Remarks by President Trump at Signing of the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement and U.S.-Japan Digital Trade Agreement | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

White House Roosevelt Room  •  Washington D.C.  •  October 7  •  3:59 P.M. EDT
    THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you very much everybody. I want to start by wishing my very good friend, Prime Minister Abe of Japan, a very happy birthday. He's 39 years old today. (Laughter.) So please extend my wishes to the Prime Minister. He's a great gentleman and we have had tremendous success.

    As you know, in addition to what we're talking about today, they're building - Japan - many car plants in the United States, which they weren't doing for a long time. And they're building in Michigan, Ohio, lots of different states. And we just appreciate it very much. Been a tremendous investment.

    But we're here to talk about a little bit of a different purchase, and that's good as far as we're concerned. And I want to thank you very much. Very much. Thank you. (Applause.)

    So we're gathered here today at the White House this afternoon to discuss a very strong and groundbreaking achievement for the United States and Japan: the signing of the new U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement and the U.S.-Japan Digital Trade Agreement. Digital is becoming a very big factor in the world.

    These two deals represent a tremendous victory for both of our nations. They will create countless jobs, expand investment and commerce, reduce our trade deficit very substantially, promote fairness and reciprocity, and unlock the vast opportunities for growth.

    In the United States, these deals are a game changer for our farmers and our ranchers - we love our farmers and we love our ranchers; we've been working very hard on this - providing them with significantly enhanced access to a critical foreign market.

    In a moment, I'll be really honoring a lot of the folks in the room that are here with us from farm country, ranch country. And we're going to be witnessing a historic signing by Ambassador Robert Lighthizer and Ambassador from Japan - a long trip, but you just got here - Sugiyama of Japan. And we're grateful to both of you for the outstanding job you've done and all of the people that were involved with both of you, your staffs and your representatives. Thank you both very much. Bob, thank you. Thank you very much. It's a lot of work.

    We're also delighted that Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao is here. Where is Elaine? (Laughter.) Where is Elaine? Hi, Elaine.

    SECRETARY CHAO: Sir.

    THE PRESIDENT: Great. She's busy. (Laughter.) Doing a fantastic job. Thank you -

    SECRETARY CHAO: Thank you, sir.


    THE PRESIDENT: - very much, honey.

    Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Censky is here. Where is Stephen?

    DEPUTY SECRETARY CENSKY: Right here.

    THE PRESIDENT: Stephen? Hi, Stephen.

    DEPUTY SECRETARY CENSKY: Good you see you.

    THE PRESIDENT: Great job. Thank you very much. Spoke to Sonny last night. We're doing well.

    A very great gentleman, a very popular man too, in the world and especially his wonderful state, Steve Daines. Steve, I saw you back there. (Applause.) Hi, Steve. Hi, Steve. I also should - I saw your poll numbers. You are strong. (Laughter.) You're doing good. And that's a good decision by the voters, I can tell you. Thanks, Steve.

    Representatives Jodey Arrington and Kevin Hern. And thank you, fellas, for being here. As well as, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum. Doug, thank you. Thank you.

    PARTICIPANT: Over there.

    THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Doug? Where's Doug? Good, Doug. Good job. Say hello to your wife.

    GOVERNOR BURGUM: I will.

    THE PRESIDENT: North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Dan Forest. Hi, Dan. Hi. We just approved that last amount of money for the hurricane.

    LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR FOREST: Thank you.

    THE PRESIDENT: You know about that, right?

    LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR FOREST: Yes, Mr. President. Thank you.

    THE PRESIDENT: Iowa Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg. Adam, great job.

    LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR GREGG: Thank you, Mr. President.

    THE PRESIDENT: Great job.


    And many other state and local officials. We have some tremendously respected people here - political people.

    I want to extend a special welcome to all of the leaders here today representing American farmers and ranchers benefitting from this deal - this is a tremendously important deal and a very big deal - including those from our beef, pork, poultry, wheat, dairy, and corn associations.

    I would particularly like to recognize Zippy. Zippy Duvall. He's been with us from the beginning. Zippy? Zippy?

    MR. DUVALL: Hey, Mr. President.

    THE PRESIDENT: Where's my Zippy? Hi. Very good. Thank you for being here.

    MR. DUVALL: Thank you.

    THE PRESIDENT: Zippy is always - he's always - he's always here trying to make good deals for your folks, right?

    MR. DUVALL: Yes, sir.

    THE PRESIDENT: He's the President and CEO of the American Farm Bureau Federation. And we're doing really well. I - in fact, we're doing a deal with - a big deal with Japan. But, you know, China is big - buying again. You see that China is buying very big.

    MR. DUVALL: We see that, Mr. President.

    THE PRESIDENT: A lot of people don't like to talk about that, but China is in the market buying very big -agricultural.

    We're also joined by several senior leaders from our nation's top technology companies, including Chris Padilla of IBM. Hi, Chris. How are you? How's IBM doing?

    MR. PADILLA: Doing very well, sir.

    THE PRESIDENT: Very good. You have a lot to do with farming, too, I know, right?

    MR. PADILLA: We do.

    ...

    Read the full transcript HERE.


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