Trump Archive
Video17 min read

Press Gaggle: Donald Trump Speaks to Reporters Before Leaving Capitol - May 20, 2025

12:00 AM
Question 00:00:00-00:00:09 (10 sec)

Mr. President -- Mr. President, Andy Harris said you didn't convince enough people to vote for the bill in there. He said you didn't adequately convince enough people to vote for the bill.

Question 00:00:00-00:00:06 (6 sec)

Mr. President, should Republicans that hinder this bill be primaried?

Donald Trump 00:00:09-00:00:13 (3 sec)

What was your expression you used now? Were you embarrassed?

Donald Trump 00:00:06-00:00:17 (11 sec)

Possibly. Possibly. We'll have to see. I think we have great -- we have a very, very united party. This man has done a fantastic job. And so have you, Lisa.

Question 00:00:13-00:00:19 (6 sec)

No, I said Andy Harris said that you didn't adequately convince enough people to vote for the bill, The House Freedom Caucus.

Lisa McClain 00:00:17-00:00:17 ( sec)

Thank you.

Donald Trump 00:00:19-00:00:20 (1 sec)

You mean, after this speech?

Donald Trump 00:00:17-00:00:40 (22 sec)

But this man has done a fantastic job. He's a real unifier. I don't think anybody else could have done it. We had -- I just said to your cohorts downstairs, we had a majority of one for a period of five months. And he kept it together. And we actually passed things. And nobody else could have done that. He's done a fantastic job, the speaker.

Question 00:00:20-00:00:21 (1 sec)

After this speech --

Donald Trump 00:00:40-00:01:00 (20 sec)

We have a very, very unified party. Remember we had one and now we have seven. We won elections. Won elections. We're going to win a lot of elections. The economy is good. I just had my highest poll numbers ever, ever. And we had a big trip to the Middle East. We took in $5.1 trillion. We brought it back to our country.

Donald Trump 00:00:21-00:00:29 (8 sec)

Yeah. Well, why don't we see how the vote is? I think it was a great, great talk, wasn't a speech, we talked about [Inaudible] Who do you work for?

Donald Trump 00:01:00-00:01:18 (18 sec)

180 Boeing aircraft are being built now because of that trip and many other things. That's the least of it. The economy is, you know, doing great. The stock market is higher now than when I came to office. And we've taken in hundreds of billions of dollars in tariff money. And we've had no inflation. You know, they kept saying inflation.

Question 00:00:29-00:00:29 ( sec)

[Inaudible]

Donald Trump 00:01:18-00:01:41 (23 sec)

There's no inflation, groceries are down, gasoline is way down, way down. Everything is down. All energy costs are down. The -- I'll tell you, to me, maybe the most respected thing, you saw the way they respected me between Qatar and Saudi Arabia and UAE, the -- probably the richest, certainly the richest of their type nation.

Donald Trump 00:00:29-00:00:54 (25 sec)

I don't even know what that is. Get yourself a real job. Let me tell you, let me tell you, I think we have unbelievable unity. I think we're going to get everything we want. And I think we're going to have a great victory, and this man has done a great job. And I think this was a tremendous session. You may want to say something, yeah.

Donald Trump 00:01:41-00:02:00 (19 sec)

Great places. Unbelievable amounts of money. They respect our country again. They were going to go to China. China was going to take over those countries 100 percent. They were dealing with China because they weren't treated right by the last administration. And they have tremendous economic power. They have more money than anybody.

Mike Johnson 00:00:54-00:01:12 (18 sec)

It was a great meeting. The party is unified; the House Republican Conference is excited, multiple standing ovations. They love this president; the people back home love what he's doing. It's historic and everybody understands the scope and the meaning of this. If we do not accomplish this mission, every one of you, all the American people are going to have the highest tax increase that you've ever had.

