Karoline Leavitt (00:02):
Good afternoon, everyone.
Press Pool (00:03):
Good afternoon.
Karoline Leavitt (00:05):
Packed house here today, and I have a very special guest with us, the vice president of the United States. He'll deliver some remarks and take some questions.
(00:13):
First, I just want to share remarks of my own. Democrats in Congress have officially shut down the United States government. House Republicans passed a nonpartisan clean piece of legislation to extend current government funding until November 21st, but nearly every single Democrat senator voted against this bill. To be clear, this was the exact same bill that Democrats approved six short months ago in March, just adjusted for inflation. This is the same kind of clean funding bill that Democrats passed 13 separate times when they held the majority during Joe Biden's administration.
(00:51):
So the American people woke up this morning and asked the obvious question, why is the government shut down right now? The answer is pure partisan politics being played by the Democrat Party. The Democrats shut down the government because President Trump and the Republicans will not force American taxpayers to pay for free healthcare for illegal aliens. America is $37 trillion in debt. We cannot afford to provide taxpayer-funded free healthcare to illegals who broke the law to enter our country.
(01:23):
To put this all into perspective, the Democrats refuse to keep the government open over healthcare to illegal aliens, and now have jeopardized critical healthcare programs for American citizens instead. The Women, Infants, and Children program, community health center funding, Medicare treatment options, and other health programs are now all at risk because of the Democrats rejecting the clean CR. The most vulnerable in our country are being punished because the Democrats want to prioritize illegals over American citizens, and if Democrats actually cared about healthcare, they would applaud the actions taken by President Trump.
(02:00):
Just yesterday in the Oval Office, he took a bold and massively popular action to improve our healthcare system. He announced the first agreement with a major pharmaceutical company, Pfizer, to lower drug costs for Americans. This is a historical achievement long sought by past Democrat presidents that only President Trump was able to get done. Also yesterday, while the Democrats were whining about healthcare for illegal aliens, President Trump signed a powerful executive order to supercharge American AI innovation and unlock cures for pediatric cancer patients in the United States.
(02:39):
While President Trump took action to lower drug prices and improve the lives and the care of American children with cancer, again, Democrats are fighting to give healthcare benefits to illegal aliens. The Trump administration is fully committed to lowering healthcare costs and advancing policies that will save American lives. But right now, we need to keep the government open and funded, and individuals and organizations across the political spectrum across the country agree with the Trump administration and Republicans.
(03:10):
The labor union leader, the Teamsters, Sean O'Brien, sent a very blunt message to Democrats over their destructive antics. He said, "American workers are not bargaining chips. Senators need to stop screwing around and pass the House-passed, clean, short-term funding bill." The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world's largest business organization, called to immediately pass the Republican clean CR, saying, "Shutdowns are harmful to the economy, the American people, and our national security." And even Democrat Senators Cortez Masto and Fetterman acknowledged that their party is betraying the American people with this costly and chaotic Democrat shutdown.
(03:49):
Enough is enough. Democrats need to stop sabotaging our country and holding the American people hostage in the country. Democrats need to do their jobs. The American people want the government reopened, and this is proven in a New York Times poll showing that two in three Americans say the government should not be shut down by the Democrats, even if their absurd demands are not met. The president and Republicans are working very hard to reopen the federal government. The vice president here has been crucial in this effort.
(04:18):
We encourage all Americans across the country, call your Democrat senators and encourage them to reopen the government. That's what President Trump and the vice president want to do. And with that, I will turn it over to our great Vice President, JD Vance.
Vice President JD Vance (04:30):
Great. Well, thank you, Karoline, and good afternoon to everybody and good afternoon to everybody who's watching at home. It's a tough act to follow, but let me just say a few things, then I'll take a few questions.
(04:40):
Number one, Democrats say that they care a lot about lowering healthcare costs, and yet when the president took historic action to work with the drug companies to lower prescription drug prices, the Democrats did nothing to help us. In fact, we would've loved to have the Democrats helping us, but they didn't. They talk about doing something. They don't actually do the hard work of making it happen. What they have done instead is to shut down the government because we won't give billions of dollars to healthcare funding for illegal aliens. That is what has actually happened. To the American people who are watching, the reason your government is shut down at this very minute is because, despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of congressional Republicans and even a few moderate Democrats supported opening the government, the Chuck Schumer-AOC wing of the Democratic Party shut down the government because they said to us, "We will open the government, but only if you give billions of dollars of funding for healthcare for illegal aliens." That's a ridiculous proposition.
(05:34):
Let me say two other quick things, and then again, I'll take some questions.
(05:37):
Number one, we all understand that Democrats and Republicans have policy disagreements. Democrats want to do things. Look, when Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries were in here a couple of days ago, they made some suggestions that the president was more than happy to say, "Yes, let's sit down and talk about how we can solve the healthcare crisis that we inherited from the Biden administration." But it's one thing to say that we should solve the healthcare crisis for Americans. It's another thing to say that we're going to shut down the government unless we give the Democrats every single thing that they want, which as Karoline says, includes giving billions of dollars of taxpayer funding for healthcare for illegal migrants.
