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White House Holds Coronavirus Task Force Briefing. Aired 3- 3:30p ET
Aired April 10, 2020 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[15:00:01]
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Please.
QUESTION: Thank you.
So, Google and Apple have announced that they are jointly enabling contact tracing on their mobile phone operating systems. And I was wondering if this is something that you would consider or maybe--
(CROSSTALK)
QUESTION: -- would consider--
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: -- freedoms problems and a lot of other things.
This is something -- we're going to look at it, certainly. And we know they have done that. And it is highly -- it is very new, new technology.
It is very interesting. But a lot of people worry about it in terms of a person's freedom. We are going to take a look at that, a very strong look at it. We will let you know pretty soon.
QUESTION: And I have another question.
TRUMP: Brand-new. Yes, please.
QUESTION: So, can you explain why it is appropriate in the middle of a pandemic to be talking about cutting or eliminating funding for the World Health Organization?
TRUMP: Well, we're going to talk about the WHO next week in great detail.
I didn't want to do it today, Good Friday. I didn't want to do it before Easter. I also didn't want to do it before we have all of the facts. But over the years, many years, we have been paying them from 300 to 500, and even more, million dollars a year.
China has been paying them less than $40 over the years. So, we're paying them more than 10 times more than China. And they are very, very China-centric, as I said, during the weeks, China-centric.
China always seems to get the better of the argument. And I don't like that. I really don't like that. I don't think that's appropriate. I don't think it's fair to the American people.
And I tell that to President Xi, I tell that to Dr. Tedros. I spoke to him one time. I think he's a very nice man. I liked him. But we're going to be talking about that next week in great detail. We're looking at it very, very closely. We want to make sure your money is properly spent.
But, again, why is the United States paying $500 million a year. It's a lot. And why is -- OK, that's a lot. And why is China paying last year, this year $42 million, but generally under 40. So it's in the 30s.
So we're at 504, 452, 400, 401, different amounts different years. And they're at 40, 38, 36, 35, 32, 31.
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: No, no, but you have to ask yourself that question. And then the answer always turns out to be in China's favor.
Well, I have the same thing with the World Trade. Isn't that interesting? World Trade. So we have World Health and we have World Trade. So we have the World Trade organization. And until I came along, we were losing cases, so many cases, it was ridiculous. We were always losing these cases, I mean, almost every case.
And now we're winning cases. We just won $7 billion, because they know I'm not going to put up with it. China has been unbelievably taking advantage of us and other countries.
For instance, they are considered a developing nation. I said, well, then make us a developing nation too. They get big advantages because they're developing nation. India, a developing nation. The United States is the big developed nation.
Well, we have plenty of development to do, OK? And now we're winning cases, because they know that, if we're not treated fairly, I'm going to pull out. Now, you have never heard this before, because nobody ever talked about the World Trade Organization, but the World Trade Organization has treated us very unfairly.
But they know I'm not going to put up with it, because all of these countries are taking advantage of the United States. Now, in the courts, in the court system, we're not approving new judges over the last year. We're not going to approve it.
And Bob Lighthizer is working very hard on that. But we had always a minority position, meaning numbers of judges. So we have a minority number of judges. I said, how do you win with a minority the number of judges?
But, all of a sudden, we're winning. And the reason we're winning is they know, if they don't treat us properly -- and we won $7 billion just this -- very recently, and the money is pouring in.
And we have won other cases too. We have won a lot of cases. But you know from covering it, I know you know that the United States was taken advantage of by the World Trade Organization.
And, by the way, speaking of China, if you look at the history of China, it was only since they went into the World Trade Organization that they became a rocket ship with their economy. They were flatlined for years and years, frankly, for many, many decades.
And it was only when they came into the World Trade Organization that they became a rocket ship, because they took advantage of all those. I'm not even blaming them. I'm saying, how stupid were the people that stood here and allowed it to happen? But we don't allow that to happen.
And if they don't treat us fairly, we will leave. But now we're starting to win cases.
[15:05:00]
How about somebody new for change? Come on, go ahead.
QUESTION: Hi, Mr. President.
As many schools and school districts are closing across the country, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has not ruled out closing -- or opening up schools in May, saying that many kids are not vulnerable to this disease.
Do you agree with that assessment? And do you believe that schools -- would you recommend that schools open up? And to those states that have--
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: Well, I have a lot of confidence in Ron DeSantis, a lot of faith in Ron DeSantis to make the right decision. He's doing a great job as governor.
