[Donald Trump walked the red carpet for 18 minutes before the FIFA event. The press pool was only engaged for about three minutes. The video and audio here have been pieced together from TV Azteca, Telemundo, SBT Media and El Destape, among other sources. Portions remain inaudible, as noted.]
[Inaudible]
[Crosstalk]
Gianni's done a fantastic job, so we need to pick a [Inaudible]
[Crosstalk]
[Inaudible] America's been in the World Cup.
Well, I think so. A lot of people feel they have a little bit of a shot. It's pretty, pretty stiff competition, but I would say they would have a small chance.
[Crosstalk]
How does [Inaudible] the FIFA Peace Award?
Well, it would be an honor.
You know [Inaudible] root for someone.
Yeah. Well, I root for a lot of countries, actually, but in this case, I'm rooting for the USA. [Laughs]
[Crosstalk]
Mr. President, have you been told that you are going to receive the inaugural Peace Prize today from FIFA?
I have not, I have not been told. There's a rumor about it, but I have not been told. That would be a great honor and I'm a big fan of Gianni, as you know.
What can fans-
Are you hoping to receive that?
Excuse me?
Are you hoping to receive the Peace Prize?
Well, I don't like to say hope, but, uh, it would be a great honor.
What can fans expect of, like, the World Cup in the US?
I think it's going to be fantastic. We've set every record you can set.
What are you telling people who are worried-
And you know [Inaudible], Gianni, fr- -- from Swiss TV, a word about him?
Uh, I think he has done a fantastic job.
Are you going to be meeting with the president of Mexico today and the prime minister of Canada, as well?
We might. Yeah, I might, I might do that.
Will you be discussing immigration and trade with them?
Yes, we'll be discussing.
Mr. President, what countries would you like America to face?
[Crosstalk]
[Inaudible] you can't believe [Inaudible] you can't believe [Inaudible]
[Inaudible]
Thank you, everybody.
Mr. President, what do you think about the crowd?
[Inaudible] Congratulations. Star of television.
How you doing, Mr. President? What do you think about the crowd?
I think the crowd is great and I think the building is great. We've made a lot of improvements over the last six months. Uh, thinking Kennedy Center was in very bad shape, now it's getting to be really good, and then six months it's going to be incredible, the improvements we've made.
First time for the US to host since the '90s.
Right.
Are you ready for it?
I'm ready for it and they're ready for it. And, Gianni-
Yes.
-- as you know, has done a fantastic job with FIFA. And, uh, we're looking to have, you know, we, we set, we have already set records for ticket sales. I don't think there's ever been anything like it in any sport. And so, I want to congratulate you. I don't even have to wait, but major records have been set.
How are you?
Good, and how are you?
Nice to see you.
Today it's not, uh, football, American football, it's soccer.
Right. Right.
The big event. [Inaudible]
That's right.
But can you tell a [Inaudible] big day.
It's just a big day and it's a great sport. And it really is coming to America and never, nobody ever heard a thing like this could happen. And I'm very happy to say that we've already set the all-time record on s- -- uh, ticket sales long before the first ball is kicked, right?
100%. [Inaudible]
You, you've had some concerns about crime in American cities, some of the cities that'll be hosting, have they remedied that for you or are you still considering maybe asking FIFA to move some of those cities?
No, I don't want to do that, but I will tell you, if they do have a problem, by the time we get there, we'll take care of that problem. We can solve that problem. I've proven that in DC and everywhere else we went, so we'll take care of that very easily. So if they have a problem, hopefully, they'll let us know that and we will solve any problems.
Okay? Thank you. Congratulations.
Good. Thank you so much.
Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you. Appreciate it.
[Inaudible] it's been two years, how important it is [Inaudible]
Yeah, so obviously a lot of [Inaudible]
Do I keep [Inaudible]?
Very [Inaudible] We've set every record [Inaudible] It's been, it's been [Inaudible] Gianni has done an unbelievable job for FIFA.
I wanted to [Inaudible]
Not only that, I got to see a man named Pele playing. [Inaudible] He was on the Cosmos. Do you remember that long time ago and it was [Inaudible]? He was, uh,[Inaudible] playing, he was great. [Inaudible] saw Pele, and I assume he's one [Inaudible]
Do you have some [Inaudible] the World Cup?
Well, I have to tell you, it [Inaudible] the USA. [Laughter]
[Inaudible], but [Inaudible] USA [Inaudible]
You are getting better and better, actually.
[Inaudible] Thank you very much. [Inaudible]
Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you.
[Audio gap due to distance and lack of available alternative sources]
-- record business not only in the United States, but we're also doing record ticket sales with FIFA. And they've already bought, beat their highest record. You know, this is a long time before the first ball. Uh, we've sold more tickets than they've ever done before. It's not better seen than they've ever gotten, folks.
And it's an honor. And Gianni's done a phenomenal job with you.
[Inaudible] ever?
I think so. I think it's gonna be, I mean, ideally you wanna see that every year. Three, few years, it gets bigger and better, right? But, uh, we have set every record with the book. We're very happy about it. Thank you.
[Inaudible]
Well, I think I'm gonna support USA, otherwise I'll be in big trouble. I wouldn't be president for long. So I think we have a really good, uh, but you have a lot of great teams. You're gonna have a lot of great teams.
We'll be doing special final American --
Got to meet Ronaldo the other day into the White House. He was fantastic. He was a handsome guy and a great guy and his son Barron met him and they had a big conversation. My son loves soccer and football, as you know. But Ronaldo is great. He's a great guy. He's got the whole package. He's a great player.
Thank you very much.
Thanks.
