Remarks by President Trump at the Faith and Freedom Coalition “Road to Majority” 2019 Conference | Eastern North Carolina Now

    And as was stated a few times, because I've seen it and heard it so much here, but I recognized the true capital of Israel and opened the American embassy in Jerusalem. (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you.

    Every President said they were going to do it. You go back many, many Presidents - they said they were going to do it; they never did it. They never did it. And I understand why, because the pressure put on you - once you get into office - not to do it by other countries is amazing.

    I got so many calls. And I knew they heard I was going to do it in two weeks. I got so many calls from the heads of countries. So when I knew they were calling about that, I'd say, "Tell them I'll call them back in a week and a half. I'm very busy." (Laughter and applause.) "I'm very busy." Because it's hard to tell, you know, a king, "No." They'd never heard "no" before. So, you know, I don't mind telling them no, but what do I have to waste my time for, right? (Laughter.)

    But I see why that other people - that they just didn't do it. They campaigned, "I will recognize..." - all of them. And they didn't do it. And they didn't do it. They didn't come through. This is many, many Presidents. Not just President Obama. He campaigned on it, too; never did it. Bush campaigned on it. Clinton campaigned on it. Everybody did. They didn't do it. And I did it.

    But what I did with the calls - I'll explain this just to this first row of young geniuses from Liberty University. (Laughter.) What I did is I didn't take the calls. And then after, I signed the document, had a press conference, announced it. And now Jerusalem becomes the capital of Israel. It's a big thing, right? (Applause.)

    After I did it, I probably had 25 calls from leaders of countries who were going to say, "Please don't do it." I called them back, "Hey, what's up? What's going on?" (Laughter.) "What's up?" And they said, "Sir, we were going to ask you not to do the embassy in Jerusalem, if that were possible, but you did it yesterday." (Laughter and applause.) And I said to all of them, I said, "Gee, I'm sorry, I wish I got to you a little bit earlier." (Laughter.)

    And, this year, we recognized Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. That was another big thing. (Applause.) That's been 52 years in the making. Many, many summits - they had many, many summits. People would fly in with their big jets from all these countries - these big, beautiful jets. They'd land, they'd talk about the Golan Heights for two days, and then they'd fly out. Nothing would happen. I did it. First time. (Applause.)

    And maybe most importantly or very importantly, I withdrew the United States from the disastrous Iran nuclear deal. (Applause.) Remember when they signed that deal? They were all screaming, "Death to USA! Death to the United States!" They were screaming as we're signing a deal. Whoever signs a deal when they're screaming "Death to the USA"?

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    You got John Kerry, the world's worst negotiator - (laughter) - who, by the way, has totally violated the Logan Act, okay? You know, he's talking to them all the time, telling them what to do. "Gee, don't do it, you're going to make me look bad if you do it." Don't make a deal. "Wait, Trump!" He probably says, "Wait him out! Maybe he'll lose the election." How about that?

    We have a long way to go. Fifteen months, right? And you have a guy saying, "Wait him out. Maybe he'll lose the election." That's against the law. It's against the law. He can't do that. I'm supposed to be doing a good job.

    I'll tell you what: If it weren't for him, I really think they would've already been in negotiations with us, maybe even had a deal. But maybe that won't happen. And if it doesn't happen, that's fine with me. I have unlimited time, as far as I'm concerned. But that was a disastrous deal. "Death to America. Death to Israel." Remember? They're signing it. Kerry is signing. They're screaming, "Death to Israel! Death to America!" We've imposed the toughest-ever sanctions on Iran, and we added more this week.

    My administration is also speaking out against religious persecution all around the world. (Applause.) We believe that every community has the right to worship in peace.

    In Latin America, we support the people of Cuba and Nicaragua and Venezuela in their righteous struggle for freedom. (Applause.) A lot of progress, too.

    In America, we reject the failed socialist ideology of government domination. (Applause.) You'll end up with another Venezuela right here, and it won't take long. Our rights don't come from politicians; they come from the Creator. (Applause.)

    America was not built by bureaucrats, America was built by innovators and entrepreneurs, pioneers, and pastors, and ministers, and priests, and families, and factory workers, and rabbis, and dreamers, and doers. Our destiny is not written in Washington, it's written in our hearts. (Applause.)

    We know that faith and prayer, not federal regulation, defines the moral character of our country. We know that. We know that families and churches, not government officials, know best how to create strong and loving communities. That's why I want our pastors and our clergy telling us what they think. I want to hear from them. I don't want them to be held up in making a statement.

    I want to hear from those people. Those are the people you want most to hear from - perhaps even more so than your President. But maybe not. I don't know. You tell me. (Laughter.) But I want to hear from them. I don't want them to be hurt or harmed or taxed because they're giving their views. Those are the views I want to hear.

    Above all else, we know this: In America, we don't worship government; we worship God. (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you.

    We've got your back. Got your back. You came out like no movement in history. There's never been a movement like happened in 2016. Never happened before to that extent, and there's never been a movement like that.

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    AUDIENCE MEMBER: (Inaudible.)

    THE PRESIDENT: I could ask - thank you. I could ask somebody like Bill Bennett. I mean, there's never been - there's never been a - an election like this. And even now, we still fight and fight and fight. They just refuse to accept, but we're winning the fight, and it's a very important fight.

    And the election coming up is, in certain ways, maybe going to be as important - I can't say more important, but as important as the election of 2016. In certain ways, it could be more important. I mean, it really could, because it could all go down very quickly. I mean, you have to be very, very careful.

    Bill, I don't think there's ever been anything like happened in 2016. What do you think?

    MR. BENNETT: That's correct.

    THE PRESIDENT: I really - you know, I believe it. I just - not because of me; it's just a movement that nobody has ever seen anything like it, anywhere. All over the world, they talk about it.

    Everyone here today is united by the same tireless values: the dignity of work, the miracle of life, and the blessings of freedom. Every day of my presidency, we fight on behalf of hardworking citizens who pay their taxes, follow our laws, raise our children, protect our communities, and make this the greatest nation ever to exist on the face of the Earth. And today, I honestly believe it's greater than it's ever been before. (Applause.)

    And I also think, very importantly, that we have more potential than we've ever had before. That's a very important thing. We haven't stopped. We have more potential.

    Do you know: If the stock market just sort of goes out nice and easy, some of the stats will be the greatest, the most successful June in over 80 years? Think of that. (Applause.) Over 80 years. And if it goes up a little bit more, it could even break the all-time record. But 80 years is not so bad.

    The choice of our future has never been clearer. The radical left offers a vision of socialism, censorship, high taxes, open borders and extreme late-term abortion. Our movement is about lifting up all Americans. We're fighting for the American worker, we're fighting for the American family, and we're fighting for the American Dream.

    With your help, our nation will prosper in the fullness of faith and the glory of liberty. Our families will be strong. Our children will be free. Our country will be safe. And America will forever remain one proud nation, under God.

    Together, with the love, the prayers, and devotion of everyone in this room, and the millions and millions of patriots all across our land, we will make America great again for all Americans - greater than ever before.

    Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America. Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you.

END  •  12:43 P.M. EDT

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