT
MICHAEL COHEN WAS AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA WITH HIS SON AT A
BASEBALL GAME.
ONE REPORT NOW SUGGESTED
APPARENTLY IT'S ANOTHER MICHAEL
COHEN.
FOR ALL OF THE TALK LATELY
ABOUTFACE NEWS, THIS POLITICAL
WITCH HUNT IS BASED ON SOME OF
THE MOST FLIMSY REPORTING AND
IT'S FRANKLY AND SHAMEFUL AND
DISGRACEFUL.
IT IS MY HONOR TO ANNOUNCE THE
NEXT VICE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES, MIKE PENCE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> WE ARE NINE DAYS AWAY FROM
THE INAUGURATION OF THE 45th
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA.
I AM PROFOUNDLY HONORED AND
HUMBLED THAT I WILL TAKE THE
OATH OF OFFICE TO SERVE AS VICE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
NINE DAYS FROM TODAY.
BUT I'M EVEN MORE HONORED TO
STAND SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH
A NEW PRESIDENT WHO WILL MAKE
AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.
NOW, THE PRESIDENT-ELECT'S
LEADERSHIP AND HIS ENERGY DURING
THE CAMPAIGN WAS IMPRESSIVE.
BUT AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE
TRANSITION EFFORT, I CAN ASSURE
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT HIS
ENERGY AND HIS VISION OCCURRING
T
DURING THE COURSE OF THE
TRANSITION HAS BEEN INSPIRINSPI.
TO SEE HOW HE HAS BROUGHT
TOGETHER MEN AND WOMEN OF
HISTORIC CAPABILITY AT A
HISTORIC PACE.
19 OF THE 21 CABINET OFFICIALS
HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED, NINE
COMMITTEE HEARINGS SCHEDULED,
SEVEN MORE TO GO ON THE BOOKS IN
THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.
IT'S A COMPILATION OF MEN OPAND
WOMEN WITH UNPRECEDENTED CALIBER
OF LEADERSHIP AND BACKGROUND TO
HELP THIS ADMINISTRATION MOVE
OUR NATION FORWARD.
PERHAPS THAT'S WHY THERE'S BEEN
SUCH A CONCERTED EFFORT BY SOME
IN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA TO
DELEGITIMIZE THIS ELECTION.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE LONG BEEN A
SUPPORTER OF A FREE AND
INDEPENDENT PRESS AND I ALWAYS
WILL BE.
BUT WITH FREEDOM COMES
RESPONSIBILITY.
AND THE IRRESPONSIBLE DECISION
OF A FEW NEWS ORGANIZATION TO
RUN WITH A FALSE AND
UNSUBSTANTIATED REPORT WHEN MOST
NEWS ORGANIZATIONS RESISTED THE
TEMPTATION TO PROPAGATE THIS
FAKE NEWS CAN ONLY BE ATTRIBUTED
TO MEDIA BIAS AND AN ATTEMPT TO
DEMEAN THE PRESIDENT-ELECT AND
OUR INCOMING ADMINISTRATION AND
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE SICK AND
TIRED OF IT.
BUT TODAY WE'LL GET WALK TO REAL
NEWS.
TO REAL FACTS.
AND THE REAL PROGRESS OR
INCOMING PRESIDENT HAS ALREADY
MADE IN REVIVING THE AMERICAN
ECONOMY AND ASSEMBLY A TEAM THAT
WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.
AND WE'LL HEAR FROM THE
PRESIDENT-ELECT ABOUT ISSUES
THAT ARE OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE
TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TODAY.
IT IS MY HONOR TO INTRODUCE TO
ALL OF YOU, MY FRIEND AND THE
PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA, DONALD TRUMP.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IT'S VERY FAMILIAR TERRITORY,
NEWS CONFERENCES, BECAUSE WE
USED TO GIVE THEM ON AN ALMOST
DAILY BASIS.
I THINK WE PROBABLY MAYBE WON
THE NOMINATION BECAUSE OF NEWS
CONFERENCES.
AND IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH YOU.
WE STOPPED GIVING THEM BECAUSE
WE'RE GETTING QUITE A BIT OF
INACCURATE NEWS.
BUT I DO HAVE TO SAY THAT -- AND
I MUST SAY THAT I WANT TO THANK
A LOT OF THE NEWS ORGANIZATIONS
HERE TODAY BECAUSE THEY LOOKED
AT THAT NONSENSE THAT WAS
RELEASED BY MAYBE THE
INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES, WHO
KNOWS, BUT MAYBE THE
INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES WHICH
WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS BLOT ON
THEIR RECORD IF THEY IN FACT DID
THAT.
A TREMENDOUS BLOT.
BECAUSE A THING LIKE THAT SHOULD
HAVE NEVER BEEN WRITTEN.
IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN HAD.
AND IT SHOULD CERTAINLY NEVER
HAVE BEEN RELEASED.
BUT I WANT TO THANK A LOT OF THE
NEWS ORGANIZATIONS FOR -- SOME
OF WHO HAVE NOT TREATED ME VERY
WELL OVER THE YEARS.
A COUPLE IN PARTICULAR.
AND THEY CAME OUT SO STRONGLY
AGAINST THAT FAKE NEWS AND THE
FACT THAT IT WAS WRITTEN ABOUT
BY PRIMARILY ONE GROUP AND ONE
TELEVISION STATION.
SO I JUST WANT TO COMPLIMENT
MANY OF THE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM.
I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR THE
NEWS AND GREAT RESPECT FOR
FREEDOM OF THE PRESS AND ALL OF
THAT.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU, THERE WERE
SOME NEWS ORGANIZATIONS WITH ALL
THAT WAS JUST SAID THAT WERE SO
PROFESSIONAL, SO INCREDIBLY
PROFESSIONAL THAT I'VE JUST GONE
UP A NOTCH AS TO WHAT I THINK OF
YOU.
OKAY?
ALL RIGHT.
WE'VE HAD SOME GREAT NEWS OVER
THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
I'VE BEEN QUITE ACTIVE, I GUESS
YOU COULD SAY, IN AN ECONOMIC
WAY FOR THE COUNTRY.
A LOT OF CAR COMPANIES ARE GOING
TO BE MOVING IN.
WE HAVE OTHER COMPANIES.
BIG NEWS IS GOING TO BE
ANNOUNCED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE
OF WEEKS ABOUT COMPANIES THAT
ARE GOING TO BE BUILDING IN THE
MIDWEST.
YOU SAW YESTERDAY FIAT CHRYSLER,
BIG BIG FACTORY GOING TO BE
BUILT IN THIS COUNTRY.
FORD JUST ANNOUNCED THEY STOPPED
PLANS FOR A BILLION DOLLAR PLANT
IN MEXICO AND THEY'RE GOING TO
BE MOVING INTO MICHIGAN AND
EXPANDING AN EXISTING PLANT.
I APPRECIATE THAT FROM FORD.
I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH FROM
FIAT CHRYSLER.
I HOPE THAT GENERAL MOTORS WILL
BE FOLLOWING.
AND I THINK THEY WILL BE.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL BE
FOLLOWING.
I THINK A LOT OF INDUSTRIES ARE
GOING TO BE COMING BACK.
WE HAVE TO GET OUR DRUG INDUSTRY
COMING BACK.
OUR DRUG INDUSTRY IS DISASTROUS.
THEY'VE BEEN LEAVING LEFT AND
RIGHT.
AND WE HAVE TO CREATE NEW
BIDDING PROCEDURES FOR THE DRUG
INDUSTRY BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING
AWAY WITH MURDER.
PHARMA HAS A LOT OF LOBBYISTS
AND A LOT OF POWER.
THERE VERY LITTLE BIDDING ON
DRUGS.
WE'RE THE LARGEST BUYER OF DRUGS
IN THE WORLD AND YET WE DON'T
BID PROPERLY.
WE'RE GOING TO START BIDDING AND
WE'RE GOING TO SAVE BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
AND WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT WITH
AARE THE OF OTHER INDUSTRIES.
I'M VERY MUCH INVOLVED WITH THE
GENERALS AND ADMIRALS ON THE
AIRPLANE, THE F-35, YOU'VE BEEN
READING ABOUT IT.
IT'S WAY WAY BEHIND SKENL AND
MANY MANY BILLIONS OF DOLLARS
OVERBUDGET.
I DON'T LIKE THAT.
AND THE ADMIRALS HAVE BEEN
FANTASTIC, THE GENERALS HAVE
BEEN FANTASTIC.
I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW THEM WELL
AND WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME BIG
THINGS ON THE F-35 PROGRAM AND
PERHAPS THE F-18 PROGRAM AND
WE'RE GOING TO GET THOSE COSTS
WAY DOWN AND WE'RE GOING TO GET
THE PLANE TO BE EVEN BETTER AND
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME
COMPETITION AND IT'S GOING TO BE
A BEAUTIFUL THING.
SO WE'VE BEEN VERY VERY MUCH
INVOLVED.
AND OTHER THINGS.
WE HAD SO MANY INCREDIBLE PEOPLE
COMING HERE.
THEY'RE GOING TO DO TREMENDOUS
THINGS, TREMENDOUS THINGS IN
THIS COUNTRY.
AND THEY'RE VERY EXCITED.
AND I WILL SAY IF THE ELECTION
DIDN'T TURN OUT THE WAY IT
TURNED OUT, THEY WOULD NOT BE
HERE, THEY WOULD NOT BE ANY MY
OFFICE, THEY WOULD NOT BE IN
ANYBODY ELSE'S OFFICE.
THEY WOULD BE BUILDING AND DOING
THINGS IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
THERE'S A GREAT SPIRIT GOING ON
RIGHT NOW.
A SPIRIT MANY PEOPLE HAVE TOLD
ME THEY'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
EVER.
WE'RE GOING TO CREATE JOBS.
I'VE SAID THAT I WILL BE THE
GREATEST JOBS PRODUCER THAT GOD
EVER CREATED AND I MEAN THAT.
I'M GOING TO WORK VERY HARD ON
THAT.
WE NEED CERTAIN AMOUNTS OF OTHER
THINGS, INCLUDING A LITTLE BIT
OF LUCK.
BUT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO DO A
REAL JOB AND I'M VERY PROUD OF
WHAT WE'VE DONE AND WE HAVEN'T
EVEN GOTTEN THERE YET.
I LOOK VERY MUCH GUARD TO THE
INAUGURATION.
IT'S GOING TO BE A BEAUTIFUL
EVENT.
WE HAVE GREAT TALENT, TREMENDOUS
TALENT AND ALL OF THE BANDS OR
MOST OF THE BANDS FROM THE
DIFFERENT, FROM THE DIFFERENT
SEGMENTS OF THE MILITARY.
AND I'VE HEARD SOME OF THESE
BANDS OVER THE YEARS, THEY'RE
INCREDIBLE.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A VERY
ELEGANT DAY.
THE 20th IS GOING TO BE
SOMETHING THAT WILL BE VERY
SPECIAL, VERY BEAUTIFUL AND I
THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
MASSIVE CROWDS BECAUSE WE HAVE A
MOVEMENT.
A MOVEMENT LIKE THE WORLD HAS
NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
IT'S A MOVEMENT THAT A LOT OF
PEOPLE DIDN'T EXPECT.
AND EVEN THE POLLS, ALTHOUGH
SOME OF THEM DID GET IT RIGHT,
BUT MANY OF THEM DIDN'T.
THAT WAS A BEAUTIFUL SCENE ON
NOVEMBER 8th AS THOSE STATES
STARTED TO POUR IN AND WE
FOCUSED VERY HARD IN THOSE
STATES AND THEY REALLY
RECIPROCATED.
AND THOSE STATES ARE GOING TO
HAVE A LOT OF JOBS AND THEY'RE
GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF SECURITY,
A LOT OF GOOD NEWS FOR THEIR
VETERANS.
