President Trump Gaggles with Press Upon Departure from the White House, Oct. 23, 2026

Hello everybody. We had a a big night last night as you know. It was a very successful night. I think we carried some people across the finish line. We'll see. But that was great in Iowa. Now I'm going to Florida Fort Myers and we'll uh I think have a we have a tremendous crowd. I can tell you they're lined up miles long, but we'll be there soon. Hi, Steve. President Trump. The ceasefire is really good news. Will the first lady be a part of the trilateral peace talks that >> No, but it's not the worst idea I've ever heard. >> Have you >> What she wants to do is save children and that's her focus and both sides are cooperating with her. So doing a very good job. >> How did that all come about, Mr. President? Uh her initiative and uh they contacted both sides and both sides wanted to do it. Is there any news now? >> Any news on a new press secretary that you can give us a new press secretary? >> No, nothing. We're in no Russia. >> Mr. President, you look out that says Jared Kushner had access to $2 billion from Middle Eastern countries. >> It's a false story. >> It's a false story. You don't know anything about that? >> No, it's a totally false story. Totally an incorrect story. It was just fake news. It's amazing. >> Mr. President, you must know now who ordered the Starling access in Ukraine to be restricted. Was it? >> Uh, well, I wouldn't tell you if I didn't know. I have no idea. But I wouldn't tell you if I did know. Why would I tell you who you is? >> I'm a CNN sir. >> Why would I tell CNN? Although they did do some nice polls on me, I'm not saying those polls. I like them more said access. >> If there is a problem, I'll get 20,000 non,000 non. Well, I'm not surprised. It could be hundreds of thousand. That was just a batch. 20,000 absolutely fraudulent in California for voting. And it could be a 100,000. It could be 3, 4, 500,000. California is very corrupt in voting. So is Minnesota. So are many other states. >> Early voting. Early voting is at record levels in a number of states that are critical for Republicans to hold on to the Senate. Texas, Ohio, North Carolina. Who do you think that early voting is going? >> Well, nobody knows. I mean, we'll find out. I I think that we're doing very well against Telico. I think we're doing very well. We have the best attorney general in the history of Texas running. So, I think we're doing well, but we're going to find out. The numbers are very high all over the numbers in like I was in Iowa. I saw the enthusiasm last night. I think there's great Republican enthusiasm. I really think, you know, I keep hearing about different things. You you've been following me. I've been you've been packed. Every house every house is people that can't get in. Uh Fort Buyers, they that's Florida. They say they've never seen anything like it. So, I mean, if that if that counts, I think we're doing very well. >> I have not spoken with them. >> I might I might have to, but I have not. >> I've heard I've heard it was fixed, but if it's not, I I'll stick a message to the minority voters that supported you so much now that we're in the midst of any message to minority and black voters. >> I think the minority voters been great to me, you know. So, I've been great to the minority voter. Look what I've done for for uh as an example with the historically black colleges and universities. I've taken care of them. I've I've been very good to Hispanic voters been great to me, but I've been great to them, too. You know, there's a reason. And I've been great to Hispanics. That'd be great to blacks. That'd be great to pretty much everywhere. It's a different Republican party, but we're also the the party of the worker. It's a much bigger party than it used to be. I mean, if you go back 10 years ago before I got on the scene, it's a much more powerful party. This is a much bigger, frankly, more important party. You've been campaigning nonstop for the past few weeks. You'll campaign non-stop next week. Who do you view right now as the most vulnerable Republican Senate candidates? >> Well, I wouldn't want to say that. I wouldn't want to say that, but there are a couple that are a little bit vulnerable. There are a couple where they had a little bad luck over the last couple of weeks. Something came out about But the Democrats have that done, too. I mean, look at you look at Elad in Michigan. You take a look at that. I mean, he's had more bad publicity, but you know, we'll see what happens. I do think that some of the networks give too much air time to the opponents, if you want to know that said on Iran, Mike said that there could be a stalemate for up to a year and the US is preparing for an extended conflict. But you keep saying it's going to we could end it very quickly, but Iran is a failing nation. We're taking all the oil out that we want. You see that with the homeown straight, our navy and we have it blocked up for them but nobody else and everybody is taking oil out. Uh in fact last week we took more oil out than we have ever taken it out even before the war. So that and that was a big that was the big sticking point. So we have that and they have inflation. They have no money that you know the question is do we want to finish it off or do we let it do we just want to let it wither because we're getting everything we want. received. We have more