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Remarks by President Trump and President Bolsonaro of the Federative Republic of Brazil in Joint Press Conference
PRESIDENT TRUMP: I'm not being told any specific time. They've been there a long time, between him and his predecessor. At some point, I would imagine things will change. But we really haven't done the really tough sanctions yet. We can do the tough sanctions. And all options are open, so we may be doing that. But we haven't done the toughest of sanctions, as you know. We've done, I would say, right down the middle. But we can go a lot tougher if we need to do that.
But it's a very sad thing, and we're not looking for anything other than taking care of a lot of people that are starving and dying in the streets. What's happening there is a disgrace. This was one of the wealthiest countries in the world, and all of a sudden it's just - it's grief-stricken, poverty-stricken, no food, no water, no air conditioning, no anything. No power for a long time last week. No power. And that's going to break down again because it's being held together by threads.
So it's very sad, Roberta. Very sad to see. Okay?
Q May I ask President Bolsonaro? President Bolsonaro, are you open to the idea of allowing a U.S. base or U.S. military personnel or a military presence in Brazil to provide support on the border with Venezuela? And is that something that you talked about with President Trump today?
PRESIDENT BOLSONARO: (As interpreted.) Yeah, we have discussed the possibility of Brazil becoming a great Allied extra NATO. Recently, we requested that food was sent through Boa Vista, the capital of Roraima state, through our friends from America, so that humanitarian aid was provided to Venezuela.
At this point in time, this is where we stand. So for as much as it is possible for us to do together to sort out the issue of the Venezuelan dictatorship, Brazil will be more than willing and ready to fulfill this mission and take freedom and democracy to that country, which up until recently was one of the wealthiest countries in South America. But nowadays, people are starving to death, they are suffering violence, lack of medication. It's something terrible that's going on in there. And we need to put an end to this issue, which is pervasive to the whole wide world.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Mr. President, yes.
Q (As interpreted.) Hello, Simone Iglesias from Bloomberg. I would like to know, if the U.S. actually have a military intervention in Venezuela, what's the position of Brazil?
PRESIDENT BOLSONARO: (As interpreted.) Well, there are a few issues that, if you speak, they are no longer strategic. Therefore, these reserved issues, which may be discussed if they have not yet, will not become public, evidently.
I remember on a debate here in the United States when a candidate asked another candidate what he would do to fight the Islamic State. He said, "If I say, I will no longer be able to beat it." So it's a matter of strategy. For everything that we discuss here will be honored, but unfortunately certain pieces of information, if are to come to the table, may not be debated publicly.
Q (As interpreted.) President Trump, regarding the military intervention, do you think about this possibility of fighting Venezuela to remove Maduro from power?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: So, as I said, all options are open. I think of all possibilities. All options are open. We'll see what happens.
And, by the way, I see in the audience the son of the President who has been fantastic. Would you please stand up? The job you've done during a very tough period of time is just fantastic. And I know your father appreciates it, that I can tell you. Okay? Thank you very much. Fantastic job.
Saagar Enjeti, from Daily Caller. Saagar.
Q Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you.
Q I have two questions for you, sir, if I may. The first on the 2020 election. There's a growing number of Democratic candidates who have endorsed the idea of adding seats to the Supreme Court. Is that an idea that you would entertain in the remainder of your term or possible next term? Or is that not something that you agree with?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: No, I wouldn't entertain that. The only reason that they're doing that is they want to try and catch up. So if they can't catch up through the ballot box by winning an election, they want to try doing it in a different way. No, we would have no interest in that whatsoever. It'll never happen. It won't happen - I guarantee it won't happen for six years.
Q Another question for you on social media. You tweeted in support of Congressman Nunes's suit against Twitter. There's part of a larger discussion that Senator Josh Hawley has been leading about making social media companies liable for the content that is on their platform, which they're not currently. Is that an idea or a change in law that you would support?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, we have to do something. I tell you, I have many, many millions of followers on Twitter. And it's different than it used to be. Things are happening, names are taken off, people aren't getting through. You've heard the same complaints. And it seems to be, if they're conservative, if they're Republicans, if they're in a certain group, there's discrimination and big discrimination. I see it absolutely on Twitter and Facebook, which I have also, and others I see.
