Remarks by President Trump at Presentation of the Medal of Freedom to Dr. Arthur Laffer | Eastern North Carolina Now

    DR. LAFFER: Thank you very much.

    Let me, if I can: Sincerity and brevity - or so they say - go hand in hand. And in that vein, Mr. President, I want to thank you from the top, the middle, and the bottom of my heart. Thank you.

    Good economic policy is a team effort. And goodness knows my fellow teammates are the best ever: Larry Kudlow, my friend forever and ever and ever. Steve Moore. Where are you, Steve? Steve Moore. Steve Forbes. Steve Forbes canceled his trip abroad to be here today. Is David Malpass here? Kevin Hassett. Team players, Steven Mnuchin, wherever - there you are. You're way back there. Steven. You don't get a better team than that, ever. I mean, this is the team of all teams.

    And I just want to reflect for a second on some of my past colleagues and working with other administrations. For example, in the past, my colleagues included Nobel Laureate and dear friend Bob Mundell; the legendary editorial page editor, Bob Bartley, of the Wall Street Journal; Jude Wanniski, the crazy, wild revolutionary for supply-side economics; Milton Friedman, of course; my godfather and dearest supporter, Justin Dart; George Schultz, my mentor who has hired me four times and not gotten tired of it yet, I guess; Jack Kemp, who we called, "The Weapon" - he's delivered it; and my classmate at Yale, and my dear friend, a guy named Dick Cheney. It's just really wonderful to have - each of whom deserves a lot of praise.

    By the way, just for the record, Bob Bartley, Milton Friedman, Justin Dart, George Schultz, Jack Kemp, and Dick Cheney all received the President Medal of Freedom. Isn't that amazing? I'm in great, great company, let me tell you. I'm awed by that.

    But to get over the - to get the ball over the - to get the ball over the goal line, committed leadership is the sine qua non for this. And we had President Kennedy, President Reagan, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and of course, you, Mr. President, Donald Trump, to really make it all happen. Without the leaders - (applause) - and all I can say is, wow.

    I mean, you know, President Kennedy established the current Presidential Medal of Freedom, and both President Reagan and Margaret Thatcher were recipients.

    My business partner is here. My business partner's friends and fellow dreamcatchers - a number of whom are here today, by the way - have allowed all of this to happen for me, and I am eternally grateful. They are the salt of the Earth. And, in fact, they actually lived the lives that we economists just talk about. They actually do it. And it is for them that we do what we do. They have kept, do keep, and will keep America prosperous.

    And my final shout-out, if I may, is to my family - my wonderful family. All six of my children are here today, as well as Mike Madzin and Mike Stabile. I'm missing my 13 grandchildren and my 4 great-grandchildren, for which I am sure the White House staff is eternally grateful. (Laughter.)

    My family makes me very, very proud and gives me a reason every morning to get up and get to work. Thank you. (Applause.)

END  •  5:31 P.M. EDT
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