AND BY THE WAY, SPEAKING OF
VETERANS, I APPOINTED TODAY THE
HEAD SECRETARY OF THE VETERANS
ADMINISTRATION, DAVID SHELLKIN
AND WILL DO A NEWS RELEASE IN A
LITTLE WHILE AND TELL YOU ABOUT
DAVID.
HE'S FANTASTIC.
HE WILL DO A TRULY GREAT JOB.
ONE OF THE COMMITMENTS I MADE IS
THAT WE'RE GOING TO STRAIGHTEN
OUT THE WHOLE SITUATION FOR OUR
VETERANS.
OUR VETERANS HAVE BEEN TREATED
HORRIBLY.
THEY'RE WAITING IN LINE FOR 15,
16, 17 DAYS.
CASES WHERE THEY GO IN AND THEY
HAVE A MINOR EARLY STAGE FORM OF
CANCER AND THEY CAN'T SEE A
DOCTOR.
BY THE TIME THEY GET TO THE
DOCTOR THEY'RE TERMINAL.
NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
DAVID IS GOING TO CDO A FANTASTC
JOB.
WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING TO A
FEW PEOPLE TO HELP DAVID.
AND WE HAVE SOME OF THE GREAT
HOSPITALS IN THE WORLD THAT ARE
GOING TO ALIGN THEMSELVES WITH
THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION,
LIKE THE CLEVELAND CLINIC, LIKE
THE MAYO CLINIC, A FEW MORE THAT
WE HAVE AND WE'RE GOING TO SET
UP A GROUP.
THESE ARE HOSPITALS THAT HAVE
BEEN THE TOP OF THE LINE.
THE ABSOLUTE TOP OF THE LINE.
AND THEY'RE GOING TO GET
TOGETHER WITH THEIR GREAT
DOCTORS, DR. TOBY COZGROVE HAVE
BEEN VERY INVOLVED.
AND WE'RE GOING TO STRAIGHTEN
OUT THE VA FOR OUR VETERANS.
I'VE BEEN PROMISING THAT FOR A
LONG TIME AND IT'S SOMETHING I
FEEL VERY VERY STRONGLY.
YOU'LL GET THE INFORMATION ON
DAVID AND I THINK YOU'LL BE VERY
IMPRESSED WITH THE JOB HE DOES.
WE LOOKED LONG AND HARD.
WE INTERVIEWED AT LEAST 100
PEOPLE.
SOME GOOD, SOME NOT SO GOOD.
BUT WE HAD A LOT OF TALENT AND
WE THINK THIS SELECTION WILL BE
SOMETHING THAT WILL, WITH TIME,
WITH TIME, STRAIGHTEN IT OUT AND
STRAIGHTEN IT OUT FOR GOOD.
BECAUSE OUR VETERANS HAVE BEEN
TREATED UNFAIRLY.
QUESTIONS, YES.
JOHN.
>> Reporter: THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
APPRECIATE IT.
A COUPLE ASPECTS OF THE
INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING THAT YOU
RECEIVED ON FRIDAY THAT WE'RE
LOOKING FOR FURTHER
CLARIFICATION.
DID THE HEADS OF THE
INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES PROVIDE
YOU WITH A TWO-PAGE SUMMARY OF
THE UNSUBSTANTIATED ALLEGATIONS?
AND SECONDLY, DO YOU ACCEPT
THEIR OPINION THAT VLADIMIR
PUTIN ORDERED THE HACK OF THE
DNC AND ATTEMPTED HACK OF THE
RNC, AND IF YOU DO, HOW WILL
THAT COLOR YOUR ATTEMPTS TO
BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH A
LEADER WHO HAS BEEN ACCUSED OF
COMMITTING AN ACT OF ESPIONAGE.
>> THESE MEETINGS AS YOU KNOW
ARE CONFIDENTIAL, CLASSIFIED.
I'M NOT ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT
WHAT WENT ON IN A MEETING.
BUT WE HAD MANY WITNESSES IN
THAT MEETING.
MANY OF THEM WITH US.
AND I WILL SAY AGAIN, I THINK
IT'S A DISGRACE THAT INFORMATION
WOULD BE LET OUT.
I SAW THE INFORMATION, I READ
THE INFORMATION OUTSIDE OF THAT
MEETING.
IT'S ALL FAKE NEWS.
IT'S PHONY STUFF.
IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
AND IT WAS GOTTEN BY OPPONENTS
OF OURS, AS YOU KNOW BECAUSE YOU
REPORTED IT AND SO DID MANY OF
THE OTHER PEOPLE.
IT WAS A GROUP OF OPPONENTS THAT
GOT TOGETHER, SICK PEOPLE, AND
THEY PUT THAT CRAP TOGETHER.
SO I WILL TELL YOU THAT NOT
WITHIN THE MEETING BUT OUTSIDE
OF THE MEETING SOMEBODY RELEASED
IT.
IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN --
NUMBER ONE, IT SHOULDN'T HAVE
EVEN ENTERED PAPER.
BUT IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN
RELEASED.
BUT I READ WHAT WAS RELEASED AND
I THINK IT'S A DISGRACE.
I THINK IT'S AN ABSOLUTE
DISGRACE.
AS FAR AS HACKING, I THINK IT
WAS RUSSIA BUT I THINK WE ALSO
GET HACKED BY OTHER COUNTRIES
AND OTHER PEOPLE.
AND I CAN SAY THAT, YOU KNOW,
WHEN WE LOST 22 MILLION NAMES
AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WAS
HACKED RECENTLY, THEY DIDN'T
MAKE A BIG DEAL OUT OF THAT.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS
EXTRAORDINARY.
THAT WAS PROBABLY CHINA.
WE HAVE MUCH HACKING GOING ON.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE
GOING TO DO, WE HAVE SOME OF THE
GREATEST COMPUTER MINDS ANYWHERE
IN THE WORLD THAT WE'VE
ASSEMBLED.
YOU SAW JUST A SAMPLE OF IT TWO
WEEKS AGO UP HERE WHERE WE HAD
THE SIX TOP PEOPLE IN THE
WORLD -- THEY WERE NEVER IN THE
SAME ROOM TOGETHER AS A GROUP.
AND WE'RE GOING TO PUT THOSE
MINDS TOGETHER AND FORM A
DEFENSE.
AND I HAVE TO SAY THIS ALSO.
THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL
COMMITTEE WAS TOTALLY OPEN TO BE
HACKED.
THEY DID A VERY POOR JOB.
THEY COULD HAVE HAD HACKING
DEFENSE WHICH WE HAD.
AND I WILL GIVE RENS PRIEBUS
CREDIT.
WHEN HE SAW WHAT WAS GOING ON
WITH THE COUNTRY, HE WENT OUT
AND WENT TO VARIOUS FIRMS AND
ORDERED A STRONG HACKING
DEFENSE.
AND THEY TRIED TO HACK THE
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE
AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO BREAK
THROUGH.
WE HAVE TO DO THAT FOR YOUR
COUNTRY.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
>> Reporter: THE LAST PART OF
THE QUESTION, HOW COULD ALL OF
THIS POLL CCOLOR YOUR ATTEMPTS
BUILD A BETTER RELATIONSHIP WITH
MR. PUTIN?
>> RUSSIA PUT OUT A STATEMENT
TODAY SAYING THE FAKE NEWS WAS
FAKE NEWS.
SAY IT TOTALLY NEVER HAPPENED.
I RESPECTED THE FACT THAT HE
SAID THAT.
I'LL BE HONEST.
I THINK IF HE HAD SOMETHING,
THEY WOULD HAVE RELEASED IT.
FRANKLY HAD THEY BROKEN INTO THE
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE,
THEY WOULD HAVE RELEASED IT,
JUST LIKE HILLARY AND ALL OF THE
HORRIBLE THINGS LIKE PODESTA
SAID ABOUT HER.
IF SOMEBODY SAID ABOUT ME WHAT
PODESTA SAID ABOUT HILLARY, IF I
WAS THE BOSS, I WOULD HAVE FIRED
HIM IMMEDIATELY, OR THAT
AMERICAN.
WHAT HE SAID ABOUT HER WAS
HORRIBLE.
BUT REMEMBER THIS.
WE TALK ABOUT THE HACKING.
HACKING IS BAD AND IT SHOULDN'T
BE DONE.
BUT LOOK AT THE THINGS THAT WERE
HACKED.
LOOK AT WHAT WAS LEARNED FROM
THAT HACKING.
THAT HILLARY CLINTON GOT THE
QUESTIONS TO THE DEBATE AND
DIDN'T REPORT IT.
THAT'S A HORRIBLE THING.
THAT'S A HORRIBLE THING.
CAN YOU IMAGINE IF DONALD TRUMP
GOT THE QUESTIONS TO THE DEBATE?
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE BIGGEST
STORY IN THE HISTORY OF STORIES
AND THEY WOULD HAVE SAID
IMMEDIATELY YOU HAVE TO GET OUT
OF THE RACE.
NOBODY EVEN TALKED ABOUT IT.
IT'S A VERY TERRIBLE THING.
YEAH.
>> Reporter: THANK YOU, MR.
PRESIDENT-ELECT.
ON THAT INTELLIGENCE REPORT, THE
SECOND PART OF THE CONCLUSION
WAS VLADIMIR PUTIN ORDERED IT
BECAUSE HE ASPIRED TO HELP YOU
IN THE ELECTION, DO YOU ACCEPT
THAT PART OF THE FINDING.
AND WILL YOU UNDO WHAT PRESIDENT
OBAMA DID TO PUNISH THE RUSSIA?
>> IF PUTIN LIKES DONALD TRUMP,
I CONSIDER THAT AN ASSET, NOT A
LIABILITY.
WE HAVE A HORRIBLE RELATIONSHIP
WITH RUSSIA.
RUSSIA CAN HELP US FIGHT ISIS.
IF YOU LOOK, THIS ADMINISTRATION
CREATED ISIS BY LEAVING AT THE
WRONG TIME.
THE VOID WAS CREATED, ISIS WAS
FORMED.
IF PUTIN LIKES DONALD TRUMP,
GUESS WHAT, FOLKS, THAT'S CALLED
AN ASSET, NOT A LIABILITY.
NOW I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M GOING
TO GET ALONG WITH VLADIMIR
PUTIN.
I HOPE I DO.
BUT THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE I
WON'T.
AND IF I DON'T DO YOU HONESTLY
BELIEVE THAT HILLARY WOULD BE
TOUGHER ON PUTIN THAN ME?
DOES ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM
BELIEVE THAT?
GIVE ME A BREAK.
>> Reporter: -- MAKE CLEAR
DURING YOUR VISIT TO MOSCOW OR
ST. PETERSBURG DID YOU ENGAGE IN
CONDUCT THAT YOU WOULD NOT
REGRET AND WOULD A REASONABLE
OBSERVER SAY YOU ARE POTENTIALLY
VULNERABLE TO BLACKMAIL?
>> WHEN I LEAVE OUR COUNTRY, I'M
A VERY HIGH PROFILE PERSON.
WOULD YOU SAY?
I'M EXTREMELY CAREFUL.
I'M SURROUNDED BY BODYGUARDS,
SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE.
AND I ALWAYS TELL THEM IF I'M
LEAVING THIS COUNTRY BE VERY
CAREFUL BECAUSE IN YOUR HOTEL
ROOMS, AND NO MATTER WHERE YOU
GO, YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO
HAVE CAMERAS.
I'M NOT REFERS JUST TO RUSSIA
BUT I WOULD CERTAINLY PUT THEM
IN THAT CATEGORY.
AND NUMBER ONE, I HOPE YOU'RE
GOING TO BE GOOD ANYWAY.
BUT IN THOSE ROOMS YOU HAVE
CAMERAS IN THE STRANGEST PLACES.
