Trump walks into the black conservatives' event. They cheer and shout and wave their red hats.
"We're going to have a lot of fun," Trump says to cheers from the young black conservatives, "but before I do, I'd like to begin...today's remarks by providing an update on the packages and devices that have been mailed to high-profile figures...and a media organization."
Trump announces the apprehending of a suspect. The crowd cheers. "Incredible job by law enforcement," Trump says. "These terrorizing acts are despicable and have no place in our country. No place."
Trump says they will prosecute "them, him, her, whoever it may be" to the "fullest extent of the law." He says "committed to doing everything in my power" to stop political violence, and "stop it now."
Trump is speaking to Candace Owens's group, Turning Point USA. She has claimed that "leftists" are responsible for the bombings.
Teleprompter Trump returns: "Americans must unify...show the world that we are united in peace and love and harmony."
Trump has returned to his regular remarks to the young black conservatives, to more whoops. A bit of an incongruous setting for this announcement.
Trump congratulates the young black conservatives for helping "make America great again." They wave their red hats again. Trump also says they're not only future leaders but currently leaders, since, look, they're in the White House. "Not bad. Not bad. Not bad."
Shortly after announcing the arrest, Trump calls Turning Point USA's Candace Owens "incredible." She suggested that the attacks were a false flag by left-wingers.
Trump to black conservatives a few minutes after calling for unity: "The Democrats are very nervous...they do nothing for you, and that was supposed to be automatic. Not anymore."
Trump congratulates the young black conservatives for demanding a "better kind of politics" where people with unconventional views are applauded and not attacked. "For example, we are grateful to Kanye West." Big cheer. "How 'bout Kanye? I don't know."
Trump complains of "fake polls," with no evidence. He calls Kanye West "a little different" but a "smart guy." He notes that Kanye West hugged him and said he feels like Superman in a MAGA hat.
Sir Alert: Trump says that pollsters came in and said "sir," look at what happened to your poll numbers with black people after Kanye West endorsed you. (They spiked in the small sub-sample in one Reuters tracking poll.)
"Many of you have been attacked and called vicious names for being willing to speak out for what we all believe in," Trump tells the black conservatives, again praising Candace Owens and Charlie Kirk.
Trump: "They're attacking us because we are speaking the truth." He just made 170 false claims in a week
Trump criticizes the media, then laughs approvingly at someone who shouted "fake news," then says "I won't use examples" because it's a "special day" in which somebody was arrested for attempted bombings.
Trump says he is determined to make it acceptable again to call people "beautiful" and "handsome" in public. "We have to bring that back into the world of being OK, right."
Trump to the young black conservatives: "A lot of people are jealous of you...and jealousy's a very bad thing. It's mean, it's nasty. But people that are jealous, they never make it, you know? They're jealous, they never make it."
The president: "That's a word we have to understand, because it's used against us very much. The word jealous. Jealousy."
Trump: "We've been taking care of countries, they don't even vote for us at the United Nations. You know?...We give, Charlie, we give tremendous amounts of aid to countries that don't need it."
Trump complains about people saying "America First" is racist (it was used by antisemites during World War II, among others). "I said racist? Racist? Why is that racist?...Does everybody in this room agree? You're living in America. America First." There is a U-S-A chant.
Trump exaggerates the U.S. trade deficit, which is in the hundreds of billions, and then says, "'Billion.' Nobody even knows what it is. What does that mean. It's so much, it's like, 'What does it mean?'"
Trump says he wants immigrants to enter based on merit, not people who "have no chance of ever loving our country, loving our people."
Trump wasn't specifically talking here about illegal immigrants or asylum seekers. Many legal immigrants come in through the family-based, i.e. non-"merit," system.
Trump is reciting negative statistics - "crime, worst education," etc. - about African-Americans, says it's all the fault of Democrats. He reminded the crowd that he asked them "what the hell do you have to lose." They said the words in time with him.
Trump tells a Sir story about how his aides told him, sir, not to ask black people "what the hell do you have to lose." He says this rhetoric really helped him. He adds, "So much for so-called handlers, right."
Trump says "they" think economic growth could be "well into the 4s," then notes that third-quarter growth of 3.5% was just announced.
Trump, in the same speech in which he called for unity, boasts about how he doesn't say "Democratic Party," he says "Democrat Party." He says "Democratic Party" sounds better. He says the Democrat Party should change its official name to the Democratic Party, which is its name.
Trump says that, more than anything else, the African-American community appreciates that the economy is so good that ex-prisoners are now getting jobs.
Trump to black conservatives, while talking about how some ex-prisoners are good employees and some are bad employees: "Even in this room, we probably have a couple of bad ones. Are there any bad ones? Huh? No bad ones?"
Trump says too many black people are "trapped in failing communities." He says this is the fault of "the Democrat Party. See. 'Democrat.'"
Trump: "People never give us credit for this: Abraham Lincoln was a Republican, right? Right? I was having arguments with people...and I wasn't probably on my game...and I just blurted out...and I said it strong. 'BUT ABRAHAM LINCOLN WAS A REPUBLICAN.' And I won the argument."
Trump says that he's referred friends with serious health problems to neurosurgeon and HUD chief Ben Carson, a "great doctor," "even though he's now in charge of Housing." "Just for reference...people that were in big trouble."
Trump says that Chinese leaders think American buildings built in the 1790s are a "new building" because their country is so old.
OK that is over.
From inside the room:
