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Remarks by President Trump to Rural Stakeholders on California Water Accessibility | Bakersfield, CA
Press Release:
JACO Hangar • Bakersfield, California • February 19 • 3:00 P.M. PST
THE PRESIDENT: Hi, Chloe. Hi, Chloe. Hi. Hi, Chloe.
Well, I want to thank you. And before we begin, I want to just say that -
AUDIENCE MEMBER: I love you, President Trump!
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much.
It's a great, great place. You have great people on the stage with me. I want to tell you - warriors, fighters. And they love the country. They love our country.
I want to just start, though, by saying two brave firemen, as you know, died last night in Porterville. And we just want to pay our respects to them. I heard they were two great people with incredible families, and I just want to pay my respects to their families and friends.
That's a tough job. We just met some of the firemen backstage. It's a tough and dangerous job, and the country respects that profession very much. We just want you to all know that. They really respect you a lot. (Applause.) And you can add the words "law enforcement" to that group. Nobody respected more than those groups of people. (Applause.) I can tell you that. So, thank you very much. Thank you very much to the families. Thank you very much.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Estamos contigo (inaudible)! (Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: And we're doing well with you. Thank you. (Laughter.) We just had a poll that says we're doing very well. Thank you. That's great. Appreciate it. We love you, too.
And I want to thank Kevin. And hello to Bakersfield. I've heard a lot about Bakersfield. (Applause.) Didn't you have a great tennis player, years ago, named Dennis Ralston? Right?
AUDIENCE: Yeah!
THE PRESIDENT: Right? That's - he was a great player. He was really great. Is he still around? I hope. Is he? I don't know. Somebody will let me know. But he was a great player.
I'm thrilled to be here today as we take historic action on behalf of our incredible farmers and ranchers, growers, and communities throughout the Central Valley - (applause) - and all across the great state of California. What they're doing to your state is a disgrace. (Applause.)
After decades of failure and delays in ensuring critical water access for the people of this state, we are determined to finally get your problem solved. The state is not doing anything to help, but hopefully they will eventually come along.
Now that they're rationing water for people, they're saying you're going to get, very shortly - I heard the governor saying you get 50 gallons. Fifty gallons sounds okay. People tell me it's like nothing. By the time you do with your showers, and your hands, and your tissues, and everything, 50 gallons is very, very little. Can you imagine a state being rationed, when you have millions and millions and millions of gallons being poured out into the Pacific Ocean that you could have? And you'd have more water than knew what to do with. It's crazy. (Applause.) Crazy. Crazy.
So we're honored to be joined by a warrior - a real warrior named Devin Nunes. (Applause.) And, Elizabeth, thank you, because you have to put up with it, Elizabeth - wherever you may be. But Mrs. Nunes is here, and she's a fantastic woman. And - but Devin has been, from day one, from the day I met him.
And, you know, this all started because I was driving up - what was the highway, Devin, that we were driving by?
REPRESENTATIVE NUNES: Ninety-nine.
THE PRESIDENT: Ninety-nine. Does everyone know 99? (Applause.)
And I kept saying, "Devin, why are these fields all brown and they look like desert?" They look like they were starved. It's too bad you have a drought. And then I'd see little patches of the most beautiful land I've ever seen. And then I'd go to the next and I'd see acres and acres of brown, really dry, horrible-looking stuff. And then I'd see a patch of the most beautiful farmland I've ever seen. I said, "What's going on? It's too bad you have a drought." He said, "No, we don't have a drought. They won't allow us to have water in the state of California." That's how this all started.
Believe it or not, that's how I really got to know Devin Nunes. Then he became a hero because he found out what was going on in government - (applause) - and he found out about the hoax and the witch hunt, and all of the horrible things that have gone on.
But we got over the fact that I said, "Boy, that's a beautiful area, but why is everything else barren?" And it's because of water. You send millions and millions of gallons out. And we have now given full permission that you don't do that anymore. We have given - and the hard - the hard permits were, by the way, the federal permits. The state could do this with a flick of the governor's hand. And we hope that he's going to do it because it makes so much sense.
But I want to thank Devin for being an incredible warrior. And, likewise, Kevin McCarthy - (applause) - who I think we can say - I mean, we have to work hard. We can pick up seven seats in the state of California. (Applause.) Seven seats.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Get rid of Pelosi!
THE PRESIDENT: And I want to thank -
(Laughs.) He said, "Get rid of Pelosi." That's okay with me. (Applause.) A lot of people agree. Look what's happened to San Francisco. So sad what's happened. When you see a slum - where it's a slum. It's worse than a slum. There's no slum like that. What they've done to San Francisco is a crying shame. And it's something that we're going to do something about, because if they don't fix up, clean it up, take care of the homeless, do what they have to do, but clean up their city, the federal government is going to have step in. We're going to do it in Los Angeles and San Francisco. (Applause.)
