Remarks by President Trump at the National Federation of Independent Businesses 75th Anniversary Celebration | Eastern North Carolina Now

    And you ought to see the hearings that are right now on television but that folks are being - you know, they're going on to the mainstream, fake news media. They want to focus on immigration because they want to keep the cameras away from the hearings because those hearings are not good for them. In fact, they're a disaster for them. The whole thing is a scam. It's a scam. And what's happened is a disgrace.

    So we have a House that's getting ready to finalize an immigration package that they're going to brief me on later, and that I'm going to make changes to. We have one chance to get it right. We might as well get it right, or let's just keep it going. But let's do it right. We have a chance. We want to solve this problem. We want to solve family separation. I don't want children taken away from parents. And when you prosecute the parents for coming in illegally, which should happen, you have to take the children away. Now, we don't have to prosecute them. But then we're not prosecuting them for coming in illegally. That's not good.

    We want to end the border crisis by finally giving us the legal authorities and the resources to detain and remove illegal immigrant families all together and bring them back to their country. We have to bring them back to their country.

    Now, think of all that aid that we give some of these countries. Hundreds of millions of dollars we give to some of these countries, and they send them up. Well, I'm going to go, very shortly, for authorization that when countries abuse us by sending their people up - not their best - we're not going to give any more aid to those countries. Why the hell should we? Why should we? (Applause.)

    So this is a responsible, commonsense approach that all lawmakers should embrace - Democrats and Republicans. And remember, we need the Democrats. People say, "Oh, you have the majority." Well, in the Senate, we have 1, but you need 60. So we'll be at - if we get 100 percent, we'll be at 51. A hundred percent, we'll be at 51. So we need nine votes. We need 10, 12, 13 votes. We have to have Democrat support because we need to go not just a majority, unfortunately, which we could get. We need to go to 60 - 60 out of 100. We need Democrat support.

    They don't want to give it, because Democrats love open borders. Let the whole world come in. Let the whole world. MS-13 gang members from all over the place, come on in - we have open borders. And they view that possibly intelligently, except that it's destroying our country. They view that as potential voters. Someday they're going to vote for Democrats. Because they can't win on their policies, which are horrible. They found that out in the last presidential election. (Laughter and applause.) In fact, their only policy was that Donald Trump is a bad guy, he's a bad person. Vote against Trump. And they said it so many - hundreds of millions of dollars of negative ads. Nobody has ever been hit like that. I used to go home - I started disliking myself. It's true. (Laughter.) I said, "Man, am I that bad?" (Laughter.)

    The problem is they never told anybody what they're doing. They didn't talk about tax cuts. By the way, they want to take away your tax cuts, and they want to substantially increase your taxes. They didn't talk about crime. All they talked about was Trump. So when people got to the booth, they said, "Ah, we're going to vote Democrat. We're going to vote" - but then they get up, they said, "But what does she stand for? What do they stand for?" They just hate Trump. "No, I'm going with Trump." And that's what happened. (Laughter.) We got tremendous Democrat support. It was a beautiful thing. That was a beautiful night. Do you agree? That was a beautiful night. That was some night. (Applause.) That was some night.

    But you have to stand for something, and you have to stand for safety and security of our country. We can't let people pour in. They've got to go through the process. And maybe it's politically correct, or maybe it's not. We got to stop separation of the families. But politically correct or not, we have a country that needs security, that needs safety, that has to be protected. (Applause.)

    So we're here today to talk about small business and the incredible progress we're making as a country. We really have made unbelievable progress. And we're making with the help and support of our wonderful friends at the NFIB. (Applause.)

    And you've heard these numbers. And if I would have said these numbers during the campaign, the fake news would have said this is the most ridiculous - I wouldn't have said these numbers; I would have said half. Who would have known? (Laughter.)

    But things have kicked in better. And as an example, you saw the poll that was recently taken - small-business poll. The most optimistic in history, in the history of the poll. (Applause.) That's why I figured that probably this would be a friendly crowd. (Laughter.)

    But nobody would have believed these numbers if I said them during the campaign.

    We have created more than 3.4 million new jobs since Election Day. 3.4 million. (Applause.) Think of what that means. And, by the way, we do need people coming through the border. We do need people. And again, we want people - you know, I have a lot of companies moving in, big companies. If you look at Foxconn in Wisconsin, they're coming in. They need thousands and thousands of people. Chrysler is moving from Mexico back into Michigan. (Applause.) Many car companies are coming back into our country. Many companies are coming back. They're coming back from where they went. Now they're coming because of all of the things we've done with regulations, with tax cutting.

