Thank you. [Inaudible]. Wow, that's so beautiful. Thank you very much. I didn't know that was going to happen, but I'll take it. Thank you so much. Greek Independence Day, wow. I'm delighted to welcome to the White House, the hundreds of proud, hardworking Greek American patriots. I know. So many of you.
I like most of you. Some, I don't like. They get to be very tough. It's a pretty tough people out there, but that's OK. We love you. We love you all. In a few moments, I'll sign the proclamation to officially recognize tomorrow, March 25th, 2025, as Greek Independence Day, celebrating 204 years. That's right, celebrating 204 years of glorious Greek sovereignty and freedom.
That's a long time. That's a great thing we're doing and such an honor to have you. So having His Eminence, the archbishop with us is very special and I've been doing this from the very beginning. We missed four years, unfortunately, bad things happened. A lot of bad things happen and the world wasn't doing so well for four years, but we're doing well now.
We're doing better now than we've ever done. We have things happening with our country that are incredible. And in terms of businesses coming in, I think we're close to $4 trillion now. Nobody's ever even heard of anything like that and they're coming in, Archbishop. They're coming in at levels that we have never seen and we're doing well.
And the Greeks are doing well. They'll always do well. And I want to thank some of the wonderful Greek Americans working tirelessly by my side, members of my administration, friends of mine and just incredible people, the president of science and technology policy, Michael Kratsios. Where's Michael? Hello, Michael.
Thank you, Michael. And deputy Secretary of State Michael Rigas. Michael, thank you very much. Thank you very much. I also want to thank Greeks for Trump. Those are the ones I really like right now. Christos Marafatsos. Where's Christos? Good looking guy he is. Thank you very much. And we also have some very powerful Greek politicians like Gus. Gus, will you please stand up? Nobody sees you.
Gus Bilirakis and he's a great friend of mine and he's doing well. You're doing well, aren't you, Gus, huh? Yeah, I always say stand up a little higher, Gus. And Mike Haridopolos. Mike, thank you very much. Where's Mike? Mike, thank you very much. Appreciate it. Thank you for everything. Lance Gooden. Where is Lance?
I don't know how much Greek you have in you, Lance. Oh, the Greek you do have. That's the ultimate. You're right. And Joe Wilson, our friend, Joe Wilson. Joe, thank you. Thanks. Thank you, Joe. And EPA administrator, Lee Zeldin, who's got a big job. Thank you, Lee. He's got a big job. He's got to get those permits out fast because China gives fast permits, right?
They don't even do permits. They just say build, don't worry about it. Chief financial officer of Florida, Jimmy Patronus, who's running in a big race. He's running in a big race and I hear you're doing well in the polls. You got to win that one, but they got to get out and vote, right, Jimmy?
Yes, sir.
But you're doing great. And my former chief of staff, who's a terrific guy, Reince Priebus. Reince? Hi, Reince. Reince is a terrific guy. And another terrific guy and a woman, by the way, we have John Catsimatidis, number one, and his beautiful wife, Margo. And I want to thank you. And your daughter, Andrea is here.
Good. Wow. That's good. We have the whole family. He's done a fantastic job. The family has with ABC, and they have the biggest radio show and biggest station, I think, in New York. So good. So we have to really be nice to them when we think we're going to win New York. And if you have him on your side, but it's a great family.
Thank you very much, my friends for a long time. Thanks, John. Let me also extend a special welcome to Ambassador Nasica from Greece and Ambassador Savva from Cyprus, two very friendly rivals. Thank you both very much, and the bond between the United States and modern Greek nation goes back more than two centuries.
On March 25th, 1821, Greek patriots began their noble fight to reclaim their destiny from the grip of a foreign empire, a very powerful foreign empire. President James Monroe said at the time that the whole civilized world had a deep interest in a victory for the Greek people. President Monroe understood that Americans were bound by history and culture to the birthplace of democracy and the cradle of Western civilization.
From the pages of our Constitution to the architecture of this capital city, this wonderful city of ours that we're fixing up, starting to shape up very nicely, isn't it, huh? To the very words of the English language, the legacy of the Greeks is all around us and encircles us, but perhaps the greatest gift we have inherited from that amazing culture is our incredible Greek American community that is now more than three million strong.
I worked very hard. I worked very hard on getting your votes, but we didn't need to because we got them by a lot, right? We won by a lot and we love them and they love us. But we're joined today by one extraordinary Greek American citizen, Alex Skarlatos. And you know the story of Alex inspired by his grandfather who fought against the Nazis and the Greek resistance.
Alex joined the National Guard after high school 10 years ago, following a deployment to Afghanistan. You all read about this. Alex and his friends were on a train from Amsterdam to Paris when a bloodthirsty radical Islamic terrorist began shooting innocent people all over the train. They were falling left and right.
