Press Gaggle: Donald Trump Speaks to Reporters Before Marine One Departure - October 2, 2026

Mr. President.

Look at this. This is the way the White House is supposed to look, not asphalt, broken, dirty asphalt. Look at it. The finest stone you can buy anywhere in the world. Okay?

[Inaudible]

So I'm heading to, I'm heading to Alabama, a place that I won all three times, record votes like Texas, like Oklahoma, like a lot of 'em. And, uh, we're gonna give a little speech, and I hope they like it.

[Crosstalk]

-- that if Democrats win control of Congress, they will impeach you, but you've already been impeached twice, so what's a third time?

Well, I know, but I'm getting good at it --

At being impeached?

-- and it's a, I -- yeah, I love Turkey. President Erdogan is a friend of mine, as you know, and I'll always make it. Well, look at t's a fake impeachment --

[Inaudible]

-- and we could've done that with Sleepy Joe, but we didn't do it because it would've been inappropriate. I could've done that with Hillary Clinton, as you know. I had the chance to do it if I wanted, and I said that would be inappropriate, but with me, they like to do it, so --

And, and if you have all around now, 32 tops be- -- before the midterm, do you think it's gonna be harder for Republicans to keep the House or to keep the Senate?

I think it's pretty equal, and I think that we're making a lot of progress. When I go there, we win.

Mr. President.

If I don't go there, we would not do as well.

Mr. President --

You know, as you know, when I run, we get 44% more votes. So I'm asking them to go out and vote 'cause, you know, I'm not running, but I'm saying, "Pretend I'm running." We wanna pretend I'm running. I hope you like what you see here. That's getting all sorts of awards, and the best of all, do you see the new crane, the red, the red boom?

That's one of the biggest cranes in the world that lift up the steel for the roof. Pretty cool, right?

[Crosstalk]

He's always got the same question about the same country. Go ahead.

[Crosstalk]

It's always the same question about the same country, but he's a nice guy.

Mr. President, people believe you never get tired.

I never get tired.

And, Mr. President, what will be --

If I got tired, it would be a big story, I can tell you.

And, Mr. President, what will be, what will be you next step regarding Iran?

That's very, oh, it's -- well, if I told you, you'd have a major story, right? But you'll see. Working out very well. Iran is not doing well.

[Crosstalk]

-- pull out American [Inaudible]

Well, we love 'em. We love 'em. We love everybody. I like, actually, I love everybody, one of those things, but we do love 'em.

[Crosstalk]

Mr. President, South Korea said they have not signed off on this Alaska pipeline yet. They're still studying it. Did you jump the gun?

Well, I didn't jump the gun. I mean, they were there and, uh, they were represented, and let's see. If they don't wanna do it, that's okay with me.

Mr. President.

I'll just charge 'em more.

[Crosstalk]

Wait. No, no. Wait, wait, wait. They said they didn't sign off?

They said they're still studying it.

Tell 'em if they don't sign shortly, I'm going to double it up. Okay?

[Crosstalk]

Your diesel deal with Europe, sir.

[Crosstalk]

Sir, your diesel deal with Europe. How'd that happen, your diesel deal with, your diesel deal with Europe?

Yeah, I asked for it. Europe has a lot of diesel, and they're, they're gonna be making a major world contribution, and so are we. And we're not gonna be, uh, doing the export ban. We're gonna be doing what we're supposed to do. But I did ask them, and they're gonna, we're gonna have a lot of oil very shortly, as soon as Iran ends, which won't be long.

Not gonna be long, and you're gonna have oil go down to the price it was before, maybe even lower than I got it at the beginning.

[Crosstalk]

Democrats [Inaudible] the Democrats win, do you think they're --

-- that ban on your oil, an extra [Inaudible] an extra ban to Europe --

Oh, we have a very good relationship with Europe, and, uh, they wanted to do it because they have a lot of diesel. They use diesel, and they have a lot of diesel. I said, "It would be great if you put it out in the market." They did it, and that [Inaudible]

Mr. President, and, uh, what is the relationship with Giorgia Meloni now?

Very good. I think it's a very good relationship.

[Crosstalk]

I like her. I've always liked her.

[Crosstalk]

Mr. President, is a diesel export ban officially off the table now that you're getting supply from Europe?

No, no. We were never gonna do it. I don't think we ever, but basically, Europe was great because they're putting a lot of diesel oil out there. They have diesel.

Even if --

They use diesel disproportionately more than most, and they did a great thing.

[Crosstalk]

You said at the NATO summit back in July that you don't sanction your friends and it's time to lift the sanctions on Turkey. What's the holdup, sir?

Now, now, who are you with?

CNN Turk.

Turkey?

Yeah.

I love Turkey.

[Crosstalk]

I dunno. I don't -- hold-up.

[Crosstalk]

I'll always speak to President Erdogan. He's a friend of mine, as you know, and I'll always make him happy.

[Crosstalk]

[Inaudible] election. Are you going to support Bolsonaro in Brazil?

Well, we're looking at the whole thing, and we're watching that election very closely.

[Inaudible] now off the table with the United States?

Well, it was never really on the table, but what Europe did was a great thing.

[Inaudible] Are you worried about why [Inaudible]

I am, uh, 'cause he's a great man, and I am worried about him. I, I hope he wins. He's a great, uh, he's a great man. He was a great leader for the whole Republican Party when I won, and he'd be a great senator. And as you know, the [Inaudible], he's got a lot of bad crime numbers. He's got horrible crimes.

[Crosstalk]

Mr. President, what do you think about New York governor appointing a special prosecutor in Cornell rape case, Letitia James?

Well, Letitia James is a corrupt person. She's totally corrupt, and I can't imagine it, and, uh, I feel badly for whoever she's looking at because they won't get a fair shake. Letitia James is a corrupt person. Thank you.

[Crosstalk]