Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2019

March 8, 2019

National Economy

Q. [Inaudible]âFebruary jobs numbers?

The President. Well, the economy is doing very well. We're seeing wages rise more than they have at any time for a long, long time. Wages are going up, first time for many yearsâI talked about it during the campaignâfor over 20 years. So I'm happy about that.

The economy is very, very strong. If you look at the stock market over the last few months, it's been great. And certainly, since my election, it's upâgetting close to 50 percentâthe stock market. So we're obviously very happy with that.

We willâI think as soon as these trade deals are done, if they get doneâand we're working with China; we'll see what happensâbut I think you're going to see a very big spike. A lot of people are waiting to see what happens with the China deal. Mexico, Canada is done. We'll be submitting to Congress very shortly. And that's a great deal for the United States, so we're very happy about that.

And I am now, as you know, going to Alabama. Some of you are joining me. But I look forward to it. I'll be meeting with Governor Ivey. The people of Alabama, they got hit very hard by the tornadoes. We're stopping there; then, we're going to Florida. And we're going to do a lot of work. We'll be working very hard.

Former 2016 Trump Presidential Campaign Chairman Paul J. Manafort, Jr./Investigation Into Russia's Interference in 2016 Presidential Election

Q. Your reaction to Manafort's sentencing?

The President. I feel very badly for Paul Manafort. I think it's been a very, very tough time for him. But if you notice, both his lawyerâa highly respected manâand a very highly respected judge, the judge said there was no collusion with Russia. It's had nothing to do with collusion.

There was no collusion. It's a collusion hoax. It's a collusion witch-hoax. I don't collude with Russia.

So I just want to tell you that his lawyer went out of his way, actually, to make a statement last night. No collusion with Russia. There was absolutely none. The judge, I mean, for whatever reasonâI was very honored by itâalso made the statement that this had nothing do with collusion with Russia.

So you know, keep it going. Let's go. Keep the hoax going. Just a hoax. Senator Burr said there's no collusion. You look at Devin Nunes and the House Intelligence Commissionâ Committeeâthey said there's no collusion. And guess what? There is none.

Job Creation/Unemployment Rate

Q. Is 20,000 new jobs good enough, sir?

The President. What?

Q. Is 20,000 new jobs good enough for you, sir?

The President. Well, it's a step. I think you'll probably find out, it averages out. The unemployment rate just went lower. We're down now to 3.8 percent, so we had very good news on that. I think the big news, really, was that wages went up. And that's great for the American worker. That's something people, I don't know if they ever expected to see it.

Yes.

China-U.S. Trade

Q. Mr. President, we're hearing rumblings from China that they're not really positive about a trade deal and that perhaps the meeting between you and Xi may not happen. Where is that?

The President. Well, I haven't heard that. I think they're doing well. But if it happened that way, we'll do even better. We'll do very well either way, with or without a deal. But you're telling me something that I have not heard.

Q. On Michael Cohen, on Mr. Cohenââ

China-U.S. Trade

Q. Are you still confident that you can get a trade deal with China?

The President. Yes. Sure. I'm confident. But if we don't make a very good deal for our country, I wouldn't make a deal. If this isn't a great deal, I won't make a deal.

Q. On Michael Cohenââ

Former 2016 Trump Presidential Campaign Chairman Paul J. Manafort, Jr./Former Personal Attorney to the President Michael D. Cohen

Q. Are you ruling out a pardon for Manafort?

The President. Say it?

Q. Are you ruling out a pardon for Manafort?

The President. I don't even discuss it. I haveâthe only one discussing it is you. I haven't discussed it.

I know that, in watching and seeing you folks at night, that Michael Cohen lied about the pardon. And it was a stone-cold lie. And he's lied about a lot of things, but when he lied about the pardon, that was really a lie. And he knew all about pardons. His lawyers said that they went to my lawyers and asked for pardons. And I can go a step above that, but I won't go do it now.

Former Personal Attorney to the President Michael D. Cohen

Q. Why do you think Cohen is suing the Trump organization?

The President. Why what?

Q. Why do you think Cohen is suing the Trump organization?

The President. It's the most ridiculous suit I've ever seen. Bad lawyer. I had a bad lawyer. Go ahead. That happens.

