Kayleigh McEnany holds a press conference at White House | 6/22/20
Hello. Everyone. This past Father's, Day weekend we saw violence, across the country, but we saw scant media coverage, of this. Violence, let's. Be clear here these states, are responsible for, policing their streets the governor's, the, mayor's are responsible. For ensuring that our streets are safe that the American people are protected and, what we have seen is in, far too many Democrat. Run States and Democrat. Run cities we have seen violence and chaos and nothing. Like the law and order that we saw here in DC when President, Trump stepped in and surged, the National Guard in Chicago. For instance we saw over 100. People were shot and 14. Tragically. Killed including a, three-year-old, was among the victims and one. Local news outlet tragically, reported, that multiple, teenagers, were killed in Chicago this weekend as well in Minneapolis. Eleven. People were shot and one person killed one. Individual, was a father of two who worked as a barber, and our hearts break for this family. Also, in Democrat, Ron new york city we saw that the New York Post reported, that there was one shooting. Per hour this, Saturday. Absolutely. Inexcusable, with. 24 people shot on Saturday. Alone and then in Democrat run Seattle. We've seen the autonomous, zone otherwise known, as chop, CH o P one. Person, was shot and killed in this autonomous, zone run by radical. Anarchists, and also. We, saw another shooting there yesterday. As well and Democrats, mayor, of the city called chop quote, the summer of love but, it has been nothing, of this sort clearly, with two individuals shot one person shot and killed it. Is the responsibility, of governor's to protect their states to police their streets the police power rests, at the state level and, we expect mayor's to step up and to do their job and governor's to step up and do their job in the mold of President Trump who secured DC after a night of lawlessness, two. Weeks ago finally. The defund police movement, is guided, it will only hurt the vulnerable, citizens of, American, cities the most it's, sad and it is shameful and with that I'll take questions yes, thank. You has the president actually directed. Officials to slow down the rate of coronavirus, testing no, he has not directed, that and in fact I would note that first.
We Continue to test about 500,000. Per day about half a million people per day, 1.8. Billion dollars, is invested, in NIH to find new, testing, capabilities, any. Suggestion. That testing has been curtailed, is not rooted, in fact and. Yeah. I would just note the extraordinary, efforts of this administration more. Than I at this point twenty, six point seven million tests and we should be north of that Tony when, he said Saturday they told us people just slow it down what do you mean by that the president, was trying to expose what. The media often times does is they ignore the fact that the United States has more cases because, we have more testing, we are leading the world in testing, and he was pointing that out that it's a fact that the media readily, ignores. POTUS, people to slow down testing it not true it was a comment that he made and Jess it's common that he made in passing, for. Specifically. With regard to the media coverage, and pointing, out the fact that the media never acknowledges, that we have more cases because when you test more people you, find more cases appropriate, to joke about rotavirus when, 120,000. People died and he was not joking about coronavirus. I just said he was joking about the media and their failure, to understand. The fact that when you test more you, also find more cases we everything, so much to follow up on that has the president, ever delayed, the, allocation of federal funding, that's already been, dedicated. To national, testing, no on the contrary the president has led the way to make us the leading, country, in the, world on testing, in fact, the FDA has authorized, 144. Tests under EU, A's emergency, use authorization these. Include 122, molecular, tests 21 antibody, tests one antigen, test and the president, has led the way in making us the world's, leader when it with regard to testing administration sitting. On about 14 billion dollars of. Funds that have been approved but, not yet allocated, well I just mentioned, the 1.8 billion at NIH that's there and we're exploring new testing we're leading the world and testing, and we will continue to do so yet question of my own last. July President, Trump declared himself, the, least racist, person there, anywhere. In the world why. Does he use racist, phrases, like the, calm flu well the president, doesn't the what the President does do is point, to the fact that the, origin, of the virus is China it's a fair thing to point out as China tries to. Ridiculously. Rewrite. History. Ridiculously. Blame, the coronavirus on American, soldiers this is what China's trying to do what President Trump is saying no, China I will label this virus for its place of origin by. Using the racist, phrase Kong flu he is linking, it to its place of origin. Asian. Americans, who are deeply offended, and worried that his use will lead to further attacks, of discrimination. So the president has said very clearly it's important that we totally protect our Asian community, in the US and all around the world they're, amazing, people and the spreading of the virus is not their fault in any way shape or form they're, working closely with us to get rid of it we will prevail together it's very important, so it's not a discussion, about Asian.
