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Trump's Remarks at Press Briefing, Monday, May 11, 2020
bookmarking. I'm saving the space for the release of the transcript. Meanwhile, enjoy these clips.
Mon May 11, 2020: "Okay. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much. Appreciate it. Thank you very much."
Aaron Rupar Retweeted
.
@weijia
: Why is this a global competition to you when Americans are losing their lives every day?
TRUMP: Maybe that's a question you should ask China.
WEIJA: Why are you saying that to me, specifically?
TRUMP: I'm saying it to anybody who would ask a nasty question like that.
Link to tweet
Trump throws a fit when
@kaitlancollins
of CNN tries to ask him a question and abruptly ends the press conference
Link to tweet
Mon May 11, 2020: @PhilipRucker: "You appeared to accuse Obama of a crime yesterday. What did he do?"
Philip Rucker Retweeted
.
@PhilipRucker
: You appeared to accuse Obama of a crime yesterday. What did he do?
TRUMP: "Obamagate."
RUCKER: What is the crime?
TRUMP: "You know what the crime is. The crime is very obvious to everybody."
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Trump's Remarks at Press Briefing, Monday, May 11, 2020 (Original Post)
mahatmakanejeeves
May 2020
OP
mahatmakanejeeves
(57,425 posts)1. Trump's Remarks in a Press Briefing on COVID-19 Testing; May 11, 2020
PRESS BRIEFINGS
Remarks by President Trump in a Press Briefing on COVID-19 Testing
HEALTHCARE
Issued on: May 11, 2020
Rose Garden
4:15 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: We’re here today to provide an update on the unprecedented testing capacity developed by the United States — the most advanced and robust testing system anywhere in the world, by far. This afternoon, I’ll also announce new steps that we’re taking to make tests even more widely available.
To battle a virus, my administration marshaled every resource at our nation’s disposal: public, private, military, economic, scientific, and industrial — all at your disposal. We launched the largest manufacturing ramp-up since the Second World War. There’s been nothing like it since.
At the center of this industrial and scientific mobilization was the development of our coronavirus testing capabilities. In the span of just a few short months, we’ve developed a testing capacity unmatched and unrivaled anywhere in the world, and it’s not even close. This is a core element of our plan to safely and gradually reopen America. And we’re opening, and we’re starting, and there’s enthusiasm like I haven’t seen in a long time.
{snip}
The governors and us are working together very closely not only on testing, but on ventilators, where we have a capacity that’s, at this point, virtually unlimited. And we’re sending ventilators — as you probably heard from other countries, we’re sending many, many thousands of ventilators to other countries because they’re in tremendous need. And I think building up a lot of goodwill, but much more importantly than that, we’re saving a lot of lives.
{snip}
We’re going into the third quarter, and we’re going to do well. In the fourth quarter, we’re going to do very good. And next year, I think we’re going to have one of the best years we’ve ever had because there’s a tremendous pent-up demand. It’s a demand — and I’m feeling it. I’ve felt things a lot over my life, and I’ve made a lot of good calls. It’s a demand like I don’t think I’ve ever seen. There’s a pent-up demand. There’s a — there’s a spirit of this country like few have seen. And I think you can say — and we’ve helped a lot of the countries a lot. Really, a lot. There’s a tremendous spirit all over the world to beat this terrible, terrible thing.
But we’re transitioning to greatness, and the greatness is going to be in the fourth quarter, but it’s really going to be next year, and it’s going to be a year like we’ve never had before. I really believe that. As good as we’ve done — and we’ve done great; we had the best economy in the history of the world, not just here, but anywhere in the world. You can talk China, you can talk any other country, we had the best economy anywhere in the world.
And we were going for numbers, whether it was unemployment numbers, where we had our best numbers; employment, also, numbers — a little different — where we had our best numbers, almost 160 million people. All of that — we had the greatest stock market numbers ever. I think we had 142 days where we set records in a short period of time. A hundred and fifty-two days we set records in the stock market. We rebuilt our military, all built in the United States. All of our equipment built — $1.5 trillion plus.