And I want to thank Judy because she has to put up with these long hours that he works. Where is Judy?
LEADER MCCARTHY: She's right over here. (Inaudible.)
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Judy. Thank you, Elizabeth. Thank you both. What you have to put up with. Long hours. But, you know, the people appreciate it. They really appreciate it. Because there's nobody doing a better job than these guys. And, really, the two of you. (Applause.)
You also have somebody here who's another warrior. He's a warrior in the waiting. He's been successful all his life, and he's running for the 21st congressional district: David Valadao. (Applause.) He is an incredible - he is an incredible guy. And I think - I'm hearing you're doing great. But always pretend you're about one point down. (Laughter.) Right? But you're not going to have to worry about it. He's going to be fantastic. We really need him badly in Washington. (Applause.) So, hopefully, you'll be sending him there. Thank you, David. Good luck, David.
And where is Markwayne? Markwayne Mullin. Come on up, Mark. Come on up.
PARTICIPANT: That's Jim. Jim.
THE PRESIDENT: And his son, Jim, who's a great wrestler, who's a great athlete. Markwayne, thank you very much. (Appause.)
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Build that wall!
THE PRESIDENT: Yeah, the wall is being built. You know, we're up to 122 miles. (Applause.) A hundred and twenty-two miles. And you'd think that money - that was not easy. But we got the money, and we're building it. And we won a lot of cases in court. We were sued all the way along the line. And we're up to 122 miles. In a very short time, we'll be over 500 miles. It's already had a tremendous impact. So, the wall is moving along. (Applause.)
But I want to thank you and Jim. Thank you very much. Stay up here, okay? Because I'm going to be signing a very important legislation - a piece of legislation that is going to give you a lot of water and a lot of dam and a lot of everything. (Applause.) And you'll be able to farm your land and you'll be able to do things that you never thought possible.
And it is true though, I think, Devin, you can say: I really - look, I'll never forget. It's so bad. I said, "Gee, it's so bad. I never knew the drought was so bad." He looked at me like, "What are you talking about? There's no drought. We have so much water we don't know what to do with it." And this would take care of Los Angeles. It would take care of everything. You'd have more water than you knew what to do. You wouldn't have to be rationing water. And it's just absolutely insane. So, hopefully, the governor will get his act together and you'll get this done. (Applause.)
...
Read the full transcript HERE.
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THE PRESIDENT: Hi, Chloe. Hi, Chloe. Hi. Hi, Chloe.
Well, I want to thank you. And before we begin, I want to just say that -
AUDIENCE MEMBER: I love you, President Trump!
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much.
It's a great, great place. You have great people on the stage with me. I want to tell you - warriors, fighters. And they love the country. They love our country.
I want to just start, though, by saying two brave firemen, as you know, died last night in Porterville. And we just want to pay our respects to them. I heard they were two great people with incredible families, and I just want to pay my respects to their families and friends.
That's a tough job. We just met some of the firemen backstage. It's a tough and dangerous job, and the country respects that profession very much. We just want you to all know that. They really respect you a lot. (Applause.) And you can add the words "law enforcement" to that group. Nobody respected more than those groups of people. (Applause.) I can tell you that. So, thank you very much. Thank you very much to the families. Thank you very much.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Estamos contigo (inaudible)! (Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: And we're doing well with you. Thank you. (Laughter.) We just had a poll that says we're doing very well. Thank you. That's great. Appreciate it. We love you, too.
And I want to thank Kevin. And hello to Bakersfield. I've heard a lot about Bakersfield. (Applause.) Didn't you have a great tennis player, years ago, named Dennis Ralston? Right?
AUDIENCE: Yeah!
THE PRESIDENT: Right? That's - he was a great player. He was really great. Is he still around? I hope. Is he? I don't know. Somebody will let me know. But he was a great player.
I'm thrilled to be here today as we take historic action on behalf of our incredible farmers and ranchers, growers, and communities throughout the Central Valley - (applause) - and all across the great state of California. What they're doing to your state is a disgrace. (Applause.)
After decades of failure and delays in ensuring critical water access for the people of this state, we are determined to finally get your problem solved. The state is not doing anything to help, but hopefully they will eventually come along.
Now that they're rationing water for people, they're saying you're going to get, very shortly - I heard the governor saying you get 50 gallons. Fifty gallons sounds okay. People tell me it's like nothing. By the time you do with your showers, and your hands, and your tissues, and everything, 50 gallons is very, very little. Can you imagine a state being rationed, when you have millions and millions and millions of gallons being poured out into the Pacific Ocean that you could have? And you'd have more water than knew what to do with. It's crazy. (Applause.) Crazy. Crazy.