Americans, Who the president, values and prizes as citizens, of this great country it is an indictment of China, for letting this virus get here and I would also point out that the, media blames, President, Trump for using the terms China virus and Wuhan virus when they, themselves have, used these very terms the New York Times called, it the Chinese coronavirus, Reuters the Chinese virus CNN, the Chinese coronavirus, on January 20th Washington, Post January 21st Chinese, coronavirus, and I have more than, other examples. Plan, accordingly, tongue flu is extremely. Offensive, to many people, in the Asian American community to, be clear are you saying the White House does not believe it is racist to be clear I think the media is trying to play, games with the terminology, of this virus where the focus should be on the fact that China let this out of their country, the same phrase that the media roundly, now condemns, has been used by the media I can go more examples, Wuhan virus CNN, said On January 22nd. And, we can go on and on and on so while the media wants to focus on nomenclature, the president's going to focus on action yes. The. President of the Attorney General over the weekend offered, different, explanations. Behind, the firing of Jeffrey Berman the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York can. You clarify now, why, Berman, was dismissed and if it was at the President's request well. I think that they were very much in sync this weekend on the Attorney General and the president and, here's, what happened, the president, held mr., Clayton in very high regard wanted. To nominate him to. This position and sdn why to keep him in the government, as he returns to New York. Barr was working, on a smooth transition, and when Berman chose to respond in the way that he did that. He came to the president, and the president agreed, and, fired, this individual, mr. Berman as mr., Clayton, now. Will in time get to that position mr.. Furman being dismissed in the first place because mr.. Clayton, wanted, to go, back to New York City we wanted to keep him in government, and therefore, he was given the position at st NY but. Why did the president I have two questions but why did the president say he wasn't, involved in the firing of Jeff Berman when the Attorney General said he, the, president, was the one who fired them because the Attorney General was taking the lead on this matter he did come to the president and report to him when, mr. Berman decided not to leave and at that point is when the president agreed with the decision of the Attorney General and that to fire mr.. Berman and to promote mr. Clayton he was involved in that he. Was involved in the assign off capacity, he was not a AG, bar was leading the way but in a sign-off capacity, yes the president was so my second question testing, is you, said the president made that comment and just about, having people slow down the testing, the. Vice president, just said that it was made in passing, with pierre de barra said it was tongue-in-cheek but. When the President himself was just asked by a reporter like, an hour ago he, did not say that he was just joking when he said that, he told officials to slow down the testing the president, instead used that opportunity to.
Extol The fact that we've done more than 25, million tests that, we're finding more people because we're doing more testing and I would note that what the vice president said, in Peter Navarro whether it's ingest and passing, or. Tongue and cheek those are all synonymous. And. I'll. Meet you you don't even have to answer this the media has never called it they come flu calling. Up Chinese cars, and calling it a come flu are very different media the media and your networks specifically, called it the media. And your networks specifically, have, repeatedly. Use, the term China, virus, and, Wuhan, virus and then gone on to derive the President, as somehow. Using. A term that they that had themselves have never used so we can go through CNS, mr., Haly, I'd be more than happy to go through CNN's, history on February, 9th you guys talked about the Luhan corona virus on January, 23rd you guys talked about the Luhan corona virus on January 22nd, the Luhan virus I can write it all out for you calling it a detail or you know hey let's just admit, that it is not the same thing as calling it the yes Justin. Um. Our. First one is following what. You're just talking about, with. Berman so. Obviously. The president made the decision to, equate. Into the job and that was particular bottle that we sought over the weekend but. There's this decision, to get to remove Berman puntos before, Clayton was nominated, or before, Clayton was either nominated, or more. Importantly confirmed, and so I think the question is why. Did you take the. Acting. US. Attorney out of his job before there was a Senate confirmable, replacement, because there's an intent to put Clayton there and so there will be an interim, individual. And acting, attorney, as. We work to get mr. Clayton in that position I guess the question, is why didn't, he continue, in this position until a constant, because we are hopeful, that Clayton will be confirmed we're not leaving him there we're putting an interim person in place no, investigation. Will. Be affected. By this as was made clear by attorney general Barr. The. President. Of the weekends, that the heat didn't impose, sanctions. On China over. The weaker internment, camps because he. Was worried about his ability, to negotiate the trade deal but. Since the trade deal was signed in January China. As, you mentioned, earlier, not. Only has acted in the ways that you frustrated. With on coronavirus. But the. President has announced, our behavior in Hong Kong and. They. Failed