Donald Trump 00:02:00-00:02:20 (21 sec)

We probably have more money, but we have other things -- that they are very, very -- uh, they are very cash rich to put it mildly. And they're spending $5.1 trillion, probably it's going to be $7 trillion by the time we stop. And you know, somebody said every other president goes and leaves and spends money gives other countries money.

Mike Johnson 00:01:12-00:01:18 (6 sec)

Among the debt ceiling cliff that's approaching and all the other problems, this is the bill to do it. I think we'll get it done, Mr. President --

Donald Trump 00:02:20-00:02:39 (18 sec)

I'm the only one that goes and takes money back. [Laughter] You know, when you think of it, I said that's an interesting statement. I never thought of it that way. But uh, we have a good -- this is really just a pep talk. We have a very unified House, and we have a very unified Senate. And Mike is doing a phenomenal job as speaker.

Donald Trump 00:01:18-00:01:42 (24 sec)

The Democrats want to raise your taxes. If this doesn't work, this doesn't get the numbers that the Republicans want, and I think it does, I think all Republican votes. The Democrats are going to be raising your taxes by 68 percent. And they will not do the -- we're going to have an 85 percent cut in drug costs, 85 percent cut in drug costs.

Donald Trump 00:02:39-00:03:03 (24 sec)

He's going to be there a long time. And we have a man in the Senate, our Leader Thune. Mr. Thune is doing a great job. I've gotten to like him a lot. And he's doing a fantastic job. Between the two guys, uh, very different personalities actually in certain ways, but uh, they are doing a fantastic job. Uh, I don't think the Republican Party has ever been so unified.

Donald Trump 00:01:42-00:02:01 (19 sec)

The Democrats, the drug prices are going to go up. I can't imagine a Democrat not voting for this. I think the Democrats, if they don't vote for it, that means they're voting for an increase in drug prices. Think of that, versus an 80 to an 85, maybe 75, but could be 85 percent cut in drug costs, OK?

Donald Trump 00:03:03-00:03:22 (19 sec)

It's become a much bigger party. You know, we're winning the labor vote, we're winning -- we won the Teamsters. We won votes that nobody -- look how well we did with the automakers. And by the way, the president of the automakers is now my biggest fan. He said he did tariffs. Do you know how many auto plants are being built now in this country because of the tariffs?

Question 00:02:01-00:02:08 (6 sec)

Mr. President, will you have someone reach out to individual members? Will you need to make a pitch to individual members?

Donald Trump 00:03:22-00:03:31 (9 sec)

Three, just announced yesterday that they're building. There is a revolution going on, a positive one, in our country and I love it. And we're -- we're doing really well.

Donald Trump 00:02:08-00:02:26 (19 sec)

I don't think so, no, that's what I did. That's really what we did today. I think it was a really great -- that was a meeting of love. Let me tell you. That was love in that room. There was no shouting. There was -- I think it was a meeting of love. There were a couple of things that we talked about specifically where some people felt a little bit one way or the other, not a big deal.

Question 00:03:31-00:03:33 (1 sec)

Mr. President -- Mr. President --

Donald Trump 00:02:26-00:02:34 (8 sec)

And I covered them; it wasn't so much a speech I covered certain points. And I think there was -- I'd be very surprised --

Donald Trump 00:03:33-00:03:33 ( sec)

And we'll --

Question 00:02:34-00:02:35 (1 sec)

You told them [Inaudible]

Question 00:03:33-00:03:38 (6 sec)

Do you want the negotiations to stop, Mr. President? Mr. President? Do you want the negotiations to be over now?

Donald Trump 00:02:35-00:02:37 (2 sec)

No, I didn't tell them. Who told you I said I'm losing?

Donald Trump 00:03:38-00:03:40 (1 sec)

Which negotiation?

Question 00:02:37-00:02:39 (2 sec)

That's what we heard inside the room --

Question 00:03:40-00:03:41 (1 sec)

Over this bill?

