*Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2018 *

**Remarks Following a Briefing With the United States Military's Joint Interagency Task Force South, Southern Command, and Northern Command Leadership at Naval Air Station Key West, Florida **

*April 19, 2018 *

*The President.* Well, I want to thank our great military leaders. This was an education. We're talking about drugs and stopping these drugs and other things: human trafficking and so many other forms of trafficking.

I want to thank Secretary Nielsen. You're doing a fantastic job.

*Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen*. Thank you, sir.

*The President*. It is a very tough situation. You look at the thousands and thousands of people that are going in 15 different directions from different countries, using the Pacific, using the Caribbean, using everything they can use to get through. But you have done, really, an incredible job.

And we want to thank you—everybody—the Coast Guard, everybody. You've really worked hard. It's a thankless job in many ways, but in other ways, it's a—really, something that the people of the United States very much appreciate.

Our—drugs are flowing into our country. We need border protection; we need the wall. We have to have the wall. The Democrats don't want to approve a wall because they think it's good politically, but it's not. Looking at what's happening in California with sanctuary cities where the people are really going the opposite way. They don't want sanctuary cities. And there's a little bit of a revolution going on in California.

So it's a—people are really appreciating the work that you're doing on stopping drugs from pouring into this country. And we can't emphasize enough: not only drugs.

*Secretary Nielsen*. That's right.

*The President*.* *The drugs are a big factor, but you look at—human trafficking is worse than it's ever been in the history of this world. And who would think in this modern-day age? And they're using very sophisticated equipment, and they use the internet better than practically anybody uses the internet. So it really is a big problem.

But I just want to thank everybody. That was an incredible education, and we are behind you all the way. Thank you very much.

NOTE: The President spoke at 1:13 p.m. in the Truman Annex facility at the Joint Interagency Task Force South headquarters.

*Categories:* Addresses and Remarks : Joint Interagency Task Force South at Naval Air Station Key West, FL, briefing*.*

*Locations: *Key West, FL.

*Names:* Nielsen, Kirstjen M. *Subjects:* Defense, Department of : Joint Interagency Task Force South ; Drug abuse and trafficking : Illegal drugs, interdiction efforts; Florida : Naval Air Station Key West; Florida : President's visits; Homeland Security, Department of : Secretary; Law enforcement and crime : Trafficking in persons, efforts to combat; Mexico : Border with U.S., infrastructure and security; Navy, Department of the : Naval Air Station Key West, FL.

*DCPD Number:* DCPD201800253.