(06:14):
That's ridiculous. You don't have policy disagreements that serve as the basis for a government shutdown. Let's have the conversation about how to fix American healthcare, about how to make healthcare more accessible. As the president showed, he's more than willing to act on behalf of the American people for this very reason.
(06:31):
What you don't do is say, "Unless you do exactly what we want to do as congressional Democrats, we're taking it hostage," and the hostage, it turns out, is critical essential services that the American people need. Karoline talked about some of it. Let me talk about some more.
(06:46):
Our troops are not getting paid starting today because of the Chuck Schumer wing of the Democratic Party. We have people who require food assistance, low-income Americans who require food assistance, who will not get it unless we reopen the government thanks to Chuck Schumer and his wing of the Democratic Party. We have flood insurance as we start hurricane season in the southeastern part of our country. That flood insurance is going to disappear because of Chuck Schumer and the far left of the Democratic Party.
(07:16):
We need to reopen the government. Let's fix America's problems, let's work together to solve them, but let's reopen the government before we have our negotiation about healthcare policy. That's what the American people demand, and that's certainly what the president of the United States wants.
(07:30):
Let me make one final point. I think a lot of Americans are asking themselves, "Why did this happen? Why did the Democrats shut down the government despite," as Karoline said, "voting on the exact same piece of legislation six months ago?" And there are a lot of different spins that we can put on it, a lot of different answers that we could give, all of them true.
(07:46):
One answer I already gave is that they want to give healthcare benefits to illegal aliens. That is true. They gave us legislative text that would've undone us cutting off healthcare benefits for illegal aliens. That's one of the things that they asked for. But the reality here, and let's be honest about the politics, is that Chuck Schumer is terrified she's going to get a primary challenge from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The reason why the American people's government is shut down is because Chuck Schumer is listening to the far-left radicals in his own party because he is terrified of a primary challenge.
(08:19):
So I'd invite Chuck Schumer to join the moderate Democrats and 52 Senate Republicans, do the right thing, open up the people's government, and then let's fix healthcare policy for the American people. Questions?
Matt Boyle (08:31):
Mr. Vice President?
Vice President JD Vance (08:32):
That's a lot. Matt Boyle?
Matt Boyle (08:34):
Okay. Mr. Vice President, there's two key Democrat lies I would like to get your take on and see if you can address. The first is that you're seeing a number of top Democrat leaders from Kamala Harris to Chuck Schumer to Hakeem Jeffries claim that it is a Republican shutdown caused by Trump. The second is that they're out there now claiming that they don't want to give healthcare to illegal aliens. Can you address both of those lies from the Democrat Party?
Vice President JD Vance (08:59):
Yeah, so on the point that it's a Republican shutdown, look, it's obviously a Democratic shutdown. Just look at the vote totals in the House, look at the vote totals in the Senate, and look at the president of the United States's own action and conduct throughout this crisis. Nearly every single House Republican voted to open the government, Matt. Nearly every single Senate Republican voted to open the government last night, and even, to their credit, a few moderate Democrats voted to open the government. That's not a Republican shutdown when nearly every single Senate Democrat votes to shut it down, and every Republican voted to open it up. It's just obviously not true.
(09:32):
Now, you can disagree about a number of things, but you can't disagree about the obvious fact that Republicans voted to open the government. The president stands ready to sign that opening of the government. We just need a few more Democrats to join us in that effort to open the government.
(09:46):
Your final question about illegal alien benefits, look, the text is very clear, and I even saw, I think it was George Stephanopoulos in an interview with Mike Johnson did a fact-check that was totally rooted in baseless claims. It was basically Democrat propaganda. If you look at the legislative texts that they gave us, they tried to turn on two separate provisions that would give healthcare benefits to illegal aliens.
(10:10):
Number one, if you're an American citizen, you've been to a hospital in the last few years, you probably noticed that wait times are especially large, and very often somebody who's there in the emergency room waiting is an illegal alien, very often a person who can't even speak English. Why do those people get healthcare benefits at hospitals paid for by American citizens? The answer is a decision made by the Biden administration that the Trump administration working with congressional Republicans undid. We turned off that money spigot to healthcare funding for illegal aliens. The Democrats, in their legislative texts, want to turn it back on. That's one thing.