Donald Trump 00:02:39-00:02:43 (4 sec)

But that's a lie. Wait a minute, wait, wait, who told you that?

Donald Trump 00:03:41-00:03:46 (5 sec)

Oh, yeah, well, it's going to be. We're going to be putting it in soon. And I think we're going to have great support.

Question 00:02:43-00:02:44 (2 sec)

We heard from people inside the room. It's not true?

Question 00:03:46-00:03:46 ( sec)

Are you going to --

Donald Trump 00:02:44-00:03:03 (18 sec)

Oh, it's totally true, I never used the term. I didn't say losing -- I didn't even talk about it. In fact, it's the opposite. I think we're going to get it done. I'm not losing patience. We're ahead of schedule. Anybody that told you that is a liar. I never meant -- wait a minute, wait a minute. I never mentioned the word losing patience because I'm not losing patience.

Donald Trump 00:03:46-00:03:55 (9 sec)

We are going to -- we're going to make a couple of tweaks. I mean, we don't want to benefit Democrat governors, although I would do that if it made it better, but they don't know what they're doing. And you know, the radical left --

Donald Trump 00:03:03-00:03:04 (1 sec)

We're ahead of --

Note 00:03:55-00:03:55 ( sec)

[Crosstalk]

Donald Trump 00:03:04-00:03:08 (4 sec)

-- why don't you go back to your source and tell them they're liars, if the source even exists.

Donald Trump 00:03:55-00:03:59 (4 sec)

And we don't want to -- we don't want to -- we don't want to do any damage to a state.

Note 00:03:08-00:03:08 ( sec)

[Crosstalk]

Donald Trump 00:03:59-00:04:19 (20 sec)

We want to help all the states. But we have governors that are from the Democrat Party, let's say New York, and Illinois, big ones. And let's say Gavin Newsom who's done a horrible job in California. Um, you know, we want to benefit the company -- we want to benefit Republicans because they -- they are the ones that are going to make America great again.

Question 00:03:08-00:03:13 (4 sec)

If the bill passes the House, Senators are already talking about making a number of changes [Inaudible]

Donald Trump 00:04:19-00:04:35 (16 sec)

The Democrats are destroying our country. And you see that with the past administration with an open borders policy that allowed 21 million people into our country. And many of those people are stone cold murderers, killers and trouble. Yeah?

Donald Trump 00:03:13-00:03:15 (2 sec)

Sure, always have.

Note 00:04:35-00:04:35 ( sec)

[Crosstalk]

Question 00:03:15-00:03:18 (3 sec)

Is that OK? Do you want them to swallow this bill?

Question 00:04:35-00:04:38 (3 sec)

What are you planning to tell the fiscal hawks who wanted to --

Donald Trump 00:03:18-00:03:32 (14 sec)

Yeah, in some cases, they have things that I like even better. No, it always happens. There'll be some -- there'll be some changes. John Thune and Mike have been very closely aligned on this. They've been moving it up together.

Donald Trump 00:04:38-00:04:39 (1 sec)

Say it --

Note 00:03:32-00:03:32 ( sec)

[Crosstalk]

Question 00:04:39-00:04:42 (3 sec)

What are you planning to tell the fiscal hawks that wanted to --

Question 00:03:32-00:03:47 (15 sec)

Apparently, you said don't [Inaudible] with Medicaid apparently. You did say in the room there is some concern among some Republicans, including Senator Josh Hawley, that this could impact benefits and they could amount to hidden tax on the --

Donald Trump 00:04:42-00:04:43 (1 sec)

I'm a fiscal hawk.

Note 00:03:47-00:03:47 ( sec)

[Crosstalk]

Question 00:04:43-00:04:43 ( sec)

[Inaudible]

Donald Trump 00:03:47-00:04:12 (25 sec)

Here's what I said, here's what I say. Do you want to hear what I said? I said waste, fraud and abuse for Medicaid. If you find waste or fraud or abuse, we want to strengthen Medicaid. We want to strengthen Medicare. Waste, fraud and abuse. The Democrats will let illegals be armed, they'll destroy it, it will be destroyed.

