MR. POTTINGER: It's not a term I use. I'm not a millennial. I'm a Gen-Xer and proud of it.
MR. KUDLOW: That's millennial speak. Millennial speak.
MR. POTTINGER: But, you know, I'm sure you'll make your own judgments based on the chemistry that will be evident when he arrives here later this afternoon.
Q What is your judgment on that, though?
MR. KUDLOW: I'm a Baby Boomer. You didn't ask that. I'm a Baby Boomer.
Q The fact that Japan wasn't consulted in any way before the President sort of abruptly announced this potential summit with North Korea, can you speak - is there some need to mend fences? Why wouldn't the U.S. have consulted this ally that he's so close to before making such a significant announcement that could be defining to his time in office, Matt?
MR. POTTINGER: So the President has kept in such close contact with Prime Minister Abe that when the announcement was made - you'll have to ask the Japanese whether, in fact, they felt that they were not pre-consulted. I'd be surprised if they would say that that was the sense.
Q Were they? I'll ask you: Were they pre-consulted? Did we speak to the Japanese before the announcement?
MR. POTTINGER: I won't go into the details about - but I think you should ask the Japanese whether it was a surprise to them. And Prime Minister Abe took the opportunity to reach out, and the two immediately decided that it made sense to meet well in advance of that summit.
Q Matt, picking up on (inaudible) potential summit. You said potential summit. Do you still think it's more probable than not that this summit will occur? Or do you think it's more probable that it won't occur?
MR. POTTINGER: I'll let the President's public statements stand on that.
Q Right, but you said potential summit. And I'm just trying to understand what you're conveying by that.
MR. KUDLOW: Look, the President's intention is to have a summit.
Q Right, I know -
MR. KUDLOW: The terms, the places, none of that has been settled yet. None of that has changed. Just not - it's not changed. That will probably come up in this summit, and we'll see what additions we learn.
And I just want to say - we're going to wrap here - I understand lots of details and so forth, which I can't answer. And I apologize, but it's going to be a very interesting summit.
Look it - these are two old friends. Okay? These are two democracies. These are two free-market capitalist democracies who are trying to improve economic growth for both their countries and their regions and the rest of the world. I don't want to lose sight of that. We're here to help each other. We have great relations with Japan, and that's going to be enhanced by this conference. And I just want to instill that thought.
I appreciate - sorry we can't answer every question, but it will see as it unfolds. Thank you very much.
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