ACTING SECRETARY SHANAHAN: Sure. Maybe just a couple quick words. Economic stability is good defense policy. The seeds of flawed ideology are born from the absence of economic security. I'm hoping, Ivanka, your initiative will put me out of business. (Laughter.) Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: Very good. Yes, please.
MS. ZANDE: My name is Ella Zande, from Budala village, southern Malawi.
THE PRESIDENT: Right.
MS. ZANDE: I am a founder and chairwoman of the Budala Women's Group. I started a group in 2010 with 10 women. Today, we have 65 women in three villages. Over the past eight years, we had four Peace Corps volunteers who taught us many things, like we have businesses. We are (inaudible). So now I am happy to be here in America. (Laughter.)
I am very proud and happy to be here on behalf of my group and my Malawi women. Thank you very much.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Beautifully said. (Applause.)
MS. TRUMP: And one of the components of this initiative as well is the importance of catalyzing the private sector to achieve our shared goals. So we'll be announcing today a partnership with UPS to help women entrepreneurs gain access to markets through their services, as well as a partnership with Pepsi, a co-investment with USAID. So we really want to lean on the private sector to help us achieve these goals.
And the CEO of Deloitte, Cathy, is with us today, and has done tremendous work in this space.
THE PRESIDENT: Good. Would you like to say something?
MS. ENGELBERT: Yes.
THE PRESIDENT: Good. Thank you so much.
MS. ENGELBERT: Well, obviously, the benefits are well documented. The barriers are well documented. And we look forward to the bold strategy that's ahead of us. So we're really looking forward to it.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you so much. We appreciate what you did. Thank you. Let's sign. Right? Let's sign.
(The memorandum is signed.) (Applause.)
Okay, who would like this pen? Who would like this? I think I know who I'm giving it to. I'm giving it to her. (Applause.)
We have plenty for everybody. Everybody gets a pen. '
So here it is, folks. This is a lot of - a lot of very hard work. I think this is something very, very special, and very special people. Thank you all very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much.
Q Would you accept a compromise from the congressional committee?
THE PRESIDENT: There could be. I hear they're working on something. We'll see what happens. But I certainly hear that they're working on something. And both sides are moving along. We'll see what happens. We need border security. We have to have it. It's not an option. Let's see what happens.
Q Should Matt Whitaker testify tomorrow, Mr. President?
THE PRESIDENT: He's an outstanding person. I would say, if he did testify, he'd do very well. He's an outstanding person. A very, very fine man.
Thank you all very much.
Q He says he may (inaudible).
THE PRESIDENT: That, I don't know.
Q No meeting with Xi in the next month or so?
THE PRESIDENT: Not yet. Maybe. Probably too soon. Probably too soon.
Q Not before the deadline, though, right?
THE PRESIDENT: No.
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