Donald Trump 00:04:43-00:04:46 (3 sec)

I'm a bigger fiscal hawk. There's nobody like me as a fiscal hawk.

Donald Trump 00:04:12-00:04:20 (8 sec)

They want to have illegal immigrants be armed, and if you do that, because that's not -- it wasn't designed for that. Waste, fraud and abuse.

Question 00:04:46-00:04:50 (4 sec)

Thomas Massie said -- Mr. -- More deficit than Biden did. And this bill kind of --

Question 00:04:20-00:04:28 (8 sec)

Do you guarantee that your voters who supported your election, particularly working-class voters, will not lose health insurance under this bill?

Donald Trump 00:04:50-00:04:51 (1 sec)

Because we have to fix the country.

Donald Trump 00:04:28-00:04:50 (23 sec)

Oh, they won't lose health insurance. Not only that, remember I'm cutting drug prices by 85 percent. And right now I'm saving it, I'm saving the whole thing because I did something that nobody was willing to do. Other countries pay a tiny fraction of what we do, and I instituted favored nations. We're now going to pay the lowest in the world.

Question 00:04:51-00:04:54 (4 sec)

Do you think that Thomas Massie is correct in saying that this is adding --

Donald Trump 00:04:50-00:05:15 (25 sec)

We're going to be the equivalent of the lowest country in the world. People go to London, they go to Canada, they go to other countries, many other countries because they want to buy their pharmaceutical products, their drugs at a fraction of the cost. Now we're going to have the lowest cost anywhere in the world and nobody else will do that, but me. And that might be an election by itself, might be election winning.

Donald Trump 00:04:54-00:05:11 (16 sec)

No, I don't think Thomas Massie understands government. I think he's a grandstander, frankly. Uh, he'll probably vote. We don't even talk to him much. I think he should be voted out of office. And I just don't think he understands government. If you ask him a couple of questions, he never gives you an answer.

Donald Trump 00:05:15-00:05:40 (25 sec)

Now when you add that in, when you put that into Medicaid and Medicare, we've just strengthened Medicare, Medicaid and the Democrats won't do that. You know why? Because they're taken care of by the drug companies. And the ones that are taken care of are hard line. Some Republicans get money from drug companies and that's OK because they're OK with it. I talked about it. The drug companies take care of everybody.

Donald Trump 00:05:11-00:05:18 (8 sec)

He just says I'm a no. He thinks he's going to get publicity. And you have that, you have that. They've got some, too. Go ahead.

Donald Trump 00:05:40-00:06:00 (20 sec)

It's the biggest lobby, most powerful lobby in the world. There's no lobby like that. But the Republicans are okay with it, not only okay with it, they love it, it was time. So, we're going to cut drug prices by from 75 to 85, in some cases even more than that. You know, I was telling the story that -- and some of you were at that news conference.

Question 00:05:18-00:05:22 (4 sec)

Mr. President, on Medicaid, do you want work requirements phased in next year? Do you think --

Donald Trump 00:06:00-00:06:22 (22 sec)

I gave a news conference where I was the first one in 18 years to cut drug costs for the year. And they were like a quarter of a point to half a point less. And I was very proud of that. Now I'm cutting them by 80, 85 percent because I stopped the scam. This was a scam between the middlemen and the drug companies.

Donald Trump 00:05:22-00:05:43 (21 sec)

Here's what I want on Medicaid, we're not touching anything. All I want is one thing, three words. We don't want any waste, fraud or abuse. Very simple. Waste, fraud abuse. Other than that, we're leaving it. Medicare we're leaving it. All were, after, and this is for the good of it, there's a lot of waste, fraud and abuse.