Ron DeSantis, I had read where he's thinking about opening up the schools earlier than the date, the end of the month. I'd have to look at the numbers. But, again, I like to allow governors to make decisions without overruling them, because, from a constitutional standpoint, that's the way it should be done.
If I disagreed, I would overrule a governor. And I have that right to do it, but I'd be rather have them -- you can call it federalist. You can call it the Constitution, but I call it the Constitution. I would rather have them make their decisions, but he's made a lot of good decisions.
And he hasn't said he's going to, but he's thinking about it. So I'll take a look at it.
(CROSSTALK) QUESTION: If I can a follow-up to one of the doctors.
If you allow children back in the schools, wouldn't that pose a threat to spreading the virus even further to some of those vulnerable--
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: Well, I think the answer is obvious. But if you want, either, would you want to just talk about that, maybe Tony?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (OFF-MIKE)
TRUMP: I know. It's -- I think--
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: -- know the answer to that.
(LAUGHTER)
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, NIAID DIRECTOR: Yes, I mean, from the view of public health issues is that, if you have a situation in which you don't have a real good control over an outbreak, and you allow children to gather together, they likely will get infected, and, if they get infected, the likelihood that they will bring the infection home.
So that really is a risk. I don't know the situation at all in any detail, and I'm not specifically speaking about Florida. I'm just speaking generically about what happens when you have infections in the community, and you have congregation of people, such as in classrooms, that that's a risk.
QUESTION: Has anyone under 25 died, Dr. Fauci, in the country?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
FAUCI: Yes.
QUESTION: The governor -- the governor said that no one under 25 has died. I guess you could clarify that people under 25 can die as a result of this?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Maybe in Florida, they haven't died.
TRUMP: Yes.
FAUCI: I'm not sure.
Again, I--
QUESTION: In the country.
FAUCI: OK. Let's do that, because I don't want to have to be answering for a particular state.
Yes, people under 25 have died of coronavirus disease in the United States of America.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: So, if you reopen the country in May, and there's a new outbreak or a spike in infections, are you open to the idea of shutting the country down again?
TRUMP: Depending on the outbreak, yes.
ACOSTA: You would--
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: And that's happened, as you know, in a couple of countries.
You know what I'm doing? I'm watching other countries. In many cases, they're ahead of us, from the standpoint that it attacked them before us. It hit them first.
And I'm watching what's happening with respect to certain other countries, some of them obvious, some of them less obvious, and what they're doing, and the success that they're having.
And that's going to play a large part of the role. I'm also -- we're also setting up a council of very, very great doctors and businesspeople. We're going to be announcing it on Tuesday, some great people.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) economic task force.
QUESTION: There's a second task force?
TRUMP: Beyond -- this is beyond economic. This is really -- I call it the opening our country task force or opening our country council, so we don't get it confused with Mike's task force, which has done so great.
And we're going to have the great business leaders, great doctors. We're going to have a great group of people. We will probably do it by teleconference, because we don't really want them traveling in for their own purposes.
I don't think it would look good also, but we don't want them traveling in. So we will do teleconference. We did one the other day with the banks, and it was very successful, the teleconference itself.
And we will be announcing names on Tuesday who's on that. And that will play a role, but, ultimately, I have to make that decision. And then I'll have to make a decision, do we close a little area that's a hot spot?
I do say this, Jim. I want to get it open as soon as possible. This country was meant to be open and vibrant and great, not where people are staying and-- (CROSSTALK)
ACOSTA: Are you determined to do May 1?
TRUMP: No, I'm not. I am -- I would love to open it. I'm not determined anything.
The facts are going to determine what I do. But we do want to get the country open, so important. So I'll have a task force.
I'll have a council. It's going to be announced on Tuesday with names that you have a lot of respect for, a lot of great names, different businesses, different people, top--
QUESTION: Bipartisan?
TRUMP: Bipartisan. I didn't even ask. I mean, honestly, I think it's bipartisan. The one thing I didn't ask, are you Republican or a Democrat? Hard to believe, but I didn't ask.
So it would be. And I want their views on what they think.
[15:10:02]
Also, very important, different parts of the country, because you go to the Midwest, it's different than perhaps the East Coast or the West Coast.
Now, the West Coast, those numbers are really pretty amazing on the West Coast, very interesting. So, we're going to be announcing that in a very short while, probably Tuesday.
Go ahead, please.
QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President.