oil coming out of the Homo Straight today than they did a year ago. >> Israel, do you think the vice president? >> We're going to vote tomorrow. I think >> I think we're voting tomorrow in Florida. >> How come doesn't have a gag order like How come Elon Morg doesn't have a gag order like you did? >> Oh, I love that question. >> I love that question. She should have. But look, what she did is her whole life is a scam as far as I'm concerned. >> Her whole life is a total scam. Do you think your vice president JD Vance should have endorsed Netanyahu just like you did? >> I don't know that he did or did. That's up to him. He didn't. >> I would I would leave that up to him. >> Mr. President, if there is if there's gridlock for the next two years, obviously you don't want to see that. But if there is, would that be bad for the US economy? >> No, it would be probably good because we're taking a tremendous Don't forget >> when you say gridlock, you're talking about Iran. >> That would be >> I'm talking about gridlock in terms of your legislative agenda. >> Oh, gr that. Let's talk about gridlock with Iran. Iran is not able to do much now and we could if we wanted to just take all of the oil. We could take the whole country. We could take all of the oil and as you know the hormones trade is totally ours and that's the way we'll keep it. So in that way that would be the gridlock's very interesting because they have no money. They have inflation that's 30% as the highest in the world right now. So we'll see. uh as far as uh political gridlock you're talking about if the Republicans didn't win, >> right? Just political gridlock. >> I think the Republicans are going to win. But if there was, as you call it gridlock, what happens is I veto everything and then the Democrats come and they want to make a deal. So we'll work with you. I mean, if you look historically when you have a situation where that would happen, if it happens, you veto, veto, veto, and then they come and they say, "How do we get it done?" And you make a deal. Now that you know the backstory about Amy Actton and her stepfather and why she hasn't talked to her mom for so long, her stepfather was indicted for rape. Now that you know all that, sir, do you change your mind about the ad? >> No, it's a mother speaking badly against Amy Atkins and uh to me it's very easy. >> But they haven't talked for 50 years. You know, some if it were my mother speaking badly about me, it'd be making it the number one story on the news. >> But her mother stood by her. >> But her mother stood by her after her husband had raised for she assaulted. >> You don't know that. You don't know anything. Uh her mother stood by, didn't stand by. Her mother went on television and said that the daughter who's running for governor of Ohio is a liar and a bad person. And that's all I know. That father was smart. >> Nobody knows. Nobody knows anything. >> But he was part of the president. >> Can I be honest? You should even You're the press is embarrassing himself. You're trying to take a horrible situation for a Democrat and make it look better. The mother said really bad things about a person that wants to be the Democrat governor of Ohio. The mother said terrible things. Anybody seeing that would say, "No way I'm voting for her." But Mr. Trump, it's very simple. The press is trying so hard to nullify it. You know, they called me up about it. I said, "Wait a minute. The mother said these things. The mother looks like she's totally lucid. She looks very smart, actually. And she felt she had an obligation to Ohio voters to tell them that her daughter is a liar. >> President President Silinski says that Starling is still not working for Ukraine. I haven't heard that, but I'll look at it. >> Did you speak with the British prime minister today? I did. >> Can you tell us what you discussed? Why that? >> You discussed uh the fact that they're opening up the North Sea oil, and that's going to make uh the UK a very rich country. They're opening up the North Sea oil. We discussed I've been after them to do that for two years. The other prime minister, the previous man, Star, who's a very nice man, but he never got it done. And this one is getting it. Andy is getting it done. And I guess it's against the liberal principle, but he knows what's right. It's going to make it's going to make the UK a very wealthy country. >> Did you discuss Iran or Ukraine? >> We did very very lightly. We mostly discussed Aberdine and the North Sea. >> Can you just talk about the trade talks with Mexico? President Shin hope there might be a deal before the >> We're very close to a deal with Mexico. >> It'll be a very good deal for hopefully them, but it's going to be a good deal for us or we won't make it. Uh the same thing with Canada. Canada is working very hard to make a deal with us. And I hate to say this, but we have all the cards >> in both of them. >> We have all the cards. Just like I told Zalinski, we have all the cards. >> Romney ad, sir. Republicans like Ashley Hson, who you were with last night in Iowa, are denouncing the ads. >> Well, they can, but they don't know the fact. Look, this is a mother that went on the air to say that her daughter who's running for governor of the great state of Ohio that I won in a record all three times. I got the record vote, highest vote ever. So, I know it well. I love the people. A mother is saying, "Don't put my