Donald Trump 00:06:22-00:06:47 (25 sec)

This was a giant scam. And by the way, and other countries, because other countries fought for this, this was a giant scam and we're not going to have it. So, remember this, go back and tell your people, if you'd like to, that the Republican Party is cutting the cost of drugs by as much as 85 percent. Not 8 percent, not 5 percent, not 1 percent -- 85 percent.

Donald Trump 00:05:43-00:05:50 (7 sec)

That's all we're doing. We're not touching it. The Democrats are going to destroy it. Thank you very much. We'll see later.

Donald Trump 00:06:47-00:07:02 (15 sec)

And you're going to have the lowest drug prices anywhere in the world because I'm doing favored nations. And it's all done, I signed it. And the Democrats will unsign it and the drug prices are going to go up. And I think on that issue alone, you can't lose an election.

Note 00:05:50-00:05:50 ( sec)

[Crosstalk]

Question 00:07:02-00:07:10 (8 sec)

Mr. President, you say that your DOJ is weaponizing with the arrest of a Congresswoman -- Democratic Congresswoman.

Donald Trump 00:05:50-00:05:50 (1 sec)

What?

Donald Trump 00:07:10-00:07:15 (6 sec)

Oh, give me a break, did you see her? She was out of control. You know, those days are over. The days of woke -- the days of woke --

Question 00:05:50-00:05:56 (6 sec)

There are conservatives in this room who want to go further --

Question 00:07:15-00:07:16 (1 sec)

Did you tell her to do that?

Donald Trump 00:05:56-00:06:04 (7 sec)

Waste, fraud and abuse. That's all the cuts we're doing. Thank you very much.

Donald Trump 00:07:16-00:07:31 (15 sec)

No, I didn't. The days of woke are over. That woman, I don't -- I have no idea who she is. That woman was out of control. She was shoving federal agents, she was out of control. The days of that crap are over in this country. We're going to have law and order.

Question 00:07:31-00:07:38 (7 sec)

Mr. President, thank you very much. You campaigned on lowering the price of groceries. How can you justify cutting food assistance in this bill?

Donald Trump 00:07:38-00:07:53 (14 sec)

Let me -- let me just tell you, the cut is going to give everybody much more food because prices are coming way down, groceries are down. Eggs, you told me about eggs, you asked me a question about eggs my first week. You said eggs, I said I just got here, tell me about eggs, and it was going through the roof.

Donald Trump 00:07:53-00:08:15 (22 sec)

You know that eggs now -- way down, everybody's buying eggs. Groceries down, energy is down. Gasoline is now -- they're buying gasoline now for $1.99. When I -- if you look back you'll see $3.50, $4.00. This country, we're going to lose this country. Our country now is respected all over the world. All over the world we're respected.

Donald Trump 00:08:15-00:08:45 (30 sec)

We were a laughingstock. The entire world was -- we were a laughingstock. I went to the Middle East and those rulers of those three countries are very powerful people, very big people, very rich people. They respect our country again. China was going to take them over. You know, China was going to get all -- they were going to get into the -- if you look, Saudi Arabia, you take a take a little look what was happening with Qatar, UAE, great people, unbelievable people, unbelievable leaders.

Donald Trump 00:08:45-00:09:11 (25 sec)

But they were abandoned by this country and they're not going to China anymore. They love us, we love them. We're going to take care of them and they're going to take care of us. We came back with $5.1 trillion -- trillion. Every other president would have come back having spent $5.1 trillion as usual. And remember this, we were losing $5 billion a day under the past administration.

Donald Trump 00:09:11-00:09:33 (23 sec)

I have to be a little careful the way I talk because there's a lot of anger about that administration. And by the way, the real question -- who ran the autopen, OK? Who ran the autopen? Because the things that were signed were signed illegally, in my opinion, I think we've just proved that. But our country is respected again.

Donald Trump 00:09:33-00:09:42 (9 sec)

All over the world were respected. We were laughed at seven months ago, then you had November 5th, and our country is respected again. Thank you very much.