Institute senior fellow benjamin powell. At 10 00 p. M. Eastern, former special advisor on health poll stoi the director of Health Policy to the director of office of management and budget during the Obama Administration discusses his book which country has the worlds best healthcare. Watch book tv on cspan 2 this weekend. At at todays white house briefing, the press secretary was asked about Supreme Court decisions on President Trumps financial records. Hello everyone. There has been no greater champion for rectifying racial and income disparities in americas educational system than President Trump. Every child regardless of race, income level or zip code deserves an equal Playing Field of opportunity to access the American Dream. Making that goal a reality begins in our schools. The evidence is clear. An analysis of 41 major urban areas found that blacks and hispanic students made the largest gains in educational access because of School Choice according to a study. That is why President Trump has been clear in saying in his state of the union for too long countless American Children have been trapped in failing government schools to rescue these students. 18 states have created School Choice in the form of opportunity scholarships. The programs are so popular that tens of thousands of students remain on a waiting list. Now i call on congress to give 1 million American Children the same opportunity. Pass the education freedom scholarships and opportunity act he said because no parent should be forced to send their child to a failing government school. Now if democrats have their way, children will not have access to schools at all. And that is not acceptable to President Trump. President trump continues to fight for equal opportunity in our schools by boldly and firmly underscoring the absolute necessity of america schools to reopen this fall. The data is clear, sustained School Closures hurt students who have fewer resources the most. Models have been created. I have some graphs for you to estimate the potential impact of School Closures and they found this, quote, how much learning students lose during School Closures varies significantly by access to Remote Learning, the quality of remote instruction, home support, and the degree of engagement. As you can see, in this chart, students who experience average quality Remote Learning progress but at a slower pace. Students who are getting lower quality Remote Learning stagnate at current grade levels and students who are not getting instruction at home lose significant ground with some students dropping out all together. As you can see, in the three scenarios mapped on the graph, if students return to school in the fall, the disparities are far less than if they return in january of next year or the fall of next year for disparities in learning are enormous. But School Closures affect more than just learning. As the naacp has pointed out, for students of color at all levels across the country, School Closings create problems even more urgent than the interruption of their education. Schools also serve as the Community Nexus for food and housing. Rest assured that President Trump knows more than anyone the importance of opening our schools, which is why hes been the most vocal advocate for reopening. President trumps america, make no mistake they he will continue to be the biggest fighter for equal opportunity in our school and continued access for the American Dream for all. With that, i will take questions. Thank you, kayleigh. After todays Supreme Court ruling, how is President Trump feeling about the two justices that he appointed to the Supreme Court, gorsuch and kavanaugh ruled against him today . The justices are entitled to their opinion. This is an independent branch of government. As for the decision, President Trump underscored to me, i was just in the oval office with him, that it was Justice Kavanaugh who pointed out in the new York State Court case that there was unanimous agreement that this should be remanded to d. C. Excuse me to the District Court where the president may raise constitutional and legal arguments. That was a unanimous agreement. Also a note in the roberts opinion that the new york state case basically the grand jury said that they were prohibited from arbitrary fishing expeditions and initiating investigations out of malice or intent to harass. That language made it pretty clear that this was a win for the president. When you were speaking to the president in the oval office, did he have anything to say specifically about justices gorsuch or kavanaugh . We didnt speak specifically about the two justices. About the cdc guidelines, yesterday about reopening schools, yesterday the Vice President came out and said that he said that the cdc was going to be putting out new guidelines next week in terms of reopening. The head of cdc was on another network this morning and said they would not be changing the guidelines. They would be putting out some additional documents. Can you explain the discrepancy between those two . The cdc director noted there would be additional guidance. The Vice President noted that as well. We are on the same page with dr. Redfield who has said i dont want this guidance to be a reason for schools not to be not to reopen, and he said that these were not meant to be prescriptions. They are guidelines. Ultimately it is up to state and local governments as