Hey, Karoline. Hi, Karoline. Karoline, can we expect any more Paul [Inaudible] press conferences in the near future? What was that all about?
Wasn't that fun, a little fresh air this morning for everybody. [Inaudible] at 5:00, as you all know, he's signing executive orders. There will be seven executive orders by my count, focused on education. Secretary Linda McMahon will be here in the Oval Office as well. I won't get ahead of them, but we'll see you all there.
And the president will take questions [Inaudible]
Karoline, what have these huge tariffs on China accomplished?
Leverage and ensuring the rest of the world knows that the United States of America is no longer going to [Inaudible]. President Trump has made that very clear, not just with China but with almost every single country on the planet. There have been hundreds of countries now that have reached out to the United States, to the Trump administration to make deals.
As I said yesterday, there were 18 proposals on paper that have been presented to our trade team, and we're negotiating on behalf of the American worker. And no other president has taken on such an endeavor. Many have talked about it, many on both sides of the aisle have pledged to do what's right for the American worker and our manufacturing industry, but this is the first president to actually use the leverage of the United States to [Inaudible].
[Inaudible] work, because China hasn't made any concessions at all.
Have some patience and you'll see.
Karoline, we just heard from President Trump on Truth Social [Inaudible] Zelenskyy, the Wall Street Journal article that just came out. Has the US asked Ukraine to give up Crimea as part of this negotiation for peace? And also, will he be meet with Zelenskyy in Rome this weekend?
Well, as President Trump rightfully pointed out in that statement, President Obama, who gave up Crimea, who allowed Russia to take it over in 2014, and so the president is not asking Ukraine to recognize Crimea. Nobody has asked them to do that. What he is asking is for people to come to the negotiating table, recognizing that this has been a brutal war for far too long.
And in order to make a good deal, both sides have to walk away a little bit unhappy. And unfortunately, President Zelenskyy has been trying to litigate this peace negotiation in the press and that's unacceptable to the president. These should be closed-door negotiations. The president's national security team, his advisors have [Inaudible] significant time, energy and effort to try to bring this war to an end.
The American taxpayer has funded billions of dollars in this effort and enough is enough. The president is frustrated. His patience is running very thin. He wants to do what's right for the world. He wants to see peace, he wants to see the killing stop, but you need both sides of the war willing to do that.
And [Inaudible] President Zelenskyy seems to be moving in the [Inaudible]
Does the president think that Europeans are doing enough? Some countries are spending more in defense, reaching the two percent threshold? So what does the president think about European support for Ukraine?
Well, the president has always maintained that Europe always needs to do more, whether it's in the effort to end this war in Russia and Ukraine, whether it is in terms of their spending, when it comes to NATO and their own defense spending as well. He's made that clear to them in private and also, public.
You've seen it when we've had many different European leaders coming. White House will have one tomorrow, of course. Norway will be here tomorrow.
Karoline, thank you. Has the President, in his conversations with Zelenskyy or others, has he threatened to walk away if that is not accepted by the end of the today?
Not by the end of the day today, but the president has maintained that his frustration is growing and he needs to [Inaudible]
Karoline, one on Pope Francis? -- President Putin meet in Saudi Arabia next week, next month. Is that the plan?
I'm not tracking the meeting at this time, but as always, we'll keep you updated. I [Inaudible]
One on Pope Francis. This morning, can you talk about the motivation behind the significance of president's move to install massive American flags here at the White House out of his own pocket?
I'm sorry.
Can you talk about the motivation behind as well as the significance of the president's move to install massive American flags throughout the White House, out of his pocket?
I thought you were referring to the flags to be lowered in honor of Pope Francis. Yeah, look, I mean the president is a real estate developer at heart and he's always looking for ways to improve the White House complex, not for him, but for future generations, for future presidents. He has some fun ideas for this complex, which we've kept you all apprised of as they have happened and will continue to do. So you can expect to look up I think quite soon and see a very big, beautiful American flag perhaps on the North Lawn and the South Lawn.
I think it has yet to be decided. Thank you.