On the southern border, the wall is being built. It’s being built rapidly. And now you don’t hear the opponents talking too much about the border. They don’t like to talk about it because it seemed that we were right on a lot of things. One of the things we were right about — one of the many things was the border. We have a very powerful border. Now, we had one of the best weeks in the history of our border, between the United States and Mexico — our southern border. We have very few people coming in — very, very few. Almost record low numbers.
And the wall is being built. It’s up to 181 miles already. It’s being built. It’s being built rapidly. People don’t talk about it anymore because it’s very successful. In the area where the wall has built — that is a lot still, but we want to be up to 450 by a very short period of time. Early next year, we should be up to 450. And very shortly after that, over 500 miles to be completed.
But it’s had a tremendous impact. But again, we’ve had the best numbers. The last thing we want now with this pandemic is for people to come across our southern border. And again, we’re doing record numbers, meaning record low numbers.
So I just want to thank everybody, and I want to introduce Admiral Giroir — if you could, please come up — and Brad, if you would — Brad Smith. And they’re going to do a little explaining as to what we’ve done with regard to testing and how successful it’s been. And then we’ll take some questions after that.
Thank you very much.
ADMIRAL GIROIR: Well, thank you, Mr. President, for your leadership and for your high expectations that really made this all come together and for the uniform support of everyone in the White House and the administration. And thank you, Secretary Azar, for providing his leadership at HHS and allowing both Brad and I the opportunity to work on this project.
{snip}
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much, Brad {Smith}. And maybe you’ll both stay there. Could be some questions.
Okay. Please, John. Go ahead.
Q We had a situation here at the White House on Friday, where a member of the Vice President’s staff tested positive for coronavirus, which has now caused three of the top U.S. officials involved in the coronavirus response to self-isolate. A two-part question: Where did the system break down to allow that to happen? And where — what would you say to employers who look at the experience here at the White House and say, “Are we ready for this?”
THE PRESIDENT: I don’t think the system broke down at all. One person tested positive, surprisingly, because, the previous day, tested negative. And three people that were in contact — relative contact, who I believe they’ve all tested totally negative, but they are going to, for a period of time, self-isolate. So that’s not breaking down. It can happen. It’s the hidden enemy. Remember that. It’s the hidden enemy. And so things happen. But the three tested negative. The one who tested positive will be fine. They will be absolutely fine.
{snip}
Q (Inaudible.)
Q Mr. President —
THE PRESIDENT: Phil, go ahead.
Q — there does seem to be a double standard here, Mr. President, where members of your own staff can get tests frequently when they need it, but ordinary Americans cannot.
THE PRESIDENT: Yeah.
Q So when will the rest of America have the same access that members of your own White House have to testing?
THE PRESIDENT: And you know what? If we didn’t get the tests, if we did no tests in the White House, you’d be up complaining, “Why aren’t you getting tests for the White House?” See, we can’t win, because if we didn’t get the tests, you’d be up — I understand you very well, better than you understand yourself — and, frankly, if we didn’t get tests done, you’d be up complaining about the fact that we didn’t have the tests done.
Now that we’re doing so well on tests and so quick and so fast — five minutes, et cetera — and so accurate, you’re complaining that we’re getting too many tests. So, you can’t win.
Go ahead, Phil.
Q Yeah, Mr. President, many Americans want to return to their normal lives, but they’re afraid to do so. How can you ensure Americans that it’s safe to go to their own workplaces when the most secure workplace in the country, the White House, cannot contain the spread of the coronavirus that’s infected some of your own staff?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, when you say “some,” so we have a person and the person got — something happened right after a test was done. Three other people met that person, came into relative contact — very little contact — and they’re self-quarantining. That is not exactly not controlling it. We — I think we’ve controlled it very well.
We have hundreds and hundreds of people a day pouring into the White House. It’s a massive office complex, including the very large building right behind us that you know so well. So I think we’re really doing a very good job in — in watching it. And I think it’s very well contained actually.
