Pratt Industries
Wapakoneta, Ohio
6:14 P.M. EDT
PRESIDENT TRUMP: So that’s 100 percent recycled paper into a really, fine finished product. It’s really amazing, Steve. They start off with all — can I use the word “garbage”?
MR. PRATT: Yes. Yes.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: They start off with waste, garbage, and they end up building it into a — making it into really great cardboard and paper.
Q How many are —
PRESIDENT TRUMP: A hundred percent of the plant.
Q How many people are going to work here?
MR. PRATT: Fifteen hundred in construction. Five hundred full-time. Nine thousand over the company.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: That’s the real deal, this one.
Q Mr. President, a lot of Australian money being spent here in the good state of Ohio. Is that good news for America?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: That’s great news for America, and we also spend a lot in Australia. I think we’re your largest investor, by far.
MR. PRATT: 1.7 trillion dollars in American investment.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: So it’s been a great partnership. And never better than it is right now with Scott. And he’s done a fantastic job as Prime Minister. But the relationship has been fantastic.
But Anthony said, “If you win, I’m going to spend $10 billion in the U.S.” I said, “That’s okay with me.” And then, we won.
MR. PRATT: That’s right.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: And here we start.
(Tour of plant continues.)
PRESIDENT TRUMP: That’s really some equipment. The finest equipment in the world. And more and more people are going this way. Normally, you take down trees and you make the paper. In this case, Anthony does 90, 95 percent out of waste, out of garbage, and they make incredible final product through a very — through really a very — a really costly but efficient process.
Q (Inaudible.)
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, Australia has been great, but we’ve been great to Australia. You know, we just have a very good relationship. A really great relationship. Your Prime Minister has done a fantastic job.
Thank you.
Q (Inaudible) to be generous, like Mr. Pratt, Mr. President?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Say it?
Q Do you think want more businessmen like Mr. Pratt invest in America like he has?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Yeah, well, we have some good ones. But this man is number one in Australia, they say.
PRIME MINISTER MORRISON: And we’re going to keep him. We’re going to keep him.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Everybody is fighting for him.
END
6:26 P.M. EDT