CAMERAS THAT ARE SO SMALL WITH
MODERN TECHNOLOGY YOU CAN'T SEE
THEM AND YOU WON'T KNOW.
YOU BETTER BE CAREFUL OR YOU'LL
BE WATCHING YOURSELF ON NIGHTLY
TELEVISION.
I TELL THIS TO PEOPLE ALL THE
TIME.
I WAS IN RUSSIA YEARS AGO WITH
THE MISS UNIVERSE CONTEST WHICH
DID VERY WELL, MOSCOW, THE
MOSCOW AREA, DID VERY WELL.
AND I TOLD MANY PEOPLE BE
CAREFUL.
BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE
YOURSELF ON TELEVISION.
CAMERAS ALL OVER THE PLACE.
AND AGAIN, NOT JUST RUSSIA.
ALL OVER.
DOES ANYBODY REALLY BELIEVE THAT
STORY?
I'M ALSO A GERMAPHOBE BY THE
WAY.
BELIEVE ME.
>> Reporter: HOW YOU PLAN TO
DISENTANGLE YOURSELF FROM YOUR
BUSINESS.
BUT FIRST, THE RUSSIAN REMARKS.
BASED ON YOUR COMMENTS MERE
TODAY, DO YOU BELIEVE THE
HACKING WAS JUSTIFIED?
DOES RUSSIA HAVE ANY LEVERAGE
OVER YOU, FINANCIAL OR OTHERWISE
AND IF NOT WILL YOU RELEASE YOUR
TAX RETURNS TO PROVE IT?
>> SO I TWEETED OUT THAT I HAVE
NO DEALINGS WITH RUSSIA.
I HAVE NO DEALS IN RUSSIA.
I HAVE NO DEALS THAT COULD
HAPPEN IN RUSSIA BECAUSE WE'VE
STAYED AWAY.
AND I HAVE NO LOANS WITH RUSSIA.
AS A REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER, I
HAVE VERY VERY LIT DEBT.
I HAVE ASSETS THAT ARE -- NOW
PEOPLE HAVE FOUND OUT HOW BIG
THE COUNTRY IS.
I HAVE VERY LOW DEBT.
BUT VI I HAVE NO LOANS WITH RUS
AT ALL.
THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO PUT OUT.
I CERTIFIED THAT.
I HAVE NO DEALS, NO LOANS AND I
HAVE NO DEALINGS.
WE COULD MAKE DEALS IN RUSSIA IF
I WANTED TO BUT I JUST DON'T
WANT TO BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A
CONFLICT.
I HAVE TO SAY ONE OTHER THING.
OVER THE WEEKEND I WAS OFFERED
$2 BILLION TO DO A DEAL IN DUBAI
WITH A VERY VERY VERY AMAZING
MAN, A GREAT GREAT DEVELOPER
FROM THE MIDDLE EAST.
HUSSEIN DEMACK, A FRIEND OF
MINE, GREAT GUY.
AND WAS OFFERED $2 BILLION TO DO
A DEAL IN DUBAI.
NUMBER OF DEALS.
AND I TURNED IT DOWN.
I DIDN'T HAVE TO TURN IT DOWN
BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, I HAVE A NO
CONFLICT SITUATION BECAUSE I'M
PRESIDENT.
I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THAT UNTIL
THREE MONTHS AGO BUT IT'S NICE
TO HAVE.
I DON'T WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF SOMETHING.
I HAVE SOMETHING OTHERS DON'T
HAVE.
VICE PRESIDENT PENCE HAS IT.
I HAVE A FEELING HE'S NOT GOING
TO NEED IT.
BUT VI A NO-CONFLICT OF INTEREST
PROVISION AS PRESIDENT.
IT WAS MANY MANY YEARS OLD
BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT
PRESIDENTS -- I UNDERSTAND.
THEY DON'T WANT PRESIDENTS
GETTING TANGLED UP IN MINUTIA.
THEY WANT A PRESIDENT TO RUN THE
COUNTRY.
SO I COULD ACTUALLY RUN MY
BUSINESS.
I COULD ACTUALLY RUN MY BUSINESS
AND RUN GOVERNMENT AT THE SAME
TIME.
I DON'T LIKE THE WAY THAT LOOKS
BUT I WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT
IF I WANT TO.
I WOULD BE THE ONLY ONE THAT
WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
YOU CAN'T DO THAT IN ANY OTHER
CAPAC
CAPACITY.
BUT AS PRESIDENT I COULD RUN THE
TRUMP ORGANIZATION, GREAT GREAT
COMPANY AND I COULD RUN THE
COUNTRY.
I WOULD DO A VERY GOOD JOB BUT I
DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
ALL OF THESE PAPERS THAT YOU SEE
HERE -- GO AHEAD.
>> Reporter: DO YOU BELIEVE THE
HACKING WAS JUSTIFIED AND WILL
YOU RELEASE YOUR TAX RETURNS TO
PROVE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT
NO DEALS IN RUSSIA?
>> I'M NOT RELEASING TAX RETURNS
BECAUSE THEY'RE UNDER AUDIT.
I'VE NEVER HEARD THAT.
THE ONLY ONE THAT CARES ABOUT MY
TAX RETURNS ARE THE REPORTERS.
>> Reporter: YOU DON'T THINK
THE --
>> NO.
I DON'T THINK SO.
I WON.
I BECAME PRESIDENT.
I DON'T THINK THEY CARE AT ALL.
I THIS I YOU CARE.
I THINK YOU CARE.
FIRST OF ALL YOU LEARN VERY
LITTLE FROM A TAX RETURN.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO IS GO DOWN TO
THE FEDERAL ELECTIONS AND LOOK
AT THE NUMBERS.
PEOPLE HAVE LOCKED AT THE
COMPANY AND NOW THEY REALIZE
THAT ANY COMPANY IS MUCH MORE
POWERFUL THAN THEY THOUGHT.
WE'RE IN MANY COUNTRIES AND I'M
PROUD OF IT.
WHAT I'M GOING TO BE DOING IS MY
TWO SONS WHO ARE RIGHT HERE, DON
AND ERIC, ARE GOING TO BE
RUNNING THE COMPANY.
THEY ARE GOING TO BE RUNNING IT
IN A VERY PROFESSIONAL MANNER.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DISCUSS IT
WITH ME.
AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DISCUSS IT
WITH ME.
AND WITH THAT I'M GOING TO BRING
UP SHERRY DILLON AND SHE'S GOING
TO GO -- THESE PAPERS ARE JUST
SOME OF THE MANY DOCUMENTS THAT
I'VE SIGNED TURNING OVER
COMPLETE AND TOTAL CONTROL TO MY
SONS.
>> GOOD MORNING.
IT'S MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO
BE HERE TODAY AS PRESIDENT-ELECT
TRUMP'S REQUEST.
HE'S ASKED ME AS YOU JUST HEARD
TO SPEAK ABOUT THE CONFLICTS OF
INTEREST AND THE STEPS HE'S
TAKING.
AS YOU KNOW, THE BUSINESS EMPIRE
BUILT BY PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP
OVER THE YEARS IS MASSIVE.
NOT DISSIMILAR TO THE FORTUNES
OF NELSON ROCKEFELLER WHEN HE
BECAME VICE PRESIDENT.
BUT AT THAT TIME NO ONE WAS SO
CONCERNED.
PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP WANTS THE
AMERICAN PUBLIC TO REST ASSURED
THAT ALL OF HIS EFFORTS ARE
DIRECTED AT PURSUING THE
PEOPLE'S BUSINESS AND NOT HIS
OWN.
TO THAT END, AS HE EXPLAINED A
FEW MOMENTS AGO, HE DIRECTED ME
AND MY COLLEAGUES AT THE LAW
FIRM MORGAN LEWIS TO DESIGN A
STRUCTURE FOR HIS BUSINESS
EMPIRE THAT WILL COMPLETELY
ISOLATE HIM FROM THE MANAGEMENT
OF THE COMPANY.
HE FURTHER INSTRUCTED THAT WE
BUILD IN PROTECTIONS THAT WILL
ENSURE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT
THE DECISIONS HE MAKES AND THE
ACTIONS THAT HE TAKES AS
PRESIDENT ARE FOR THEIR BENEFIT
AND NOT TO SUPPORT HIS FINANCIAL
INTERESTS.
AS HE SAID, HE'S VOLUNTARILY
TAKING THIS ON.
THE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST LAWS
SIMPLY DO NOT APPLY TO THE
PRESIDENT OR THE VICE PRESIDENT
AND THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO
SEPARATE THEMSELVES FROM THEIR
FINANCIAL ASSETS.
THE PRIMARY CONFLICTS OF
INTEREST STATUTES -- SOME HAVE
QUESTIONED THIS -- SECTION 18
USC 208 IS INAPPLICABLE BY ITS
TERMS.
THIS IS NOT JUST OUR
INTERPRETATION.
IT IS CONGRESS ITSELF WHO MADE
IT CLEAR WHEN THEY AMENDED THE
EXCEPTION TO STATE THAT EXCEPT
AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED THE TERMS
OFFICE AND EMPLOYEE IN SECTION
208 SHALL NOT INCLUDE THE
PRESIDENT.
EVEN SO, PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP
WANTS THERE TO BE IN DOUBT IN
THE MINDS OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC
THAT HE'S COMPLETELY ISOLATING
HIMSELF FROM HIS BUSINESS
INTEREST.
HE INSTRUCTED US TO TAKE ALL
STEPS REALISTICALLY POSSIBLE TO
MAKE IT CLEAR THAT HE'S NOT
EXPLOITING THE OFFICE OF THE
PRESIDENCY FOR HIS PERSONAL
BENEFIT.
HE SOUGHT THE GUIDANCE OF
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE FAMILIAR
WITH AND WORKED EXTENSIVELY IN
THE FIELD OF GOVERNMENT ETHICS
AND CONSTITUTIONAL A LAW.
FRED FIELDING STANDING HERE
TODAY, MANY OF YOU HAVE KNOWN
HIM.
HE'S SERVED SEVERAL PRESIDENTS
OVER THE YEARS, INCLUDING
SERVING AS COUNSEL TO PRESIDENTS
RONALD REAGAN AND GEORGE W. BUSH
WELLS SERVING ON PRESIDENT
GEORGE H.W. BUSH'S COMMISSION ON
FEDERAL ETHICS LAW REFORM AND HE
HELD THE POSITION OF VICE
CHAIRMAN OF THE ETHICS RESOURCE
CENTER.
MR. FEIELDING HAS APPROVED THE
PLAN.
HE'S HERE TO SUPPORT THE PLAN
AND HE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE
GUIDANCE AS THE PLAN IS
IMPLEMENTED AS ERIC AND DON TAKE
OVER THE DETAILS OF THE
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION.
I'M GOING TO DETAIL SOME OF THE
STEPS THAT THE PRESIDENT-ELECT
IS TAKING.
FIRST PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP
INVESTMENT AND BUSINESS ASSETS
COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION COMPRISING HUNDREDS
OF ENTITIES WHICH AGAIN IF YOU
ALL GO AND TAKE A LOOK AT HIS
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE STATEMENT,
THE PAGES AND PAGES OF ENTITIES
HAVE ALL BEEN OR WILL BE
CONVEYED TO A TRUST PRIOR TO
JANUARY 20th.
HERE IS JUST SOME OF THE
PAPERWORK THAT'S TAKING CARE OF
THOSE ACTIONS.
SECOND, THROUGH THE TRUST
AGREEMENT HE HAS RELINQUISHED
LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT OF THE
TRUMP ORGANIZATION TO HIS SONS
DON AND ERIC, AND A LONG TIME
TRUMP EXECUTIVE, ALAN WISE
LBURG.
TOGETHER, DON, ERIC AND ALAN
WILL MAKE DECISIONS FOR THE SUR
RATION OF THE PRESIDENCY WITHOUT
ANY INVOLVEMENT WHATSOEVER BY
PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP.