And part of the reason, it is because of all the tests we’re able to give. But it was one person, and the other people were only people — they’re quarantined. You understand this, Phil; they’re quarantined for a specific reason. The reason is they were in the general proximity of the one person. And the one person, I believe, will be fine in a very short period of time.
Q Why hasn’t Vice President Pence followed the CDC guidelines of self-isolation and other people who might have been exposed to that person?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, that, I’m going to have to ask that he will give you that information. Whatever he is proceeding and doing, he will give you that information. I’ll make sure that they put out a notice.
{snip}
Q Mr. President, in one of your Mother’s Day tweets, you appear to accuse President Obama of the biggest political crime in American history, by far.
THE PRESIDENT: Yeah.
Q Those were your words. What crime exactly are you accusing President Obama of committing? And do you believe the Justice Department should prosecute him?
THE PRESIDENT: “Obamagate.” It’s been going on for a long time. It’s been going on from before I even got elected. And it’s a disgrace that it happened. And if you look at what’s gone on, and if you look at, now, all of this information that’s being released — and from what I understand, that’s only the beginning — some terrible things happened, and it should never be allowed to happen in our country again.
And you’ll be seeing what’s going on over the next — over the coming weeks. But I — and I wish you’d write honestly about it, but unfortunately, you choose not to do so.
Yeah. Jon, please.
Q What is the crime exactly that you’re accusing him of?
THE PRESIDENT: You know what the crime is. The crime is very obvious to everybody. All you have to do is read the newspapers, except yours.
{snip}
THE PRESIDENT: And the meatpacking plants now are doing very well. There’s great testing around those plants. And we’re finding out who had the problem. They’re being quarantined. And the meatpacking is moving along very nicely.
But they were — they were trouble spots. They were hot zones, definitely.
{snip}
Yeah, go ahead, please.
Q Thank you, Mr. President. You said many times that the U.S. is doing far better than any other country when it comes to testing.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes.
Q Why does that matter? Why is this a global competition to you if, every day, Americans are still losing their lives and we’re still seeing more cases every day?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, they’re losing their lives everywhere in the world. And maybe that’s a question you should ask China. Don’t ask me; ask China that question, okay? When you ask them that question, you may get a very unusual answer.
Yes. Behind you, please.
Q Do you want to follow up?
Q Sir, why are you saying that to me, specifically? That I should ask China?
THE PRESIDENT: I’m telling you. I’m not saying it specifically to anybody. I’m saying it to anybody that would ask a nasty question like that.
Q That’s not a nasty question. Why does it matter, when —
THE PRESIDENT: Okay. Anybody else? Please, go ahead. In the back. Please.
Q I have two –- I have two questions.
THE PRESIDENT: No, it’s okay. We’ll go over here.
Q But you pointed to me. I have two questions, Mr. President.
THE PRESIDENT: Next. Next, please.
Q But you didn’t — you called on me.
THE PRESIDENT: I did, and you didn’t respond, and now I’m calling on —
Q Sir, I just wanted to let –-
THE PRESIDENT: — the young lady in the back. Please.
Q I just wanted to let me colleague finish.
THE PRESIDENT: Okay –-
Q But can I ask you a question, please?
THE PRESIDENT: — ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much. Appreciate it.
Q But you called on me.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much.
END 5:16 P.M. EDT
Remarks by President Trump in a Press Briefing on COVID-19 Testing
HEALTHCARE
Issued on: May 11, 2020
Rose Garden
4:15 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: We’re here today to provide an update on the unprecedented testing capacity developed by the United States — the most advanced and robust testing system anywhere in the world, by far. This afternoon, I’ll also announce new steps that we’re taking to make tests even more widely available.
To battle a virus, my administration marshaled every resource at our nation’s disposal: public, private, military, economic, scientific, and industrial — all at your disposal. We launched the largest manufacturing ramp-up since the Second World War. There’s been nothing like it since.
