REAL News for REAL People
Press Briefing by Press Secretary Sarah Sanders
MS. SANDERS: Look, the President wants to make sure that we denuclearize the Peninsula, and that we're securing and helping have a safer world.
I'm glad that you guys are acknowledging a lot of the problems of North Korea, because just a couple of weeks ago, a lot of members in the press were actually elevating North Korea and some of the members of the regime, and comparing them to people in the United States and in this administration.
I think that is actually what put North Korea on a similar stage. No action by this administration has even remotely demonstrated a level of rise that the media did during the Olympics and through some of those stories.
Francesca.
Q Thank you, Sarah. Yesterday, the South Korean official came out to the stakeout location and said that this meeting would be taking place by May. But you did not say that in your original statement; that's not what you said today, that a place and time has not been set. So was there some sort of a miscommunication about that? Because that was definitely what had been said by Mr. Chung yesterday evening.
MS. SANDERS: No. I'm simply saying that a time and place haven't yet been set.
Q Okay. And so, moving on from that point, can you kind of explain to us how this did end up coming about last night? Because we had the President pop his head in here at roughly close of business to say to some reporters who were around that there was going to be this announcement -
MS. SANDERS: Maybe that's you all's close of business. Our hours must be a little later than you all's.
Q Well, you know, around 5 p.m., I mean.
MS. SANDERS: I'm pretty sure you guys were all still here.
Q So, he popped his head in here, though, and said that there would be an announcement coming around 7 p.m. from the South Koreans. Then the White House ends up telling us that it will be here on this property. Then it wasn't until an hour after that that you even sent out a statement affirming the details - some of the details, not the May part of what this announcement that President Trump would be meeting with Kim Jong-un.
Can you walk us through how that all happened, from the President popping in here, to the fact that a South Korean official, and not the White House, briefed us on our own property outside?
MS. SANDERS: Again, this was the result of the South Korean delegation, who had met with the North Koreans earlier in the week, coming here to give us an update on their conversations and their meetings, and relaying that information, and us responding to that.
Q So why didn't the White House -
MS. SANDERS: And the reason for the South Koreans - I believe that was the end of your question - addressing is because those were the individuals that had directly spoken with the North Koreans, and they were the ones that were making that response.
Q So it was the President's idea to come in here and make that statement?
MS. SANDERS: Yeah, absolutely. It was the President's idea to come into the briefing room and alert you all of an announcement coming a couple hours later.
April.
Q On the issue of denuclearization, and going back to Peter and to Jeff, there's a black hole, when it comes to intelligence, as to what's really happening in North Korea. What is going to be put in place, specifically, to qualify and quantify what is actually there? When you talk about denuclearization, what are you denuclearizing? How many? We don't know. Specifically, what is in place? Are you going to employ world bodies beyond what you have? What is in place? What do you plan on doing?
MS. SANDERS: That's something that is going to be determined by the intelligence community, the national security team, and not something that I would relay from the podium to all of you.
Q But it's very important - when you have something - some kind of meeting of this nature, it's very important to understand what is at play. Because he could say, I'm denuclearizing and not denuclearize everything.
MS. SANDERS: I think it's very important for our intelligence communities and our national security community to understand that, and they do. And that is going to be a major part of any conversation and something, though, that I'm not going to relay at this point, certainly, ahead of any conversation.
Q And last question - one more subject, last question. Did President Trump - when did President Trump, after that photo, see Stormy Daniels? Did he text, email? Do you have any other information?
MS. SANDERS: I don't. We've addressed this extensively and I don't have anything else to add.
Deborah.
Q I have a California question. Wednesday, Governor Brown said that Donald Trump was declaring war on California. Now I know that the President has given Jerry Brown money to his campaigns before. Have they talked on the phone recently? And when the President goes to California next week, will it be war or will it be peace?
MS. SANDERS: I'm sorry I couldn't hear the last part.
Q When the President goes to California, will it be war or will it be peace? What does the President plan on doing?
MS. SANDERS: Look, I think if anybody is stepping out of bounds here, it would be someone who is refusing to follow federal law, which is certainly not the President. And we're going for what we hope to be an incredibly positive trip.
