TRANSCRIPT: President Trump Speaks to Reporters on Board Air Force One, 12.9.25
President Trump: Hi. You know these guys, they look like me one second. They're saying, "What's happening here?"
Question: Okay.
Question: Mr. President, what's your reaction to Jasmine Crockett jumping in the Senate Primary Texas?
Trump: Well, she's a low IQ person. I can't imagine she wins. Maybe she'll get the Democrat nomination, but I think it's a gift to Republicans. She's a, a terrible representative. I watched her for the last two years. I can't even believe she's a politician actually. Hi, Brian.
Question: Will you be holding a final round of interviews for Fed Chair this week? There was some reporting you'd be meeting with the governor, Fed Governor Kevin Marsh or Fed Governor Marsh, Mark Wa- -- Warsh, Kevin Warsh.
Trump: Uh, we're gonna be looking at a couple of different people, but I have a, a pretty good idea who I want. You're gonna have to make it easier with that thing, you know? It's a government thing, but I like to take care of it.
Question: Will there be meetings this week --
Trump: Uh --
Question: -- interviews this week?
Trump: Hello. [Laughter]
Note: [Donald Trump gestures at the airplane lavatory door behind him. A Secret Service agent was using the facilities.]
Trump: Somebody's in there. Come on out. [Laughter]
Question: Mr. President, uh, Senators, uh, Cassidy and Crapo have introduced a bill to create health savings accounts to replace --
Trump: Yeah.
Question: -- Obamacare subsidies.
Trump: That's good.
Question: Do you support that bill?
Trump: Well, I like the concept. I don't want to give the insurance companies any money. They've been ripping off the public for years. Obamacare is a scam for, to make the insurance company rich, companies rich. And they have made, I mean, you look 14 to $1,700 increase, 100% increase over the last number of years.
There's really few things that have gone up like insurance companies there. Getting numbers and, and money like nobody's ever seen before. Uh, billions and billions of dollars is paid directly to insurance companies. We're not gonna do that anymore. I believe Obamacare was set up to take care of insurance companies, not to take care of the American public.
Question: Do you want Republicans to vote for that bill tomorrow, or this week?
Trump: I, I love the idea of money going directly to the people, not to the insurance companies, going directly to the people. It could be in the health savings account. It could be a number of different ways. And the people go out and buy their own insurance, which can be really much better, health insurance, healthcare.
Question: Mr., Mr. President, I was with you in Vegas when you had no tax on tips --
Trump: Right.
Question: -- helped the hospitality industry.
Trump: I haven't been asked that Question: in a long time. Uh, no tax on gambling winnings. I don't know. We have no tax on tips. We have no tax on social security, and we have no tax on overtime. Uh, no tax on gambling winnings. [Laughs] I don't know about that. I'm gonna have to think about that.
Question: I think --
Trump: I think it's better to go up and, uh, maybe take our seats. It's a pretty rough flight.
Question: It is.
Trump: Bye, everybody.
Question: Mr. President.
Trump: But I hope to see you again. [Laughs] I better get out of here. So long.