At the center of this industrial and scientific mobilization was the development of our coronavirus testing capabilities. In the span of just a few short months, we’ve developed a testing capacity unmatched and unrivaled anywhere in the world, and it’s not even close. This is a core element of our plan to safely and gradually reopen America. And we’re opening, and we’re starting, and there’s enthusiasm like I haven’t seen in a long time.
{snip}
The governors and us are working together very closely not only on testing, but on ventilators, where we have a capacity that’s, at this point, virtually unlimited. And we’re sending ventilators — as you probably heard from other countries, we’re sending many, many thousands of ventilators to other countries because they’re in tremendous need. And I think building up a lot of goodwill, but much more importantly than that, we’re saving a lot of lives.
{snip}
We’re going into the third quarter, and we’re going to do well. In the fourth quarter, we’re going to do very good. And next year, I think we’re going to have one of the best years we’ve ever had because there’s a tremendous pent-up demand. It’s a demand — and I’m feeling it. I’ve felt things a lot over my life, and I’ve made a lot of good calls. It’s a demand like I don’t think I’ve ever seen. There’s a pent-up demand. There’s a — there’s a spirit of this country like few have seen. And I think you can say — and we’ve helped a lot of the countries a lot. Really, a lot. There’s a tremendous spirit all over the world to beat this terrible, terrible thing.
But we’re transitioning to greatness, and the greatness is going to be in the fourth quarter, but it’s really going to be next year, and it’s going to be a year like we’ve never had before. I really believe that. As good as we’ve done — and we’ve done great; we had the best economy in the history of the world, not just here, but anywhere in the world. You can talk China, you can talk any other country, we had the best economy anywhere in the world.
And we were going for numbers, whether it was unemployment numbers, where we had our best numbers; employment, also, numbers — a little different — where we had our best numbers, almost 160 million people. All of that — we had the greatest stock market numbers ever. I think we had 142 days where we set records in a short period of time. A hundred and fifty-two days we set records in the stock market. We rebuilt our military, all built in the United States. All of our equipment built — $1.5 trillion plus.
On the southern border, the wall is being built. It’s being built rapidly. And now you don’t hear the opponents talking too much about the border. They don’t like to talk about it because it seemed that we were right on a lot of things. One of the things we were right about — one of the many things was the border. We have a very powerful border. Now, we had one of the best weeks in the history of our border, between the United States and Mexico — our southern border. We have very few people coming in — very, very few. Almost record low numbers.
And the wall is being built. It’s up to 181 miles already. It’s being built. It’s being built rapidly. People don’t talk about it anymore because it’s very successful. In the area where the wall has built — that is a lot still, but we want to be up to 450 by a very short period of time. Early next year, we should be up to 450. And very shortly after that, over 500 miles to be completed.
But it’s had a tremendous impact. But again, we’ve had the best numbers. The last thing we want now with this pandemic is for people to come across our southern border. And again, we’re doing record numbers, meaning record low numbers.
So I just want to thank everybody, and I want to introduce Admiral Giroir — if you could, please come up — and Brad, if you would — Brad Smith. And they’re going to do a little explaining as to what we’ve done with regard to testing and how successful it’s been. And then we’ll take some questions after that.
Thank you very much.
ADMIRAL GIROIR: Well, thank you, Mr. President, for your leadership and for your high expectations that really made this all come together and for the uniform support of everyone in the White House and the administration. And thank you, Secretary Azar, for providing his leadership at HHS and allowing both Brad and I the opportunity to work on this project.
{snip}
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much, Brad {Smith}. And maybe you’ll both stay there. Could be some questions.
Okay. Please, John. Go ahead.
Q We had a situation here at the White House on Friday, where a member of the Vice President’s staff tested positive for coronavirus, which has now caused three of the top U.S. officials involved in the coronavirus response to self-isolate. A two-part question: Where did the system break down to allow that to happen? And where — what would you say to employers who look at the experience here at the White House and say, “Are we ready for this?”
