*Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2018 *

**Remarks in an Exchange With Reporters Prior to Departure for Orlando, Florida **

*October 8, 2018 *

*Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein *

*Q. *Mr. President, why is Rod Rosenstein flying with you today?

*The President.* Well, we're going to a law enforcement speech and meeting, and he'll be flying. I look forward to being with him. That will be very nice.

*Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein/Investigation Into Russia's Interference in 2016 Presidential Election *

*Q. *Mr. President, have you talked to about—[*inaudible*]?

*The President.* Well, we're going to be talking. We'll be talking on the plane. I actually have a good relationship other than—there's been no collusion, folks. No collusion. And—but I have a very good relationship. We'll see.

*Q. *[*Inaudible*]

*The President.* I don't hear you.

*Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein *

*Q. *Do you have any plans to fire Rod Rosenstein?

*The President.* No, I don't. No.

*Q. *Mr. President, are you worried——

*Senate Confirmation Hearings for Supreme Court Associate Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh *

*Q. *Why are you calling the Democrats—[*inaudible*]?

*The President.* Say it?

*Q. *Why are you calling——

*The President.* I thought the way they behaved was absolutely atrocious. I've never seen anything like it. From the leaks of important documents, to the statements they made, to watching Blumenthal who is a fraudster when it came to Vietnam, and what he did was horrible. I thought that the way they conducted themselves, the way they dealt with a high-level, brilliant, going to be a great Justice of the Supreme Court—the way they really tortured him and his family—I thought it was a disgrace.

I thought—I thought it was one of the most disgraceful performances I've ever seen.

*Q*. Mr. President——

*Senate Confirmation Hearings for Supreme Court Associate Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh/2018 Congressional Elections*

*Q. *Some Democrats are talking about initiating an investigation to—[*inaudible*]—potential impeachment proceedings against Justice Kavanaugh—[*inaudible*]. What do you say? *The President.* So I've been hearing that: that now they're thinking about impeaching a brilliant jurist, a man that did nothing wrong, a man that was caught up in a hoax that was set up by the Democrats, using the Democrats' lawyers, and now they want to impeach him.

I've heard this from many people. I think it's an insult to the American public. And I think you're going to see a lot of things happen on November 6 that would not have happened before.

*Q.* Mr. President——

*The President.* The American public has seen this charade, has seen this dishonesty by the Democrats. And when you mention, impeach a Justice of the United States Supreme Court, who was a top scholar, top student, top intellect, and who did nothing wrong, and there was no corroboration of any kind, and went through seven FBI investigations, had nothing to do with any of this stuff.

I mean, you had—the last one. Take a look at the last one. The things they said about him—I don't even think he ever heard of the words. It was all made up, it was fabricated, and it's a disgrace. And I think it's going to really show you something come November 6.

*Q*. Mr. President——

*Q. *Are you concerned that Democrats are going more*—*[*inaudible*]?

*The President.* I don't hear you. What?

*2018 Congressional Elections/Democratic Party *

*Q. *Are you concerned that Democrats are going to be more energized coming into the midterms now that Kavanaugh——

*The President.* I think a lot of Democrats are going to vote Republican. Because I have many friends that are Democrats. The main base of the Democrats have shifted so far left that we'll end up being Venezuela. This country would end up being Venezuela. I think a lot of Democrats are going to be voting Republican on November 6.

*Q*. Mr. President——

*Q. *[*Inaudible*]

*The President.* Very well documented. Very well documented. Yes, it's been documented for many years very well, all public documents.

*Q. *Are you following the Brazilian election?

*The President.* Say it?

*Q. *Are you following the Brazilian election?* *

*The President.* I don't know what she's——

*Q. *She asked if you're following the Brazilian election.

*The President.* I don't understand a word she's——

*The President's Tax Returns *

*Q. *Are you worried that Democrats will look into your taxes?

*The President.* Not at all. Not at all.

*Q*. Mr. President, are you worried——

*Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein **Q. *[*Inaudible*]—his loyalty?

*The President.* Look, I'm traveling with Rod. I didn't know Rod before, but I've gotten to know him, and I get along very well with him.

*Q*. Mr. President——

NOTE: The President spoke at 10:37 a.m. on the South Lawn at the White House prior to boarding Marine One. In his remarks, he referred to Sen. Richard Blumenthal.

*Categories:* Interviews With the News Media : Exchanges with reporters :: White House*.*

*Locations: *Washington, DC.

*Names:* Blumenthal, Richard; Kavanaugh, Brett M.; Rosenstein, Rod J.

*Subjects:* Communications : News media :: Presidential interviews; Congress : Senate :: Presidential nominations, confirmation process; Elections : 2018 congressional elections; Judiciary : Supreme Court :: Associate Justice; Justice, Department of : Bureau of Investigation, Federal; Justice, Department of : Deputy Attorney General; Russia : 2016 U.S. elections, interference; Venezuela : Human rights issues.

*DCPD Number:* DCPD201800677.