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Press Briefing by Kayleigh McEnany; 7/13/2020
Yes, Chanel?
PRESS BRIEFINGS
Press Briefing by Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany | 7/13/2020
Issued on: July 13, 2020
James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
1:25 P.M. EDT
MS. MCENANY: Hello, everyone. President Trump will participate in a roundtable to hear stories of families positively impacted by law enforcement. That will be taking place shortly after this briefing concludes. The President stands with our police officers, our men and women across this country who valiantly patrol our streets and protect our protect our citizenry.
This President stands on the side of law and order to secure peace in our streets. That has always been his priority, and remains so today.
{snip}
And with that, I’ll take questions.
{snip}
Jim, I haven’t seen you in a few weeks. I’m glad you’re back.
Q Yeah. Thanks. Kayleigh, why is the White House trashing Dr. Fauci and sending out opposition research, like memos, to reporters?
The President has gone off on anonymous sources in the past. Why not have the guts to trash Dr. Fauci with your own names?
MS. MCENANY: So, President Trump — I’ll refer you back. There is no opposition research being dumped to reporters. We were asked a very specific question by the Washington Post, and that question was President Trump noted that Dr. Fauci had made some mistakes, and we provided a direct answer to what was a direct question.
Q Hasn’t the President made mistakes? He suggested at one point that Americans inject themselves with disinfectants, that sort of thing. Why not send out these notes to reporters, about what Dr. Fauci said in the past, with your names on it? They were sent out by a White House official. The President has said he doesn’t trust anonymous sources, and yet you were sending out these notes to reporters, anonymously.
MS. MCENANY: Look, I would note that in terms of the President and his record on coronavirus, he stands by the actions and the steps he’s taken in this historic response. You have Dr. Fauci who said that “the record of this President is impressive. I can’t imagine that, under any circumstance, that anybody could be doing more.” And those are the words of Dr. Fauci.
We provided a direct response to a direct question, and that’s about it. And to the notion that there’s opposition research and that there’s Fauci versus the President, it couldn’t be further from the truth. Dr. Fauci and the President have always had a very good working relationship.
Q And on just a separate subject, very quickly: Does the President or the administration plan to make it very clear to the Russian Federation that there should not be bounties placed on the heads of American soldiers serving in Afghanistan?
MS. MCENANY: We make that clear each and every day to every country around the world that this President will always stand by our law enforcement. No one has been tougher on Russia. What you’re —
Q Not law enforcement. I’m talking about military soldiers.
MS. MCENANY: What you’re talking —
Q U.S. forces overseas.
MS. MCENANY: Yes, of course. That’s what I’m saying. Our U.S. forces.
Q Not just any country. The Russians. Will you tell the Kremlin and President Putin —
MS. MCENANY: Each and every country. But what you’re getting at —
Q — not to put bounties on the heads of American soldiers?
MS. MCENANY: Of course. We tell each and every country that. But what you’re getting at is uncorroborated intelligence, and you’re treating it as if it were true. To this day, there are varying views on the Russian bounty intelligence — DOD, NSC, and the ODNI all pointing that out.
You know, I’m not going to answer a question based on unverified intelligence, but rest assured, every country in this world is put on notice that bounties on the heads of U.S. troops is unacceptable, and this President will stand for U.S. troops at home and abroad.
Q Including the Kremlin? Including the Russians?
MS. MCENANY: Yes.
{snip}
Q Yes, Arizona has more new cases of coronavirus than any country in the world — more than the European Union as a whole. So isn’t, by that metric, the United States not doing as well as other countries in handling this?
MS. MCENANY: No, because when you lead the world in testing, that means that you identify more cases.
{snip}
Chris.
Q Thanks, Kayleigh. We’re coming up on the three-year anniversary of the President tweeting he’d ban transgender people from the military in any capacity, which led to the policy currently in place. Last week, a group of 116 lawmakers, led by Congresswoman DelBene, wrote the administration urging them to lift the policy. Would the President reconsider the policy?
MS. MCENANY: I haven’t talked to him about that specific policy, but this President is proud that, in 2019, we launched a global initiative to end the criminalization of homosexuality throughout the world. He has a great record when it comes to the LGBT community. The Trump administration eased a ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men, and he launched a plan to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. So we’re very proud of our achievements.
Q Nonetheless — but nonetheless, the ban on transgenders in the military is still in place.
MS. MCENANY: John.
Q Thank you very much.
Q You have a Supreme Court ruling that anti-trans discrimination is a form of sex discrimination. We have an estimated 14,700 people in the military who identify as transgender. We have a poll showing upwards of 70 percent of Americans support transgender service. And we have major medical and psychological groups saying there’s no problem with transgender people in the military. So what is the reason for having the policy currently in place?
MS. MCENANY: I have no updates for you, but several of the events that you cited, like the Supreme Court ruling, I would refer you back to Justice Kavanaugh who has said, “We are judges; we’re not Members of Congress. Instead of a hard-earned victory won through the democratic process, today’s victory is brought about by judicial dictates.” So we’ll always stand on the side of correct statutory interpretation.
{snip}
MS. MCENANY: Chanel.
