*Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2017 *

**Remarks Prior to a Meeting on Workforce Development and Apprenticeship Programs and an Exchange With Reporters in Bedminster, New Jersey **

*August 11, 2017 *

*The President.* Thank you Secretary Acosta and Secretary DeVos for joining us today. And thank you all, because we are—we have been working very hard on being sure that Americans have the training they need for the jobs in the future. I also want to thank Ivanka, my daughter, for her leadership on workforce training and her efforts. She's been working very, very hard to create new economic opportunities for women across America and, actually, for women across the world. She's been working with the Chancellor of Germany on helping women all over the world.

In the past 7 months, we've made enormous gains in getting Americans back to work. The stock market is at record highs. Unemployment is at a 16-year low. And manufacturers have never expressed more optimism about the future. The optimism has been truly incredible.

Recently, Foxconn announced that it's going to invest $10 billion to build a new factory in Wisconsin. We want to make sure that every job that comes back to our shores is filled with American workers. We have a lot of companies moving back to our country. You're probably seeing that. Two major automobile companies just announced they're moving back to the United States, and they're going to build major plants. They're looking for the site. They're putting it out to 7 or 8 different States, and they're going to be very happy building in the United States. It's going to work out very well for them.

That's why, in June, we began a historic initiative to expand apprenticeship and workforce training programs in all industries. We're expanding pathways to success. So important. And apprenticeships are one of the many avenues that lead to the great jobs, completely debt free. And who knows more about the word "apprentice" than Donald Trump? [*Laughter*]

In fact, under the apprenticeship, you earn while you learn. So important and so great. And you love getting up in the morning and going to work, and a lot of great things involved here.

We're also here today to discuss additional steps we will be taking to expand apprenticeship programs, especially for women and minorities in STEM fields where women have been truly underrepresentative—really, I guess you could say, underrepresented for many, many decades.

Technology has become a part of nearly every industry, from manufacturing to retail. And we want all of our citizens, every single citizen—including women and minorities—to have access to high-paying tech jobs and other STEM-related jobs. American workers are the best there is anywhere in the world, and we're finding work for them. They built the skyscrapers of our cities, the roads and bridges across our land—and we'll be building plenty of new roads and bridges, by the way—the technology that has revolutionized the globe, and so much more, as you're well aware.

Their skills, talent, and grit have always put America on top. And we're going to remain on top, but at a much higher level than we are right now. And speaking of now, it is our job to make sure that they have the training, immediately, to lead us into the future. We have great, great hope. We have a great, great future in this country. There's never been more optimism. And again, unemployment at a 16-year low.

So we're honored to have all of you. Mr. Secretary, thank you very much. Betsy, thank you very much. We appreciate it. And, Ivanka, congratulations on working so hard.

*Assistant to the President Ivanka M. Trump*. Thank you.

*The President*. We really do appreciate it. Thank you.

Any questions?

*North Korea *

*Q. *Mr. President, what did you mean by "military solutions" are "locked and loaded" as it relates to North Korea?

*The President.* Well, I think it's pretty obvious. We are looking at that very carefully, and I hope that they are going to fully understand the gravity of what I said. And what I said is what I mean. So, hopefully, they'll understand, Peter [Peter Alexander, NBC News], exactly what I said and the meaning of those words. Those words are very, very easy to understand.

*Q. *Any progress on the diplomatic backchannel?

*The President.* Well, we don't want to talk about progress; we don't want to talk about backchannels. We want to talk about a country that has misbehaved for many, many years—decades, actually—through numerous administrations. And they didn't want to take on the issue, and I have no choice but to take it on, and I'm taking it on. And we'll either be very, very successful quickly, or we're going to be very, very successful in a different way, quickly.

*Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany *

*Q. *Angela Merkel says she sees no military solution to a fight with North Korea. Why is she wrong?

*The President.* Well, I think maybe she's speaking for Germany. Let her speak for Germany. She's a friend of mine; she's a very good person, a very good woman. She's a friend of Ivanka. Perhaps she's referring to Germany. She's certainly not referring to the United States, that I can tell you.

*North Korea *

*Q. *Mr. President, you've said you want to send a strong message to North Korea. What do you say to your critics who say that your rhetoric is actually raising the tension?

*The President.* Well, you know, my critics are only saying that because it's me. If somebody else uttered the exact same words that I uttered, they'd say, "What a great statement, what a wonderful statement." They're only doing it—but I will tell you, we have tens of millions of people in this country that are so happy with what I'm saying, because they're saying, finally we have a President that's sticking up for our Nation and, frankly, sticking up for our friends and our allies.

And this man will not get away with what he's doing, believe me. And if he utters one threat, in the form of an overt threat—which, by the way, he has been uttering for years, and his family has been uttering for years—or if he does anything with respect to Guam or anyplace else that's an American Territory or an American ally, he will truly regret it, and he will regret it fast. Okay? Thank you all very much. Thank you. Thank you very much.

NOTE: The President spoke at 3:32 p.m. at the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster. In his remarks, he referred to Secretary of Labor R. Alexander Acosta; Secretary of Education Elisabeth P. DeVos; and Chairman of the Korean Worker's Party Kim Jong Un of North Korea.

*Categories:* Addresses and Remarks : Workforce development and apprenticeship programs, meeting; Interviews With the News Media : Exchanges with reporters :: Bedminster, NJ*.*

*Locations: *Bedminster, NJ*. *

*Names:* Acosta, R. Alexander; DeVos, Elisabeth P.; Kim Jong Un; Merkel, Angela; Trump, Ivanka M.

*Subjects:* Business and industry : Automobile industry :: Improvement; Business and industry : Domestic investment, promotion efforts; Business and industry : Global competitiveness; Business and industry : Manufacturing industry :: Strengthening efforts; Business and industry : Women business leaders, promotion efforts; Economy, national : Improvement; Education : Science and math programs; Education : Technology and innovation, expansion efforts; Education : Vocational and technical education programs; Education, Department of : Secretary; Employment and unemployment : Job creation and growth; Employment and unemployment : Job training and assistance programs; Germany : Chancellor; Labor, Department of : Secretary; New Jersey : President's visits; North Korea : Korean Worker's Party Chairman; North Korea : Nuclear weapons development; White House Office : Assistants to the President :: Assistant to the President.

*DCPD Number:* DCPD201700567.