In an act of tremendous valor, Alex and his comrades charged the gunman despite being completely unarmed and beat him into submission and where is Alex? He's around here someplace. Get up here, Alex. Get up here. Come on, Alex. Get up here, Alex. [Audience chants "USA"]
Before providing life-saving aid to an American who was shot and hurt so badly, Alex's bravery helped save countless innocent lives that day and today, he continues to serve his country as a member of the Oregon State Legislature. So Alex, come up here for a second. I at least want to shake your hand. Come up here.
That's a big story. I don't think I would have done that. I don't know. I'm not sure. Come here. Thank you.
Thank you. I appreciate it.
Do you want to say something? Go ahead.
Oh. Well, one of the last times I was here was actually to watch our movie that Clint Eastwood directed and we watched it with the president. And that was, yeah, I think February of 2018. And I honestly was surprised because I thought the president would watch about 10 minutes and then leave and he stayed for the whole movie, which I was very impressed by because we played ourselves in the movie and the acting wasn't the best, but it was a very accurate movie.
And the best part was when it came to the part where we were beating up the terrorist, the president hit me on the shoulder and was like, right on. So that's one of one of the top tier memories for me, so I just wanted to say thanks so much and great to see you again.
Thank you. Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you, Alex. We're also joined by another Greek American who first came here from Athens with $75 in his pocket after becoming an American citizen. Steve Villacis. Where is Steve? That's a good story, Steve. He's got plenty of cash now. So you started off with $75 and today you have a lot of money.
But Steve built one of the most respected catering companies in Washington and all around the East Coast, and they have proudly catered the inaugural banquet in the US Capitol for every president since Ronald Reagan. And I must tell you he just did ours, he did three, the one we didn't show up to because something happened.
He was ready to do three, but something happened in the middle one. But we did awfully well that day, I will tell you. But he just did one on January 20th, 2025, and everybody is still talking about the great food and the great service. And you did a fantastic job. There were a lot of people. Thank you very much, Steve, and your family.
Thank you. Also, many of you know Steve's daughter, Alexandra, as the director of the White House visitor's office. Congratulations to Steve and Alexandra. Great job.
Great. Yep, thanks, Alexander. Great job you do. You do a fantastic job at the White House. Also with us in person, and a person that really is a great friend and been a great friend for a long time. I've known this woman, although she's very young yet, I've known her for a long time. She came here and she loves our country, and she loves Greece.
And now she's going to be the future ambassador to the Hellenic Republic, Kimberly Guilfoyle, and I'm going to say, Kimberly, come on up and say a few words. Kimberly, come. She's really a good person. She represents the Greek culture very well I will tell you; she's very proud of it. Kimberly, please. Kimberly.
Thank you, sweetheart.
Good afternoon. Thank you so much of everyone being here and I tell you this is the honor and privilege of a lifetime, to serve this country and to serve a country that I love so much that is so near and dear to my heart with Greece. And to do it under the guidance, the leadership, the most important powerful president that this country has ever seen, a man of integrity.
I know the measure of the man and his character and his strength, and I know his love for the people of Greece, the birthplace of democracy. And today, we celebrate and cherish our rich history and our enduring bond, the United States and Greece and the founding of the Hellenic Republic. And under President Trump, know sleep well at night and wake up in the morning feeling hopeful and optimistic for a man that will fight for the economy of this country and of Greece, for religious liberty and freedom, and for the enduring alliance of Greece and the United States.
God bless you all. Thank you for having me. [Audience cheers, chants "Four more years"]
Four more years. Thank you, Kimberly. We are well represented with Kimberly. Do we agree? Thank you, Kimberly. From Washington to Chicago, from New York to Detroit, from Philadelphia to the famous Tarpon Springs -- you know all about Tarpon Springs, Florida -- Greek Americans have blessed our country with exceptional courage, patriotism and tremendous skill.
Under this administration, we will continue to honor the virtues, ideals and spirit of this magnificent heritage, and it is indeed magnificent, that has flourished for thousands of years from the golden age of ancient Greece to the Golden Age of America. That's where we are right now. The golden age of America, right, John?
Once again, let me wish you all a very, very happy Greek Independence Day. It's an honor again to have your Eminence -- it's an honor to have you with us. I appreciate it very much and I appreciate that magnificent cross. It will be with me always. And I'd just like to finish by saying you are a very, very special people.
I wouldn't have missed this. I was very busy today. I had something they took me away and I said, well, isn't that the same day we're celebrating Greek Independence Day. They said, yes, they said cancel the other one. It was a very big deal. It was not easy to do, my friend. It was not easy to do, but we did it and it's now my honor to sign the proclamation.
Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Ok, that was a good one. That's the best.
[The proclamation is signed]