Aboard Air Force One
En Route Bismarck, North Dakota
12:47 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: We had a very good conversation with President Xi of China. It lasted for about 45 minutes. He’s very much in favor of the denuke of North Korea, and we’re talking about different things. We have some things — we’re going to be talking again soon, and we’ll see how that works out.
We had a very good meeting with Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer. We agreed to a three-month extension on debt ceiling, which they consider to be sacred — very important — always we’ll agree on debt ceiling automatically because of the importance of it.
Also on the CRs and also on Harvey, which now we’re going to be adding something because of what’s going on in Florida — but we had a very good meeting. We essentially came to a deal, and I think the deal will be very good. We had a very, very cordial and professional meeting.
So we have an extension, which will go out to December 15th. That will include the debt ceiling, that will include the CRs, and it will include Harvey — the amount of money to be determined, but it will include — because everyone is in favor obviously of taking care of that situation. So we all very much agree.
Q Mr. President, what do you say to those who say there are mixed signals coming from the White House over DACA?
THE PRESIDENT: No mixed signal at all. Congress, I really believe, wants to take care of this situation. I really believe it — even very conservative members of Congress. I’ve seen it firsthand. If they don’t, we’re going to see what we’re going to do.
But I will tell you, I really believe Congress wants to take care of it. We discussed that also today, and Chuck and Nancy would like to see something happen, and so do I. And I said if we can get something to happen, we’re going to sign it and we’re going to make a lot of happy people.
Q Do you want a pathway to citizenship for those DACA recipients?
THE PRESIDENT: That’s going to be discussed later, but we want to talk about legal right now. We haven’t discussed that.
Q What did you mean when you said you wanted to revisit the issue in six months?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, we’re going to see what happens. I want to see what happens in Congress. I have a feeling that’s not going to be necessary. I think they’re going to make a deal. I think Congress really wants to do this.
Q And what would you like to see, Mr. President, in legislation?
THE PRESIDENT: I’d like to see something where we have good border security, and we have a great DACA transaction where everybody is happy and now they don’t have to worry about it anymore because, obviously, as you know, before, it was not a legal deal. It was a deal that wouldn’t have held up and didn’t hold up. And even President Obama when he did it, when he signed it, he said this is obviously not something that’s — he called it short-term.
I’d like to see a permanent deal, and I think it’s going to happen. I think we’re going to have great support from both sides of Congress, and I really believe that Congress is going to work very hard on the DACA agreement and come up with something.
MS. WALTERS: I think we’re about to takeoff, if you want to head back.
THE PRESIDENT: Okay. Sit down, don’t get hurt anybody. Okay? Thank you everybody.
END
12:50 P.M. EDT