The President is going to look at prototypes along the border, and also meet with and speak to the members of our armed services. He'll be speaking with members from all five branches of the military, and I don't think that could be anything but a positive thing.
John.
Q Thank you, Sarah. Two brief questions. Stating the date coming up and who might accompany the President, or who's expected to accompany them, could we assume, then, that General McMaster will remain National Security Advisor throughout the duration of the negotiations?
MS. SANDERS: I have no reason to believe otherwise.
Q And that means - so it could be in the fall of this year; it could be later. But he'll still be on there to advise?
MS. SANDERS: Look, I don't have a crystal ball to predict the future, but the President's National Security Advisor is General McMaster. He's a valued member of the President's team, and an important part of this process.
Q (Inaudible.)
MS. SANDERS: I'm sorry? I can't hear you.
Q He's not leaving anytime soon?
MS. SANDERS: Not that I'm aware of, John.
Yeah, Brian. Go ahead.
Q Thanks. Thanks. Different policy question for you, different issue. Three weeks ago, the President came out in a speech and said that we're going to have the largest nuclear force ever. Hopefully, we'll never have to use it. We're going to be so far ahead of everyone else in nuclear like you've never seen before, far in excess of anyone else. And as far as disarmament, he said, "We won't lead the way. We'll go along with them."
The day after that, OMB Director Mulvaney came in here and said that you all were going to spend close too - or are proposing to spend close to $50 billion to upgrade and enhance the nuclear arsenal.
The week after that, the President - or a head of Russia came out and said he has a first-strike weapon. Now, whether or not you believe that he has a first-strike weapon, isn't it inherently dangerous for the owners of the two largest nuclear arsenals to engage in brinkmanship? And why are we abandoning our role as a peacemaker in disarmament?
MS. SANDERS: I don't think that's the point anyone is making. The President wants to make sure that we have the most robust and modern military. He's been in constant conversations with the Secretary of Defense and acting, in large part, on the recommendations of the Secretary. And I think everybody can certainly rest assured knowing that Secretary Mattis is making good decisions when it comes to how best to rebuild and modernize the military.
Q But this is global thermonuclear war we're talking about. You don't come back from that. Isn't it dangerous to talk about brinkmanship?
MS. SANDERS: I think it's dangerous to push something that - a narrative that is not at all what this administration is pushing.
Q But he said it.
MS. SANDERS: I'm talking. We're talking about the safety and security of this country. We're talking about making sure we have the strongest military in the world so that we can operate from a place of strength. And that's what we're doing.
I'll take one -
Q As far as North Korea goes, can you define -
MS. SANDERS: Sorry. I'm going to keep moving. I'm going to take one last question. Hallie.
Q Thank you, Sarah. Just two questions, Sarah, clarifying what you've said from the podium. Is there a possibility that these talks with North Korea, with Kim Jong-un, may not happen?
MS. SANDERS: Look, they've got to follow through on the promises that they've made, and we want to see concrete and verifiable action on that front.
Q So it's possible that could not happen?
MS. SANDERS: I mean, there are a lot of things possible. I'm not going to sit here and walk through every hypothetical that could exist in the world. But I can tell you that the President has accepted that invitation on the basis that we have concrete and verifiable steps.
Q And then, second: You said from the podium - you acknowledged that the President, to follow up on April's question, knows about the arbitration involving Stormy Daniels. So does he remember speaking with his lawyer about that? Does he remember meeting Daniels back in 2006?
MS. SANDERS: I've addressed this extensively. I don't have anything else to add.
Q Sarah.
MS. SANDERS: I'm sorry, I did tell Trey I'll take one last question.
Q Thanks, Sarah. Quickly on North Korea, what specific steps is the President taking to prepare for this major summit with Kim Jong-un?
MS. SANDERS: Look, the President has been preparing for this for quite some time in his regular briefings with the intelligence community, with his national security team. He's going to continue doing that, and with other subject matter experts.
But, also, the President is, I think, the ultimate negotiator and dealmaker when it comes to any type of conversation, as I think is reflected in Senator Graham's statement. And we feel very confident in where we are.
Thanks so much, everyone. Have a great weekend.