(10:44):
The second thing, Matt, is we all know that there are various ways in which the Biden administration waved away illegal immigration status. They gave parolees, they gave asylum claims to people who weren't really claiming asylum, and when they waved the magic wand
Vice President JD Vance (11:00):
Of amnesty giving millions of people legal status even though they were in the country illegally. They also gave those people access to healthcare benefits. So what the Democrats are engaging in is a sleight of hand. They're saying, no, no, no. Those weren't illegal aliens who were getting healthcare benefits, even though everybody, excuse me, knows they were in the country illegally. It's a lie told by the Democrats that they're not trying to give healthcare benefits to illegal aliens. It's a lie that is obviously untrue if you just look at the text that they gave us. And all you have to do is understand that this is about who benefits. We think the American people's government ought to benefit American citizens. The Democrats are willing to shut it down to benefit illegal aliens. The contrast couldn't be more clear. Peter.
Peter (11:44):
Thank you, Vice President Vance. The big hold up is, of course, that you guys say illegal immigrants are getting taxpayer-funded healthcare. Democrats say you're lying. That makes it feel like it could be a really long shutdown. Is this going to be a long shutdown?
Vice President JD Vance (12:02):
I don't know. I can't predict what congressional Democrats are going to do, Peter, but I actually don't think it's going to be that long of a shutdown. This is a pure guess from the Vice President of the United States, because I think you already saw some evidence that moderate Democrats are cracking a little bit. They understand the fundamental illogic of this.
(12:18):
Look, for years, every single one of us, we can remember Barack Obama on the White House lawn. We can remember Chuck Schumer. We can remember Nancy Pelosi for years, in Chuck Schumer's case for literally decades. We've heard them say you don't shut the government down over policy disagreement. Okay? Republicans think this thing about healthcare, that thing about healthcare. Democrats think this thing about immigration. Republicans disagree. Whatever those disagreements are, you don't shut down the government over it.
(12:45):
For the first time since the Democrats have been in politics, they're now saying that unless we get every policy item that we demand, we're going to shut down the people's government. They're trying to take a hostage and we're not going to let them.
Peter (12:58):
And the administration announced today that $18 billion bound for New York transportation projects is going to be frozen so it can't go to DEI programs there. But the timing of this, does announcing that today mean that you guys are going to squeeze Chuck Schumer's home state until he blinks?
Vice President JD Vance (13:15):
Look, I haven't talked to Russ about this morning, but look, I'm sure that Russ is heartbroken about the fact that he's unable to give certain things to certain constituencies. We want to do everything that we can to help the American people. But when the Democrats shut down the government, we have to actually do a little triage to make sure the most critical and most essential services are provided.
(13:37):
The government does a lot of things. Of course, Republicans think that the federal government probably does too much, but there are a lot of critical things the federal government does that absolutely all of us would agree, need to do. Our troops need to get paid. Our air traffic controllers need to make sure that people are flying safely and on time. We need low-income people to be able to access the food services that are provided by the federal government.
(13:58):
There are critical things that need to be saved. We're going to do everything that we can over the coming weeks, if the shutdown lasts that long, to ensure that people get the essential services that they need, despite the fact that Chuck Schumer has shut down the federal government. It's not going to be perfect because we are in a government shutdown. We are going to have to lay some people off if the shutdown continues. We don't like that. We don't necessarily want to do it, but we're going to do what we have to keep the American People's essential services continuing to run.
Peter (14:26):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
Thank you Mr. Vice President and thank you for being here. Yesterday, president Trump said, as a result of the shutdown, we'll be laying off a lot of people that are going to be very effected. And the Democrats, they are going to be Democrats. Has the administration asked agencies to target federal workers who they believe to be Democrats in these reductions of forces, workforce?
Vice President JD Vance (14:49):
We're not targeting federal agencies based on politics. We're targeting the people's government so that as much of possible of the essential services can continue to function. That is the question the President has asked the entire government is fundamentally, okay, we're in a shutdown. That causes some problems. The troops aren't getting paid. There's nothing that we can do about that while the government is shut down.
(15:09):
But there are essential services that we want to make sure as much as possible, they still continue to function. That is the principle that's driving us forward during the shutdown. It's going to continue to be the principle that drives us forward. But let's be honest, if this thing drags on for another few days, or God forbid another few weeks, we are going to have to lay people off. We're going to have to save money in some places so that essential services don't get turned off in other places. That is the reality of the government shutdown that Chuck Schumer and the Democrats have foisted upon the administration. Phil.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
So what did he mean by they're going to be Democrats? He said they're going to be Democrats.
Phil (15:42):
You've laid out a lot of the pain and problems that would come with a Democratic shutdown, and yet in the Oval Office yesterday, the President said that a lot of good could come from a shutdown. So square that circle, which is it, a Democratic-caused crisis or a Republican opportunity for reform?
Vice President JD Vance (16:00):
Well, I think all the President is saying, Phil, is that he wants to make sure the American people's government functions as well as it can, despite the fact that we're in a shutdown. We're going to have to make things work, and that means that we're going to have to triage some certain things. That means certain people are going to have to get laid off. And we're going to try to make sure that the American people suffer as little as possible from the shutdown. That's what the president is saying is that, yes, this is a bad thing. Obviously the President is trying to reopen the government, but we're going to make things work as well as we possibly can given the constraints that we have.