[Audio gap due to distance and lack of available alternative sources]
And we're setting every record and you're helping us set those records. You know, Mexico and Canada are helping us set those records, but as you know, we have a record in ticket sales already long before the first ball is kicked. And, uh, we're gonna do great. I think that, uh, Gianni, as you know, he's the head and he has done a fan- -- he has done a fantastic job.
And how is the biggest challenge being three countries?
Well, I think that, do you mean for the three countries? Well, they've gotten together really well. I mean they're getting along very well.
Collaboration is fantastic between the three.
And do you like soccer?
I do. I like it. I like it more and more. I like it. Uh, it's growing in this country. Uh, very, really, I mean, someday maybe it's gonna be bigger than anything else.
We'll have to become number one.
I, I will say this. I mean, ticket sales --
Definitely.
That will happen.
Yes.
-- ticket sales are bigger than anything we've ever done in the history of the country in terms of sports.
And the audience is going to be huge.
The audience is gonna be tremendous. Yep.
Yes. Six billion people. Six billion people.
That's amazing.
And today, one billion.
Wow. [Laughs]
Exactly.
Enjoy showtime. Thank you so much. [Laughs]
Hello, Mr. President, how are you today?
This is for Telemundo. How are you?
Thank you.
Uh, how, how does it feel to have the most important event of sports, uh, global, in the US?
I do, and right at the Kennedy Center. I'm chairman of the Kennedy Center and, uh, I hear the Kennedy Center's doing a very good job, so it feels great, really good. And Telemundo's doing a good job, too.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
[Audio gap due to distance and lack of available alternative sources]
How do you see Argentina and team for this workup?
Well, I love Argentina and your president is doing a very good job, as you know. Uh, Milei, you know that, right? It's Make Argentina Great Again, MAGA.
[Laughs]
Do you think the States are building a powerful team for next year?
Who?
The States?
Oh yeah, sure. Uh, you're gonna have a lot of, you're gonna have a lot of powerful teams. Everybody has a lot of powerful teams, but you're gonna have a lot of great teams.
Have you ever, have you ever watched Lio Messi in this stadium play football?
Messi? Oh, he's great. And Ronaldo's great. I, I met Ronaldo the other day at the White House and he was fantastic. My son, Barron, and they talked about soccer and, or football, depending on your definition. But, uh, Ronaldo was here, and he's a fantastic guy. Thank you.
[Inaudible]
Yeah.
[Laughs]
We're gonna do well. USA's good.
Thank you very much.
[Audio gap due to distance and lack of available alternative sources]
Mr. President, what do you think about my outfit?
I like your outfit. Where are you from?
Colombia.
Ok, good. I like the outfit.
Thank you Mr. President.
[Audio gap due to distance and lack of available alternative sources]
Mr. President, the U.S. press?
Thank you everybody very much. It's a great honor. This has been an honor for a lot of reasons. Number one, they've sold more tickets than any event has ever sold already long before the kickoff. And number two, we've, uh, done a lot of work at the Kennedy Center. It was falling apart and now it's --
Beautiful.
-- it's pretty much back and we'll get it back within the next four or five months through construction. And, but you see the way it looks and Johnny's just telling me, "Who's done an incredible job by the way?" He's just telling, you know, how good a job we've done.
Absolutely.
You can look at the walls, the marble was broken, everything. It was a mess. And we've really taken the Kennedy. So a lot of people thought it was gonna be ripped down. And, uh, we did just the opposite. So we've done a really great renovation job on it. And over the next three, four months, it'll be complete and we're honored to have it here.
And, uh, it's been, it's been very special. Uh, we've set a record on ticket sales, as you probably heard already, even way before, long before the event itself. And, uh, we're working with Canada and we're working with Mexico. And it's been a really, uh, spectacular, so far, it's been spectacular. Daniel, do you have a question?
Given your expectation --
You once said that in FIFA World Cup, there's an opportunity to put once in a lifetime opportunity to put the greatness of the United States in display.
Well, I think --
One billion eyeballs will be watching this --
Yeah, I, I think even today I understand.
Too big.
I hear that, you know --
Yeah.
-- I know we're a little late to get in there, but --
Yeah.
-- it's okay.
They wait.
So all my friends, I guess they have to wait then.
[Laughs] They wait.
But, uh, no, the, the numbers are incredible. I hear today's numbers are --
Yeah.
-- very big. I, I hope CNN is covering this, because --
The one billion eyeballs.
Today's numbers are very, very big.
Are you expecting to get the FIFA Peace Prize, Mr. President? What would you say to people who say that prize might conflict with your pledge to strike Venezuela?
Well, I think the, uh, peace prize, I mean, I settled eight wars. I don't know that I'm getting it. I haven't been officially noticed. I've been hearing about a peace prize, and I'm here to represent our country in a different sense. But, uh, I can tell you, I did settle eight wars and we have a ninth coming, but, and which nobody's ever done before.
But I wanna really save lives. I don't need prizes. I need to save lives, and we're saving a lot of lives. I've saved millions and millions of lives, and that's really what I wanna do. And I also wanna run a great country, and the United States right now is the hottest country anywhere in the world. And one year ago, it was dead.
We had a dead country, and now we have the hottest country anywhere in the world.
Mr. President, what are you kinda doing next?
We'll start, we're kinda in this, but what, what are you gonna discuss with the leaders in --
Well, again, we're gonna meet with both, and we, we're getting along very well, you know? We're getting along very well. Um, I don't know. I, I think we have a meeting set up for sometime after the event.
[Inaudible]
Yeah, we'll discuss it. We, we get along very well. Thank you everybody.
[Crosstalk]
Thank you press.
Were you part of any other Honduran official --