THE PRESIDENT: I don’t think the system broke down at all. One person tested positive, surprisingly, because, the previous day, tested negative. And three people that were in contact — relative contact, who I believe they’ve all tested totally negative, but they are going to, for a period of time, self-isolate. So that’s not breaking down. It can happen. It’s the hidden enemy. Remember that. It’s the hidden enemy. And so things happen. But the three tested negative. The one who tested positive will be fine. They will be absolutely fine.
{snip}
Q (Inaudible.)
Q Mr. President —
THE PRESIDENT: Phil, go ahead.
Q — there does seem to be a double standard here, Mr. President, where members of your own staff can get tests frequently when they need it, but ordinary Americans cannot.
THE PRESIDENT: Yeah.
Q So when will the rest of America have the same access that members of your own White House have to testing?
THE PRESIDENT: And you know what? If we didn’t get the tests, if we did no tests in the White House, you’d be up complaining, “Why aren’t you getting tests for the White House?” See, we can’t win, because if we didn’t get the tests, you’d be up — I understand you very well, better than you understand yourself — and, frankly, if we didn’t get tests done, you’d be up complaining about the fact that we didn’t have the tests done.
Now that we’re doing so well on tests and so quick and so fast — five minutes, et cetera — and so accurate, you’re complaining that we’re getting too many tests. So, you can’t win.
Go ahead, Phil.
Q Yeah, Mr. President, many Americans want to return to their normal lives, but they’re afraid to do so. How can you ensure Americans that it’s safe to go to their own workplaces when the most secure workplace in the country, the White House, cannot contain the spread of the coronavirus that’s infected some of your own staff?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, when you say “some,” so we have a person and the person got — something happened right after a test was done. Three other people met that person, came into relative contact — very little contact — and they’re self-quarantining. That is not exactly not controlling it. We — I think we’ve controlled it very well.
We have hundreds and hundreds of people a day pouring into the White House. It’s a massive office complex, including the very large building right behind us that you know so well. So I think we’re really doing a very good job in — in watching it. And I think it’s very well contained actually.
And part of the reason, it is because of all the tests we’re able to give. But it was one person, and the other people were only people — they’re quarantined. You understand this, Phil; they’re quarantined for a specific reason. The reason is they were in the general proximity of the one person. And the one person, I believe, will be fine in a very short period of time.
Q Why hasn’t Vice President Pence followed the CDC guidelines of self-isolation and other people who might have been exposed to that person?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, that, I’m going to have to ask that he will give you that information. Whatever he is proceeding and doing, he will give you that information. I’ll make sure that they put out a notice.
{snip}
Q Mr. President, in one of your Mother’s Day tweets, you appear to accuse President Obama of the biggest political crime in American history, by far.
THE PRESIDENT: Yeah.
Q Those were your words. What crime exactly are you accusing President Obama of committing? And do you believe the Justice Department should prosecute him?
THE PRESIDENT: “Obamagate.” It’s been going on for a long time. It’s been going on from before I even got elected. And it’s a disgrace that it happened. And if you look at what’s gone on, and if you look at, now, all of this information that’s being released — and from what I understand, that’s only the beginning — some terrible things happened, and it should never be allowed to happen in our country again.
And you’ll be seeing what’s going on over the next — over the coming weeks. But I — and I wish you’d write honestly about it, but unfortunately, you choose not to do so.
Yeah. Jon, please.
Q What is the crime exactly that you’re accusing him of?
THE PRESIDENT: You know what the crime is. The crime is very obvious to everybody. All you have to do is read the newspapers, except yours.
{snip}
THE PRESIDENT: And the meatpacking plants now are doing very well. There’s great testing around those plants. And we’re finding out who had the problem. They’re being quarantined. And the meatpacking is moving along very nicely.
But they were — they were trouble spots. They were hot zones, definitely.
{snip}
Yeah, go ahead, please.
Q Thank you, Mr. President. You said many times that the U.S. is doing far better than any other country when it comes to testing.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes.
Q Why does that matter? Why is this a global competition to you if, every day, Americans are still losing their lives and we’re still seeing more cases every day?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, they’re losing their lives everywhere in the world. And maybe that’s a question you should ask China. Don’t ask me; ask China that question, okay? When you ask them that question, you may get a very unusual answer.
