He said that in his press conference. He does NOT understand anything real about economics. He is a self proclaimed Keynesian which is a school of nonEconomics that studies and promulgates the ways that government can obtain and "justify" control over the economy for the purpose of controlling society.
I take you word for it that he said it. You sound honest.
Then, he's an economic fool.
I majored in Economics back in the mid-60's at a University known for that school. It was all bull then and more bull now.
The minimum wage is no business of the government in this society.