Q Just, can I ask on the travel ban?
MS. MCENANY: Sure.
Q What is the rationale now for keeping people from Europe, Ireland, and the UK from the United States when they have a fraction of the number of cases that you do in the U.S.?
MS. MCENANY: The argument is we will always put America first.
Chanel.
Q Thank you, Kayleigh. If you will expand on the difference between this time last month and now, when it comes to framing the discussion about law enforcement — last month, the President hosted a law enforcement roundtable, and at that roundtable, he said that he would not support defunding the police. And yet, one month later, we still have Democrat cities doing so — disbanding their police, defunding the police. How does the White House feel it should frame the debate now, with regards to defunding the police, so that a reasonable discussion can be had with these Democrat cities who are trying to do so?
MS. MCENANY: Yeah, it’s a very good question. We know that in Los Angeles, when they announced they would be defunding their police department by 150 million, they basically, immediately after, saw a 250 percent increase in homicides. When you have people out there, like Representative Ilhan Omar, saying, “We have to completely dismantle the police” and “police are cancer,” this is not how we should be talking about our heroes.
You have, most egregious of all, really, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez saying, Defund[ing] the police means defund[ing] the police.” She criticized, of course, the announcement of $1.5 billion being taken down from NYPD.
And this weekend, you know, when faced with — there were 28 shootings in New York, a 600 percent increase from this time last year — you have Representative Ocasio-Cortez saying this is just because people are trying to get food with their families. That is preposterous.
The reality is 63 percent of Americans in this country fear that criticism of our police departments will lead to no public safety in their streets, and 69 percent of black Americans. This is a real issue when you call our police “cancer,” when you talk about dismantling them. And then this weekend, in New York, you see a one-year-old killed in his stroller. His name was Davell Gardner, Jr. And that one-year- old will be in our prayers. Not only that — you see officers Garza and Chavez.
And to your question about how we should talk about the police and defund the police movement, the President stands against.
The two officers ambushed this weekend, one of them — Officer Chavez’s daughter wrote a very touching tribute online. She said, “Words cannot describe the pain I’m in, but I’m glad my dad is at peace. You were an amazing man and anyone who ever came across you knew that. I’m going to miss you so much. You died doing what you loved most. You died a hero.” And those touching words were written by Savannah Chavez, and I know she received vile and outrageous comments online that were absolutely atrocious for her touching sentiment to her dad.
I want Savannah to know: Your dad is a hero. His police department should never be defunded because most of our police officers are good, hardworking men and women, and heroes — much like Savannah’s dad. We’ll be praying for you, Savannah.
Thank you, guys.
END
1:49 P.M. EDT
Press Briefing by Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany | 7/13/2020
Issued on: July 13, 2020
James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
1:25 P.M. EDT
MS. MCENANY: Hello, everyone. President Trump will participate in a roundtable to hear stories of families positively impacted by law enforcement. That will be taking place shortly after this briefing concludes. The President stands with our police officers, our men and women across this country who valiantly patrol our streets and protect our protect our citizenry.
This President stands on the side of law and order to secure peace in our streets. That has always been his priority, and remains so today.
{snip}
And with that, I’ll take questions.
{snip}
Jim, I haven’t seen you in a few weeks. I’m glad you’re back.
Q Yeah. Thanks. Kayleigh, why is the White House trashing Dr. Fauci and sending out opposition research, like memos, to reporters?
The President has gone off on anonymous sources in the past. Why not have the guts to trash Dr. Fauci with your own names?
MS. MCENANY: So, President Trump — I’ll refer you back. There is no opposition research being dumped to reporters. We were asked a very specific question by the Washington Post, and that question was President Trump noted that Dr. Fauci had made some mistakes, and we provided a direct answer to what was a direct question.
Q Hasn’t the President made mistakes? He suggested at one point that Americans inject themselves with disinfectants, that sort of thing. Why not send out these notes to reporters, about what Dr. Fauci said in the past, with your names on it? They were sent out by a White House official. The President has said he doesn’t trust anonymous sources, and yet you were sending out these notes to reporters, anonymously.
MS. MCENANY: Look, I would note that in terms of the President and his record on coronavirus, he stands by the actions and the steps he’s taken in this historic response. You have Dr. Fauci who said that “the record of this President is impressive. I can’t imagine that, under any circumstance, that anybody could be doing more.” And those are the words of Dr. Fauci.
We provided a direct response to a direct question, and that’s about it. And to the notion that there’s opposition research and that there’s Fauci versus the President, it couldn’t be further from the truth. Dr. Fauci and the President have always had a very good working relationship.
Q And on just a separate subject, very quickly: Does the President or the administration plan to make it very clear to the Russian Federation that there should not be bounties placed on the heads of American soldiers serving in Afghanistan?
MS. MCENANY: We make that clear each and every day to every country around the world that this President will always stand by our law enforcement. No one has been tougher on Russia. What you’re —
Q Not law enforcement. I’m talking about military soldiers.
MS. MCENANY: What you’re talking —
Q U.S. forces overseas.
MS. MCENANY: Yes, of course. That’s what I’m saying. Our U.S. forces.