Phil (16:28):
And then on those policy differences for the discussion and the negotiations to come later. During the Biden administration, Democrats twice voted to expand these Affordable Care Act tax credits, but those were supposed to be temporary and they were slated to expire at the end of the year. As you sort of crack the door open to negotiation at a later date, would the party that ran on defunding Obamacare really negotiate about potentially expanding Obamacare?
Vice President JD Vance (16:57):
Well Phil, what we've said to the Democrats is that we're willing to have a conversation about how to ensure that Americans continue to have access to healthcare. And frankly, they should have access to better healthcare at a lower cost. We inherited a mess of a healthcare system from the Biden administration. It's why the president has worked so hard on the most favored nation status for prescription drugs. It's why we care so much about lowering the cost of prescriptions and why we're doing everything else. We're willing to have that conversation.
(17:23):
But I think it's important to bracket the healthcare policy conversation, because it's separate from the government shutdown. We think that we can open the government and then have the conversation about what best healthcare policy to fit the needs of the American people. That's all we're trying to do. That's all we're trying to accomplish. We've got to reopen the government first. Now, Karoline, I don't know how you do this, how you actually choose people, because I don't know 90% of the names in here. Is it just who's the best dressed? Okay. I really like your shirt. Go ahead.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
Thank you. Mr. vice President. You are president of the Senate. Can you talk about what you're doing, what the administration is doing to try to get other Senate Democrats to vote to open the government?
Vice President JD Vance (18:03):
Yeah. We're talking to a number of our colleagues, democratic and republican in the Senate. I talked to a number of them last night. The president, of course is talking to them as well. I think there really are two categories of demands that I've seen privately from congressional Democrats. I think on the one hand, those who are negotiating in good faith are saying, look, we just want to make sure that we're able to have a conversation with the administration about some of the critical needs that we see that need to get fixed over the next few months. We recognize it's kind of absurd, and a lot of them will admit in private that it's kind of absurd to shut down the people's government over these disagreements, but just agree to negotiate with us in good faith on these issues, and of course, we're having that conversation with them.
(18:42):
Then there's another category, people who say give us everything we want or we're going to keep the government shut down. We just write those people off because they're not negotiating in good faith. And frankly, we don't need them. We've already got three more Democrats last night than I thought we would get, and I think it's because they recognize the illogic of the position of taking the entire American economy hostage because they don't get their policy priorities. So three moderate Democrats joined 52 Republicans last night. We need five more in order to reopen the government, and that's really where we're going to focus is how to get those five additional Democrats.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
Thanks, Mr. Vice President. First of two questions. Are there plans to meet democratic leaders again in the coming days? Or are you planning on plucking off senators one by one?
Vice President JD Vance (19:27):
So that's the whole question?
Speaker 3 (19:28):
No, I got a second part.
Vice President JD Vance (19:29):
Okay. Go ahead and ask the second question.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
So the president's been posting some images of Leader Jeffries and Senator Schumer recently.
Vice President JD Vance (19:36):
I saw.
Speaker 3 (19:37):
You've said that you're interested in good faith negotiations with these leaders, but what message does that send? Is it helpful to post pictures of Leader Jeffries in a sombrero if you're trying to have good faith talks with him?
Vice President JD Vance (19:48):
Oh, I think it's funny. The president's joking and we're having a good time. You can negotiate in good faith while also poking a little bit of at some of the absurdities of the Democrats positions, and even poking some fun at the absurdity of the Democrats themselves. I mean, I'll tell Hakeem Jeffries right now. I make this solemn promise to you that if you help us reopen the government, the Sombrero memes will stop. And I've talked to the President of the United States about that.
(20:12):
Now, to your first question, are we negotiating one-on-one? Are we negotiating in groups? Look, I will go to the US Capitol right now and meet with Chuck Schumer or any Senate Democrat if it helps us reopen the government. Most of the conversations, in my experience, at least, have been one-off. We're also, of course, relying on some of our Senate Republican colleagues who have good relationships across the aisle.
(20:31):
We're going to do whatever we have to do is the answer, and I think it's tough to predict what shape this negotiation is going to take over the next few months, but I feel good about the fact that Democrats already realize privately the fundamental irrationality of their position. I hope that they're going to publicly acknowledge it and reopen the government. The guy in the back. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (20:51):
Thank you Mr. Vice President. You responded to a post on X of Chuck Schumer on the house floor back in 1996, railing against illegal immigrants receiving taxpayer- funded benefits. You said, "Chuck Schumer once recognized that it was disastrous to give illegal aliens rewards for breaking the law. Now he wants to shut down the government unless we reward illegal aliens for breaking the law." Why has Chuck Schumer changed his stance?