Government officials in Latin American and Caribbean nations, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, have been saying that us authorities are blocking the shipment of PPE in certain cases. And I'm wondering if you could speak to that, as well--
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: Well, what we're doing, we have a tremendous force out there, Naval force. And we're blocking the shipment of drugs.
So maybe what they're doing is stopping ships that they want to look. We're not blocking. What we're doing is, we're making sure -- we don't want drugs in our country.
And especially with the over 160 miles of wall, it's getting very hard to get through the border. They used to drive right through the border like they owned it. And in a certain way, they did. They could drive, right? They had human trafficking.
They had -- all of a sudden, they have a powerful wall up. And they're not driving through that wall. That wall is tough. And it's also loaded up with equipment, cameras and sensors and everything you can think of. On top of that, we have drones flying back and forth over it.
So it's in very -- a very powerful -- it's a very powerful barrier between Mexico and the United States. A lot of people, though, what they're doing now is, they're trying to come into the waterways, whether it's the Gulf or the ocean itself.
And what we're doing is, we're being very tough. And we're being tough because of drugs and also human trafficking. And, remember, the human trafficking is mostly females. It's mostly females.
It's horrible. And what we're seeing is horrible. But you have a big -- we have a human trafficking -- human trafficking problem worldwide, the likes of which -- you think of it is an ancient thing. It's not ancient. It's bigger now than it's ever been before, over the last 10 years, because of the Internet.
The Internet made human trafficking to the extent that it is now, which is massive. The Internet -- the Internet made it so big. So, we are -- we have a big Naval force that's stopping. So maybe, when you mentioned that, maybe their ships are getting caught.
But we are -- we're stopping a lot of ships, and we're finding a lot of drugs.
Yes, please.
QUESTION: Thank you, sir.
On the additional money for small--
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: No, I meant you, but that's OK. Go ahead. We will do this.
QUESTION: Oh, sorry.
TRUMP: Go ahead.
QUESTION: On the additional money for small business, apparently, speak -- Treasury Secretary Mnuchin, speaking with the Democrats in Congress.
TRUMP: Yes.
QUESTION: Are you allowing him to--
TRUMP: Are you talking about the new--
QUESTION: Yes, on the new $250 billion.
TRUMP: Yes, 250.
(CROSSTALK) QUESTION: Are you willing to give into the Democratic demands for additional money for hospitals, states and cities in that interim round--
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: I'd rather have that be in phase four. I don't deny it. I think it's fine, but I think it should be in phase four.
And I think we should have infrastructure. And I think we should have a payroll tax moratorium, because that's something that, over a period of time, the workers get sort of semi-immediately. It's over that period of time. It starts immediately, but it's over a period of time.
I mean, there are a lot of people -- I'm one of them -- that would have liked to have seen the payroll tax cut as a permanent cut. But we should do the double-edged, meaning business, employee payroll tax cut.
So we're talking about that. And I'm certainly OK with helping the states and helping the hospitals. I just think, because, look, the hospitals need help. You see what they have gone through.
And the states need help. Some states in particular need help. They need big help. I'm willing to look at that very strongly, but I like looking at it in phase four.
The 251 is actually -- the plan is working out well. The banks are getting started with the distribution. They have taken thousands and thousands of applications. The numbers aren't even believable, the number of applications. They're swamped.
But Bank of America and Wells Fargo and, I guess, Citi -- Citibank is just now kicking in. And, also, what nobody's talking about, the commercial banks, the community banks. Everyone's talking commercial banks.
The community banks are doing tremendous volumes. And they're probably doing them faster, from what I understand. I hear that community banks, frankly, are the easiest ones in terms of getting the money out.
So, the money is getting out. The applications are far beyond what we ever anticipated. And that's what we're -- that's why we're going -- because this is money that goes essentially to the workers. We want the businesses to hold on to their workers, because, once they lose the workers, they're never opening again. It's not going to happen.
OK, in the back?
QUESTION: Yes, sir, Gordon Lubold from "The Wall Street Journal."
I wondered if you could expand a little bit on your -- like, the form that Mexico would take, the reimbursements. Like, what form would that take? You essentially add it to the tab for the wall that you mentioned. TRUMP: Yes.
QUESTION: And I have a second question, if I may.
TRUMP: Well, there's no real cost, because we're agreeing to produce a little bit less. So, number one, it's staying in the ground. You have it. You have it for another day.
[15:15:03]
It's actually cheaper than storing it, where you take it out and you deliver it to a massive well, like the Strategic Reserves, our National Strategic Reserves, where it has to be brought there. And that's an expensive process in itself.
