*Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2017 *

**Remarks During a Meeting With Former Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger and an Exchange With Reporters **

*May 10, 2017 *

*The President.* Everybody knows Dr. Kissinger, and we're right now talking about Russia and various other matters. We're talking about Syria, and I think that we're going to do very well with respect to Syria. I think things are happening that are really, really, really positive.

We're going to stop the killing and the death. We had a very, very good meeting with Mr. Lavrov, and it was—I thought it was very, very good. Well, what we want to do is, we want to see the killing—the horrible killing—in Syria stop as soon as possible. And everybody is working toward that end. But it's an honor to have Henry Kissinger with us. He's been a friend of mine for a long time.

And thank you very much for being here. I appreciate it.

*Former Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James B. Comey, Jr./The President's Meeting With Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov and Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Ivanovich Kislyak of Russia *

*Q. *Mr. President, why did you fire Director Comey? Why did you fire Director Comey?

*The President.* Because he wasn't doing a good job. Very simply: He was not doing a good job.

*Q. *Did it arise in* *your meeting with the Russians today?

*The President.* Excuse me?

*Q. *Did it* *affect your meeting with the Russians today?

*The President.* Not at all.

NOTE: The President spoke at 11:25 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White House. In his remarks, he referred to Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov of Russia. The transcript, prepared for immediate release by the Office of the Press Secretary, was received by the Office of the Federal Register on July 27.

*Categories:* Addresses and Remarks : Former Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger, meeting with President; Interviews With the News Media : Exchanges with reporters :: White House*.*

*Locations: *Washington, DC.

*Names:* Comey, James B., Jr.; Kissinger, Henry A.; Lavrov, Sergey Viktorovich*.*

*Subjects:* Justice, Department of : Bureau of Investigation, Federal; Russia : Minister of Foreign Affairs; Russia : Relations with U.S.; Russia : Syria, role; Syria : Civil war and sectarian conflict.

*DCPD Number:* DCPD201700524.