Vice President JD Vance (21:14):
That's a good question. Actually, it's a very tough question. Asking me to get in the head of Chuck Schumer is not a place I particularly want to be, but my basic read on it is that the entire Democratic Party, the political leadership, not every Democrat nationwide, but the political leadership of their party has got it into their heads that the only way to be compassionate is to be compassionate to illegal aliens rather than American citizens.
(21:37):
If you go back to what Bill Clinton was saying, even Barack Obama in some cases, what he was saying about illegal immigration 10, 15, 20 years ago, you would put them on the MAGA right based purely on their rhetoric around illegal immigration. So I don't know why they've gone so far to the left. I think it's bad for the country. I think it's bad for them politically. But our principle, all I can do is speak for the president that I serve, and the country,
Vice President JD Vance (22:00):
... [inaudible 00:22:00] the administration that I serve right now, we believe that the American people's government exists for the American people, that means the people who have the legal right to be here. That's why we're fighting to reopen the government. Unfortunately, the Democrats are fighting to shut it down for the benefit of illegal aliens. I'll take a couple more. Then I'll let Karoline... I'll go back to my day job so Caroline can go back to hers. All right, yes?
Speaker 5 (22:23):
Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Just going back to the sombrero, you said that the president is joking, but Hakeem Jeffries says that these memes were racist. What's your response to that? And just if I may briefly go off topic, Secretary Hegseth yesterday made an edict about no more beardos in the military. Just wondered what-
Vice President JD Vance (22:38):
Sorry, what did he say?
Speaker 5 (22:44):
No more beardos.
Press Corps (22:44):
Beards.
Speaker 5 (22:46):
Sorry, that's my accent. I just wondered your response to that.
Vice President JD Vance (22:48):
I didn't see that particular comment. I thought Pete gave a hell of a speech and a speech that really is just oriented around returning the American military to the very high standards that it has had for virtually its entire history until Joe Biden came along and decided to lower standards. I think it was bad for our military, and it was bad for our troops. When I was a young United States Marine, I did not have a beard. I'm now the vice president, so I get to do what I want to do. I think Pete's trying to re-implement high standards, and that's a very good thing.
(23:17):
On the sombrero thing, Hakeem Jeffries said it was racist. I know that he said that, and I honestly don't even know what that means. Is he a Mexican American that is offended by having a sombrero meme? I saw one of the major TV stations put the meme up and then say this is AI generated, and he had curly animated mustache too. Do the American people, do you really not realize...? The American people recognize that he did not actually come to the White House wearing a sombrero and a black curly animation mustache. Give the country a little bit of credit. We're all trying to do a very important job for the American people. The president of the United States likes to have a little bit of fun when he is doing it, and I think that's okay. I'll take one more question.
Speaker 6 (24:00):
Mr. Vice President, in every previous shutdown, workers have been furloughed, not laid off. So why does the president want to fire some workers and not just furlough them? Why is this shutdown any different?
Vice President JD Vance (24:10):
Well, first of all, we haven't made any final decisions about what we're going to do with certain workers. What we're saying is that we might have to take extraordinary steps. Especially the longer this goes on, we're going to have to take extraordinary measures to ensure the people's government operates, again, not perfectly because it's not going to operate perfectly in the midst of a shutdown, but operate as well as it possibly can. I think that the Democrats, if they're so worried about the effect this is having on the American people, and they should be, what they should do is reopen the government, not complain about how we respond to the fact that Chuck Schumer and the Democrats have shut down the government in the first place.
Speaker 6 (24:42):
And the president [inaudible 00:24:43]-
Vice President JD Vance (24:42):
Thank you, all. Karoline.
Speaker 6 (24:44):
... target some benefits, Mr. Vice President.
Vice President JD Vance (24:44):
Thank you, thank you. See you, guys.
Speaker 6 (24:47):
Should the American people be prepared for their benefits to be cut as well?
Karoline Leavitt (24:48):
All right, guys. Well, let's let the fun continue. The vice president's a very busy man, and I'm happy to take some more questions. I know there's more news today. Aside from the shutdown, we can focus on the shutdown if you want, but let's go ahead. Kate, why don't you start?
Kate (25:00):
The President talked about doing things that he said were irreversible during the shutdown, cutting vast numbers of people, he said, and cutting programs. Can you specify what exactly he was referring to, what's on the table and what's going to be cut?
Karoline Leavitt (25:11):
Look, I think the vice president just referred to this in some of the answers that he gave regarding the layoffs. There are unfortunate consequences to a government shutdown. The federal government is not receiving any cash at the moment. So the Office of Management and Budget has been tasked with looking over the receipts and looking over the budget of the entire federal bureaucracy and, as the vice President said, determining what needs to continue to go out the door and what can we continue to keep running and what unfortunately is going to have to come to an end. So those decisions are being made. Unfortunately, layoffs are very likely, as the vice president just said, going to be a part of that.