END
Go Back
I'm glad that you guys are acknowledging a lot of the problems of North Korea, because just a couple of weeks ago, a lot of members in the press were actually elevating North Korea and some of the members of the regime, and comparing them to people in the United States and in this administration.
I think that is actually what put North Korea on a similar stage. No action by this administration has even remotely demonstrated a level of rise that the media did during the Olympics and through some of those stories.
Francesca.
Q Thank you, Sarah. Yesterday, the South Korean official came out to the stakeout location and said that this meeting would be taking place by May. But you did not say that in your original statement; that's not what you said today, that a place and time has not been set. So was there some sort of a miscommunication about that? Because that was definitely what had been said by Mr. Chung yesterday evening.
MS. SANDERS: No. I'm simply saying that a time and place haven't yet been set.
Q Okay. And so, moving on from that point, can you kind of explain to us how this did end up coming about last night? Because we had the President pop his head in here at roughly close of business to say to some reporters who were around that there was going to be this announcement -
MS. SANDERS: Maybe that's you all's close of business. Our hours must be a little later than you all's.
Q Well, you know, around 5 p.m., I mean.
MS. SANDERS: I'm pretty sure you guys were all still here.
Q So, he popped his head in here, though, and said that there would be an announcement coming around 7 p.m. from the South Koreans. Then the White House ends up telling us that it will be here on this property. Then it wasn't until an hour after that that you even sent out a statement affirming the details - some of the details, not the May part of what this announcement that President Trump would be meeting with Kim Jong-un.
Can you walk us through how that all happened, from the President popping in here, to the fact that a South Korean official, and not the White House, briefed us on our own property outside?
MS. SANDERS: Again, this was the result of the South Korean delegation, who had met with the North Koreans earlier in the week, coming here to give us an update on their conversations and their meetings, and relaying that information, and us responding to that.
Q So why didn't the White House -
MS. SANDERS: And the reason for the South Koreans - I believe that was the end of your question - addressing is because those were the individuals that had directly spoken with the North Koreans, and they were the ones that were making that response.
Q So it was the President's idea to come in here and make that statement?
MS. SANDERS: Yeah, absolutely. It was the President's idea to come into the briefing room and alert you all of an announcement coming a couple hours later.
April.
Q On the issue of denuclearization, and going back to Peter and to Jeff, there's a black hole, when it comes to intelligence, as to what's really happening in North Korea. What is going to be put in place, specifically, to qualify and quantify what is actually there? When you talk about denuclearization, what are you denuclearizing? How many? We don't know. Specifically, what is in place? Are you going to employ world bodies beyond what you have? What is in place? What do you plan on doing?
MS. SANDERS: That's something that is going to be determined by the intelligence community, the national security team, and not something that I would relay from the podium to all of you.
Q But it's very important - when you have something - some kind of meeting of this nature, it's very important to understand what is at play. Because he could say, I'm denuclearizing and not denuclearize everything.
MS. SANDERS: I think it's very important for our intelligence communities and our national security community to understand that, and they do. And that is going to be a major part of any conversation and something, though, that I'm not going to relay at this point, certainly, ahead of any conversation.
Q And last question - one more subject, last question. Did President Trump - when did President Trump, after that photo, see Stormy Daniels? Did he text, email? Do you have any other information?
MS. SANDERS: I don't. We've addressed this extensively and I don't have anything else to add.
Deborah.
Q I have a California question. Wednesday, Governor Brown said that Donald Trump was declaring war on California. Now I know that the President has given Jerry Brown money to his campaigns before. Have they talked on the phone recently? And when the President goes to California next week, will it be war or will it be peace?
MS. SANDERS: I'm sorry I couldn't hear the last part.
Q When the President goes to California, will it be war or will it be peace? What does the President plan on doing?
MS. SANDERS: Look, I think if anybody is stepping out of bounds here, it would be someone who is refusing to follow federal law, which is certainly not the President. And we're going for what we hope to be an incredibly positive trip.
The President is going to look at prototypes along the border, and also meet with and speak to the members of our armed services. He'll be speaking with members from all five branches of the military, and I don't think that could be anything but a positive thing.
John.