    But we need people to take care. We have the lowest unemployment rate - 3.8 percent. We need people. So we want people to come in, but they have to be people that can help us and can help these companies fulfill what they want to fulfill. (Applause.)

    Unemployment claims are at a 44-year low. That's a great number. (Applause.) Maybe the one that makes me happiest is this - because I remember I'd go around, I'd say, "What do you have to lose? Vote for me. The Democrats have always been with you. Vote for me." They've - you know, bad education. The most unsafe parts of the country. All of these different - I'd say to the African Americans, I'd say, what you have to do - "What do you have to do? Vote for me. What do you have to lose?"

    Unemployment for African Americans is at the lowest level in history. (Applause.) It's like, what do you have to lose? I would go around and talk, and some people would say, don't say that, it's not nice. I'd say, look, it's true. So badly treated. And now the lowest level of unemployment in history for African Americans. And for Hispanic, the lowest level of unemployment in history. And for women, the lowest level of unemployment in 21 years. Soon it will be history. (Applause.)

    Just like I promised during the campaign, our economic policy can be summed up in three very beautiful words - words that you probably know better than anybody in this country: jobs, jobs, jobs. (Applause.)

    And I shouldn't say this to the people in this room, because you'll end up not having liked my speech - (laughter) - but wages for working people are finally, after 22 years, rising again in our country. I'm sorry to do that. (Applause.) It's the only thing you can hold against me, but I think you're also very happy about it, actually. I know you well.

    According to the NFIB's latest survey, the share of small businesses raising worker and benefit pay has just set a new all-time record. So it's a new all-time record. We've broken many records. (Applause.) I could go on and on.

    Business optimism is the highest it's ever been in our country. That means more hardworking Americans are able to support their family, contribute to their community, and live the American Dream.

    At the center of America's resurgence are the massive tax cuts that Republicans passed and that I signed into law six months ago this week. Not one Democrat voted for the tax cuts, and they are suffering now because they're going to lose a lot of races that they thought they were going to win. They wish they had that vote to do over again. We have numerous states for Senate where I think they're going to be in big trouble. It's the biggest tax cut and reform in American history. (Applause.)

    And you know the story: Not since Ronald Reagan have they done any major tax cutting. And they've wanted to many, many times. I tell this story all the time. I said, "I don't understand it." Cutting taxes should not be hard to sell. Right? Is there anything easier? "We're going to cut your taxes." And you can't get it through.

    So the leadership came to my beautiful Oval Office. It is a beautiful office. Great office. And they talked about the tax reform. I said, "What's the word 'reform'? What does that mean, 'reform'? Does that mean you're going to raise taxes? What does it mean?" "No, sir. We have the Tax Reform Act of 2017."

    I said, "No, I don't want to go 'reform.' Nobody knows what reform means." Then I looked back at all of the times they tried to pass tax cuts. They don't use the word "tax cuts"; they use the word "tax reform." I said, "Nobody knows what reform means." They want to know about tax cuts; they don't want to know about tax reform, where we're going to raise your taxes, where we're going to take away your businesses, you're going to take away because tax reform. We're going to take away your farms. They don't want the word "reform." They want the word "tax cuts."

    "Sir, could you give us a name?" "I'll give you the name." (Laughter.) "I'll give you the name. It's called the Tax Cut, Cut, Cut, Cut, Cut Bill of 2017." (Laughter and applause.) That's what it's called. Right?

    That's a true story. Right, Steve? (Laughter.) That's such a true story. But even I thought that it was maybe a little bit hokey with all the "cuts." So we just called it "Tax Cut Bill." (Laughter.) Got rid of some of the "cuts." They got the word. And we got it passed. But think of it: Not one Democrat vote.

    At the heart of our plan is tremendous relief for working families and small businesses. A typical family of four earning $75,000 a year will see an income tax cut of more than $2,000 - in some cases, much more than that - slashing their tax bill in half and more. (Applause.)

    We delivered a historic victory for American small businesses by allowing you to deduct 20 percent of your business income. People were shocked. (Applause.)

    Capital investment is soaring on small businesses and big businesses, because you can now immediately deduct - this, to me, is the greatest of them all - every single penny spent on new capital equipment. One year. Boom. Deduction. (Applause.) I think that's going to be the star.

    As you know, we're also bringing back trillions of dollars from offshore that we couldn't bring back. The companies were unable to do it. From a tax standpoint, the amount they had to pay - and almost more importantly, it was just very hard to do. You had to see the forms that had to be filled out. It was virtually impossible.