Kate (25:47):
[inaudible 00:25:47] had any direct response from Hamas from the peace proposal that was laid out? The President said he would give three or four days, but is there a hard deadline now? What are the next steps here?
Karoline Leavitt (25:56):
I will reiterate what the president of the United States said, three or four days. I can tell you that there are some very sensitive discussions that are taking place, but I certainly don't want to get ahead of any announcement at this podium. I'm going to let Special Envoy Witkoff and the president of United States handle that.
Press Corps (26:12):
Karoline.
Speaker 7 (26:15):
Thank you, Karoline. Two questions. First of all, following up on that, the president said yesterday, I believe, within three or four days he wanted to hear an answer from Hamas. Is he still sticking by that timeline?
Karoline Leavitt (26:23):
Yes, as I just confirmed.
Speaker 7 (26:24):
Then a second question is a comment that's gotten a lot of global attention. Senator Dick Durbin, he was set to receive a Lifetime Achievement award from the Catholic Church. He's since declined accepting it because there has been some controversy. Pope Leo commented on this. He said that, "Someone who says, 'I'm against abortion, but I'm in agreement with the inhumane treatment of immigrants in the United States,' I don't know if that's pro-life." You've been very open about your Catholic faith. How do you respond to that?
Karoline Leavitt (26:56):
I would reject there is inhumane treatment of illegal immigrants in the United States under this administration. There was however significant inhumane treatment of illegal immigrants in the previous administration as they were being trafficked and raped and beaten, and in many cases, killed over our United States southern border. You also look at the inhumane treatment at the hands of some of these illegal immigrants that took place under the previous administration as well. Laken Riley comes to mind, a beautiful American citizen who was killed at the hands of an illegal immigrant. So this administration is trying to enforce our nation's laws in the most humane way possible. We're upholding the law, and we're doing that on behalf of the people of our country who live here.
Speaker 8 (27:41):
Thanks a lot, Karoline. What is the level of concern that the administration has regarding a protracted government shutdown in terms of its impact on the US economy and also its impact on small businesses as well?
Karoline Leavitt (27:54):
Well, look, this government shutdown is no doubt going to impact everyday Americans, and it is the fault of the Democrats that we are in this position. I know I relayed some programs that will be impacted. The vice president did as well. But I just want to make sure the American public understand what the Democrats have done to our government and our country. 1.3 million active duty troops will work now without pay. Critical food assistance for low-income women, infants, and children will now lapse. No new mothers or children are allowed to join this critical program because of the Democrat's decision to shut down the government. Telehealth services for seniors and in-home treatment options for Medicare patients will now come to an end. Nearly 50,000 members of the United States Coast Guard are going to have to work unpaid. Over 13,000 air traffic controllers will work without pay as well as TSA agents which will very likely create flight disruptions. And pay will now stop for over 150,000 federal law enforcement officers.
(28:56):
These are not just numbers and statistics. These are real Americans who have families at home. I saw some Democrat members today saying they're still going to accept their paychecks because they have three kids at home and they have mouths to feed. Well, so do these federal workers who those same Democrats just voted to shut down the government and turn off their pay. We believe that's very unfair, and it's why the administration wants to see the government reopened.
Speaker 8 (29:22):
GDP growth fell by about half a percentage point during the last government shutdown, during the president's first term. Are you expecting a similar type of impact on GDP growth related to this potential protracted government shutdown?
Karoline Leavitt (29:34):
Well, look, I think it's dependent upon how long this shutdown continues. So it's dependent on how long it takes Democrats to muster up the coverage, five of them to vote in the best interest of our country, our citizens, and our economy. Eamon.
Eamon (29:51):
Thank you, Karoline. Yesterday, your administration took a 5% stake in Lithium Americas and a stake in the mine that they're working on, and you've taken stakes in other companies and revenue streams from other companies. Can you articulate the broader principle here? When does the administration see it as appropriate to demand equity stakes or revenue streams from American companies, and what other companies are you going to be demanding those from?
Karoline Leavitt (30:14):
Well, look, this is a creative solution by the president of the United States to tackle our nation's crippling debt crisis. As I said earlier, we are $37 trillion, trillion with a T, in debt. Not only is the president effectively utilizing tariffs to bring in massive amounts of revenue, and there's billions of dollars coming in every month... I know you know that, Eamon, because you cover it on CNBC quite well. So the president is focused on, how can the United States government make more money? How can we make our country wealthy and rich again? Cutting some of these unique, creative deals with companies around the world and here at home is just one way the president is seeking to do that. I know the Department of Energy just announced this new deal. It's another great deal for the American people and our government.
Eamon (30:58):
And on Lisa Cook.
Press Corps (30:59):
Karoline.
Karoline Leavitt (30:59):
Sure, go ahead.
Eamon (30:59):
Lisa Cook, the Supreme Court said today that she's going to be allowed to stay at the Federal Reserve Board until oral arguments in January. Does the president have any personal reaction to that? This has been something he's been very intent on.
