President Trump took a handful of questions from a group of reporters staking him out.
The president arrived at the Capitol at 1:03 pm. Pool ran ahead to pre-position for the president’s entry to the Ohio Clock Corridor.
Just before he arrived, Sen. Chuck Schumer walked through. He good-naturedly told reporters he had “no announcement to make” and kept on walking.
The president walked in at 1:05 PM with Sens. Mitch McConnell and Roy Blunt. He took a handful of questions from a group of reporters staking him out. The questions and answers as best as I could make them out are below. Pool is still waiting for the president to come out.
Q: Some Democrats are still talking about impeachment, what’s your response?
“I don’t think they’re talking about impeachment. We have the greatest economy we’ve ever had. Our country is in incredible shape. They and others created a fraud on our country with this ridiculous witch hunt, where it proven very strongly, no collusion, no obstruction, no nothing
“We are doing so well. We’ve never probably had a time of prosperity like this. It’s been great.”
Q: You’ve accused the people who launched the investigation into your campaign of “treasonous” acts – how high up do you think it went.
“I think it went very high up. I think what happened is a disgrace. I don’t believe our country should allow this ever to happen again. This will never happen again. We can never let it ever happen again.
“It went very high up, and it started fairly low, but with instructions from the high up. This should never happen to a president again. We can’t allow that to take place.”
Q: Do you think it reached the West Wing of the Obama White House?
“I don’t want to say that, but I think you know the answer.”
Q: on the Mueller report [inaudible]
“Well, the Mueller report was great. It could not have been better. It said ‘no obstruction, no collusion,’ it could not have been.”
Q: on the validity of the Affordable Care Act and what his “message” is on it
“Let me just tell you exactly what my message is: The Republican Party will soon be known as the party of health care. You watch.”