But oil is getting to a point where, I mean, there are some areas -- some people would say the water is more valuable than the oil. You never thought you were going to see that.
You never thought, having covered -- I know you cover it. You never thought you would be seeing oil at $20 a barrel, but how about $10 a barrel? That, you never thought you would see.
So, we are looking at it very strongly. There is no real cost. I was helping Mexico -- I want to help Mexico. We have a great relationship with Mexico, great relationship with the president. I really like him a lot. He's been terrific to us on the border, because he stopped. He stopped. You don't see the caravans coming up anymore. You don't see all the problems.
When I took office, it was unbelievable, what was going on. And they are really -- they have been helping us a lot. And we have been helping them a lot. They make product for us. They sell it to us. And it's fine. It's a good relationship.
It's -- and, sometimes, it's a great relationship. So, he could not have done any more than that. And I think there was political reasons for that for him that other -- other nations don't have.
They don't have that. The nations that we're talking about, the 22 other nations that we're talking about, they just don't have that problem. So, it doesn't cost us anything. And yet it's very valuable.
We will be reimbursed in the future, maybe in the near future, maybe in the more distant future. But we will be reimbursed by Mexico in a certain way. And it'll be fine.
But we get Mexico over the hump. Now, with all of that being said, that doesn't mean the deal is going to happen anyway, because they still have a lot of different states. But this was one of the stumbling blocks.
OK, go ahead.
QUESTION: If I may, China and some other countries have been particularly active, seen as maybe taking advantage of the U.S. during this process, during this period, China particularly active in the South China Sea.
You have got a carrier down, obviously. What's your message to some of these adversaries or competitors?
TRUMP: Well, look, the way I view it is this.
China has taken advantage of the United States for 30 years, OK? I mentioned the World Trade Organization. China has taken advantage of us through that, and using rules that are unfair to the United States, and they should have never been allowed. This should have never been allowed to happen.
When China joined and was allowed to join under those circumstances the World Trade Organization, that was a very bad day for the United States, because they had rules and regulations that were far different and far easier than our rules and regulations.
Plus, they took advantage of them down to the last -- and you know China, and you have studied China, and you know what I mean. They took advantage of them like very few people would even think to take advantage of them.
And, again, they are concerned, right, a developing nation. We are not considered a developing nation. They are given advantages. OK.
For many years, China has ripped off the United States. And then I came along. And, right now, as you know, China's paying 25 percent, and we have taken in billions and billions and billions of dollars in tariffs from China. And I know a lot of the people kept saying, oh, no, we're paying.
Well, we're not paying. Countries are different. Not every country is China. But China would devalue their currency, and they'd also pour out money. And they essentially were paying most of those tariffs, not us. And, as you know, we have taken in tens of billions of dollars.
They targeted our farmers, but we took in so much money that I was able to give back. One year, it was $12 billion. One year, it was $16 billion. I was able to give back our farmers the money that they were targeted, hurt.
China bought $12 billion and bought $16 billion, one year 12, one year 16. I was able to give them back the 12 and them give them back the 16, the farmers. And they weren't targeted, and they're all in business.
Now we're doing it because they got targeted in a different way. Now I'm going to be very interested to see. So we signed a deal with China. And under that deal, they're supposed to buy substantially in excess of $200 billion from us.
That's not only farm product. It's manufacturing product. It's lots of different things. They're going to buy a lot.
I just want to see if they live up to that deal. I know President Xi. I would say he would live up to the deal. But remember this. I never took off the tariff. It's still 25 percent. That's how big, 25 percent of $250 billion.
So, for the first time -- and you saw also -- now, again, I'm going before the virus hit, because that's sort of like -- that's like -- let's start all over again, OK? I can't tell you that yet, because that chapter hasn't been written yet.
But go up -- a few weeks ago, the deficit with the United States and China was coming way down. Nobody seen that. Nobody's ever seen that before, but the deficit has come way down.
[15:20:04]
So, now we start a new chapter. And I can only tell you, if a smart person is standing where I'm standing, we're going to do very well with China, OK?
And I think it's -- I have to also say this. I think our relationship and having the relationship I have with China is a good thing. But for the first time, we're benefiting, instead of being the sucker that got -- that got taken advantage for years.
Nobody -- I said to China, how did this ever happen? I got to know them very well. I said to them, representatives of China at the top level -- you know who I'm talking about. I say, how did this ever happen?