Karoline Leavitt (31:11):
Look, we have respect for the Supreme Court, but they're going to hear the actual case and make a determination on the legal argument in January. We look forward to that because we maintain that she was fired well within the president's legal authority to do so. She was removed from the Board, and we look forward to that case being fully played out at the Supreme Court.
Press Corps (31:30):
Karoline.
Karoline Leavitt (31:30):
Reagan.
Reagan (31:33):
Karoline, I have one for you on E.J. Antoni and one on the shutdown.
Karoline Leavitt (31:34):
Sure.
Reagan (31:35):
CNN reported that Collins and Murkowski declined to meet with E.J. Antoni, raising concerns that his nomination was in trouble. I'm wondering what message Collins and Murkowski are sending to the White House by not meeting the president's [inaudible 00:31:48]?
Karoline Leavitt (31:48):
Well, look, E.J Antoni remains a great ally of the president and our team. It became clear unfortunately that he was not going to have the votes, and so we will be announcing a replacement nominee very soon.
Reagan (32:02):
On the shutdown, I'm just wondering how soon you could see cuts to the federal workplace and if there's a specific agency that will experience most cuts or be focused [inaudible 00:32:11]?
Karoline Leavitt (32:11):
Unfortunately, because the Democrats shut down the government, the president has directed his cabinet and the Office of Management and Budget is working with agencies across the board to identify where cuts can be made. We believe that layoffs are imminent. They are unfortunately a consequence of this government shutdown. Ed.
Ed (32:29):
Thanks, Karoline. You talk about the layoffs being imminent. Is there a percentage then of reduction that the White House is looking for of workforce?
Karoline Leavitt (32:37):
I don't have a specific percentage for you.
Ed (32:39):
Can I ask, what about China, if I could? China has not made one soybean purchase this year in the United States. I talked to a farmer yesterday who has about a thousand acres in Iowa and said this is just killing her. Now, the president has been talking to President Xi. Could China not buying agriculture affect a possible meeting with the president? Would he not meet with Xi because China has refused
Ed (33:00):
... refused to buy soybeans from the US.
Karoline Leavitt (33:02):
Well look, I don't want to speak for the president and make a determination on that from this podium, but what I can tell you is that supporting America's farmers and doing what's best for them is at the top of the President's priority list, and it's at the top of the list for this administration right now. There have been several very high-level meetings on this very topic. We want to help our farmers and we're exploring the best ways to do that, and I would anticipate there will be more to come on that very soon.
Speaker 10 (33:26):
You can send a message to the Chinese president.
Karoline Leavitt (33:29):
Look, I just shared that message. The president wants what's best for America's farmers. Sean.
Speaker 10 (33:35):
Hey Karoline.
Karoline Leavitt (33:36):
Hi.
Speaker 10 (33:36):
Two things to ask you about.
Karoline Leavitt (33:37):
Sure.
Speaker 10 (33:38):
First thing I want to ask about this video that the president posted the other day, it was an AI deepfake of himself talking about something called med beds. What was he trying to communicate to the public there and why did he delete it?
Karoline Leavitt (33:50):
I think the president saw the video and posted it and then took it down, and he has the right to do that. It's his social media. He's incredibly transparent as you all know. You hear from him directly on social media. He likes to share memes, he likes to share videos. He likes to repost things that he sees other people post on social media as well, and I think it's quite refreshing that we have a president who is so open and honest directly himself, many a times untrue that you are hearing directly from the President of the United States.
Speaker 10 (34:15):
And second thing, how did the White House decide that it is appropriate for Jared Kushner to be working on matters that involve Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, three countries that combined have given him more than $2.5 billion for his investment firm?
Karoline Leavitt (34:30):
I think it's frankly despicable that you're trying to suggest that it's inappropriate for Jared Kushner, who is widely respected around the world and has great trust in relationships with these critical partners in these countries to strike a 20 point comprehensive detailed peace plan that no other administration would ever be able to achieve, and so Jared is donating his energy and his time to our government, to the President of the United States to secure world peace, and that is a very noble thing, and this is a peace plan that has not just been accepted by Israel, but it has been applauded by Muslim and Arab countries around the world that has been applauded by European leaders around the world. Virtually everyone in the world is supportive of this plan that Jared Kushner offered his time to help put together alongside our special Envoy Witkoff, the Vice President, the President of the United States, Secretary Rubio, and the President's entire national security team. We are very proud of that plan and we hope Hamas will accept it because it will lead to a more peaceful and prosperous Middle East.
Speaker 11 (35:35):
I have two questions. One, we're talking a lot about these layoffs and hypotheticals, but speaker Johnson earlier today said that there is a proposal from the White House that house Republicans are expected to hear this afternoon about these mass layoffs. Can you tell us what is in that proposal? What agencies, what programs, what jobs?