daughter there because she's a terrible person and she's a liar." Why shouldn't somebody do that? >> But did the sexual abuse? >> Let me ask you my mother. Sexual abuse allegations make no difference. >> Wait, wait, wait, wait. Slow down. Who you with? Who you with? >> I'm with NBC, sir. >> One of the worst networks you have. >> But they're very serious sexual abuse allegations. >> Quiet. >> They make no difference to you. >> Isn't she a fresh person? You're a horrible little reporter, aren't you? If my mother said bad things about me, you think the Democrats would put it up? I think so. But my mother thought I was wonderful. Thank you, Mom. My mother would never even if she thought them she would never say this is a person a mother a smart woman I was smart woman she said her daughter is a disaster her daughter is a liar and she felt that she had an obligation and she also said her daughter lied about her opponent which is Ramishwami uh if I had that ad I should be so lucky to have an ad like that why wouldn't you listen to a mother that says that why why would you this NBC. Why wouldn't you listen? Wait a minute. Quiet. You have a I don't know anything about a stepfather. All you have >> his stepdaughter. This one just keeps going. >> 1978. Sir, >> you just keep going. >> I'm answering you, sir. >> You have I don't know anything about stepfathers from many, many years ago. I know that recently a mother got on television and said that her daughter should not be governor of Ohio. and she said, "I love my daughter, but my daughter lies all the time and lied about her opponent and I can't watch it." And the mother got up. This has nothing to do with a stepfather or anything else. This has to do with the fact that a a woman got out, the mother of a person running for governor of one of the greatest states where I set records and said that she's a liar. Her daughter's a liar. She said her daughter lied about fake and the mother couldn't take it anymore. She basically said her daughter should not that's what she said her daughter should not be the governor of Ohio. To me that's something that's very much fair game. Could you preview your trip to Michigan on Sunday? >> My trip to Michigan is going to be very exciting. >> Every one of my trips is exciting. I think we did fantastically in Iowa. I think I think that you're going to have everybody I talked about last night's going to be elected. You're going to have a great governor, great senator. Uh we're going to have a very big one. Right now, they're saying the line is 2 miles long or four miles or 5 miles long. We're sold out at every single place I go. And every single place I go, people that are down are now winning. Thank you very much. How does the US military prevent these attacks that are happening on cargo ships and oil tankers in the straight of >> confident? They're really good. The Navy has done a great job. We have more. You just saw in the front page of the Wall Street Journal. There's more oil coming out right now through the straight of Harose than it was even before the war. We have done a hell of a job. I hope someday we're recognized. Mr. Do you believe Melania can make peace in Ukraine? I think she's done a great job. I mean, she's into saving babies and bringing babies back home to their parents and she's been able to do something that's great. Been working very hard on it. She wants to see babies come back to their families. And that's between Russia and Ukraine. And they worked a ceasefire in a very rough place, rather. and baby some radio >> on politics. Kamla Harris was in Mississippi last night. Mississippi is a state that nobody really thought would be in play. What does that have to tell you about the Mids? Well, I won it by 32 points. They've asked me to go. I'm going there, I think, on Monday. >> Yes, sir. >> Uh and I look forward to it. And Cindy Hyde Smith, you know, Cindy Hyde is fantastic. She's and she's very popular. She's up in the poll. She's not losing. >> You've been doing so many rallies. I'm just curious, do you feel like the strategy is working? I know he's not your favorite, but Carl Ro had an article the other day in the turtle and he said that there's a chance of backlash. Do you think the rally is the best strategy so close to the midterm? >> Look, if you have Carl Ro, he's a loser. He's a proven he's been a loser all his life. Carl Ro doesn't know what he's talking about. Look, every single place I've gone to, every single place, whether people were losing that were expected to win, when I'm leaving, look at Ohio, how much better he's doing. Look at everyone. Look at Iowa last night with Ashley. She's just came out with numbers right now. Every place I'm going to every place is full, loaded with people, lines outside trying to get in. I'm going to Fort Myers right now. They say there's a line of people that's 5 miles long. Uh, every place I've gone to, I've helped and every every place wants it. The one problem is I'm one person. This is a lot of work. >> Do you think Let me tell you, this is a lot of work. >> Well, that's what I'm asking. So, do you feel like though to squeeze? Do you feel like you say you feel like you're the only one doing it? Do you feel like other Republicans should be more forceful? >> Well, I'm the only one that can get 25,000 people to show up. That's, you know, whether it's Democrat or Republican. That's a proven fact. That's been proven