FURTHER, AT THE
PRESIDENT-ELECT'S DIRECTION, THE
TRUST AGREEMENT PROVIDES THAT TO
ENSURE THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION
CONTINUE TO OPERATE IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE HIGHEST AND
LEGAL ETHICS STANDARDS, AN
ETHICS ADVISER WILL BE APPOINTED
TO THE MANAGEMENT TEAM.
THE WRITTEN APPROVAL OF THE
ETHICSED A VUZER WILL BE
REQUIRED FOR NEW DEALS, AND
TRANSACTIONS THAT COULD
POTENTIALLY RAISE ETHICS
CONCERNS.
PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP, AS WELL
AS DON, ERIC AND ALAN ARE
COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT THE
ACTIVITIES OF THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION ARE BEYOND
REPROACH.
PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP WILL
RESIGN FROM ALL OFFICER AND
OTHER POSITIONS HE HOLDS WITH
THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION ENTITIES.
FURTHER, IN ADDITION HIS
DAUGHTER IVANKA WILL HAVE NO
FURTHER INVOLVEMENT WITH OR
MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY WHATSOEVER
WITH THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION.
AS SHE AND JAROD MOVE THEIR
FAMILY TO D.C., IVANKA WILL BE
FOCUSED ONSET LING THEIR
CHILDREN INTO THEIR NEW HOMES
AND NEW SCHOOLS.
THE PRESIDENT-ELECT HAS ALSO
ALREADY DISPOSED OF ALL OF HIS
INVESTMENTS AND PUBLICLY TRADED
OR EASILY LIQUIDATED
INVESTMENTS.
AS A RESULT, THE TRUST WILL HAVE
TWO TYPES OF ASSETS.
FIRST, LIQUID ASSETS, CASH, CASH
EQUIVALENTS AND TREASURIES AND
PERHAPS A GOVERNMENT APPROVED
DIVERSE PORTFOLIO.
SECOND THE TRUST IS GOING TO
HOLD HIS PREEXISTING ILLIQUID
BUT VERY VALUABLE BUSINESS
ASSETS, THE ONES THAT EVERYONE
HERE IS FAMILIAR WITH, TRUMP
OWNED, OPERATED AND BRANDED GOLF
CLUBS, RESORTS, HOTELS, RIGHT TO
ROYALTIES OF TRUMPS PRODUCTION
AND GOODS.
THINGS LIKE TRUMP TOWER, ALL OF
HIS OTHER BUSINESS ASSETS WILL
BE IN THE TRUST.
THROUGH INSTRUCTIONS IN THE
TRUST AGREEMENT, PRESIDENT-ELECT
TRUMP FIRST ORDERED THAT ALL
PENDING DEALS BE TERMINATED.
THIS IMPACTED MORE THAN 30
DEALS, MANY OF WHICH WERE SET TO
CLOSE BY THE END OF 2016.
AS YOU CAN WELL MANUAL, THAT
CAUSED AN IMMEDIATE FINANCIAL
LOSS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS NOT
JUST FOR PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP
BUT ALSO FOR DON, IVANKA AND
ERIC.
THE TRUST AGREEMENT AS
DIRECTEDLY PLUMP IMPOSES SEVERE
RESTRICTIONS ON NEW DEALS.
NO NEW FOREIGN DEALS WILL BE
MADE WHATSOEVER DURING THE
DURATION OF PLUMP'S PRESIDENCY.
NEW DOMESTIC DEALS WILL BE
ALLOWED BUT THEY'LL GO THROUGH A
RIGOROUS VETTING PROCESS.
THE PRESIDENT-ELECT WILL HAVE NO
ROLE IN DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT
THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION ENGANL
I
GAU
-- ENGAGES IN THE DEAL AND
HE'LL ONLY KNOW ABOUT THE DEAL
IF HE READS ABOUT IT IN THE
PAPER OR SEE IT ON TV.
ANY DEAL COULD BE PERCEIVED AS
CAUSING A CONFLICT OR EXPLOITING
THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY.
NEW DEALS MUST BE VETTED WITH
THE ETHICS ADVISER.
THE ETHICS ADVISER WILL BE A
RECOGNIZED EXPERT IN THE FIELD
OF GOVERNMENT EXPERTS.
HIS ROLE WILL BE TO SCRUTINIZE
THE NEW DEALS AND ACTIONS AND
ANY NEW DEAL MUST RECEIVE
WRITTEN APPROVAL.
TO FURTHER REINFORCE THE WALL
THAT WE ARE BUILDING BETWEEN
PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP AND THE
TRUMP ORGANIZATION,
PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP HAS
ORDERED THROUGH HIS TRUST
AGREEMENT TO SHARPLY LIMIT HIS
INFORMATION RIGHTS.
REPORTS WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE
AND REFLECT PROFIT AND LOSS ON
THE COMPANY AS A WHOLE.
THERE WILL BE NO SEPARATE
BUSINESS BY BUSINESS ACCOUNTING.
ANOTHER STEP PRESIDENT-ELECT
TRUMP HAS TAKEN IS HE CREATED A
NEW POSITION AT THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION.
THE POSITION OF CHIEF COMPLIANCE
COUNSEL.
WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY WILL BE TO
ENSURE THAT THE TRUMP BUSINESSES
AGAIN ARE OPERATING AT THE
HIGHEST LEVELS OF INTEGRITY AND
NOT TAKING ANY ACTIONS THAT
COULD BE PERCEIVED AS EXPLOITING
THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY.
HE HAS ALSO DIRECTED THAT NO
COMMUNICATIONS OF THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION, INCLUDING SOCIAL
MEDIA ACCOUNTS, WILL REFERENCE
OR BE TIED TO PRESIDENT-ELECT
TRUMP'S ROLE AS PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES OR THE OFFICE OF
THE PRESIDENCY.
IN SUM, ALL OF THESE ACTIONS
COMPLETELY RELINGISHMENT OF
MANAGEMENT, NO NEW DEALS,
SHARPLY LIMITED INFORMATION
RIGHTS WILL SEVER
PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP'S
PRESIDENCY FROM THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION.
SOME HAVE ASKED QUESTIONS.
WHY NOT DIVEST, WHY NOT SELL
ANYTHING, FORM A BLIND TRUST AND
I WOULD LIKE TO TURN TO ADDR
ADDRESSING THOSE QUESTIONS NOW.
SELLING FIRST AND FOREMOST WOULD
NOT ELIMINATE CONFLICTS OF
INTEREST.
IT WAS KPSER BAIT THEM.
THE TRUMP BRAND IS KEY TO THE
VALUE OF THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION'S ASSETS.
IF PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP SOLD
HIS BRAND, HE WOULD BE ENTITLED
TO ROYALTIES FOR THE USE OF IT
AND THIS WOULD RESULT IN THE
TRUST RETAINING AN INTEREST IN
THE BRAND WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO
ENSURE THAT IT DOES NOT EXPLOIT
THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY.
FURTHER, WHATEVER PRICE WAS PAID
WOULD BE SUBJECT TO CRITICISM
AND KRUT ASCRUTINY.
WAS IT TOO HIGH, WAS THERE PAY
TO PLAY.
AND SELLING HIS ASSETS WITHOUT
THE RIGHT TO THE BRAND WOULD
GREATLY DIMINISH THE VALUE OF
THE ASSETS AND CREATE A FIRE
SALE.
PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP SHOULD NOT
BE EXPECTED TO DESTROY THE
COMPANY HE BUILT.
THIS PLAN OFFERS A SUITABLE
ALTERNATIVE TO ADDRESS THE
CONCERNS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
AND SELL THE ENTIRE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION ISN'T EVEN
FEASIBLE.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE SUGGESTED THAT
THE PRESIDENT-ELECT SELL THE
BUSINESS TO HIS ADULT CHILDREN.
THIS WOULD REQUIRE MASSIVE THIRD
PARTY DEBT SOURCED WITH MULTIPLE
LENDERS WHO MOTIVES AND
WILLINGNESS TO PARTICIPATE WOULD
BE QUESTIONED AND UNDOUBTEDLY
INVESTIGATED.
AND IF THE PRESIDENT-ELECT WERE
TO FINANCE THE SALE HIMSELF, HE
WOULD RETAIN THE FINANCIAL
INTEREST IN THE ASSETS THAT HE
OWNS NOW.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE SUGGESTED THAT
PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP WOULD
BUNDLE THE ASSETS AND TURN THE
TRUMP ORGANIZATION INTO A PUBLIC
COMPANY.
ANYONE WHO HAS EVER GONE THROUGH
THIS EXTRAORDINARILY CUMBERSOME
AND COMPLICATED PROCESS KNOWS
IT'S A NONSTARTER.
IT'S NOT REALISTIC AND WOULD BE
INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION.
SOME PEOPLE SUGGESTED A BLIND
TRUST.
BUT YOU CANNOT HAVE A TOTALLY
BLIND TRUST WITH OPERATING
BUSINESSES.
PRESIDENT TRUMP CAN'T UNKNOW HE
OWNS TRUMP TOWER AND THE PRESS
WILL MAKE SURE THAT ANY NEW
DEVELOPMENTS AT THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION ARE WELL
PUBLICIZED.
FURTHER IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE
TO FIND A TRUSTEE WHO WOULD BE
COMPETENT TO RUN THE
ORGANIZATION.
THE APPROACH HE'S TAKG ALLOWS
DON AND ERIC TO PRESERVE THIS
GREAT COMPANY.
IT CREATES A COMPLETE SITUATION
FROM PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP,
SEPARATES HIM AND PREVENTS HIM
FROM PARTICIPATING IN THE
BUSINESS AND POSES STRICT LIMITS
ON WHAT THE TRUSTEES CAN DO AND
REQUIRES THE ASSENT OF ANY
ETHICS ADVISER TO A NEW DEAL.
I'M GOING TO TURN TO ONE LAST
TOPIC TODAY THAT HAS BEEN OF
INTEREST LATELY CALL E
MOLLMENTS.
THAT'S A WORD THAT WE'RE ALL
FAMILIAR WITH AND PERHAPS HAVE
NOT HEARD OF BEFORE.
WE'RE GOING TO ZWRIEB DESCRIBE
OTHER ACTIONS THAT
PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP IS TAKING.
THIS COMES FROM THE
CONSTITUTION.
THE CONSTITUTION SAYS OFFICIALS
MAY NOT ACCEPT GIFTS, TITLES OF
NOBILITY FROM FOREIGN
GOVERNMENTS WITH RESPECT TO
THEIR OFFICE.
AND THAT NO BENEFIT SHOULD BE
DERIVED BY HOLDING AN OFFICE.
THIS SO-CALLED CLAUSE HAS NEVER
BEEN INTERPRETED TO APPLY TO
FAIR VALUE EXCHANGES THAT HAVE
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH AN
OFFICE HOLDER.
NO ONE WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WHEN
THE CONSTITUTION WAS WRITTEN
THAT PAYING YOUR HOTEL BILL WAS
AN E MOLLMENT.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THOUGHT OF AS
A VALUE FOR VALUE EXCHANGE.
BUT SINCE PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP
HAS BEEN ELECTED, SOME PEOPLE
WANT TO DEFINE IT TO COVER
ROUTINE BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS
LIKE PAYING FOR HOTEL ROOMS.
THEY SUGGEST THAT THE
CONSTITUTION PROHIBITS THE
BUSINESSES FROM ARM'S LENGTH
TRANSACTIONS THAT THE
PRESIDENT-ELECT HAS ABSOLUTELY
NOTHING TO DO WITH AND ISN'T
EVEN AWARE OF.
THESE PEOPLE ARE WRONG.
THIS IS NOT WHAT THE
CONSTITUTION SAYS.