Karoline Leavitt (35:51):
What he's referring to is a proposal that our office of management and budget director Russ Vought is going to be proposing to the House Republican conference. He's going to kind of walk them through what this unfortunately is going to look like so they can discuss it with their constituents back home in their respective districts. So I don't want to get ahead of the Office of Management and Budget, but I'm sure you'll be hearing more about that very soon. We have to put a plan plan in place. It would be irresponsible of us not to take a look at each and every agency and get an understanding of what we're going to have to do moving forward to do the best we can in the midst of this government shutdown.
Speaker 12 (36:29):
Thanks, Karoline. Just on that point though, Roosevelt told house members according to our notice reporting, that rifts would happen in two days. Already we know that some have been sitting out from the US patent office. So I wonder, one, this administration continues to say that they don't want to lay people off, but obviously there is a plan to lay people off. So what is your message to those people who are getting laid off? And then if the government reopens, will those rifts reverse? Are they not permanent? If the government opens specifically, it reopens pretty quickly.
Karoline Leavitt (36:59):
Well, sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do and it's because the Democrats have put us into this position. If the Democrats did not vote to shut down the government, we would not be standing up here talking about layoffs today. We'd be talking about all the other news stories going on in the world in our country. We'd be talking about all of the great things that this administration is doing to uplift Americans across the country, but unfortunately, the Vice President of the United States and I have to come out here today to talk about a government shutdown that the Democrats put us in this position. Joey, go ahead.
Speaker 9 (37:29):
I'm just trying to clarify the timing of these potential layoffs to federal workers. You said imminent, the Vice President seemed to say in a couple of days, it looks like Russ Vought maybe said in two days, when would these layoffs begin?
Karoline Leavitt (37:45):
Two days imminent, very soon. You will expect more announcements right now.
Speaker 9 (37:49):
Is it just not clear or are you waiting?
Karoline Leavitt (37:53):
No, it's not unclear. All of those things are very synonymous with one another. These rifts are unfortunately going to have to happen very soon. Dasha, go ahead.
Speaker 13 (38:03):
We've been talking about the Affordable Care Act, enhanced premium tax credits and sort of the politics of it all, right? But this is a very real tangible impact that American people will feel. The Kaiser Family Foundation says that with the ACA enhanced premium tax credits, without them, premiums will go up 114% on average. 19 million of the 24 million people who rely on the coverage are in states that President Trump won. Is he concerned what will happen to those families if this tax credit expires? And aside from the shutdown, is there a plan to keep those premiums down?
Karoline Leavitt (38:39):
Look, as the Vice President just said, we are more than happy to have this conversation. The President and the Vice President and this team are more than happy to have that conversation with Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill, but it cannot happen right now. Right now, we need to reopen the United States Federal Government because people are going without pay. You have thousands of federal workers who have to show up to work and not get paid, and that's an unfortunate situation the Democrats have put us in. Then we can discuss this very important issue of healthcare that the President absolutely wants to fix. As I mentioned yesterday, but those premiums do not expire until the end of the year. It's October 1st right now, and so we have a few months to have that conversation and it's irresponsible of the Democrat party to try to convince the American people that that conversation has to happen right now.
(39:27):
No, what needs to happen right now is the reopening of the United States federal governments, and then this administration will be happy to work with Democrats in good faith to come to a policy determination, but one red line the government has already made clear, this administration has already made clear. This administration is never going to support taxpayer-funded benefits going to illegal aliens, and we think it's despicable that that was one of the first proposals that Democrats put in their funding proposal and their CR. The Republican CR was a clean CR that would keep the government open. Democrats have voted for it 13 times in the past. The Democrats put this poison pill in there, this partisan pill. Why? Because they are beholden to the far-left radicals in their party, and you already see three moderate Democrats having the courage to say, "No, we need to keep the government open and then we can have these conversations about health care." Mary.
Speaker 14 (40:20):
I just want to circle back to some of the vice Presidents that Ocasio-Cortez and actually surprised it didn't come up sooner. So if Schumer is catering to the demands of Ocasio-Cortez, can you share whether the White House views this as cracks in Schumer's leadership? And would the Vice President be open to meeting with someone like her if she is assuming this role in the Democratic Party?
Karoline Leavitt (40:40):
I'll let the Vice President speak on that himself. I think that certainly Senator Schumer was not expecting three moderates to break with him last night. In fact, last night you heard Senator Schumer say he can't guarantee that he will be able to hold his caucus together, and so again, we encourage Democrats to have the courage to do the right thing, do what you have done 13 times previously, and vote for this clean continuing resolution to keep the government funded. As for what the Trump administration and President Trump is going to do, we'll continue to be very public that we want the government to be open, and as the Vice President said, we'll continue to work in good faith with anyone on Capitol Hill who wants to do right by the American people. Thank you all so much. We'll see you later.
Speaker 14 (41:25):
Thank you Karoline.