Yes. Behind you, please.
Q Do you want to follow up?
Q Sir, why are you saying that to me, specifically? That I should ask China?
THE PRESIDENT: I’m telling you. I’m not saying it specifically to anybody. I’m saying it to anybody that would ask a nasty question like that.
Q That’s not a nasty question. Why does it matter, when —
THE PRESIDENT: Okay. Anybody else? Please, go ahead. In the back. Please.
Q I have two –- I have two questions.
THE PRESIDENT: No, it’s okay. We’ll go over here.
Q But you pointed to me. I have two questions, Mr. President.
THE PRESIDENT: Next. Next, please.
Q But you didn’t — you called on me.
THE PRESIDENT: I did, and you didn’t respond, and now I’m calling on —
Q Sir, I just wanted to let –-
THE PRESIDENT: — the young lady in the back. Please.
Q I just wanted to let me colleague finish.
THE PRESIDENT: Okay –-
Q But can I ask you a question, please?
THE PRESIDENT: — ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much. Appreciate it.
Q But you called on me.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much.
END 5:16 P.M. EDT
mahatmakanejeeves
(57,425 posts)2. Here, everyone. Take back 1:27 of your life.
Here, everyone. Take back 1:27 of your life.
Link to tweet
Rose Garden
4:15 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: We’re here today to provide an update on the unprecedented testing capacity developed by the United States — the most advanced and robust testing system anywhere in the world, by far. This afternoon, I’ll also announce new steps that we’re taking to make tests even more widely available.
{snip}
In every generation, through every challenge and hardship and danger, America has risen to the task. We have met the moment, and we have prevailed. Americans do whatever it takes to find solutions, pioneer breakthroughs, and harness the energies we need to achieve a total victory.
Day after day, we’re making tremendous strides. With the dedication of our doctors and nurses — these are incredible people, these are brave people, these are warriors — with the devotion of our manufacturing workers, food suppliers, and lab technicians, and with the profound patriotism of the American people, we will defeat this horrible enemy, we will revive our economy, and we will transition into greatness. That’s a phrase you’re going to hear a lot because that’s what’s going to happen.
We’re going into the third quarter, and we’re going to do well. In the fourth quarter, we’re going to do very good. And next year, I think we’re going to have one of the best years we’ve ever had because there’s a tremendous pent-up demand. It’s a demand — and I’m feeling it. I’ve felt things a lot over my life, and I’ve made a lot of good calls. It’s a demand like I don’t think I’ve ever seen. There’s a pent-up demand. There’s a — there’s a spirit of this country like few have seen. And I think you can say — and we’ve helped a lot of the countries a lot. Really, a lot. There’s a tremendous spirit all over the world to beat this terrible, terrible thing.
But we’re transitioning to greatness, and the greatness is going to be in the fourth quarter, but it’s really going to be next year, and it’s going to be a year like we’ve never had before. I really believe that. As good as we’ve done — and we’ve done great; we had the best economy in the history of the world, not just here, but anywhere in the world. You can talk China, you can talk any other country, we had the best economy anywhere in the world.
And we were going for numbers, whether it was unemployment numbers, where we had our best numbers; employment, also, numbers — a little different — where we had our best numbers, almost 160 million people. All of that — we had the greatest stock market numbers ever. I think we had 142 days where we set records in a short period of time. A hundred and fifty-two days we set records in the stock market. We rebuilt our military, all built in the United States. All of our equipment built — $1.5 trillion plus.
On the southern border, the wall is being built. It’s being built rapidly. And now you don’t hear the opponents talking too much about the border. They don’t like to talk about it because it seemed that we were right on a lot of things. One of the things we were right about — one of the many things was the border. We have a very powerful border. Now, we had one of the best weeks in the history of our border, between the United States and Mexico — our southern border. We have very few people coming in — very, very few. Almost record low numbers.
