TRANSCRIPT: President Trump Speaks to Reporters on Board Air Force One, 2.19.26
[Video]
President Trump: Put you out of business, huh? [Laughs] Uhh, any questions?
Question: Mr. President, you took kind of a little swipe at AOC today, and I was just wondering
Trump: Well, her performance was horrible. I was surprised, actually. I didn't know she was stupid.
Question: So how would you have answered the question that she was asked about whether the US should support Taiwan if there were ever --
Trump: Well, I would have just said it's none of your business right now, because I wouldn't answer that question anyway. I wouldn't respond to a question like that. That's war. When it comes to war, you don't talk about your strategy. She could have done that very easily. She had no idea. I don't think she knew what Taiwan was.
That was a problem. Uh, you don't talk about military strategy. She could have taken an easy pass on that one. That was not a good answer, could be death defying. I suspect that'll be used in every campaign for the next 30 years against her. It was not a good one. Peter, what do you think?
Question: I got a question about something big overseas today.
Trump: Go ahead.
Question: The former Prince Andrew arrested by the police there, um, related to something with Jeffrey Epstein. Do you think people in this country at some point, associates of Jeffrey Epstein will wind up in handcuffs too?
Trump: Well, you know, I'm the expert in a way because I've been totally exonerated. It's very nice. So I can actually speak about it very nicely. I think it's a shame. I think it's very sad. I think it's so bad for the royal family. It's a very, very sad -- to me, it's a very sad thing. When I see that, it's a very sad thing to see it and to see what's going on with his brother, who's obviously coming to our country very soon.
And he's a fantastic man, the king. So I think it's a very sad thing. It's really interesting because nobody used to speak about Epstein when he was alive, but now they speak. But I'm the one that can talk about it because I've been totally exonerated. I did nothing. In fact, the opposite, he was against me. He was fighting me in the election, which I just found out through the last three million pages of documents. Yeah, please. Yeah, please.
Question: You said today on Iran, bad things will happen if Iran doesn't make a deal.
Trump: Yeah, bad things, really bad things.
Question: What will that --
Trump: I'm not going to talk to you about that.
Question: Can you explain, though, what is the goal if there is a US military strike?
Trump: Well, we're going to make a deal or we're going to get a deal one way or the other.
Question: But with a military strike. Is it to wipe out their nuclear program?
Trump: I'm not going to talk to you about that. But we're either going to get a deal or it's going to be unfortunate for them.
Question: And then you said today [Inaudible] given them a deadline, firm to make a deal?
Trump: I would think that would be enough time, 10, 15 days, pretty much maximum.
Question: Mr. President, when you have the Board of Peace, obviously, there's a lot of countries that you're trying to get on. What countries would you like to see join the Board of Peace the most?
Trump: Well, we have a lot that are on and we have a lot that are going through the process of getting on. They have to get legislative approval, etc. And we've had billions of dollars put up already by the countries that are on. You saw some of the big players today. It's been very successful. Everyone's going to want to be on. Everyone wants to be on. Some have to go back to their legislatures to get approval.
Question: Would you want like China, Russia, any of those guys?
Trump: I would love to have China and Russia. They've been invited. Yeah.
Question: So [Inaudible]
Trump: You need both. You need all persuasions. No discrimination.
Question: Something that got a lot of attention this week. Barack Obama said that aliens are real. Have you seen any evidence of non-human visitors to Earth?
Trump: Well, he gave classified information. He's not supposed to be doing that. You know?
Question: So aliens are real?
Trump: Well, I don't know if they're real or not. I can tell you, he gave classified information. He's not supposed to be doing that. He made a -- he made a big mistake. He took it out of classified information. No, I don't -- I don't have an opinion on it. I never talk about it. A lot of people do. A lot of people believe it. Do you believe it, Peter?
Question: Well, the president can declassify anything that he wants to, so if you want to make an announcement.
Trump: I may get him out of trouble. I may get him out of trouble by declassifying.
Question: We know illegal aliens are real.
Trump: Yeah, illegal, only illegals. What else?
Question: Um, what do you -- based on what you've been told, what do you think happened to Savannah Guthrie's mom, Nancy?
Trump: Boy, it's so -- so crazy. It's so bad. I didn't like when they were talking about the going after the pacemaker and the -- and, you know, before they even started going after it, they're coming and reporting it. So if in fact they could do it that way, the person would say, well, I'm not going to let that happen.
Right? So bad things would happen if -- not going to let that happen. I can't imagine why they would have done that, just in terms of strategy. It's one little piece. I don't know. But we have to start reporting on other subjects also and see what happens. It's a very sad situation.
Karoline Leavitt: Sir, they're trying to take off.
Question: And with Iran, if the whole point is --
Trump: Yeah, I have to take off. I'll come back.
Question: Yeah, thank you. Thank you.
Trump: All right?
Question: Yeah, thank you.
Trump: We'll do it after. Maybe I don't have to. Have a good time. Thank you.
Question: [Inaudible]
Trump: Sit down.