They looked at me, and they said, but nobody ever called us. We didn't have a deal. It's not like we had a bad deal. We had worse. We didn't have any deal at all. So they just took advantage. Think of it, $500- billion-dollar-a-year deficit, not -- $500 million is a lot of money, right?
It's not -- everyone thinks I have made a mistake when I say $500 trillion. No, you mean $500 million. No, I said $500-billion-a-year deficit with China for a long time.
But it was 200, it was 300, it was 400, it was 500, $556 billion, $507 -- $500 billion-plus-a-year deficit with China. Now I'm charging them tariffs. And it's very interesting. A lot of people that don't want to do that, they all agreed, because China has taken advantage of this country like nobody has ever taken.
We have built China with the money we gave them. Now, I give them a lot of credit, OK? I give them a lot of credit. They did it. But you know what? We made it a hell of a lot easier. We gave them a fortune.
Go ahead. How about you, you in the back? Yes.
QUESTION: Oh, thank you, Mr. President.
I'm Debra Saunders with "The Las Vegas Review-Journal." And I'm here today as the print reporter, print pooler.
TRUMP: Yes. QUESTION: So I'd like to ask you a question and then ask a question
from one of the reporters who couldn't be here because of social distancing.
TRUMP: Sure. Go ahead.
QUESTION: Thank you.
TRUMP: A little louder, please.
QUESTION: Thank you.
I was wondering if you have been tested for antibodies, if you have taken the antibodies test.
TRUMP: Have I been tested for antibodies?
QUESTION: Yes.
TRUMP: Not that I know of. I have had some tests.
QUESTION: Has anybody else here been tested?
TRUMP: No? They tell me no. I will accept--
(CROSSTALK)
QUESTION: Has anybody else on the task force been tested for antibodies?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We don't have a test yet.
QUESTION: You don't have the test?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't have a test yet.
TRUMP: That will come out.
They have just developed those tests. Sort of new.
QUESTION: OK. OK. Good to know.
So this question is from Andrew Feinberg with "Newsweek."
A significant amount of federal aid was made available to Boeing in the recently signed CARES Act relief package, but, according to sources, Boeing executives are still planning a round of layoffs.
So should Boeing or any company that accepts federal aid to stay in business during this pandemic be penalized for laying off workers after doing so?
TRUMP: Yes.
Well, the aid hasn't been given yet. But they will be asking, in my opinion. They haven't even asked yet. Boeing has not asked for aid yet, but I think they probably will.
Now, at the same time, they do have to run a company. You know, this isn't a great time to sell airplanes. Let's not kid ourselves, OK? If you're a businessperson -- Boeing makes airplanes. They had a big problem with one, but they make the greatest airplanes. They make the best airplanes in the world.
They had the problem with one. They got it too complex. It's becomes so complex, you have to be number one in your class at MIT to be able to fly it. It's a mistake. Every two years, they want to make it more and more.
I mean, they had great success with the 737, the Boeing 737. Then, all of a sudden, they do the MAX, and they say, let's make it more complicated. Let's put on different engines. Let's do this. Let's do that. It was not exactly a good decision.
Bad decision, very bad, horrible decision. Number one, human lives, and, number two, horrible, what has happened to the company. Here is a company, from a business standpoint, it was like probably the greatest company in the world, in my opinion.
I think it amounts to 1 percent of GDP. Some people say it's a half. I think it's 1. But here's one of the greatest companies anywhere in the world, maybe the greatest, and boom.
Now, on top of what happened there with the two planes -- and they say they have that fixed. That's good. They say they have it fixed, undisputably. In fact, somebody said -- they gave me something. I said, you should say it that way. They said, sir, this is now the safest airplane in the air.
I said, that's what you should say. That's a very good statement. It's the safest airplane in the air. That's a very good statement, and you should use it. I said, by the way, you changing the name?
But whether you do or not, you should use that. But he said that. A Boeing person said to me, it's the safest airplane in the air. That's a great thing.
But we know they're going to need help. Now, does that mean they're going to need help, and they should keep people that they absolutely don't need? That business is a very cyclical business, like many businesses, frankly.
[15:25:05]
So, that determination hasn't been made. They have not spoken to us yet. I think they will be. Maybe they won't need help. That will be great.
Look, Boeing made so much money. Who would have thought -- who would have thought they could have made all of those planes that are parked all over the place, in many cases, I guess payments not made, but who would have thought they could do that, and they're still a solvent company? OK? I mean, what a tragic thing happened in numerous ways, but also economically. So, when they see us, making sure that Boeing is strong again is very, very powerful and very important. And we will do whatever is necessary to do.