    So we had anywhere from $3 trillion to $5 trillion, and now it seems as though, Steve, we're hitting the higher side. Companies are pouring money back into our country, bringing it back from overseas, investing it here. Apple just announced recently they're going to spend $350 billion on an incredible campus and new facilities all over the country. They're bringing money back and like nobody ever thought before. (Applause.)

    And you've heard me say, when they said $350 billion, I said, "You mean $350 million." Because $350 million builds a nice plant. I know how to build under budget and ahead of schedule. (Laughter and applause.) I can build a beautiful plant for a lot less than $350 million. So when I heard "billion," I said, "No, no. You mean $350 million, right?" They said, "No." Think of what that is. I think of the total amount - they're bringing back about $230 billion, and the rest they're putting in. Tremendous investment in our country. And ExxonMobil is doing the same thing and so many other countries [companies] are doing the same thing, different numbers. It's incredible what's happened. I still say, however, expensing - one year - expensing will be the star of what we're doing.

    We exempted more small business owners from the alternative minimum tax, which you know very well was an enormous waste of your precious time and your very hard-earned money. That was a disastrous tax. And from now on, most small-business owners will be spared from the deeply unfair estate tax that I talked about. And it's so - I'm so proud of that, because you're all keeping your businesses. The family, the farms, you're keeping your businesses.

    As a result of all of these taxes and all of these tax cuts, American businesses now are on a level playing field with your competitors from other countries who have so many advantages, including subsidy by governments. You see what's happening with China. We have no choice. This should have been done many years ago. We have no choice. China has been taking out $500 billion a year out of our country and rebuilding China. I always say, "We have rebuilt China." They've taken so much. It's time, folks. It's time.

    So we're going to get smart, and we're going to do it right. And we're actually getting a lot of support. But we have to do something about it. Now, maybe something happens where they come and they say, "We agree, it's been unfair for the last 25 years." But somehow, that doesn't seem to work so easily. (Laughter.) But we're going and we're going to make it fair. We're going to make it fair with other countries, both our friends and our enemies. And I have to say this: In many cases, our friends, on trade, have treated us much worse than our enemies. Pretty amazing, isn't it?

    But we know that when the rules are fair, and you can compete, you will win against anyone anywhere in the world. There's nobody like you. You're going to win anywhere. But you have to bring it down to a level playing field.

    More than 6 million workers - (applause) - have already received a bonus - some by your people - or a pay raise, or retirement account contribution, or a new job thanks to these tax cuts. A lot of new jobs. And people now are able to go around and look for jobs. They're just not taking a job and they hate it. They hate to wake up in the morning. They don't want to go to work. Now they've got their choice. They have jobs that they can look and they can love. And if you don't love it, you're not going to be good at it.

    Millions of Americans are now saying, and really saying to everybody, that they're saving money on their monthly utility bills. As a result of our business tax cuts, over 100 utility companies have lowered their prices, saving Americans an additional $3 billion a year. (Applause.)

    Our historic tax cuts also ended one of the most unfair taxes imaginable - Obamacare's individual mandate. (Applause.) Government will no longer punish you if you cannot afford Obamacare's sky-high premiums. Think of this: You pay a lot of money to the government in order not to have to buy in health insurance. Think of that.

    So you're paying money so that you don't - that's a penalty. Incredibly, it was allowed. But you're paying money so that you don't have to buy healthcare. That was a beauty. It's over. It's gone. It's done. (Applause).

    And we actually thought we had the votes, and then one man, very early in the morning, went thumbs down. So that was that. But we almost got rid of Obamacare without him. And that was a very sad day for the Republican Party. That was a very sad day for the country when that vote was cast - that final vote was cast. A thumbs down. I remember it well. (Laughter.)

    Obamacare has been especially brutal for small businesses. You know that better than anybody. It caused premiums and deductibles to explode, and healthcare options to plummet.

    As a result of Obamacare, many small businesses, small-business employees, sole proprietors have no good or affordable options. But now they do, because we're opening up our system.

    I'm proud to announce another truly historic step in our efforts to Americans from Obamacare and the Obamacare nightmare, and provide high-quality, affordable healthcare to every American. This is low-cost, great healthcare. You know, before Obamacare, there were many people very happy. They had no problem. But then you got thrown to the wind.

    Alex Acosta is here. Stand up, Alex. This is so important. This is his baby. (Applause.) Secretary of Labor. Alex and the Department of Labor are taking a major action that's been worked on for four months now - and now it's ready - to make it easier for small businesses to band together to negotiate lower prices for health insurance and escape some of Obamacare's most burdensome mandates through association health plans. (Applause.)