PAYING FOR A HOTEL ROOM IS NOT A
GIFT OR A PRESIDENT AND IT HAS
NOTHING TO DO WITH AN OFFICE.
THE CONSTITUTION DOES NOT
REQUIRE PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP TO
DO ANYTHING HERE.
BUT JUST LIKE WITH CONFLICTS OF
INTEREST, HE WANTS TO DO MORE
THAN WHAT THE CONSTITUTION
REQUIRES.
THE PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP HAS
DECIDED AND WE'RE ANNOUNCING
TODAY THAT HE'S GOING TO
VOLUNTARILY DONATE ALL PROFITS
FROM FOREIGN GOVERNMENT PAYMENTS
MADE TO HIS HOTELS TO THE UNITED
STATES TREASURY.
THIS WAY IT IS THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE WHO WILL PROFIT.
IN SUM, I AND PRESIDENT-ELECT'S
OTHER ADVISERS HAVE DETERMINED
THE APPROACH WE'VE OUTLINED
TODAY WILL AVOID POTENTIAL
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST OR
CONCERNS REGARDING EXPLOITATION
OF THE PRESIDENCY WITHOUT
IMPOSING UNREASONABLE LOSSES ON
THE PRESIDENT-ELECT AND HIS
FAMILY.
WE BELIEVE THIS STRUCTURE AND
STEPS WILL SERVE TO ESTABLISH
PRESIDENT-ELECT'S DESIRE TO BE
ISOLATED FROM HIS BUSINESSES AND
GIVE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
CONFIDENCE THAT HIS SOLE
BUSINESS AND INTEREST IS IN
MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,
BRINGING BACK JOBS TO THIS
COUNTRY, SECURING OUR BORDERS
AND REBUILDING OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WERE WELL
AWARE OF PRESIDENT-ELECT'S
BUSINESS EMPIRE AND FINANCIAL
INTEREST WHEN THEY VOTED.
MANY PEOPLE VOTED FOR HIM
BECAUSE OF HIS BUSINESS SUCCESS.
PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP WANTS TO
BRING THE SUCCESS TO ALL
AMERICANS.
THANK YOU.
>> Reporter: WHAT IS YOUR
RESPONSE TO YOUR CRITICS THAT
SAY NOT ONLY YOU BUT ALSO YOUR
ABINNOCENT IS FILLED WITH
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND DO YOU
PLAN TO SET AN EXAMPLE IN THE
FUTURE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR
CABINET AND EVERYONE THROUGHOUT
YOUR ADMINISTRATION --
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I REALLY THINK WHEN YOU WATCH
WHAT'S GOING ON -- I WAS JUST
WATCHING AS AN EXAMPLE, REX
TILLERSON, IT'S BRILLIANT WHAT
HE'S DOING AND SAYING.
I WATCHED YESTERDAY AS YOU KNOW,
OUR GREAT SENATOR WHO IS GOING
TO BE A GREAT ATTORNEY GENERAL,
AND HE WAS BRILLIANT.
AND WHAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW IS
THAT HE WAS A GREAT PROSECUTOR
AND ATTORNEY GENERAL IN ALABAMA
AND HE WAS BRILLIANT YESTERDAY.
SO I REALLY THINK THAT THEY
ARE -- I THINK WE HAVE ONE OF
THE GREAT CABINETS EVER PUT
TOGETHER.
AND WE'VE BEEN HEARING THAT FROM
SO MANY PEOPLE.
PEOPLE ARE SO HAPPY.
THE CASE OF REX, HE RAN
INCREDIBLY EXXONMOBIL.
WHEN THERE WAS A FINE, HE WOULD
GET IT.
WHEN THEY NEEDED SOMETHING, HE
WOULD BE THERE.
A FRIEND OF MINE WHO IS VERY
SUBSTANTIAL IN THE OIL BUSINESS,
HAROLD HAMM, HE SAID, THERE'S
NOBODY IN THE BUSINESS LIKE REX
TILLERSON.
THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.
THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO BRING TO
GOVERNMENT.
I WANT TO BRING THE GREATEST
PEOPLE INTO GOVERNMENT BECAUSE
WE'RE WAY BEHIND.
WE DON'T MAKE GOOD DEALS
ANYMORE.
WE MAKE BAD DEALS.
OUR TRADE DEALS ARE A DISASTER.
WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS OF LOSSES ON A YEARLY
BASIS, HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS WITH
CHINA ON TRADE AND TRADE
IMBALANCE, WITH JAPAN, WITH
MEXICO, WITH JUST ABOUT
EVERYBODY.
WE DON'T MAKE GOOD DEALS
ANYMORE.
SO WE NEED PEOPLE THAT ARE
SMART, WE NEED PEOPLE THAT ARE
SUCCESSFUL, AND THEY GOT
SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE, GENERALLY
SPEAKING, THEY'RE SMART, AND
THAT'S WHAT I PUT.
I'M PROUD OF THE CABINET.
I THINK THEY'RE DOING VERY WELL.
IT'S INTERESTING HOW IT'S GOING
BUT I THINK THEY'RE DOING VERY
VERY WELL.
>> Reporter: I WANT TO ASK A FEW
QUESTIONS ON OBAMACARE.
CAN YOU BE SPECIFIC ON WHAT
GUIDE TANS YOU'RE GIVING
CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS ON THE
TIME LINE FOR REPEAL AND
REPLACE, WHETHER IT NEEDS TO BE
SIMULTANEOUS --
>> FINALLY OBAMACARE.
I THOUGHT IT WAS NEVER GOING TO
BE ASKED.
>> Reporter: I ALSO WANT TO ASK
IF YOU'VE OUTLINED A PLAN FOR
THE REPLACEMENT, WILL IT
GUARANTEE CONCH FOR THOSE WHO
HAVE GOTTEN COVERAGE --
>> YOU'RE GOING TO BE VERY VERY
PROUD OF WHAT WE PUT FORTH
HAVING TO DO WITH HEALTH CARE.
OBAMACARE IS A COMPLETE AND
TOTAL DISASTER.
THEY CAN SAY WHAT THEY WANT,
THEY CAN GUIDE YOU ANY WAY THEY
WANT TO GUIDE YOU.
IN SOME CASES THEY GUIDE YOU
INCORRECTLY.
IN MOST CASES YOU REALIZE WHAT'S
HAPPENING.
IT'S IMPLODING, AS WE SAID.
SOME STATES HAVE OVER 100%
INCREASE AND 17 -- AND I SAID
THIS TWO YEARS AGO.
'17 IS GOING TO BE THE BAD YEAR.
IT'S GOING TO BE CATASTROPHIC.
FRANKLY WE COULD SIT BACK -- AND
IT WAS A THOUGHT FROM A
POLITICAL STANDPOINT BUT IT
WOULDN'T BE FAIR TO THE PEOPLE.
WE COULD SIT BACK AND WAIT AND
WATCH AND CRITICIZE AND WE COULD
BE A CHUCK SCHUMER AND SIT BACK
AND CRITICIZE IT AND PEOPLE
WOULD COME, THEY WOULD COME
BEGGING TO US, PLEASE, WE HAVE
TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT OBAMACARE.
WE DON'T WANT TO OWN IT.
WE DON'T WANT TO OWN IT
POLITICALLY.
THEY OWN IT RIGHT NOW.
SO THE EASIEST THING WOULD BE TO
RHETT IT IMPLODE IN '17 AND
BELIEVE ME WE WOULD GET WHATEVER
WE WANTED BUT IT WOULD TAKE A
LONG TIME.
WE'RE GOING TO BE SUBMITTING, AS
SOON AS OUR SECRETARY IS
APPROVED, ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY,
SHORTLY THEREAFTER, A PLAN.
IT WILL BE REPEAL AND REPLACE.
IT WILL BE ESSENTIALLY
SIMULTANEOUSLY.
IT WILL BE VARIOUS SEGMENTS, YOU
UNDERSTAND, BUT WILL MOST LIKELY
BE ON THE SAME KAYDAY OR THE SA
WEEK, COULD BE THE SAME HOUR.
WE'RE GOING TO DO REPEAL AND
REPLACE.
VERY COMPLICATED STUFF.
AND WE'RE GOING TO GET A HEALTH
BILL PASSED, WE'RE GOING TO GET
HEALTH CARE TAKEN CARE OF IN
THIS COUNTRY.
YOU HAVE DEDUCTIBLES THAT ARE SO
HIGH THAT AFTER PEOPLE GO BROKE
PAYING THEIR PREMIUMS, WHICH ARE
GOING THROUGH THE ROOF, THE
HEALTH CARE CAN'T EVEN BE USED
BY THEM BECAUSE THE DEDUCTIBLES
ARE SO HIGH.
OBAMACARE IS THE DEMOCRATS'
PROBLEM.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THE PROBLEM
OFF OF THE SHELVES FOR THEM.
WE'RE DOING THEM A TREMENDOUS
SERVICE BY DOING IT.
WE COULD SIT BACK AND LET THEM
HANG WITH IT.
WE ARE DOING THE DEMOCRATS A
GREAT SERVICE.
SO SOOAS SOON AS SECRETARY IS
APPROVED AND GETS INTO THE
OFFICE, WE'LL BE FILING A PLAN.
AND IT WAS ACTUALLY PRETTY
ACCURATELY REPORTED TODAY, THE
"THE NEW YORK TIMES," AND THE
PLAN WILL BE REPEAL AND REPLACE
OBAMACARE.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A HEALTH
CARE THAT IS FAR LESS EXPENSIVE
AND FAR BETTER.
OKAY.
>> Reporter: PRESIDENT-ELECT
TRUMP, WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL OF
THE MEETINGS THAT YOU'VE HAD
WITH CARRIER, AN ALIBABA, DO YOU
CONCEIVE MAKING THIS A PROGRAM
INSIDE OF COMMERCE AND THEN HOW
SOON WILL WE SEE THE PROGRAM ON
CAPITAL REPATRIATION AND
CORPORATE TAX CUTS.
>> IF I CAN SAVE JOBS -- I WAS
DOING INDIVIDUAL COMPANIES.
ADMINISTR
AND PEOPLE SAID, THAT'S JUST ONE
COUNTY.
WE SAVED CLOSE TO 1,000 JOBS.
THEY WERE GONE AND MIKE PENCE
AND HIS STAFF REALLY HELPED AUSA
LOT.
THEY ANNOUNCED A YEAR AND A HALF
AGO THEY WERE LEAVING.
IT'S ALWAYS A LITTLE TOUGHER
WHEN THEY ANNOUNCE THEY'RE
BUILDING A PLANT.
SO I WANT TO THANK UNITED
TECHNOLOGIES.
WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH A LOT OF
COMPANIES.
YOU WANT TO MOVE YOUR PLANT TO
MEXICO OR SOME OTHER PLACE, AND
YOU WANT TO FIRE ALL OF YOUR
WORKERS FROM MICHIGAN AND OHIO
AND ALL THESE PLACES THAT I WON,
FOR GOOD REASON, IT'S NOT GOING
TO HAPPEN THAT WAY ANYMORE.
YOU WANT TO MOVE YOUR PLANT, AND
YOU THINK, AS AN EXAMPLE, YOU'RE
GOING TO BUILD THAT PLANT IN
MEXICO, AND YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE
YOUR AIR CONDITIONERS OR YOUR
CARS OR WHATEVER YOU'RE MAKING,
AND YOU'RE GOING TO SELL IT
THROUGH WHAT WILL BE A VERY,
VERY STRONG BORDER, NOT A WEAK
BORDER -- WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A
BORDER.
IT'S AN OPEN SIEVE.
BUT YOU WILL SELL THROUGH A
STRONG BORDER, NOT GOING TO
HAPPEN.
YOU'RE GOING TO PAY A VERY LARGE
BORDER TAX.