to what their guidelines look like. There are 47 states who have issued their own guide lines so far. I would also note that the cdc recognizes in their guidelines that many of these things that theyre recommending are not feasible which is why they use the words not possible 18 times and not feasible nine times. We want our schools to reopen. It is imperative for the health and well being of the child. You had asked the president whether he supports the idea of staggered School Reopenings schedules, where kids go to school on some days and not others. Did you have a chance to talk with him . I did endeavor to get with him on that today but because of the Supreme Court ruling we didnt get to that yet. It is on my list of things to follow up with him about. Two Different Things that the Vice President and dr. Redfield described. One was changing the guidelines, the guidance that was previously released and with dr. Redfield this morning was just adding supplemental guidance. Which of those is actually happening . Is the white house in addition also planning to release its own guidance . I think dr. Redfield was noting he doesnt plan to rescind the current guidance thats out there. It will be supplemental guidance but these are not requirements and not prescriptive is the way he characterized the initial guidance. He said this guidance should not be used as a reason for schools not to reopen. We all have the same goal here. It is for schools to reopen because the health of the child depends on it. It is imperative as the presentation i showed to rectify disparities that we get these schools open. Is the white house releasing additional documents as well . I have no announcements on that. None in the works but it doesnt mean it wont happen. Thank you. Are the president s taxes still under audit and specifically which years . The president s taxes are still under audit. I dont have years for you. Let me ask you if i can he could release his taxes at any time. Cases went to the Supreme Court. His own nominees ruled against him. Why shouldnt the American Public at this point believe that the something has something hes trying to hide . Let me note something. The taxes are under audit. He said he would release them when they are no longer under audit. The justices didnt rule against him. In fact it was a unanimous opinion saying this needs to go back to the District Court. They even recognized that the president has an ample arsenal of arguments that he can make. In fact, i would show that the vast majority laid out a road map for the president. The vast majority said the president has the right to challenge the subpoena on any grounds permitted by state law, be it bad faith or undue burden, they went on to say the president can raise subpoena specific constitutional challenges. They specifically mentioned a violation of the supremacy clause as one thing that he can raise. They essentially laid out a road map. His justices did not rule against him. Okay fine. What im asking though, the president can release his taxes whenever he likes. Why shouldnt americans believe that the president isnt trying to hide something . The media has been asking this question for four years. He has said the same thing for four years. His taxes are under audit, when they are no longer under audit, he will release them. I will note the excruciating ruling for House Democrats who were very much called out for their partisan games. They also subpoenaed the president s information Financial Information and Justice Roberts said far from accounting for separation of powers concerns the houses approach aggravates them by leaving essentially no limits on the congressional power to subpoena the president s personal records. So leave it to House Democrats who did a partisan impeachment, a political witch hunt against this president , and this was yet another part only to be rebuked by the Supreme Court. Just my follow up. On coronavirus, quickly, hospitalizations in the country are up 50 since mid june. How can the president say that the country is in good shape right now . So with hospitalizations, a lot of these hospitals, i spoke with dr. Birx this morning about 10 to 40 percent in the hospitals reaching high capacity are covid. A lot of hospitalizations arent pertaining to covid. What i would also note not because of covid . A lot of it is elective surgeries and other surgeries that have opened up, about 10 to 40 percent in the hospitals reaching capacity with covid related. Im glad you asked about covid. I want to take a moment to highlight some of the things that the federal government has done can you ask my question first in how we are in good shape right now with hospitalizations going up in spite of what you said . The mortality rate has had a tenfold decrease, you could argue an even greater decrease if you compare to some of our highest days. Were seeing the fatality rate in this country come down. Thats a very good thing. We grieve when even one life is lost, but i think it is progress as we enter the next phase of this. [inaudible]. Thank you, kayleigh. On china, the Administration Today ruled out some sanctions [inaudible]. Can you speak overall what that does to the u. S. Relationship with china, and does it jeopardize the phase one deal . Look, i think with regard to i look at these sanctions that the administration does, not with regard to phase one china deal, these are serious