But I really focus more on the one platform. And I have many different platforms. It's - I guess we have 60 million - almost 60 million on Twitter. And if you add them all up, it's way over 100 million people. And I get to see firsthand what's going on, and it's not good.
And we use the word "collusion" very loosely all the time. And I will tell you, there is collusion with respect to that, because something has to be going on. And when you get the back-scene, back-office statements made by executives of the various companies and you see the level of, in many cases, hatred they have for a certain group of people that happen to be in power, that happen to have won the election, you say that's really unfair.
So something is happening with those groups of folks that are running Facebook and Google and Twitter. And I do think we have to get to the bottom of it. It's very fair - it's collusive, and it's very, very fair to say that we have to do something about it. And if we don't - you know, the incredible thing is that we can win an election and we have such a stacked deck. And that includes networks, frankly. You look at the networks, you look at the news, you look at the newscasts - I call it "fake news." I'm very proud to hear the President use the term "fake news." But you look at what's happening with the networks. You look at what's happening with different shows. And it's hard to believe we win.
But, you know, I'll tell you what it really shows: The people are smart. The people get it. They'll go through all of that - whatever it is they're fed - and in the end, they pull the right lever. It's a very, very dangerous situation. So I think I agree. I think something has to be looked at very closely.
Q Thank you, sir. President Bolsonaro, and another question on the 2020 election: If a number of the Democrats who are running to replace the President have embraced or have considered socialist ideas - you've spoken critically of that in the past - if a socialist or a candidate who embraced socialism were to replace the President, how would it affect your relations with the United States?
PRESIDENT BOLSONARO: (As interpreted.) Well, it's an internal affair. We will respect whatever the ballots tell us on 2020, but I do believe Donald Trump is going to be reelected fully.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you. I agree. (Laughter.)
PRESIDENT BOLSONARO: (As interpreted.) Yeah. This was the same - what happened to me. I think everyone will repeat their vote here in America.
So, every day, more and more people that are prone to socialism, and even communism, slowly are going to be opening their minds to the reality. And you can see the border with Venezuela and Brazil was recently closed - not for Brazilians, which are pro-socialism, to go into Venezuela, but the other way around, so that Venezuelans who support democracy wouldn't go into Brazil. This feeling most certainly is going to be very much seen when 2020 comes.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Mr. President, thank you very much.
Q Sorry -
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Go ahead. You want to go?
Q Yeah.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: You look like a very nice person.
Q Yeah.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Go ahead. Watch - this will be the killer of all time. Watch. (Laughter.)
Q (Laughs.) Thank you, Mr. President. Beatriz Bulla from Estadão. The USTR is not supporting the entry of Brazil in the OECD. Is the U.S. government going to formally support Brazil's entry on the OECD? And what have you asked as a trade-off?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: We will be supporting - we're going to have a great relationship in so many different ways. That's just a - just something that we're going to be doing in honor of the President and in honor of Brazil.
We will be asking for things but not necessarily having to do with that. I think we're just going to have a very fair relationship. Okay?
Q Thank you.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you.
Q And President Bolsonaro -
PRESIDENT BOLSONARO: Thank you! (Laughter.)
Q (As interpreted.) President Bolsonaro, does the United States expect the influence of China into Brazil? Yesterday, Paulo Guedes mentioned that it's going to incentivize relations with China. How does the U.S. see that, and what you said about President Trump, about the Chinese in Brazil?
PRESIDENT BOLSONARO: (As interpreted.) Well, like I said, Brazil is going to keep on making as much business with as many countries as possible. No longer businesses are going to be found into the ideology, as it used to be. We are also following this objective for the good of our peoples.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much, Mr. President. I appreciate it. Thank you very much. And thank you everybody. Thank you very much.