SO IF YOU WANT TO MOVE TO
ANOTHER COUNTRY AND FIRE ALL OUR
GREAT AMERICAN WORKERS THAT GOT
YOU THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE,
YOU CAN MOVE FROM MICHIGAN TO
TENNESSEE AND TO NORTH CAROLINA
AND SOUTH CAROLINA, YOU CAN MOVE
FROM SOUTH CAROLINA BACK TO
MICHIGAN, YOU CAN GO ANYWHERE.
YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF STATES AT
PLAY, A LOT OF COMPETITION.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE, OH, GEE, I'M
TAKING THE COMPETITION.
YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF PLACES YOU
CAN MOVE, AND I DON'T CARE, AS
LONG AS IT'S BEEN THE BORDERS OF
THE UNITED STATES.
THERE WILL BE A MAJOR BORDER TAX
ON THESE COMPANIES THAT ARE
LEAVING AND GETTING AWAY WITH
MURDER, AND IF OUR POLITICIANS
HAD WHAT IT TAKES, THEY WOULD
HAVE DONE THIS YEARS AGO, AND
YOU WOULD HAVE MILLIONS MORE
WORKERS RIGHT NOW IN THE UNITED
STATES THAT ARE 96 MILLION
REALLY WANT AGO JOB AND THEY
CAN'T GET, YOU KNOW THAT STORY,
THE REAL NUMBER.
THAT'S THE REAL NUMBER.
SO THAT'S THE WAY IT IS.
OKAY.
GO AHEAD.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE
SUPREME COURT AND THE BORDER
SECURITY.
>> YES.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO ASK YOU
ABOUT SOMETHING YOU SAID ON
TWITTER THIS MORNING.
ARE WE LIVING IN NAZI GERMANY?
WHAT WERE YOU DRIVING AT THERE?
DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY?
AND THE SUPREME COURT, WHAT'S
YOUR TIME LINE?
YOU SAID A WHILE AGO YOU'RE DOWN
TO FOUR.
HAVE YOU CONDUCTED THE
INTERVIEWS YET?
WHAT'S YOUR TIME LINE FOR
NOMINATING?
AND ON THE BORDER FENCE, IT'S
NOW APPEARING CLEAR THE U.S.
TAXPAYERS WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR
IT UP FRONT.
WHAT'S YOUR PLAN TO GET MEXICO
TO PAY FOR IT?
>> DO YOU HDO YOU HAVE ANY MORE?
( LAUGHTER )
IT'S NOT A FENCE.
IT'S A WALL.
YOU JUST MISREPORTED IT.
WE'RE GOING TO BUILD A WAR.
I COULD WAIT A YEAR AND A HALF
TILL WE FINISH OUR NEGOTIATIONS
WITH MEXICO WHICH WILL START
IMMEDIATELY AFTER WE GET TO
OFFICE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO
WAIT.
MIKE PENCE IS LEADING AN EFFORT
TO GET FINAL APPROVALS THROUGH
VARIOUS AGENCIES AND THROUGH
CONGRESS FOR THE WALL TO BEGIN.
I DON'T FEEL LIKE WAIT AGO YEAR
OR YEAR AND A HALF.
WE'RE GOING TO START BUILDING.
MEXICO IN SOME FORM -- AND THERE
ARE MANY DIFFERENT FORMS -- WILL
REIMBURSE US, AND THEY WILL
REIMBURSE US FOR THE COST OF THE
WALL.
THAT WILL HAPPEN, WHETHER IT'S A
TAX OR WHETHER IT'S A PAYMENT,
PROBABLY LESS LIKELY THAN IT'S A
PAYMENT, BUT IT WILL HAPPEN.
BUT REMEMBER THIS, OKAY, I WOULD
SAY WE ARE GOING TO BUILD A
WALL, AND PEOPLE WOULD GO CRAZY.
I WOULD THEN SAY WHO'S GOING TO
PAY FOR THE WALL?
AND PEOPLE WOULD ALL SCREAM OUT,
25,000, 30,000 PEOPLE, BECAUSE
NOBODY'S EVER HAD CROWDS LIKE
TRUMP HAS HAD, YOU KNEE THAT,
YOU DON'T LIKE TO REPORT THAT,
BUT THAT'S OKAY.
OKAY, NOW HE AGREES.
FINALLY HE AGREES.
( LAUGHTER )
BUT I SAY WHO WILL PAY FOR THE
WALL?
AND THEY WILL SCREAM OUT,
MEXICO.
NOW, REPORTS WENT OUT LAST WEEK,
OH, MEXICO'S NOT GOING TO PAY
FOR THE WALL BECAUSE OF A
REIMBURSEMENT.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
I WANT TO GET THE WALL STARTED.
I DON'T WANT TO WAIT A YEAR AND
A HALF TILL I MAKE MY DEAL WITH
MEXICO.
AND WE PROBABLY WILL HAVE A DEAL
SOONER THAN THAT.
AND BY THE WAY, MEXICO HAS BEEN
SO NICE, SO NICE.
I RESPECT THE GOVERNMENT OF
MEXICO.
I RESPECT THE PEOPLE OF MEXICO.
I LOVE THE PEOPLE OF MEXICO.
I HAVE MANY PEOPLE FROM MEXICO
WORKING FOR ME, THEY'RE
PHENOMENAL PEOPLE.
THE GOVERNMENT OF MEXICO IS
TERRIFIC.
I DON'T BLAME THEM FOR WHAT'S
HAPPENED.
I DON'T BLAME THEM FOR TAKING
ADVANTAGE OF THE UNITED STATES.
I WISH OUR POLITICIANS WERE SO
SMART.
MEXICO HAS TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF
THE UNITED STATES.
I DON'T BLAME THE
REPRESENTATIVES AND VARIOUS
PRESIDENTS, ET CETERA, OF
MEXICO.
WHAT I SAY IS WE SHOULDN'T HAVE
ALLOWED THAT TO HAPPEN.
IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN
ANYMORE.
SO IN ORDER TO GET THE WALL
STARTED, MEXICO WILL PAY FOR THE
WALL, BUT IT WILL BE REIMBURSED.
OKAY?
SUPREME COURT JUDGE.
SO, AS YOU KNOW, I HAVE A LIST
OF 20.
I'VE GONE THROUGH THEM.
WE'VE MET WITH NUMEROUS
CANDIDATES.
THEY'RE OUTSTANDING IN EVERY
CASE.
THEY WERE LARGELY RECOMMENDED
AND HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BY
FEDERALIST SOCIETY.
JIM DeMINT WAS ALSO VERY MUCH
INVOLVED IN THIS GROUP WHICH IS
FANTASTIC AND HE'S A FANTASTIC
GUY.
SO BETWEEN LEO AND JIM DeMINT
AND SOME SENATORS AND CONGRESS
PEOPLE, WE HAVE A GREAT GROUP OF
PEOPLE.
I WILL BE MAKING THE DECISION ON
WHO WE WILL PUT UP FOR JUSTICE
OF THE UNITED STATES SUPREME
COURT, A REPLACEMENT FOR THE
GREAT, GREAT JUSTICE SCALIA.
THAT WILL BE PROBABLY WITHIN TWO
WEEKS OF THE 20th.
SO WITHIN ABOUT TWO WEEKS,
PROBABLY THE SECOND WEEK, I
CONSIDER THE FIRST DAY, BECAUSE
WE'LL ALSO BE DOING SOME PRETTY
GOOD SIGNINGS, AND I THINK WHAT
WE'LL DO IS WE'LL WAIT TILL
MONDAY, THAT WILL BE OUR REALLY
FIRST BUSINESS DAY AS OPPOSED TO
DOING IT ON FRIDAY BECAUSE, ON
FRIDAY, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE
A VERY GOOD TIME AT THE
INAUGURATION AND THEN, SATURDAY,
AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAVING A BIG
CHURCH SERVICE AND LOTS OF GOOD
THINGS ARE HAPPENING.
SO OUR FIRST DAY, AND YOU WILL
ALL BE INSI IN-- INVITED TO THE
SIGNINGS, BUT WE WILL BE DOING
GOOD SIGNINGS MONDAY THROUGH
FRIDAY AND THE NEXT WEEK, AND
YOU'RE ALL INVITED.
BUT ON THE SUPREME COURT, I WILL
BE MAKING THAT DECISION, AND IT
WILL BE A DECISION WHICH I VERY
STRONGLY BELIEVE IN.
I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS
I GOT ELECTED.
I THINK THE PEOPLE OF THIS
COUNTRY DID NOT WANT TO SEE WHAT
WAS HAPPENING WITH THE SUPREME
COURT, SO I THINK IT WAS A VERY,
VERY BIG DECISION AS TO WHY I
WAS ELECTED.
>> THE TWEET YOU HAD THIS
MORNING ABOUT ARE WE LIVING IN
NAZI GERMANY, WHAT WERE YOU
DRIVING AT THIS?
>> I THINK IT WAS DISGRACEFUL
THAT THE INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES
ALLOWED ANY INFORMATION THAT
TURNED OUT TO BE SO FALSE AND
FAKE OUT.
I THINK IT'S A DISGRACE, AND I
SAY THAT, AND I SAY THAT, AND
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NAZI
GERMANY WOULD HAVE DONE AND DID
DO.
I THINK IT'S A DISGRACE THAT
INFORMATION THAT WAS FALSE AND
FAKE AND NEVER HAPPENED GOT
RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC.
AS FAR AS BuzzFeed, WHICH IS A
FAILING PILE OF GARBAGE, WRITING
IT, I THINK THEY ARE GOING TO
SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES, THEY
ALREADY ARE, AND AS FAR AS CNN
GOING OUT OF THEIR WAY TO BUILD
IT UP -- AND BY THE WAY, WE JUST
FOUND OUT, I WAS COMING DOWN,
MICHAEL COHN IS A VERY TALENTED,
GOOD LAWYER IN MY FIRM AND IT
WAS JUST REPORTED IT'S NOT THIS
MICHAEL COHN WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT.
ALL NIGHT LONG IT'S MICHAEL
COHN.
I SAID I WANT TO SEE YOUR
PASSPORT.
HE BRINGS HIS PASSPORT TO MY
OFFICE.
I SAID, HE DIDN'T LEAVE THE
COUNTRY.
THEY HAD MICHAEL COHN OF THE
TRUMP ORGANIZATION WAS IN
PRAGUE.
IT TURNED OUT TO BE A DIFFERENT
MICHAEL COHN.
IT'S A DISGRACE WHAT TOOK PLACE,
AND I THINK THEY OUGHT TO
APOLOGIZE TO START WITH, MICHAEL
COHN.
>> MR. PRESIDENT-ELECT, SINCE
YOU ARE ATTACKING OUR NEWS
ORGANIZATION --
>> NOT YOU.
NOT YOU.
YOUR ORGANIZATION IS TERRIBLE.
YOUR ORGANIZATION IS TERRIBLE.
>> LET ME ASK THE QUESTION SIR.
GO AHEAD.
SIR.
GO AHEAD.
MR. PRESIDENT-ELECT.
SHE'S ASKING A QUESTION,
DON'T BE RUDE.
>> CAN YOU GIVE US A QUESTION?
DON'T BE RUDE.
NO, I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU A
QUESTION.
YOU ARE FAKE NEWS.
>> MR. PRESIDENT-ELECT, THAT'S
NOT PREEPT.
>> GO AHEAD.
PRESIDENT OBAMA WENT TOO FAR
WITH THE SANCTIONS HE PUT ON
RUSSIA AFTER THE HACKING --
>> I DON'T SAY HE WENT TOO FAR.
WELL, YOU ROLLED THEM BACK
AND WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT
LINDSLINDSEY GRAHAM'S PLAN TO SD
YOU BILL FOR TOUGHER SANCTIONS.
>> I HAVEN'T HEARD LINDSEY
GRAHAM IS GOING TO DO THAT.
