Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2017

October 3, 2017

Shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada/Gun Control

Q. [Inaudible]

The President. Look, we have a tragedy. We're going to doâand what happened in Las Vegas is in many ways a miracle. The police department has done such an incredible job, and we'll be talking about gun laws as time goes by.

[*At this point, many reporters began asking questions at once*.]

But I do have to say how quickly the police department was able to get in was, really, very much of a miracle. They've done an amazing job.

Go ahead, John [John Roberts, Fox News].

Mayor Carmen YulÃn Cruz Soto of San Juan, Puerto Rico/Hurricane Maria Recovery Efforts

Q. What will you say to the mayor of San Juan when you meet her today?

The President. Well, I think she's come back a long way, and I think it's now acknowledged what a great job we've done. And people are looking at that. And in Texas and in Florida, we got an A-plus. And I'll tell you what, I think we've done just as good in Puerto Rico, and it's actually a much tougher situation. But now the roads are cleared. Communication is starting to come back. We need their truck drivers. Their drivers have to start driving trucks. We have to do that. So, on a local level, they have to give us more help.

But I will tell you, the first responders, the military, FEMA, they have done an incredible job in Puerto Rico. And whether it's her or anybody else, they're all starting to say it. I appreciate very much the Governor and his comments. He has said we have done an incredible job, and that's the truth.

Q. [Inaudible]

The President. We'll talk about that later.

Shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada

Q. [Inaudible]âwas the shooter a domestic terroristâ[inaudible]? Was he a domestic terrorist? Could this have been prevented, Mr. President?

The President. He was a sick man, a demented man, a lot of problems, I guess. And we're looking into him very, very seriously. But we're dealing with a very, very sick individual.

Q. Is this not domestic terrorism, Mr. President?

The President. Thank you. Thank you.

NOTE: The President spoke at 8:12 a.m. on the South Lawn at the White House prior to boarding Marine One. In his remarks, he referred to Gov. Ricardo A. RossellÃ³ Nevares of Puerto Rico; and Stephen C. Paddock, suspected gunman in the shootings at the Route 91 Harvest Festival adjacent to the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV, on October 1.

Categories: Interviews With the News Media : Exchanges with reporters :: White House. Locations: Washington, DC.

Names: Cruz Soto, Carmen YulÃn; Paddock, Stephen C.; RossellÃ³ Nevares, Ricardo A.

Subjects: Florida : Hurricane Irma, damage and recovery efforts; Homeland Security, Department of : Emergency Management Agency, Federal; Law enforcement and crime : Gun control; Law enforcement and crime : Law enforcement officers, service and dedication; Nevada : Las Vegas :: Shootings; Puerto Rico : Governor; Puerto Rico : Hurricane Maria, damage and recovery efforts; Texas : Hurricane Harvey, damage and recovery efforts.

DCPD Number: DCPD201700714.