Q. Do you have any update on North Korea, sir? An update on North Korea?

Planned Parenthood

Q. Your administration is being sued by Planned Parenthood over title 10 funding. What's your reaction to that?

The President. We'll make a comment on it later.

Q. [Inaudible]âon immigrationââ

The President. Talk. Talk. Up. You're competing with a helicopter, John [John Roberts, Fox News].

Border Security

Q. I'm trying as hard as I can. On immigration and what's going on in Congress now, are you certain that they will not be able to override your veto?

The President. Well, I think that it's going very well. The borderâwe're doing a great job.

We're apprehending record numbers of peopleâ75,000 over the last short period of time. That's a lot of work. And with a wall, we wouldn't have to do it.

No, I think we're doing fine in Congress. They understand it's an emergency.

North Korea

Q. How did Cohen's decision to testify influence your decision to walk from the negotiations in North Koreaâin Hanoi, over North Korea?

The President. Well, time will tell, but I have a feeling that our relationship with North KoreaâKim Jong Un and myselfâChairman KimâI think it's a very good one. I think it remains good. I would be surprised, in a negative way, if he did anything that was not per our understanding. But we'll see what happens.

Look, when I came inâunder the Obama administration, North Korea was a disaster. You were going to war, folks, whether you know it or not. You were going to war. There was no talking. There was testing. We didn't have our people back. We didn't have our great hostages back. Now we're getting the remains. We're doing a lot of things now. This was a disaster. I inherited a mess.

In many ways, I inheritedâthe Middle East, I inherited a mess, and it's straightening out a lot. We're doing very well there. I inherited a mess.

Q. But how did Cohen's decision to testify influence your decision?

The President. I inheritedâwait. Wait. I inherited a mess with North Korea. And right now you have no testing. You have no nothing. Let's see what happens. But I would be very disappointed if I saw testing.

Q. Mr. President, on North Koreaââ

Democratic Party/Anti-Semitism

Q. What do you make of the vote yesterday in the House of Representatives on the anti- Semitism resolution?

The President. I thought yesterday's vote by the House was disgraceful, because it's becomeâthe Democrats have become an anti-Israel party. They've become an anti-Jewish party. And I thought that vote was a disgrace, and so does everybody else, if you get an honest answer. If you get an honest answer from politicians, they thought it was a disgrace. The Democrats have become an anti-Israel party. They've become an anti-Jewish party, and that's too bad.

I'm going to Alabama.

NOTE: The President spoke at 9:37 a.m. on the South Lawn at the White House prior to boarding Marine One. In his remarks, he referred to Kevin M. Downing, attorney to Mr. Manafort; Amy

Berman Jackson, judge, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia; Rep. Devin G. Nunes, in his former capacity as chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence; and Kim Hak-song, Tony Kim, and Kim Dong-chul, U.S. citizens formerly detained by North Korean officials who returned to the U.S. on May 10, 2018. A reporter referred to President Xi Jinping of China.

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

Names: Burr, Richard M.; Cohen, Michael D.; Downing, Kevin M.; Ivey, Kay E.; Jackson, Amy Berman; Kim Dong-chul; Kim Hak-song; Kim Jong Un; Kim, Tony; Manafort, Paul J., Jr.; Nunes, Devin G.; Obama, Barack.

Subjects: Alabama : Governor; Alabama : Tornadoes, damage and recovery efforts; Armed Forces, U.S. : Servicemembers :: POW/MIA remains, recovery efforts; Canada : Free trade agreement with U.S.; China : Trade with U.S.; Civil rights : Minorities :: Anti-Semitism; Communications : News media :: Presidential interviews; Economy, national : Household income and wages; Economy, national : Improvement; Employment and unemployment : Unemployment rate; Immigration and naturalization : Illegal immigration; Mexico : Border with U.S., infrastructure and security; Mexico : Free trade agreement with U.S.; Middle East : Arab-Israeli conflict, peace process; North Korea : Ballistic missiles, testing and development; North Korea : Chairman, State Affairs Commission; North Korea : International diplomatic efforts; Russia : 2016 U.S. elections, interference.

DCPD Number: DCPD201900134.