LINDSEY GRAHAM -- I HAVE BEEN
COMPETING WITH HIM FOR A LONG
TIME.
HE'S GOING TO CRACK THAT ONE
PERCENT BARRIER ONE DAY.
( LAUGHTER )
I DIDN'T REALIZE LINDSEY
GRAHAM'S STILL AT IT.
SORRY.
I THINK LINDSEY GRAHAM'S A NICE
GUY, ACTUALLY.
I'VE HEARD HE'S A NICE GUY AND I
HAVE BEEN HEARING IT.
I HAVE BEEN HEARING IT.
GO AHEAD.
GO AHEAD.
YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING.
GO AHEAD.
>> AS FAR AS WE UNDERSTAND, THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY --
>> STAND UP, PLEASE.
-- EMBAND FROM BBC NEWS.
>> Reporter: BBC NEWS, ANOTHER
BEAUTY.
>> THANK YOU.
FARCE WE UNDERSTAND, THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY ARE STILL
LOOKING AT THESE ALLEGATIONS AS
FALSE NEWS, AS YOU DESCRIBE IT.
IF THEY COME BACK IN ANY KIND OF
CONCLUSION THAT ANY OF IT STANDS
UP, THAT ANY OF IT IS TRUE, WILL
YOU CONSIDER YOUR POSITION?
>> Reporter: THERE IS NOTHING
THEY CAN COME BACK WITH.
YES, YES, GO AHEAD.
GO AHEAD.
>> -- DECISION OF PUBLISH FAKE
NEWS AND ALL THE PROBLEMS IN THE
MEDIA OVER THE COURSE OF THE
ELECTION, WHAT REFORMS DO YOU
RECOMMEND FOR THIS INDUSTRY
HERE?
>> WELL, I DON'T RECOMMEND
REFORMS.
I REMEMBER PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME
MORAL COMPASS.
I HAVE BEEN HEARING MORE AND
MORE ABOUT A THING CALLED FAKE
NEWS AND THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT
PEOPLE WHO GO AND SAY ALL SORTS
OF THINGS, BUT I WILL TELL YOU
SOME OF THE MEDIA OUTLETS I DEAL
WITH ARE FAKE NEWS, MORE SO THAN
ANYBODY.
I COULD NAME THEM BUT I WON'T
BOTHER.
YOU HAVE A FEW SITTING RIGHT IN
FRONT OF US.
SO THEY'RE VERY, VERY DISHONEST
PEOPLE, BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE
JUST GOING TO HAVE TO LIVEY.
I GUESS THE ADVANTAGE I HAVE IS
I CAN SPEAK BACK.
WHEN IT HAPPENS TO SOMEBODY THAT
DOESN'T HAVE THIS -- DOESN'T
HAVE THAT KIND OF MEGA PHONE,
THEY CAN'T SPEAK BACK.
I'VE SEEN PEOPLE ABSOLUTELY
DESTROYED, AND I THINK IT'S VERY
UNFAIR.
SO ALL I CAN ASK FOR IS HONEST
REPORTERS.
YES.
>> ONE FOLLOW-UP ON THE
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE U.S.
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY, I WANT
TO BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE
SAYING, DO YOU TRUST YOUR U.S.
INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS AND WHAT
DO YOU SAY TO FOREIGN POLICY
EXPERTS WHO SAY YOU'RE WEAKENING
NATIONAL SECURITY BY WAGING THIS
WAR OF WORDS AGAINST THAT
COMMUNITY?
>> INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES ARE
VITAL AND VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
WE ARE GOING TO BE PUTTING IN,
AS YOU KNOW, MR. POMPEO AND
OTHERS, YOU KNOW THE SENATOR DAN
COATES, WE WILL BE PUTTING IN
OUTSTANDING PEOPLE.
WITHIN 90 DAYS, THEY ARE GOING
TO BE COMING BACK TO ME WITH A
MAJOR REPORT ON HACKING.
I WANT THEM TO COVER THIS
SITUATION.
I ALSO WANT THEM TO COVER, MAYBE
MOST IMPORTANTLY -- BECAUSE
WE'RE HACKED BY EVERYBODY.
YOU KNOW, THE UNITED STATES, OUR
GOVERNMENT, OUT OF A LIST OF 17
IN TERMS OF INDUSTRIES, IS THE
WORST.
IT'S NUMBER 17 IN TERMS OF
PROTECTION.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE RETAIL
INDUSTRY, THE BANKING INDUSTRY,
VARIOUS INDUSTRIES, OUT OF 17
INDUSTRIES, THEY PUT THIS IN THE
CAEGORY OF AN INDUSTRY, THE
UNITED STATES IS LAST IN TERMS
OF PROTECTING -- LET'S SAY
HACKING DEFENSE.
WE HAD A GREAT HACK DEFENSE AT
THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL
COMMITTEE, THAT'S WHY WE WEREN'T
HACKED.
BY THE WAY, WE WERE TOLD THEY
WERE TRYING TO HACK US, BUT THEY
WEREN'T ABLE TO HACK AND I THINK
I GOT SOME CREDIT BECAUSE I TOLD
REINCE AND REINCE DID A
PHENOMENAL JOB.
BUT I TOLD REINCE, I WANT STROKE
HACKING DEFENSE.
THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL
COMMITTEE DIDN'T DO THAT, MAYBE
THAT'S WHY THE COUNTRY RUNS SO
BADLY THAT WAY.
WAIT, LET ME FINISH.
WITHIN 90 DAYS, WE WILL BE
COMING UP WITH A MAJOR REPORT ON
HACKING DEFENSE.
HOW DO WE STOP THIS NEW
PHENOMENON, FAIRLY NEW
PHENOMENON?
BECAUSE THE UNITED STATES IS
HACKED BY EVERYBODY, THAT
INCLUDES RUSSIA AND CHINA AND
EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY.
OKAY.
GO AHEAD.
>> MR. PRESIDENT-ELECT, YOU SAID
JUST NOW THAT YOU BELIEVE THAT
RUSSIA INDEED WAS RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE HACKING OF THE D.N.C.
AND JOHN PODESTA'S E-MAILS,
ET CETERA --
>> BUT COULD HAVE BEEN OTHERS,
ALSO.
>> BUT WHY DID YOU SPEND WEEKS
UNDERMINING U.S. INTELLIGENCE
COMMUNITY BEFORE GETTING THE
FACT AND THEN MAKING A
STATEMENT.
>> I THINK IT'S SAD WHEN
INTELLIGENCE REPORTS GET LEAKED
TO THE PRESS.
FIRST OF ALL, IT'S ILLEGAL.
THESE ARE CLASSIFIED AND
CERTIFIED MEETINGS AND REPORTS.
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT DOES HAPPEN,
I HAVE MANY MEETINGS WITH
INTELLIGENCE, AND EVERY TIME I
MEET, PEOPLE ARE READING ABOUT
IT.
SOMEBODY'S LEAKING IT OUT.
SO MAYBE IT'S MY OFFICE, MAYBE
MY OFFICE, BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT
OF PEOPLE, A LOT OF GREAT
PEOPLE, MAYBE IT'S THEM, SO WHAT
I DID IS I SAID, I'M GOING TO
HAVE A MEETING AND I WON'T TELL
ANYBODY ABOUT MY MEETING WITH
INTELLIGENCE.
WHAT HAPPENED IS I HAD MY
MEETING, NOBODY KNEW, NOT EVEN
RONA, MY EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT FOR
YEARS, SHE DIDN'T KNOW, I DIDN'T
TELL HER, NOBODY KNEW.
THE MEETING WAS HAD, THE MEETING
WAS OVER, THEY LEFT, AND
IMMEDIATELY THE WORD GOT OUT
THAT I HAD A MEETING.
SO I DON'T WANT THAT.
I DON'T WANT THAT.
IT'S VERY UNFAIR TO THE COUNTRY.
IT'S VERY UNFAIR TO OUR COUNTRY
WHAT'S HAPPENED.
THAT REPORTS SHOULD HAVE
NEVER -- FIRST OF ALL, IT
SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN PRINTED
BECAUSE IT'S NOT WORTH THE PAPER
IT'S PRINTED ON AND I THANK THE
"NEW YORK TIMES" AND A LOT OF
DIFFERENT PEOPLE FOR SAYING
THAT, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT
SHOULD NEVER EVER HAPPEN.
OKAY.
>> THANK YOU,
MR. PRESIDENT-ELECT.
CAN YOU STAND HERE TODAY, ONCE
AND FOR ALL, AND SAY THAT NO ONE
CONNECT CANNED TO YOU OR YOUR
CAMPAIGN HAD ANY CONTACT WITH
RUSSIA LEADING UP TO OR DURING
THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN, AND
IF YOU, INDEED, DO BELIEVE THAT
RUSSIA WAS BLIND THE HACKING --
BEHIND THE HACKING, WHAT IS YOUR
MESSAGE TO VLADIMIR PUTIN RIGHT
NOW?
>> HE SHOULDN'T BE DOING IT, HE
WON'T BE DOING IT.
RUSSIA WILL HAVE MUCH GREATER
RESPECT FOR OUR COUNTRY WHEN I'M
LEADING IT THAN WHEN OTHER
PEOPLE HAVE LED IT.
YOU WILL SEE THAT.
RUSSIA WILL RESPECT OUR COUNTRY
MORE.
HE SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE IT, I
DON'T BELIEVE HE'LL BE DOING IT
MORE NOW.
WE HAVE TO WORK SOMETHING OUT,
BUT IT'S NOT JUST RUSSIA.
TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENED.
YOU DON'T REPORT IT THE SAME
WAY.
22 MILLION ACCOUNTS WERE HACKED
IN THIS COUNTRY BY CHINA, AND
THAT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE NO
DEFENSE.
THAT'S BECAUSE WE'RE RUN BY
PEOPLE THAT DON'T KNOW WHAT
THEY'RE DOING.
RUSSIA WILL HAVE FAR GREATER
RESPECT FOR OUR COUNTRY WHEN I'M
LEADING IT, AND I BELIEVE -- AND
I HOPE -- MAYBE IT WON'T HAPPEN,
IT'S POSSIBLE, BUT I WON'T BE
GIVEN A LITTLE RESET BUTTON LIKE
HILLARY -- HERE, PRESS THIS
PIECE OF PLASTIC, GUY LOOKED AT
HER LIKE WHAT'S SHE DOING?
THERE'S NO RESET BUTTON.
WE'RE GOING TO GET ALONG OR NOT.
I HOPE WE GET ALONG, BUT THAT'S
POSSIBLE, TOO.
RUSSIA AND OTHER COUNTRIES
INCLUDING CHINA WHO'S TAKEN
TOTAL ADVANTAGE OF US
ECONOMICALLY, TOTAL ADVANTAGE OF
US IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA BY
BUILDING THEIR MASSIVE FORTRESS,
TOTAL, RUSSIA, CHINA, JAPAN,
MEXICO, ALL COUNTRIES WILL
RESPECT US FAR MORE, FAR MORE
THAN THEY DO UNDER PAST
ADMINISTRATIONS.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY.
SO THIS IS ALL, JUST SO YOU
UNDERSTAND, THESE PAPERS --
BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE THAT WAS
EXPLAINED PROPERLY -- BUT THESE
PAPERS ARE ALL JUST A PIECE OF
THE MANY, MANY COMPANIES THAT
ARE BEING PUT INTO TRUST TO BE
RUN BY MY TWO SONS, AND I HOPE
AT THE END OF EIGHT YEARS I'LL
COME BACK AND SAY, OH, YOU DID A
GOOD JOB.
OTHERWISE, IF THEY DID A BAD
JOB, I'LL SAY, YOU'RE FIRED.
GOODBYE, EVERYBODY.
GOODBYE.