Q Another round of trade talks with China, Mr. President?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: China is going - China is going very well. Talks with China are going very well.
Thank you everybody. Thank you.
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But it's a very sad thing, and we're not looking for anything other than taking care of a lot of people that are starving and dying in the streets. What's happening there is a disgrace. This was one of the wealthiest countries in the world, and all of a sudden it's just - it's grief-stricken, poverty-stricken, no food, no water, no air conditioning, no anything. No power for a long time last week. No power. And that's going to break down again because it's being held together by threads.
So it's very sad, Roberta. Very sad to see. Okay?
Q May I ask President Bolsonaro? President Bolsonaro, are you open to the idea of allowing a U.S. base or U.S. military personnel or a military presence in Brazil to provide support on the border with Venezuela? And is that something that you talked about with President Trump today?
PRESIDENT BOLSONARO: (As interpreted.) Yeah, we have discussed the possibility of Brazil becoming a great Allied extra NATO. Recently, we requested that food was sent through Boa Vista, the capital of Roraima state, through our friends from America, so that humanitarian aid was provided to Venezuela.
At this point in time, this is where we stand. So for as much as it is possible for us to do together to sort out the issue of the Venezuelan dictatorship, Brazil will be more than willing and ready to fulfill this mission and take freedom and democracy to that country, which up until recently was one of the wealthiest countries in South America. But nowadays, people are starving to death, they are suffering violence, lack of medication. It's something terrible that's going on in there. And we need to put an end to this issue, which is pervasive to the whole wide world.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Mr. President, yes.
Q (As interpreted.) Hello, Simone Iglesias from Bloomberg. I would like to know, if the U.S. actually have a military intervention in Venezuela, what's the position of Brazil?
PRESIDENT BOLSONARO: (As interpreted.) Well, there are a few issues that, if you speak, they are no longer strategic. Therefore, these reserved issues, which may be discussed if they have not yet, will not become public, evidently.
I remember on a debate here in the United States when a candidate asked another candidate what he would do to fight the Islamic State. He said, "If I say, I will no longer be able to beat it." So it's a matter of strategy. For everything that we discuss here will be honored, but unfortunately certain pieces of information, if are to come to the table, may not be debated publicly.
Q (As interpreted.) President Trump, regarding the military intervention, do you think about this possibility of fighting Venezuela to remove Maduro from power?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: So, as I said, all options are open. I think of all possibilities. All options are open. We'll see what happens.
And, by the way, I see in the audience the son of the President who has been fantastic. Would you please stand up? The job you've done during a very tough period of time is just fantastic. And I know your father appreciates it, that I can tell you. Okay? Thank you very much. Fantastic job.
Saagar Enjeti, from Daily Caller. Saagar.
Q Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you.
Q I have two questions for you, sir, if I may. The first on the 2020 election. There's a growing number of Democratic candidates who have endorsed the idea of adding seats to the Supreme Court. Is that an idea that you would entertain in the remainder of your term or possible next term? Or is that not something that you agree with?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: No, I wouldn't entertain that. The only reason that they're doing that is they want to try and catch up. So if they can't catch up through the ballot box by winning an election, they want to try doing it in a different way. No, we would have no interest in that whatsoever. It'll never happen. It won't happen - I guarantee it won't happen for six years.
Q Another question for you on social media. You tweeted in support of Congressman Nunes's suit against Twitter. There's part of a larger discussion that Senator Josh Hawley has been leading about making social media companies liable for the content that is on their platform, which they're not currently. Is that an idea or a change in law that you would support?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, we have to do something. I tell you, I have many, many millions of followers on Twitter. And it's different than it used to be. Things are happening, names are taken off, people aren't getting through. You've heard the same complaints. And it seems to be, if they're conservative, if they're Republicans, if they're in a certain group, there's discrimination and big discrimination. I see it absolutely on Twitter and Facebook, which I have also, and others I see.
