South Lawn
11:36 A.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: So, thank you very much. We’re going to Austin, Texas. Apple is opening up a fantastic facility. They’re spending a tremendous amount of money. And I’ve been asking Tim Cook from the day I got elected — from the campaign, I’ve been asking Tim Cook to, if they would, we want to see Apple build here; that way, you have no tariffs. There’s no tariffs. When companies come to our country and they build, there’s no tariffs.
The economy is doing unbelievably well. We continue to talk to China. China wants to make a deal. The question is: Do I want to make a deal? Because I like what’s happening right now. We’re taking in billions and billions of dollars.
I’m going to go very quickly — just a quick comment on what’s going on in terms of testimony with Ambassador Sondland. And I just noticed one thing, and I would say that means it’s all over. “What do want from Ukraine?” he asks me, screaming. “What do you want from Ukraine? I keep hearing all these different ideas and theories.” This is Ambassador Sondland speaking to me. Just happened. To which I turned off the television.
“What do you want from Ukraine? I keep hearing all these different ideas and theories…What do you want?” “What do you want?” “It was a very short and abrupt conversation” that he had with me. They said, “He was not in a good mood.” I’m always in a good mood. I don’t know what that is. He just said — now he’s talking about what my response.
So, he’s going: ‘What do you want? What do you want? I hear all these theories. What do you want?’ Right?
And now, here’s my response that he gave — just gave. Ready? You have the cameras rolling? “I want nothing.” “That’s what I want from Ukraine.” That’s what I said. “I want nothing.” I said it twice. So, he goes — he asks me the question: “What do you want? I keep hearing all of these things. What do you want?” He finally gets me — I don’t know him very well. I have not spoken to him much. This is not a man I know well. Seems like a nice guy, though. But I don’t know him well. He was with other candidates. He actually supported other candidates — not me. Came in late.
But here’s my response. Now, if you weren’t fake news, you’d cover it properly. I’d say to the Ambassador in response: “I want nothing. I want nothing. I want no quid pro quo. Tell Zelensky” — President Zelensky — “to do the right thing.” So here’s my answer: “I want nothing. I want nothing. I want no quid pro quo. Tell Zelensky to do the right thing.” Then he says, “This is the final word…from the President of the United States.” “I want nothing.”
Thank you, folks. Have a good time. I’m going to Texas.
END 11:40 A.M. EST