Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2026
January 13, 2026
The President. So we had great numbers introduced today. We had a wonderful speech in front of great people in Detroit, mostly in the car business. And we're setting records in manufacturing. It's going very well. I think people appreciated what I had to say, in terms of the numbers. So we're very happy about that.
I'm going back to the White House now. We're going to look at the whole situation that's going on in Iran. It's really bad stuff. Minnesota is going to have to take care of itself for a little while. We have tremendous theft and fraud going on in that State because you have an incompetent Governor—grossly incompetent Governor and a corrupt Governor. But we'll straighten that out.
But the—Iran is on my mind. When I see the kind of death that is happening over there, we think—so, we're going to get some accurate numbers. I'll have it in about 20 minutes. We'll get some accurate numbers as to what's happening with regard to the killing. The killing looks like it's significant, but we don't know yet for certain. I'll know within 20 minutes. So—and we will act accordingly.
Q. On sanctuary cities, sir—on sanctuary cities——
Iran/Political Demonstrations
Q. How can you ensure that U.S. airstrikes, if it comes to that, will achieve—will protect—will have the result of protecting the protesters?
The President. Well, you never know, do you? You never know.
Q. Do you think——
The President. So far, my track record has been excellent, but you never know.
Iran/U.S. Response Options
Q. Do you think it's going to be something kinetic like that or more like cyber? Or what do you——
The President. Well, I can't tell you that. I know exactly what it would be. We have to make a decision. But I can't be—obviously, I can't be telling you. [Laughter]
Q. [Inaudible]
Federal Reserve System
Q. Sir, Jamie Dimon said today that it's "not a great idea" to be chipping away at the Fed's independence. Do you think Jamie Dimon is wrong about that?
The President. Yes, I think it's fine what I'm doing. We're having a bad Fed person. He was extended by Biden. And yes, I think he's wrong. I think it's wrong.
Q. Mr. President——
The President. He's done a bad job. We should have lower rates. Jamie Dimon probably wants higher rates. Maybe he makes more money that way.
Credit Card Interest Rates
Q. Mr. President, Jamie Dimon also was talking about the 10 percent credit card. The House speaker said that it could have negative side effects if it was imposed through Congress. Are you concerned about that? Have you talked to the House speaker about——
Credit Card Interest Rates
The President. No, I'm not. I think the people that are paying 28-percent interest should be protected. We're talking about for a one-year period. But when you have a bank—whether it's Jamie Dimon or anybody else—charging people 28, 32 percent, 30 percent, 31 percent—one case, 35 percent—no, I'll help those people. That's all right.
Q. On sanctuary cities, sir, in your speech, you said——The President. It's a 1-year, 10 percent. Let the people have a break.
Federal Funding for "Sanctuary Cities"
Q. In your speech, you said that you're going to be cutting off funding for sanctuary cities on February 1st.
The President. That's right.
Q. What kind of funding?
The President. You'll see. It will be significant.
Q. All Federal funding?
Health Insurance Reforms
Q. On health care. Is there something that you can do with insurance companies to bring down premiums, like you're doing with credit cards?
The President. Yes. I'm going to meet with the insurance companies, but I want the money to go directly to the people—it's very simple—into a health care savings account, but directly to the people, so the people can buy their own health care.
China-U.S. Trade
Q. Mr. President, on Thursday, it will be the 6-year anniversary of you signing the phase one trade deal with China, the signature on it. Would—that deal opened Chinese markets to U.S. goods. It protected intellectual property. Can we get back to that?
The President. Yes, we can.
Q. But how?
The President. We're doing very well with China. I have a great relationship with President Xi, as you obviously know. We're doing really well. We're making a lot of money with China.
Q. But can you open their markets to U.S. goods? Can you get there?
The President. Yes. I think so, yes. I think it's going to happen.
Iran
Q. Mr. President, Iran says that it will retaliate, in the instance of U.S. strikes, against U.S.
assets in the Middle East. What do you say to U.S. servicemembers about why it is worth the risk——
The President. Yes.
Q. ——to intervene in Iran?
The President. Yes. Iran said that the last time I blew them up with the nuclear capability, which they don't have any longer. So Iran said that the last time. They'd better behave.
Intel Corporation/Federal Government Ownership Stake
Q. Intel stock is really high after you invested. Are you going to invest more in Intel?
The President. Yes. I like Intel. Well, I don't know about Intel. But I'll invest more in other things.
Q. What other companies?
The President. As you know, Intel came to see me. They needed help. And I said, "I'll help you, but I want 10 percent of your company to go to the United States of America." And we made, because of that deal, tens of billions of dollars. The stock went very up and very high, and we made tens of billions of dollars.
We got—they walked away, and they gave us a lot of money. But they did a great deal for themselves because their stock has gone up. As soon as we went in, Apple went in, Nvidia went in. A lot of smart people went in. They followed us.