And the wall is being built. It’s up to 181 miles already. It’s being built. It’s being built rapidly. People don’t talk about it anymore because it’s very successful. In the area where the wall has built — that is a lot still, but we want to be up to 450 by a very short period of time. Early next year, we should be up to 450. And very shortly after that, over 500 miles to be completed.
But it’s had a tremendous impact. But again, we’ve had the best numbers. The last thing we want now with this pandemic is for people to come across our southern border. And again, we’re doing record numbers, meaning record low numbers.
So I just want to thank everybody, and I want to introduce Admiral Giroir — if you could, please come up — and Brad, if you would — Brad Smith. And they’re going to do a little explaining as to what we’ve done with regard to testing and how successful it’s been. And then we’ll take some questions after that.
Thank you very much.
{snip}
4:15 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: We’re here today to provide an update on the unprecedented testing capacity developed by the United States — the most advanced and robust testing system anywhere in the world, by far. This afternoon, I’ll also announce new steps that we’re taking to make tests even more widely available.
{snip}
In every generation, through every challenge and hardship and danger, America has risen to the task. We have met the moment, and we have prevailed. Americans do whatever it takes to find solutions, pioneer breakthroughs, and harness the energies we need to achieve a total victory.
Day after day, we’re making tremendous strides. With the dedication of our doctors and nurses — these are incredible people, these are brave people, these are warriors — with the devotion of our manufacturing workers, food suppliers, and lab technicians, and with the profound patriotism of the American people, we will defeat this horrible enemy, we will revive our economy, and we will transition into greatness. That’s a phrase you’re going to hear a lot because that’s what’s going to happen.
We’re going into the third quarter, and we’re going to do well. In the fourth quarter, we’re going to do very good. And next year, I think we’re going to have one of the best years we’ve ever had because there’s a tremendous pent-up demand. It’s a demand — and I’m feeling it. I’ve felt things a lot over my life, and I’ve made a lot of good calls. It’s a demand like I don’t think I’ve ever seen. There’s a pent-up demand. There’s a — there’s a spirit of this country like few have seen. And I think you can say — and we’ve helped a lot of the countries a lot. Really, a lot. There’s a tremendous spirit all over the world to beat this terrible, terrible thing.
But we’re transitioning to greatness, and the greatness is going to be in the fourth quarter, but it’s really going to be next year, and it’s going to be a year like we’ve never had before. I really believe that. As good as we’ve done — and we’ve done great; we had the best economy in the history of the world, not just here, but anywhere in the world. You can talk China, you can talk any other country, we had the best economy anywhere in the world.
And we were going for numbers, whether it was unemployment numbers, where we had our best numbers; employment, also, numbers — a little different — where we had our best numbers, almost 160 million people. All of that — we had the greatest stock market numbers ever. I think we had 142 days where we set records in a short period of time. A hundred and fifty-two days we set records in the stock market. We rebuilt our military, all built in the United States. All of our equipment built — $1.5 trillion plus.
On the southern border, the wall is being built. It’s being built rapidly. And now you don’t hear the opponents talking too much about the border. They don’t like to talk about it because it seemed that we were right on a lot of things. One of the things we were right about — one of the many things was the border. We have a very powerful border. Now, we had one of the best weeks in the history of our border, between the United States and Mexico — our southern border. We have very few people coming in — very, very few. Almost record low numbers.
And the wall is being built. It’s up to 181 miles already. It’s being built. It’s being built rapidly. People don’t talk about it anymore because it’s very successful. In the area where the wall has built — that is a lot still, but we want to be up to 450 by a very short period of time. Early next year, we should be up to 450. And very shortly after that, over 500 miles to be completed.
But it’s had a tremendous impact. But again, we’ve had the best numbers. The last thing we want now with this pandemic is for people to come across our southern border. And again, we’re doing record numbers, meaning record low numbers.
So I just want to thank everybody, and I want to introduce Admiral Giroir — if you could, please come up — and Brad, if you would — Brad Smith. And they’re going to do a little explaining as to what we’ve done with regard to testing and how successful it’s been. And then we’ll take some questions after that.
Thank you very much.
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