Q Not just any country. The Russians. Will you tell the Kremlin and President Putin —
MS. MCENANY: Each and every country. But what you’re getting at —
Q — not to put bounties on the heads of American soldiers?
MS. MCENANY: Of course. We tell each and every country that. But what you’re getting at is uncorroborated intelligence, and you’re treating it as if it were true. To this day, there are varying views on the Russian bounty intelligence — DOD, NSC, and the ODNI all pointing that out.
You know, I’m not going to answer a question based on unverified intelligence, but rest assured, every country in this world is put on notice that bounties on the heads of U.S. troops is unacceptable, and this President will stand for U.S. troops at home and abroad.
Q Including the Kremlin? Including the Russians?
MS. MCENANY: Yes.
{snip}
Q Yes, Arizona has more new cases of coronavirus than any country in the world — more than the European Union as a whole. So isn’t, by that metric, the United States not doing as well as other countries in handling this?
MS. MCENANY: No, because when you lead the world in testing, that means that you identify more cases.
{snip}
Chris.
Q Thanks, Kayleigh. We’re coming up on the three-year anniversary of the President tweeting he’d ban transgender people from the military in any capacity, which led to the policy currently in place. Last week, a group of 116 lawmakers, led by Congresswoman DelBene, wrote the administration urging them to lift the policy. Would the President reconsider the policy?
MS. MCENANY: I haven’t talked to him about that specific policy, but this President is proud that, in 2019, we launched a global initiative to end the criminalization of homosexuality throughout the world. He has a great record when it comes to the LGBT community. The Trump administration eased a ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men, and he launched a plan to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. So we’re very proud of our achievements.
Q Nonetheless — but nonetheless, the ban on transgenders in the military is still in place.
MS. MCENANY: John.
Q Thank you very much.
Q You have a Supreme Court ruling that anti-trans discrimination is a form of sex discrimination. We have an estimated 14,700 people in the military who identify as transgender. We have a poll showing upwards of 70 percent of Americans support transgender service. And we have major medical and psychological groups saying there’s no problem with transgender people in the military. So what is the reason for having the policy currently in place?
MS. MCENANY: I have no updates for you, but several of the events that you cited, like the Supreme Court ruling, I would refer you back to Justice Kavanaugh who has said, “We are judges; we’re not Members of Congress. Instead of a hard-earned victory won through the democratic process, today’s victory is brought about by judicial dictates.” So we’ll always stand on the side of correct statutory interpretation.
{snip}
MS. MCENANY: Chanel.
Q Just, can I ask on the travel ban?
MS. MCENANY: Sure.
Q What is the rationale now for keeping people from Europe, Ireland, and the UK from the United States when they have a fraction of the number of cases that you do in the U.S.?
MS. MCENANY: The argument is we will always put America first.
Chanel.
Q Thank you, Kayleigh. If you will expand on the difference between this time last month and now, when it comes to framing the discussion about law enforcement — last month, the President hosted a law enforcement roundtable, and at that roundtable, he said that he would not support defunding the police. And yet, one month later, we still have Democrat cities doing so — disbanding their police, defunding the police. How does the White House feel it should frame the debate now, with regards to defunding the police, so that a reasonable discussion can be had with these Democrat cities who are trying to do so?
MS. MCENANY: Yeah, it’s a very good question. We know that in Los Angeles, when they announced they would be defunding their police department by 150 million, they basically, immediately after, saw a 250 percent increase in homicides. When you have people out there, like Representative Ilhan Omar, saying, “We have to completely dismantle the police” and “police are cancer,” this is not how we should be talking about our heroes.
You have, most egregious of all, really, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez saying, Defund[ing] the police means defund[ing] the police.” She criticized, of course, the announcement of $1.5 billion being taken down from NYPD.
And this weekend, you know, when faced with — there were 28 shootings in New York, a 600 percent increase from this time last year — you have Representative Ocasio-Cortez saying this is just because people are trying to get food with their families. That is preposterous.
The reality is 63 percent of Americans in this country fear that criticism of our police departments will lead to no public safety in their streets, and 69 percent of black Americans. This is a real issue when you call our police “cancer,” when you talk about dismantling them. And then this weekend, in New York, you see a one-year-old killed in his stroller. His name was Davell Gardner, Jr. And that one-year- old will be in our prayers. Not only that — you see officers Garza and Chavez.
And to your question about how we should talk about the police and defund the police movement, the President stands against.
The two officers ambushed this weekend, one of them — Officer Chavez’s daughter wrote a very touching tribute online. She said, “Words cannot describe the pain I’m in, but I’m glad my dad is at peace. You were an amazing man and anyone who ever came across you knew that. I’m going to miss you so much. You died doing what you loved most. You died a hero.” And those touching words were written by Savannah Chavez, and I know she received vile and outrageous comments online that were absolutely atrocious for her touching sentiment to her dad.
I want Savannah to know: Your dad is a hero. His police department should never be defunded because most of our police officers are good, hardworking men and women, and heroes — much like Savannah’s dad. We’ll be praying for you, Savannah.
Thank you, guys.
END
1:49 P.M. EDT
2 replies
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