( APPLAUSE )
>> SIR, YOU DID NOT ANSWER
WHETHER ANY OF YOUR ASSOCIATES
WERE IN CONTACT WITH THE
RUSSIANS --
>> PRESIDENT-ELECT AND HIS FIRST
NEWS CONFERENCE SINCE THE
ELECTION WAS HELD.
HE SAID CLEARLY THAT WITH
RESPECT TO THIS INFORMATION
THAT'S OUT THAT HE DOESN'T
BELIEVE IT, IT NEVER HAPPENED,
THE THINGS THAT ARE SUGGESTED,
AND SUGGESTED AT THE SAME TIME,
THAT HE DOES ACCEPT THE IDEA
THAT RUSSIA AND CHINA HACKS.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
TO BE CLEAR AGAIN, HE'S TALKING
ABOUT WHAT APPEARED ON THE
INTERNET, WHICH ISN'T REALLY THE
MAIN QUESTION, THE QUESTION IS
WHAT DID THE INTELLIGENCE
AGENCIES TELL HIM AND WHAT DID
HE BELIEVE ABOUT THAT AND HE
SAID HE DIDN'T WANT TO TALK
ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT WAS
CLASSIFIED.
HE DID SAY THE INTELLIGENCE
AGENCIES WERE WRONG TO HAVE
LEAKED WHAT THEY HAD LEAKED.
WHEN ASKED DIRECTLY, HE SAID
THAT HE HAD RESPECT FOR THE
INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES.
SO THAT WAS ONGOING.
IT WAS PRETTY WIDE RANGING.
HE AT ONE POINT SEEMED TO SHUT
DOWN ALL GLOBALISM WHEN HE SAID
ANY U.S. COUNTRY WHO WANTS TO
PUT A FACTORY OUTSIDE THE UNITED
STATES WILL BE FINED HEAVILY.
THAT'S A REPETITION OF A POLICY
BEFORE BUT MORE SWEEPING.
HE SAID HIS REPEAL AND REPLACE
ON ObamaCare WILL BE FAR LESS
EXPENSIVE AND FAR BETTER.
THAT'S A REALLY HIGH BAR TO DO
AS FAST AS HE SAYS IT'S GOING TO
BE DONE.
SO THOSE WERE TWO BIG,
NOTICEABLE -- AND, OBVIOUSLY,
THE OTHER BEING HIS ARRANGEMENT
FOR HIS CANNES COMPANIES WITH
HIS CHILDREN, THE PRETTY
EXTENSIVE MEASURES HE'S TAKEN.
IT WILL TAKE A COUPLE OF DAYS TO
SORT OF DIGEST ALL OF THEM AND
SEE IF THEY ARE AS ROBUST AS HE
CLAIMS.
BUT THAT WAS A BIG PART OF
THE --
>> ON HIS BUSINESS INTEREST, THE
LAWYER, SHERRY DILLON, SAID HE
WILL COMPLETELY ISOLATE HIMSELF
FROM THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION,
THERE WILL BE NO NEW FOREIGN
DEALS.
THEY DID NOT ADDRESS, THOUGH,
THE EXTENTIVE EXISTING FOREIGN
DEALS THAT THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION IS INVOLVED IN AND
THAT HE WILL RELINQUISH CONTROL
TO HIS TWO SONS, THAT IESKA AND
HER FAMILY WILL TRAVEL AND LIVE
IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
>> AND WILL HAVE NOTHING TO DO
WITH THE COMPANY.
>> YES, INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE.
MAJOR GARRETT IS INSIDE THE ROOM
AT TRUMP TOWER, HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ASK SEVERAL
QUESTIONS TO THE
PRESIDENT-ELECT.
A PUSHBACK BY HIM CALLING THE
REPORTS OUT THERE DISGRACE, FAKE
NEWS, PHONY STUFF, IN HIS WORDS.
>> Reporter: YES, A VERY
STRONG PUSHBACK FROM
PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP AND
IMPLICATION THAT THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY MADE A
MISTAKE BY EVEN PUTTING A SMALL
PART OF THIS UNVERIFIED,
UNSUBSTANTIATED INFORMATION
GATHERED BY THE FORMER M.I.6
OPERATIVE, SOMETHING PRESENTED
TO HIM ANT THE PRESIDENT-ELECT.
>> BUT DO WE KNOW THAT'S WHERE
BuzzFeed GOT THAT?
FROM AN INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY?
IS THAT ACTUALLY TRUE?
>> Reporter: SO WHAT THE
PRESIDENT-ELECT WAS SAYING WAS
THAT NEVER SHOULD HAVE EVEN BEEN
GIVE TON HIM, SHOULDN'T HAVE
BEEN GIVEN THE LEGITIMACY, EVEN
QUASI LEGITIMACY OF THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY THAT IT
WAS PRESENTED TO HIM.
HE VERIFIED IT WAS FRONTED HIM
AND HE READ IT LATER AFTER THE
MEETING.
THAT'S ONE THING HE MADE CLEAR,
THAT IT WAS PRESENTED TO HIM.
HE ALSO SAID THAT IT WAS NOT
DISCUSSED IN THE MEETING LAST
FRIDAY VERIFIED OUR REPORT IT
WASN'T DISCUSSED BUT SOMETHING
THAT WAS ADDED AS A PORTION OF
THE DOCUMENTATION PRESENTED TO
THE PRESIDENT-ELECT, AND WE ARE
LED TO BELIEVE THE PRESIDENT OF
UNITED STATES.
SO ON THAT FRONT, NOT ONLY DID
PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP SAY IT
WASN'T TRUE, BUT IT WAS SO
OBVIOUSLY UNTRUE IT SHOULDN'T
EVEN HAVE MADE IT THROUGH THIS
INITIAL PROCESS TO GET TO HIS
DESK AND TO BE BROUGHT TO HIS
ATTENTION.
THAT'S POINT ONE.
POINT TWO, WE ALSO HAD A LONG
DISCUSSION ABOUT OTHER THINGS,
AND I'LL TALK TO THE THINGS THAT
I ASKED HIM ABOUT, THE SUPREME
COURT, HE MADE REAL NEWS ON THAT
TWO.
WEEKS AFTER THE INAUGURATION,
HE'S GOING TO NAME HIS SUPREME
COURT NOMINEE.
THAT'S REAL NEWS.
WE DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS THAT FAR
ALONG IN THE VETTING PROCESS.
AND HE ALSO MADE CLEAR THAT
EFFORTS WILL BE TAKEN BY
CONGRESS TO FULFILL HIS PROMISE
TO BUILD A WALL ON THE
MEXICAN-U.S. BORDER AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE, AND THAT THERE WILL BE
SOME REIMBURSEMENT SCHEME
UNDEFINED WITH NO VERIFIABLE
TIME LINE WITH THE MEXICAN
GOVERNMENT.
THAT'S NEWS AS WELL.
AND WHEN I ASKED HIM, WHAT DID
YOU MEAN WHEN YOU TWEETED THIS
MORNING WE'RE LIKE LIVING IN
NAI GERMANY, HE'S PUTTING THIS
EMPHASIS ON LEAKS FROM THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY, WE HAVE
NO SENSE THIS WAS LEAKED BY THE
INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES AT ALL,
AND THAT'S ONE ART OF THE STORY
THAT PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP SEEMS
WOEFULLY UNFAMILIAR WITH OR
WANTS TO CREATE A STRAW MAN IN
HIS ONGOING CONFLICT WITH THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY.
I ASKED HIM DO YOU HAVE A
PROBLEM WITH THE INTELLIGENCE
AGENCIES WHO ARE REPORTING TO
YOU?
HE DID NOT TAKE THAT.
HE ALSO SEVERAL TIMES IGNORED
AND REFUSED TO ANSWER A
QUESTION, WILL YOU KEEP IN PLACE
THE SANCTIONS THAT PRESIDENT
OBAMA HAS RECENTLY PUT IN PLACE
AS A RESPONSE TO THE RUSSIAN
HACKING INVOLVED IN THE JUST
COMPLETED U.S. ELECTION, ASKED
MANY TIMES BY NUMEROUS
REPORTERS.
PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP DID NOT
OFFER ANY INSIGHT ON HIS
THINKING ON THAT AT ALL.
>> ROSE: ON THE ONE HAND HE
NOTED RUSSIA HACKED BUT OTHERS
DID, TOO, POINTING TO CHINA, AND
SAID VLADIMIR PUTIN WHEN
QUESTIONED BY LIZ RELATIONSHIP
SAID IF VLADIMIR PUTIN LIKES ME,
THAT'S GOOD.
>> HE SAID IT'S AN ASSET, NOT A
LIABILITY AND SAID I DON'T KNOW
IF I WILL GET ALONG WITH HIM BUT
I HOPE WE DO.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT MAJOR
AND JOHN?
>> IT'S WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE AS A
GENERAL ASSESSMENT AS A
PRESIDENT.
BUT THERE IS NO STRATEGIC
DIALOGUE ABOUT WHAT HIS GOALS
WITH RUSSIA ARE.
HE NEVER SAID DOES HE WANT
RUSSIA TO GET OUT OF CRIMEA,
RUSSIA TO STOP WHAT IT'S DOING
IN SYRIA, DOES HE WANT RUSSIA TO
DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY IN OVERALL
INVOLVEMENT IN EUROPE, MENACING
IN THE BALTIC STATES OR FURTHER
INCURSIONS INTO UKRAINE?
HE HASN'T GIVEN THE COUNTRY ANY
INSIGHT INTO WHAT HIS STRATEGIC
APPROACH TO WHAT RUSSIA WILL BE,
AND SAYING IF RUSSIA AND
VLADIMIR PUTIN LIKES ME, THAT'S
AN ASSET, ON BEHALF OF WHAT
POLICY, THAT WE DON'T KNOW.
>> ROSE: WE STILL DO NOT KNOW
THE ANSWER TO WHERE THE MATERIAL
CAME FROM IN THE BEGINNING.
>> JOHN MCCAIN LEFT OUR OFFICE
AND SPOKE WITH NANCY CORDES AND
JOHN MCCAIN SAID HE DELIVERED
WHAT IS ON BuzzFeed TO THE
F.B.I.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS
OPERATING IN POLITICAL CIRCLES
FOR MONTHS.
REPORTERS AT POLITICO,
BuzzFeed, "NEW YORK TIMES,"
OTHER REPUTABLE NEWS
ORGANIZATIONS HAD SEEN THIS, A
DOCUMENT BY DONALD TRUMP AND
TRYING TO GET OPPOSITION
RESEARCH WHICH HAPPENS ALL THE
TIME IN CAMPAIGNS.
McCAIN WAS IN RECEIPT OF THIS
MATERIAL NOW LYING ON THE
INTERNET.
HE SAID TO OUR NANCY CORDES, I
DID WHAT ANY CITIZEN WOULD DO, I
GAVE THAT SENSITIVE INFORMATION
TO THE F.B.I.
HE SAYS HE DOESN'T KNOW THE
TRUTH OF THOSE DOCUMENTS AND
THAT'S WHY H HE PASSED IT TO THE
F.B.I.
>> DO WE ASSUME INVESTIGATION BY
INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES HAS BEEN
CONTINUING JOHN.
>> THE INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES
WON'T SAY, THE DIRECTOR WON'T
SAY, THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS
THAT SAY IT'S BOTH GOING ON AND
NOT.
THERE WAS TESTIMONY ABOUT THE
NEW SECRETARY OF STATE ON RUSSIA
THAT WAS MUCH STRONGER ON THE
PRESIDENT-ELECT TODAY.
>> ON HOW TO TREAT RUSSIA.
YEAH.
MORE COVERAGE ON CBSN AND A
FULL WRAP-UP ON THE CBS NEWS
EVENING NEWS WITH SCOTT PELLEY.
>> OUR THANKS TO MAJOR GARRETT.
CBS NEWS NEW YORK.