But I really focus more on the one platform. And I have many different platforms. It's - I guess we have 60 million - almost 60 million on Twitter. And if you add them all up, it's way over 100 million people. And I get to see firsthand what's going on, and it's not good.
And we use the word "collusion" very loosely all the time. And I will tell you, there is collusion with respect to that, because something has to be going on. And when you get the back-scene, back-office statements made by executives of the various companies and you see the level of, in many cases, hatred they have for a certain group of people that happen to be in power, that happen to have won the election, you say that's really unfair.
So something is happening with those groups of folks that are running Facebook and Google and Twitter. And I do think we have to get to the bottom of it. It's very fair - it's collusive, and it's very, very fair to say that we have to do something about it. And if we don't - you know, the incredible thing is that we can win an election and we have such a stacked deck. And that includes networks, frankly. You look at the networks, you look at the news, you look at the newscasts - I call it "fake news." I'm very proud to hear the President use the term "fake news." But you look at what's happening with the networks. You look at what's happening with different shows. And it's hard to believe we win.
But, you know, I'll tell you what it really shows: The people are smart. The people get it. They'll go through all of that - whatever it is they're fed - and in the end, they pull the right lever. It's a very, very dangerous situation. So I think I agree. I think something has to be looked at very closely.
Q Thank you, sir. President Bolsonaro, and another question on the 2020 election: If a number of the Democrats who are running to replace the President have embraced or have considered socialist ideas - you've spoken critically of that in the past - if a socialist or a candidate who embraced socialism were to replace the President, how would it affect your relations with the United States?
PRESIDENT BOLSONARO: (As interpreted.) Well, it's an internal affair. We will respect whatever the ballots tell us on 2020, but I do believe Donald Trump is going to be reelected fully.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you. I agree. (Laughter.)
PRESIDENT BOLSONARO: (As interpreted.) Yeah. This was the same - what happened to me. I think everyone will repeat their vote here in America.
So, every day, more and more people that are prone to socialism, and even communism, slowly are going to be opening their minds to the reality. And you can see the border with Venezuela and Brazil was recently closed - not for Brazilians, which are pro-socialism, to go into Venezuela, but the other way around, so that Venezuelans who support democracy wouldn't go into Brazil. This feeling most certainly is going to be very much seen when 2020 comes.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Mr. President, thank you very much.
Q Sorry -
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Go ahead. You want to go?
Q Yeah.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: You look like a very nice person.
Q Yeah.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Go ahead. Watch - this will be the killer of all time. Watch. (Laughter.)
Q (Laughs.) Thank you, Mr. President. Beatriz Bulla from Estadão. The USTR is not supporting the entry of Brazil in the OECD. Is the U.S. government going to formally support Brazil's entry on the OECD? And what have you asked as a trade-off?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: We will be supporting - we're going to have a great relationship in so many different ways. That's just a - just something that we're going to be doing in honor of the President and in honor of Brazil.
We will be asking for things but not necessarily having to do with that. I think we're just going to have a very fair relationship. Okay?
Q Thank you.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you.
Q And President Bolsonaro -
PRESIDENT BOLSONARO: Thank you! (Laughter.)
Q (As interpreted.) President Bolsonaro, does the United States expect the influence of China into Brazil? Yesterday, Paulo Guedes mentioned that it's going to incentivize relations with China. How does the U.S. see that, and what you said about President Trump, about the Chinese in Brazil?
PRESIDENT BOLSONARO: (As interpreted.) Well, like I said, Brazil is going to keep on making as much business with as many countries as possible. No longer businesses are going to be found into the ideology, as it used to be. We are also following this objective for the good of our peoples.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much, Mr. President. I appreciate it. Thank you very much. And thank you everybody. Thank you very much.
Q Another round of trade talks with China, Mr. President?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: China is going - China is going very well. Talks with China are going very well.
Thank you everybody. Thank you.
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