Speaking at a theoretically non-campaign veterans’ event in Missouri, Trump calls for the election of Republican AG Josh Hawley for Senate, calls Hawley up to speak.
Missouri AG and candidate Josh Hawley: “When I think about President Trump, there’s one word that comes to mind. That word is: courage.”
Trump says we stand for the national anthem. Pointedly brings back the phrase “radical Islamic terrorism.” Tells his usual story about saving money on the Jerusalem embassy, though unusually admits he did it by deciding to just renovate an existing building.
Trump on Iran: We’ll “see what happens,” but “we’re ready to make a real deal.” No threats.
Trump on the North Korea remains he had repeatedly said had already been returned: “I think that process is starting fairly soon. I hope.”
Trump on the F-35: “This is an incredible plane. It’s STEALTH. You can’t SEE IT.” He says other countries say, “We have one problem. We can’t see your plane.” He adds: “Super-stealth.”
Trump boasts of investing in various kinds in military equipment, and also of creating a Space Force. He explains, "A lot of important things are going to be taking place in space." (Trump's vagueness level rises significantly when he talks about space.)
Trump rounds the biggest military pay raise in eight years to the biggest pay raise in "almost a decade." He then falsely says "it's been a long time since you've gotten a raise." Servicemembers have gotten a raise every year for decades, though some of them have been small.
Trump begins talking about veterans' legislation he signed last year, then marvels at how fast the time has gone, then says, "That was some campaign, wasn't it?"
Trump describes the VA Choice legislation he signed as "the biggest thing everrr."
Trump on his trade battles: "You've gotta stick it out. We've gotta fight it."
Trump on the tariffs and complaints about them: "The farmers will be the biggest beneficiary. Watch...Just be a little patient. They're all aiming at anybody that likes me. And they have lobbyists like nobody's ever seen. They have the best lobbyists ever put together."
Trump falsely: "Last year, our country lost $817 billion with a B on trade." (Last year's trade deficit was $566 billion.) Mocks people who says, of the tariffs, "'Aw, can you do it this week, can you get it done immediately?'...It doesn't take a week, it takes a little longer."
Trump with some exasperation about his Republican trade critics: "Nawww, folks, stick with us. Stick with us...just stick with us, don't believe the crap you see from these people, the fake news." The crowd boos the media.
Trump mocks a "heart-throbbing" NBC News piece on, I think, people hurt by his tariffs. He says it was so compelling he thought, "I gotta do something about this Trump." He says, obviously baselessly, that this NBC piece was "done by the lobbyists" and was a "total set-up."
Trump is still ranting about criticism of his tariffs. He promises: "I have so many people that are so in favour."
Trump never correctly describes the VA choice program. He says veterans will now have the right to see a private doctor "immediately," won't have to wait in line "two and a half weeks." Vets are only eligible if they can't get a VA appointment in 30 days.
Trump wrongly says women's unemployment has fallen to the lowest level in 65 years. That's an outdated number from May. In June, it rose from 3.6% to 4%, which is the lowest level in one year (or 18 years if we're only talking pre-Trump).
Trump falsely says consumer confidence is at an "all-time high." The Conference Board index fell 2.4 points in June to 126.4. The index stood at 132.6 in November 2000.
Trump on offshore profits: "We think this number will be close to $4 trillion coming back into our country." I asked four experts about this yesterday. They said there's no estimate higher than $3.1 trillion, Trump is still just making up his "$4 trillion" and "$5 trillion."
Trump: "We need workers, because our unemployment rate, at 3.8%, is so low." The unemployment rate is 4%.
Trump says you haven't seen companies moving into the U.S. "in 25 years." In 2016, Obama's last year, "Expenditures by foreign direct investors to acquire, establish, or expand U.S. businesses totaled $373.4 billion," per the U.S. government.
Trump is now ranting about immigration laws, calling "catch and release" "the policy of fools." He was very calm and on-script for like a third of this speech.
Trump: "ICE. ICE. Thank goodness for ICE." MS-13, etc. Says Democrats want to abolish ICE because ICE is "too strong."
Trump says Democratic politicians are "really disciples of a very low-IQ person, Maxine Waters." Again, this is a speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Trump on the Abolish ICE calls from some Dems: "I hope they keep it up, because we're going to have a lot of fun in four months and we're going to have a lot of fun in 2020 running against that."
"We won you guys by 20 points," Trump says, I think of Missouri, in the middle of introducing a World War II veteran.
The 94-year-old vet, loving the limelight, to Trump: "I've been told that I could never enter the Oval Office in Washington, DC. I'm going to be 95 years of age April 11 of next year. Hopefully you will allow me to bring my family into the Oval Office." Trump says yes.
Trump has concluded. Most notable part of this speech to veterans was Trump's concern about how his tariffs are being perceived.