for 10 years. I'm the only one that can get the crowds. And I don't know why. You know, you'll have to tell me someday you'll write a book about it. But like at Fort Meyers, they have thousands and thousands of people that were there yesterday. They were lined up yesterday. So that seems to be a trait or an ability. I I can and I want to use it for good purpose. And if I don't think somebody's really worthy or good job, I don't go. But, uh, Mississippi, I'm going today. I'm going for a man who's going to be a great governor. I think he's going to be a great governor. So, Byron, we're going to see him in a little while. We have, but we have a tremendous crowd of people. I don't know if you're going and you're doing and you're doing a very good job, by the way. >> I'm going to be going to Michigan. I don't know. Is it Saturday, Sunday? >> Sunday. But, sir, you're on. You're on to pork. >> I look forward to Michigan. I can talk about a man who's a Muslim Brotherhood person who's a jihadist and who can't be in our Senate. >> Is there any chance? >> He's a fake guy. All you have to do is look at his statements from two years ago. I'm I'm looking forward to going to And by the way, Mike Rogers will be a great senator. I'm looking at a man who is I call him Muhammad but uh Abdul is Abdul. It's actually his middle name is actually Muhammad. I don't know if you know that or not. His name is Abdul Muhammad. Uh he's a fake. He's a total fake. And we can't have fakes. And you can't can you imagine this guy? He was a member probably still is of the Muslim Brotherhood. We can't have him. We can't have him in the United States. We can't have him in the United States. And I look forward to I tell you what, I look so forward to Michigan. And I think it's going to be wild. But I look so because he's a total phony. He's a little phony and everything about him is fake and he's a liar and he talks about all these things about like he's a moderate. He's not a rat. He's a jihadist. He's a vicious violent jihadist and he has no place in our government to donate their fee from the overseas trip to your presidential library. >> I understand they've done I didn't know about that but I somebody told me they did that. Very nice. >> Are you still looking into whether their travel was appropriate or any complication? >> No, I'm not. No, no, they took the money and they gave it to essentially a charity. No, that was I just heard that. I think it's a very nice thing to do, Mr. President, my son, this is my son, Mr. President. >> Oh, you're much better looking than your father. Look at all that hair he's got, huh? >> That's good. He's a good looking. You got a good father. >> Now he's going to ask me a nice question. Tell dad, ask me a nice question. I I want to ask you about Elon Musk. So, if the Democrats win control of Congress, how concerned are you that they'll go after Elon Musk? >> Well, Elon's a brilliant guy, and I I have an expression. We have to protect our brilliant people because we don't have too many of them. There aren't too many of them in the world. And Elon's done nothing wrong. Elon is very good guy. He's a very different kind of a guy. But I think people have an obligation to protect our geniuses. You know, there aren't that many of them. We're leading in everything right now. We're leading in SI. We're leading in everything. It's amazing how we're doing. But we are leading super intelligence. We're leading in every single category. We have more things being built in our country right now than any country has ever had in history. >> Is it right for the richest man in the world to have so much power over what goes on before you think? >> Well, I don't think he does. I think he's first of all, he's a very good person. He's not going to do anything wrong. Uh he's a very brilliant person or Starling and other things, right? But Elon will never do anything wrong. I know him very well. He's a fair person and you know it's an unusual situation where they're talking to private a private company but he's not going to do anything that's wrong. >> I ask you about Canada tariffs. You're going to Michigan tomorrow. Mike Rogers has said that Canada tariff war has to end. I mean it'll affect his business. >> Well well Canada wants very much to make a deal because of tariffs. They want to make a deal and as you know they've been making 90 billion a year from for many years with us. They're making anywhere from 80 to hundred billion dollars. And I said, "Nope, I'm not doing that." And Canada now is very much prepared to make a deal. Mr. President, >> how did your meeting Catholic people the other day, sir? >> Really good. >> What are you talking about? >> I finally had a nice group of people in my office. The Cath the Catholic uh representatives, bishops, and others. Uh it was a great meeting. Well, they prayed. They mostly prayed. It was actually a very nice group. They're great. They were great people. >> NFL playing in France this weekend. >> Well, you worry about it. But I I think maybe it's looking like tomorrow is going to be a bad day in France. So, you worry about it. I would have said the NFL could have probably postpone that match if you want to know because France is really in trouble. That's what happens when you go left. That's what happens when you allow unlimited numbers of people into your country from very unfriendly countries. That's what you're going to have.