Posted on 11/13/2019 6:18:58 PM PST by ransomnote
Oval Office
12:14 P.M. EST
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Okay. Thank you very much. Its a great honor to be with President Erdoğan and Mrs. Erdoğan. Thank you very much. We very much appreciate you being here. First Lady, thank you very much. And I know youre going to go out to lunch after this. Great honor to have you.
The border is holding very well. The ceasefire is holding very well. Weve been speaking to the Kurds, and they seem to be very satisfied.
As you know, weve pulled back our troops quite a while ago, because I think its time for us not to be worried about other peoples borders. I want to worry about our borders. Weve got plenty of borders to worry about.
I want to thank the President for the job theyve done. Again, this has been thousands of years in the process, between borders, between these countries and other countries that were involved with, 7,000 miles away. So, we want to worry about our things.
Were keeping the oil. We have the oil. The oil is secure. We left troops behind, only for the oil.
And I have to just finish by saying that the President and I have been weve been very good friends. Weve been friends for a long time, almost from day one. And we understand each others country. We understand where were coming from. I understand the problems that theyve had, including many people from Turkey being killed in the area that were talking about. And he has to do something about that, also. Its not a one-way street.
So, I just want to say its a great honor to have you both and thank you very much. Thank you.
PRESIDENT ERDOĞAN: Thank you.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: You, go ahead, please. Would you like to say something?
PRESIDENT ERDOĞAN: Thank you. (As interpreted.) Well, Mr. President, thank you. In a few moments, we shall be having a larger-scale press meeting, thats why I dont feel the need to come up with longer statements here.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Okay.
PRESIDENT ERDOĞAN: Thank you.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Okay, well, that was good. Thats good. Its true. A lot of truth to that.
I will say, were also talking about a trade deal. We do, proportionately, very little trade with Turkey. They make great product. We make the greatest product in the world. And, frankly, were going to be expanding our trade relationship very significantly. We think we could be doing $100 billion with Turkey. And right now were doing about $20 billion. But we think that number should be easily $100 billion, which would be great for Turkey and good for us.
So, were going to be expanding. We have our people from Commerce here. Thats one of the meetings well be having. And having that big relationship, I think, is a very good one. So, we think we can bring trade up very quickly to about $100 billion between our countries. Okay?
Q What do you do, Mr. President, about the S-400s, in terms of getting that trade deal?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well be talking about it, John. Well talking about the S-400. Well be talking about that and well be talking about the F-35 fighter jet, too.
Q Are you satisfied with the ISIS fighters that Turkey is keeping an eye on? Are you happy so far with the progress?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Turkey is watching the ISIS fighters. When I became President, ISIS was all over the place. I had no idea to the extent. In fact, it was shown to me about a month ago. We came in. It was a mess. And we took over 100 percent of the caliphate.
And, last week, as you know, we killed its leader and its founder. And were very proud of that fact. And weve also knocked out number two. And we have our eye out on number three, who was supposed to become number one, but hes running right now. Hes running for his life, but we have our sights right on him.
So, we are were doing very well. ISIS is very much very much a factor thats different than it was when I took over. When I took over, thousands and thousands of ISIS fighters were all over. Now theyre mostly imprisoned.
I will say, the Kurds are watching over them and Turkey is also watching over them. And Turkey recently has captured over 100 ISIS fighters and they are taking care of them.
Q Is there any way, Mr. President, that Turkey can possess both S-400s and F-35s? Or are those things mutually exclusive?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, John, were going to be talking about that. So, well well talk about it. We may report to you later on about that because were having a second meeting in a little while.
So, well see you in a little while. Were going to be having press conference of sorts in a little while. Its an honor to have the President and Mrs. Erdoğan with us, and theyre highly respected in their country and in the region. And well see what we can do. But the relationship that weve had is good.
And, you know, Ive heard all the pundits three, four, five weeks ago. They were against what Ive what I did. Now, all of a sudden, theyre saying, Wow. Thats really working well. Why are we guarding other countrys borders? We want to take care of our country. And theyre saying it really is surprising whats happened. Plus, we have our troops out of there, and well be bringing a lot of them back home. But again, were keeping the oil.
Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you.
Q Mr. President, have you watched the impeachment have you watched any of the impeachment hearing?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you. No, I didnt.
Q You didnt watch any of it at all?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: I didnt I did not watch it.
Q Have you been briefed on whats
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Im too busy to watch it. Its a witch hunt. Its a hoax. Im too busy to watch it. So, Im sure Ill get a report.
Q Have you been briefed?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Theres nothing theres nothing I have not been briefed, no. Theres nothing there. I see theyre using lawyers that are television lawyers. They took some guys off television, you know. Im not surprised to see it because Schiff cant do his own questions.
Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you.
Q Mr. President, have you decided to postpone auto tariffs? Are you postponing the decision on auto tariffs?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Ill make a decision fairly soon. I was full briefed and Ill make a decision fairly soon.
END
12:21 P.M. EST
Turkey is an incredibly sensitive diplomatic situation.
Their immediate interests are served by aligning with China, Russia and Tran.
But their long term interests are best served as a neutral bridge between West and East.
Difficult to handle, especially with a fool in charge there.
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