*Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2018 *

**Remarks in an Expanded Bilateral Meeting With Amir Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah of Kuwait and an Exchange With Reporters **

*September 5, 2018 *

*President Trump.* Well, thank you very much. This is a working group with representatives of the Amir and Kuwait, and we're working on some very large transactions for the United States. And we've had that relationship in trade, but we're also talking about other things such as Qatar and coming back into the fold with U.A.E. and, as you know, Saudi Arabia. That's been going on for a long time.

And we're discussing that, along with many other situations. We are talking very much about Syria, Yemen. We are talking about Iran and the fact that they have not behaved well over the last number of years. No matter where I go in the Middle East, I see Iran is behind it. So we just can't let that happen. But we've had some very good discussions.

Right now we're going to be talking about terrorism; we're going to be talking about trade. And please be very, very careful. We have the Amir sitting here. And you have a lot of media right behind you, so you don't have to look at them, but I do. [*Laughter*] You're very lucky. You're very lucky. I'd rather be in your position. [*Laughter*]. But it's an honor to have you. And thank you very much for being with us. Thank you.

Thank you, everybody. Thank you very much for being here. Thank you. Okay, thank you very much, everybody. Thank you very much.

*Canada-U.S. Trade *

*Q. *Mr. President, sir, will you speak with the Special Counsel, sir?* *Mr. President, any comment on the trade deals that you're trying to work out here?

*President Trump.* I think we're going to have a very big trade deal. We have many, many trade deals. Are you talking about with Canada or with—which trade deal are you talking about?

*Q. *Any one you want to talk about.

*President Trump.* We're dealing on many, many trade deals.

*Middle East-U.S. Trade/Canada-U.S. Trade/Mexico-U.S. Trade *

*Q. *How about the one with South Korea, sir?

*President Trump.* One of the trade deals we talk about always and constantly is with Kuwait and, generally, the Middle East.

But we're really, right now, in very intense negotiations, I would say would be the word—"intense"—with Canada. We'll see how it works out. And if it doesn't work out, that's going to be fine for the country, for our country. It won't be fine for Canada.

But we love Canada. They're our next-door neighbor. We've had a great relationship with them for many, many years. But look, Canada has done very well with this relationship. And the United States, from an economic standpoint, you look at the tariffs that were put on our dairy products, and you look at the walls that were built up, in terms of barriers; we have tremendous trade barriers, and we have not been treated fairly. So I think they will treat us fairly. I think we've come a long way toward them treating us fairly. But we're meeting right now with Canada. And over the next day or two, we'll see what happens.

We've already made a deal with Mexico, as you know. We're doing some other things with Mexico. I think that'll be very interesting. But the relationship is very good. I spoke with the new President, and I think that relationship is going to be really, really, very good.

So thank you all very much. Appreciate it. Thank you.

*South Korea-U.S. Trade/Washington Post Associate Editor Bob Woodward's Forthcoming Book *

*Q. *On trade, sir—on trade, sir—Mr. President, on trade with South Korea, did you want to pull out of that? On trade with South Korea.

*President Trump.* We have a deal with South Korea.

*Q. *Of course, right.

*President Trump.* I read another phony thing in the book about a trade deal that certain people didn't want me to look at. We've made a deal with South Korea. It may be signed during the United Nations conference in a couple of weeks.

The deal is done. It's been done with South Korea for a long time. It's been done for about 2 months. And we'll do a ceremonial signing over the next very short period of time.

But that was another thing in the book that was just totally false. I mean, there was no—it was actually a very reasonable deal and a fairly easy deal to make. It was a horrible deal to start off with for the United States. It was made by somebody that I happened to be running against at the time. And she made a deal that took a lot of jobs out of the United States, and we're making a deal that's going to bring a lot of jobs to the United States.

But I've concluded the deal in South Korea, which is the deal that was referred to. And I think it's going to be a great deal. Hopefully, it's a great deal for them, but it's going to be a fair deal for us. Very, very big improvement over what we had, because what we had was unacceptable.

Thank you very much, everybody.

*Supreme Court Nominee Brett M. Kavanaugh's Senate Confirmation Hearings *

*Q. *Mr. President, have you kept your promise to appoint judges who will overturn *Roe* v. *Wade? *Have you kept your promise to overturn judges—to appoint judges who will overturn *Roe* v. *Wade?*

*President Trump.* I think what's happening is, on that subject and on other subjects, it's very interesting to watch. And I look forward to listening to Judge Kavanaugh discuss it. And I really think that—I have to say, and as I've just said a little while ago, I think Brett Kavanaugh has really conducted himself in an incredibly positive manner. Great intellect. Great talent. A great judge. And I would suspect he will be approved very quickly after we're finished with the hearing.

*Q*. Will he overturn *Roe* v. *Wade?*

*President Trump.* Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you. NOTE: The President spoke at 2:23 p.m. in the Cabinet Room at the White House. In his remarks, he referred to President-elect Andres Manuel López Obrador of Mexico; and 2016 Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Rodham Clinton, in her capacity as former Secretary of State. A reporter referred to Department of Justice Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III.

*Categories:* Interviews With the News Media : Exchanges with reporters :: White House; Meetings With Foreign Leaders and International Officials : Kuwait, Amir Sabah*.*

*Locations: *Washington, DC.

*Names:* Clinton, Hillary Rodham; Kavanaugh, Brett M.; López Obrador, Andres Manuel; Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah, Amir*.*

*Subjects:* Canada : Relations with U.S.; Canada : Trade with U.S.; Communications : News media : Accuracy and fairness; Employment and unemployment : Job creation and growth; Iran : Regional involvement; Judiciary : Supreme Court :: Associate Justice–designate; Kuwait : Amir; Kuwait : Trade with U.S.; Mexico : President-elect; Mexico : Trade with U.S.; Qatar : Diplomatic conflict with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, and Egypt; South Korea : Trade with U.S.; Syria : Civil war and sectarian conflict; Terrorism : Counterterrorism efforts; Yemen : Civil war and sectarian conflict.

*DCPD Number:* DCPD201800575.