So we're honored to be joined by a warrior - a real warrior named Devin Nunes. (Applause.) And, Elizabeth, thank you, because you have to put up with it, Elizabeth - wherever you may be. But Mrs. Nunes is here, and she's a fantastic woman. And - but Devin has been, from day one, from the day I met him.
And, you know, this all started because I was driving up - what was the highway, Devin, that we were driving by?
REPRESENTATIVE NUNES: Ninety-nine.
THE PRESIDENT: Ninety-nine. Does everyone know 99? (Applause.)
And I kept saying, "Devin, why are these fields all brown and they look like desert?" They look like they were starved. It's too bad you have a drought. And then I'd see little patches of the most beautiful land I've ever seen. And then I'd go to the next and I'd see acres and acres of brown, really dry, horrible-looking stuff. And then I'd see a patch of the most beautiful farmland I've ever seen. I said, "What's going on? It's too bad you have a drought." He said, "No, we don't have a drought. They won't allow us to have water in the state of California." That's how this all started.
Believe it or not, that's how I really got to know Devin Nunes. Then he became a hero because he found out what was going on in government - (applause) - and he found out about the hoax and the witch hunt, and all of the horrible things that have gone on.
But we got over the fact that I said, "Boy, that's a beautiful area, but why is everything else barren?" And it's because of water. You send millions and millions of gallons out. And we have now given full permission that you don't do that anymore. We have given - and the hard - the hard permits were, by the way, the federal permits. The state could do this with a flick of the governor's hand. And we hope that he's going to do it because it makes so much sense.
But I want to thank Devin for being an incredible warrior. And, likewise, Kevin McCarthy - (applause) - who I think we can say - I mean, we have to work hard. We can pick up seven seats in the state of California. (Applause.) Seven seats.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Get rid of Pelosi!
THE PRESIDENT: And I want to thank -
(Laughs.) He said, "Get rid of Pelosi." That's okay with me. (Applause.) A lot of people agree. Look what's happened to San Francisco. So sad what's happened. When you see a slum - where it's a slum. It's worse than a slum. There's no slum like that. What they've done to San Francisco is a crying shame. And it's something that we're going to do something about, because if they don't fix up, clean it up, take care of the homeless, do what they have to do, but clean up their city, the federal government is going to have step in. We're going to do it in Los Angeles and San Francisco. (Applause.)
And I want to thank Judy because she has to put up with these long hours that he works. Where is Judy?
LEADER MCCARTHY: She's right over here. (Inaudible.)
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Judy. Thank you, Elizabeth. Thank you both. What you have to put up with. Long hours. But, you know, the people appreciate it. They really appreciate it. Because there's nobody doing a better job than these guys. And, really, the two of you. (Applause.)
You also have somebody here who's another warrior. He's a warrior in the waiting. He's been successful all his life, and he's running for the 21st congressional district: David Valadao. (Applause.) He is an incredible - he is an incredible guy. And I think - I'm hearing you're doing great. But always pretend you're about one point down. (Laughter.) Right? But you're not going to have to worry about it. He's going to be fantastic. We really need him badly in Washington. (Applause.) So, hopefully, you'll be sending him there. Thank you, David. Good luck, David.
And where is Markwayne? Markwayne Mullin. Come on up, Mark. Come on up.
PARTICIPANT: That's Jim. Jim.
THE PRESIDENT: And his son, Jim, who's a great wrestler, who's a great athlete. Markwayne, thank you very much. (Appause.)
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Build that wall!
THE PRESIDENT: Yeah, the wall is being built. You know, we're up to 122 miles. (Applause.) A hundred and twenty-two miles. And you'd think that money - that was not easy. But we got the money, and we're building it. And we won a lot of cases in court. We were sued all the way along the line. And we're up to 122 miles. In a very short time, we'll be over 500 miles. It's already had a tremendous impact. So, the wall is moving along. (Applause.)
But I want to thank you and Jim. Thank you very much. Stay up here, okay? Because I'm going to be signing a very important legislation - a piece of legislation that is going to give you a lot of water and a lot of dam and a lot of everything. (Applause.) And you'll be able to farm your land and you'll be able to do things that you never thought possible.
And it is true though, I think, Devin, you can say: I really - look, I'll never forget. It's so bad. I said, "Gee, it's so bad. I never knew the drought was so bad." He looked at me like, "What are you talking about? There's no drought. We have so much water we don't know what to do with it." And this would take care of Los Angeles. It would take care of everything. You'd have more water than you knew what to do. You wouldn't have to be rationing water. And it's just absolutely insane. So, hopefully, the governor will get his act together and you'll get this done. (Applause.)
...
Read the full transcript HERE.
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