Please.
QUESTION: Thank you. A quick one and then a longer one.
First of all, have you had a chance--
TRUMP: Should we keep this going, everybody, huh?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're the president.
TRUMP: She wants to leave.
(LAUGHTER)
TRUMP: Keep it going for a while? Yes? We have time, if you want. Should I -- you're not going to criticize me that the conference was too long?
If I leave short -- yesterday, I left short -- it was too short. If I stay too long, they say it was too long. Someday, we're going to get it just right. OK.
Should we continue? Should we continue? Yes?
QUESTION: Well, at least answer my questions, yes.
(CROSSTALK)
QUESTION: OK. Let's -- at least be -- your questions.
QUESTION: Have you had a chance to speak to--
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: That's not a bad point.
QUESTION: Have you had a chance yet to speak to Boris Johnson since he came out--
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: I have not, no.
I -- I have a call just to wish him well to his -- to his group. No, I don't want to be calling him now. I want him to get better. He's a great guy. He's become a friend of my, real friend of mine.
He has a great feeling for our country, for -- obviously, for his country. He loves it. He's -- he's a tremendous guy.
QUESTION: And I have a slightly more complicated one. TRUMP: He's become -- I think he's probably right now -- he was very high to start. I think he might be 100 percent popularity right now.
I think he's -- where they talk about approval polls, right? You ever hear that term? I'm sure you have never heard that. I hear it all the time. His approval rating must be about 300 percent, but he's a -- he's a great guy.
He was a great guy before. And I think people see what he's been through. What he's been through is incredible. And they say a big turn. So, let's see what happens. Let's hope.
TRUMP: And if I may, where do you see the use of something like immunity certificates or documents or passports when we get to antibody--
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: Something like -- excuse me?
QUESTION: Immunity certificates, once we get to antibody testing, whether this will be a useful way to--
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: Well, I see a lot of -- yes, I see a lot of different things.
We're going to be very careful for who comes into the country. Look, my opposition party wants to have open borders. This is a case where I'm very glad that my position is, I don't want open borders. I want very strong borders.
That includes not only on the southern border, our southern border with Mexico, and you could also say our northern border with Canada. But we want to have strong borders.
And I think this is maybe one of the learning points. We learned something about borders. We need borders. The country needs borders to be a great country. And this is -- I think this is a great point.
Go ahead. Do you have something else?
QUESTION: Yes, I wasn't just thinking about for borders.
I just thought, for ordinary Americans who are currently stuck at home, if they're tested for antibodies, they -- it turns out they have had the disease and therefore shouldn't be infected again, some sort of documentation that would allow them to go back to work safely.
TRUMP: You mean once they get better?
QUESTION: Yes, or people--
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: OK. So, they have the disease, and they're better, and they have the immunity now. They have -- supposedly, according to what I'm hearing, it could be for a long period. It could be for lifetime. It could also be for a year or two, I'm hearing, Tony.
So nobody's telling me yet if it's for a year, if it's for two years, or if it's for a lifetime, like chicken pox. They say, if you have chicken pox, you have immunity, they say, for a lifetime. I hope that's true.
But nobody's actually told me with certainty, maybe because they don't know yet.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (OFF-MIKE) -- don't know yet.
TRUMP: You don't know yet, because it's new. This came upon us. Nobody knew. We just -- we just -- they do know you have it for a period of time. And it's strong for a period of time.
They don't know. That's hence the antibodies that we're making. I saw somebody was really sick. And he got better, a young person, relatively young person, 35, and physically fit. And he got better. He made it, barely, but he made it.
His first thing that he did when he was better is, I want to give -- I want to give whatever I can give to help other people, because nobody should go through it. It's a tough -- it's a tough thing.
So we don't know yet how long -- if you would like to add anything to that, but we don't know yet if it -- is it a year? It will be a year, but is it more than a year? And only time is going to tell, OK? Thank you.
(CROSSTALK)
QUESTION: One more question.
TRUMP: Go ahead. Try one more.
QUESTION: Will you have governors, mayors, members of Congress on the open the country council that you talked about?
TRUMP: Yes, I think so. I think we're going to put some governors.
I have gained great respect for governors, both Republican and Democrat. I have actually become friends with some of the Democrat governors that I wouldn't have really had the privilege of getting to know.