Q Thank you, Sarah. Two brief questions. Stating the date coming up and who might accompany the President, or who's expected to accompany them, could we assume, then, that General McMaster will remain National Security Advisor throughout the duration of the negotiations?
MS. SANDERS: I have no reason to believe otherwise.
Q And that means - so it could be in the fall of this year; it could be later. But he'll still be on there to advise?
MS. SANDERS: Look, I don't have a crystal ball to predict the future, but the President's National Security Advisor is General McMaster. He's a valued member of the President's team, and an important part of this process.
Q (Inaudible.)
MS. SANDERS: I'm sorry? I can't hear you.
Q He's not leaving anytime soon?
MS. SANDERS: Not that I'm aware of, John.
Yeah, Brian. Go ahead.
Q Thanks. Thanks. Different policy question for you, different issue. Three weeks ago, the President came out in a speech and said that we're going to have the largest nuclear force ever. Hopefully, we'll never have to use it. We're going to be so far ahead of everyone else in nuclear like you've never seen before, far in excess of anyone else. And as far as disarmament, he said, "We won't lead the way. We'll go along with them."
The day after that, OMB Director Mulvaney came in here and said that you all were going to spend close too - or are proposing to spend close to $50 billion to upgrade and enhance the nuclear arsenal.
The week after that, the President - or a head of Russia came out and said he has a first-strike weapon. Now, whether or not you believe that he has a first-strike weapon, isn't it inherently dangerous for the owners of the two largest nuclear arsenals to engage in brinkmanship? And why are we abandoning our role as a peacemaker in disarmament?
MS. SANDERS: I don't think that's the point anyone is making. The President wants to make sure that we have the most robust and modern military. He's been in constant conversations with the Secretary of Defense and acting, in large part, on the recommendations of the Secretary. And I think everybody can certainly rest assured knowing that Secretary Mattis is making good decisions when it comes to how best to rebuild and modernize the military.
Q But this is global thermonuclear war we're talking about. You don't come back from that. Isn't it dangerous to talk about brinkmanship?
MS. SANDERS: I think it's dangerous to push something that - a narrative that is not at all what this administration is pushing.
Q But he said it.
MS. SANDERS: I'm talking. We're talking about the safety and security of this country. We're talking about making sure we have the strongest military in the world so that we can operate from a place of strength. And that's what we're doing.
I'll take one -
Q As far as North Korea goes, can you define -
MS. SANDERS: Sorry. I'm going to keep moving. I'm going to take one last question. Hallie.
Q Thank you, Sarah. Just two questions, Sarah, clarifying what you've said from the podium. Is there a possibility that these talks with North Korea, with Kim Jong-un, may not happen?
MS. SANDERS: Look, they've got to follow through on the promises that they've made, and we want to see concrete and verifiable action on that front.
Q So it's possible that could not happen?
MS. SANDERS: I mean, there are a lot of things possible. I'm not going to sit here and walk through every hypothetical that could exist in the world. But I can tell you that the President has accepted that invitation on the basis that we have concrete and verifiable steps.
Q And then, second: You said from the podium - you acknowledged that the President, to follow up on April's question, knows about the arbitration involving Stormy Daniels. So does he remember speaking with his lawyer about that? Does he remember meeting Daniels back in 2006?
MS. SANDERS: I've addressed this extensively. I don't have anything else to add.
Q Sarah.
MS. SANDERS: I'm sorry, I did tell Trey I'll take one last question.
Q Thanks, Sarah. Quickly on North Korea, what specific steps is the President taking to prepare for this major summit with Kim Jong-un?
MS. SANDERS: Look, the President has been preparing for this for quite some time in his regular briefings with the intelligence community, with his national security team. He's going to continue doing that, and with other subject matter experts.
But, also, the President is, I think, the ultimate negotiator and dealmaker when it comes to any type of conversation, as I think is reflected in Senator Graham's statement. And we feel very confident in where we are.
Thanks so much, everyone. Have a great weekend.
END
- Contact: White House
- Press Office
Home
Contact
About
Service Rates
Privacy Policy
Follow on Facebook
Subscribe to Newsletters
Rss Feed
Keywords
Eastern NC Now & ENC NOW © Copyright 1998-2024 All Rights Reserved.