So, yes, we're doing that. We've done other of those deals. In Alaska, we did a deal where we got a big piece of a company, where we were helping them to get a road. We're the only ones that could have done it. And we said we want something out of the company for the United States of America. Okay? So I believe in that. We have some other ones that we're looking at. I believe in that.
If it's up to us—if they can't do it without us—and then I say, "Well, we'll do it." If you were a private guy, you'd say, "What do we get for doing it?" Now, I don't want anything for myself. I want it to—I want our country to be rich as hell. But with Intel, we made billions and billions of dollars, right?
Iran/Political Demonstrations
Q. Mr. President on Iran, do you have a message for the leaders currently of Iran?
The President. Yes, the message is, they've got to show humanity. They've got a big problem, and I hope they're not going to be killing people. And I'm going to have a report very soon. It would seem to me that they have been badly misbehaving, but that is not confirmed.
[At this point, several reporters began asking questions at once.]
Q. Secretary Bessent——
1980 U.S. Hostage Rescue Mission in Iran/Venezuela
Q. You mentioned the 1980 hostage rescue effort that ended in disaster. Are you saying——
The President. Well, it was a disaster for Jimmy Carter. They had all sorts of problems. And the helicopters were crashing and everything. You know what it was? The exact opposite of Venezuela. Do you agree with that? Do you agree——
Q. You lost—you didn't lose anyone in Venezuela?
The President. ——as a reporter? Who are you with?
Q. I'm with the Financial Times, sir.
The President. Oh, good. Well, that's a nice paper.
Iran/Potential U.S. Military Involvement
Q. Sir, are you committing not to sending U.S. troops into Iran——
The President. Why would I tell you that?
Q. ——the way Jimmy Carty [Carter; White House correction] did? [Laughter]
The President. Why would I?
Q. Jimmy Carter.
Q. Secretary—sir, Secretary Bessent——
The President. I don't talk about military strategy with a reporter, you know? Even though I do like the Financial Times.
Q. Sir, Secretary Bessent——
Iran/U.S. Diplomatic Efforts/Political Demonstrations
Q. Mr. President, are you consulting with our allies——
The President. Yes.
Q. ——regarding Iran? What are they telling you? And why do you think the Iranian——
The President. Well, I'm not going to tell you what they're telling me.
Q. Why do you think the Iranian leadership——
The President. I don't tell you what they——
Q. Why do you think the Iranian leadership continues to defy you, Mr. President?
The President. You think they are? It's only been a couple of days.
Q. Well, they don't seem to be—[inaudible]. They continue to kill protesters.
The President. Well, they said that about Venezuela too, you know. It's only been a couple of days. They haven't defied me. They haven't done anything, as far as we're concerned. But it looks like they're killing a lot of people. But it has not been confirmed. I'll know very soon.
Greenland
Q. On Greenland, sir, the Premier of Greenland said today, "We prefer to stay with Denmark." Do you see that as the final word?
The President. Who said that?
Q. The Premier of Greenland.
The President. Well, that's their problem. That's their problem. I disagree with him. I don't know who he is. Don't know anything about him. But that's going to be a big problem for him.
Iran/Political Demonstrations
Q. Do you want to see democracy in Iran?
The President. Ideally, I'd like to see it. But what we want to see is, we don't want to see people killed. And we want to see a little bit of freedom for these people. These people have been living in hell for a long time. You know, that used to be a hell of a country. I have friends that used to invest in Iran, and they did well with their investments. It was a great place. The people were great. Even the leadership was good. And now it's living in hell.
Thank you very much, everybody.
NOTE: The President spoke at 4:49 p.m. on the tarmac prior to boarding Marine One. In his remarks, he referred to Gov. Timothy J. Walz of Minnesota; James Dimon, chairman and chief executive officer, JPMorgan Chase and Co.; Chairman of the Federal Reserve System Board of Governors Jerome H. Powell; and Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen of Greenland. The transcript was released by the Office of Communications on January 14.
Categories: Interviews With the News Media : Exchanges with reporters, Joint Base Andrews, MD.
Locations: Joint Base Andrews, MD.
Names: Biden, Joseph R., Jr.; Dimon, James; Nielsen, Jens-Frederik; Powell, Jerome H.; Walz, Timothy J.; Xi Jinping.
Subjects: China, President; China, trade with U.S.; Credit card interest rates; Federal Reserve System; Greenland, Prime Minister; Health care costs and affordability; Immigration reform; Intel Corp., Federal Government ownership stake; Interest rates; Iran, human rights issues; Iran, political unrest and violence; Iran, U.S. airstrikes on nuclear facilities; Maryland, Joint Base Andrews; Maryland, President's visit; Minnesota, Governor; News media, Presidential interviews; Semiconductor manufacturing; Venezuela, U.S. military capture and exfiltration of President Maduro.
DCPD Number: DCPD202600021.