to live up to many of the tenants of the trade deal itself. At. The same time the President signed an executive order on a national adjust Liberty so I'm wondering when. If ever is the president actually going to sanction Chinese. Officials under either they the original legislation or. The legislation, he signed last week I'll. Get an update for you on that but what I will say so far is then you noted this and your question that he's signed legislation to, hold China accountable, for the treatment for. Their treatment of the we Gers and, other minorities, in China but he also previously. Has imposed visa, restrictions on, Chinese officials, for roles in China's, treatment of Leaguers and other minorities, he's blacklisted, companies, that were complicit in China's treatment he has taken strong action but. I will get back to you on that. Decided. To be proud and closer the, president, was, very pleased. With the rally I was with him and I just have to say these media reports, on that he was somehow furious, on the plane there there is no grounding, in fact that I was with him on marine one on the way there on, marine, one after, he. Was very. Very. Pleased with how the rally went and the, media reporting, on this prompted, me to go around and ask some of my colleagues if they saw something different and I spoke with dance Covino who was in the Beast with the president right after the rally and. Today was very energized, having, been around the American people so. I he, he's quite pleased with how the rally went, and. Even, a political. Pundit, wrote to him that it was one of the all-time great speeches they'd ever heard we. Saw him expose his own humanity, when he described the wonderful West Point story the speech made his message so clear and compelling that, no one could possibly have missed it and it was so great to be out of the swamp and in the country and those comments or. How the president feels to do. Any make any changes, to these events like have more outdoor, events where, people like clumped together or. What's. Been accomplished so I mean no to future rallies I'd refer you to the campaign, yes. Thanks. So much guy I wanted to ask the chronovisor who is the most senior, person at, this, time who's focused, full-time.
On. Coronavirus. With, no other duties simply, coronavirus. Who. Would that person be and what type of what, type of authority does, this person have to spend US, resources, so in the Trump administration we're. Quite good at doing two things at once we're, expected. To do many things at one time the vice president, is continuing, to lead the task force they, meet regularly dr. Falchi is there dr. Burks is there dr. Redfield is there there regularly, talking, to governor's they had a governor's call today the president, is regularly briefed. About the state of coronavirus, and is regularly involved in decision-making as we move forward there see if there is there a specific person who has focused on this full-time with, no other duties there a lot of people are focused on this for senior person there, dr., Redfield, dr., Burks dr. Falchi all of our experts are involved the vice president, leads the task force each and every day but we. Do. Many things at once in this administration and, we've done quite a good job with Corona and it's um we're pleased to see that it's, a tragedy. Any time a life has lost a coronavirus, but we are pleased to see that yesterday. For the first time there, were under 300, fatalities, so we are trending in, the right direction we're, aware when there arises here and there and those embers we are equipped, and to go in to handle to put out and to save as many lives as possible and thanks to president Trump could have lost 3 million lives but, we lost far fewer, because, President Trump took action early. To. Venezuela. But first I just wanted to follow up very quickly on a chest, question. Does. The president regret using. The, term calm flu regardless, of the fact that media. Organizations, including my own had, early, on described. The, virus as the woman virus that, is eight different things insane, come flu does the president regret using, that term the president never regrets, putting the onus back on China pointing out that China is responsible, for this and in the process standing up for US troops who, are being blamed by China and a campaign of misinformation and. I'm Venezuela, who does the president consider to be the legitimate leader of Venezuela, and is still, interested. In any form in meeting, with President. Nicolas Maduro, very. Glad you asked this question the president, tweeted, today that, unlike the radical, left I will always stand against socialism, and with the people of Venezuela my, administration has always stood on the side of freedom and liberty and against the oppressive Maduro. Regime. Nothing. Has changed, he, continues, to recognize wan glide o as the, leader of Venezuela, does he reject. The. John. Bolton has completely discredited, him himself. Multiple. Senior, administration officials, are on the record, exposing. His lies and even the media seems to have taken note of john, bolton, I mean how ridiculous. Some of the things he said the reviews, that his book have gotten has gotten I've been rightly. Right. On in the media the media has said that this book is exceedingly. Tedious, and slightly unhinged bloated, with self-importance, that was the New York Times The New Yorker said he, takes an inflated, view of himself in a willingness to blame others for just about everything, the. Federalists, talked about the numerous serious factual. Flaws which have been underlined. As being false by Pompeo, light. Hyzer and others who have all come out and said that this book is full of miss truths about.
Themselves, And about others in this administration and, certainly about the president, does he claim that that was untrue, that yes. Thank. You very much. Just I wanted. To go back to the FDNY and and, Bergman was, Jeffrey. Berman fire because, of investigations. That he had overseen in the president Trump's associates, including Rudy. Giuliani and Michael Cohen was he fired because he had overseen this investigation, no he was not and as I noted earlier an Ag bar noted this will not disrupt the case is being handled by the district, which will proceed as normal it is the president the White House not at least concerned, about the appearance been propriety, in the firing given, that those cases were in handled in his office the administration has very clearly, outlined. The reason that, he is leaving and it is because mr. Clayton, will be moved into that role Morgan. Thanks, Kaylee um it's, the way I was concerned about the fact that for a virus cases are now, I think on, national, basis after having plateaued, and does that require any new federal watches I think, it's a very, important question you're asking and, what I would note is the fatality, numbers and, we're pleased to see that number coming, down I would, also point. Out that dr. Burks said, to me that a higher number of these cases are less severe, cases per positive, then at the beginning of this pandemic because, what's happening is because, of our extraordinary work, with testing, we're able to identify cases. In the community. Before. They develop, symptoms and, are in a hospital, so instead, of identifying cases and hospitals we're identifying them, in the community, which is a really good and positive development. And we are equipped to handle when. We see these embers that have occurred gimmies, I think, we have two quick questions the first is the. President, has attacked the move to remove Confederate. Statues. Across the country he said that there were it was an assault on quote our Erica, what. If the White House and the president say, to Americans, who find it offensive to, glorify people who owned other Americans, including enslaved, African Americans so, I would note on statues, that, what we're seeing across the country, is, is. Really, quite. Confusing, because you're seeing statues. To face like Gandhi's. Statue defaced. And ulysses, s grant statues. Faced, and abolitionist. Mathias, Baldwin statue to face at, the same time we're. Being told that George Washington statute, needs to come down and Thomas Jefferson statue, needs to come down where do you draw the line, you know from Gandhi all, the way to George Washington. And it seems the American people very much agree with, the. President on this I'm not bringing down these statues, less than a third of those polled according. To morning consult, think, these statues should be taken down 61. Percent oppose it according, to Maris 62, percent. According. According to. Marist so, I would point that out and I would say that when, people watch the, statue to face mints and the beheading of some of these statues like Christopher Columbus where, do you draw the line because apparently the line goes all the way to, Gandhi, so, this is just. My second question is going. Back to the issue of kung fu I spoke to Kelly on Conway when in March she said that it was highly offensive and wrong to, use that term does, the president agree with Kelly and how is he now saying that that term is not highly offensive and long if you look at that was Kelly Ann Connolly own words think, kung fu is wrong the President, does not believe it's, offensive to note that this virus, came from China and to stand up for a US military who. China is making an active, effort to, completely, defame, and that, is unacceptable to the bread. That. It was wrong and offensive, are you saying that she was wrong to say that Chanel. And. His book if he goes on prosecuted does the administration feel, that, this would set or does it fear that, this would set precedent. Or embolden. Public, servants to violate. Their oaths to this nation. Purposes. Absolutely. That's a concern, look the information, in John Bolton's book was. Classified, information. As confirmed. By the most senior, national, security and intelligence officials, and look, you have NSA. Director Nakasone, saying that this could cause permanent, loss, of a valuable source, intelligence. Source and damage to the US intelligence system. DNI. Radcliffe, saying virtually, the same you. Have another government, official saying the unauthorized, disclosure of this information could, reasonably, be expected to, enable. Foreign, threat actors, this, is the seriousness, with which we, look at this book and the, NSC looks, at this book as they scan it for classified information there's real damage that can be done and for what for self-promotion and publicity, of a failed NSA, director, on, Venezuela could.
I Ask about Maduro, and bueno White. House President Trump seems to have lost confidence. Right now um he has not lost confidence at all in that sqweep's that, I read, to you very clearly says, that that the president put out this morning we. Stand with the Venezuelan people and their fight for freedom and, I would also note how tough this president, has been on Maduro. By recognizing, wongu I do and when you compare that to the obama-biden. Administration. You. Had the former Vice President Joe Biden who actually met, with, the Venezuelan dictator. Nicolas, Maduro, and complemented. His hair according, to Yahoo News if I had your hair I'd be President of the United States the former vice president, said, and, also the Obama State Department, helped, stabilize the, Maduro regime by blocking, sanctions, according, to a 2017, Miami Herald report, so when you compare the actions of this president we've stood against socialism and on the side of freedom and. Finally, one thing that I just want to point out that was handed to me Wow, a whopping seven, point seven million total viewers, turn, tuned in to Fox News to. Watch the rally on Saturday night's big, numbers thanks, so much guys.
2020-06-28 21:25