sanctions that were put in place by this administration to take strong action against the human rights abuses of the Chinese Communist party. I just want to emphasize and underscore that we sanctioned officials, several of them, the partys secretary, his former deputy, and his Current Party secretary, also former party secretary, so that was three, and todays announcement is the latest in a series of actions by the trump administration. It is not just the sanctions that were put in place. Export controls the president signed, the uighur human rights policy. We have taken a stance against the atrocities we have seen. Some of these atrocities have been forced abortions and sterilization and really despicable things. Youre communicating to the chinese that this issue is separate from the phase one trade agreement . Human rights is a paramount issue. It is very important. We took action. Weve crafted a phase one deal. We hope the Chinese Government will honor that. Thanks. You mentioned that the courts decision today was a win. It didnt sound from the president s tweet this morning that he viewed it that way. Has his thinking on it changed as hes had more time to digest . The president was making a general point about deference on the principle of absolute immunity, which is the posture that the president took in court. You know, he believes there should have been more deference there. Justice alito citing harvard law review made a very good point that constitutionally speaking the president never sleeps. The president must be ready at a moments notice to do whatever it takes to preserve, protect and defend the constitution, the American People. We wish there would have been more deference to that point of view, but it is a big win as Justice Kavanaugh noted, that all nine justices said this needs to be remanded back to the lower court. And that in fact, the attorney had not established his ability to secure access to those records instead further proceedings are required. [inaudible]. Look at those documents is no doubt not something the president is happy about it. I wonder this ruling, the ruling on daca, the ruling on lgbt rights, the ruling on the census, whether the president regrets at all his criticism of judges, in particular Justice Roberts, chief Justice Roberts . , no i think what the president what has been underscored to him after all these rulings is that we need more conservative justices on the court. I mean, thats something hes very strong about it prompted him to say he will release more conservative justices he wants on the court. Thats been the big take away, not particularly with regard to this ruling but the previous ones you mentioned. There are conservative judges on the court now. Its 54 yes, there are the 90 unanimous decision this needed to be remanded and there was a road map as i noted, a road map set forward on how to proceed in the lower court and there were several arguments proposed that the president could make in lower court. I have two questions for you. One on the rulings today, the Supreme Court is rejecting this assertion from the president that he is immune to investigation while hes in office. Does he agree that he is not immune . Well, where the president stands is he still maintains his initial position, and he agrees with Justice Thomas and the dissent who said the demands on the president s time and the importance of his tasks are extraordinary and the office of the president cannot be given to subordinates. The subpoena imposes a demand on the president s limited time and a burden. He went on to describe that position. [inaudible] he agrees with the dissent by Justice Thomas. He takes issue the point that the majority made on absolute immunity, but nevertheless, i would underscore the victory here, as the attorney was not given what he wanted, which was access to the records. He still thinks immunity hes immune to investigation . The president still stands beside his posture that he made. He accepts any Supreme Court opinion as the law of the land, but nevertheless doesnt change his viewpoint. He can disagree with the opinion, but he certainly will follow it. My second question on coronavirus. I will be quick. Youre saying that you dont want the cdc guidelines to be one size fits all, overly prescriptive about how the schools reopen, so why is the administration making it one size fits all that they all need to reopen fully and at the same time . Theres a way to safely do it. Theres a lot at stake. I mentioned the 67,000 pediatricians represented by the American Academy of pediatrics who say it is imperative schools reopen. That was underscored by another 1500 United Kingdom pediatricians. The costs are high, you know, when your network cnn is reporting about child abuse. I mentioned the study yesterday. Good piece by cnn when kids are not in school, a lot of times we dont catch that abuse. The schools can safely reopen. The American Academy of pediatrics agrees with that. No one is disagreeing with you on the child abuse. You are going to tell the schools when to open . There are 47 guidelines issued by the states. Theres local guidelines that have been put in place. This can be done safely. It can be done well. And the American Academy of pediatrics i have pointed out a lot of what they have put out. They put out their own set of guidelines. Theres a number of guidelines floating out there. We believe theres a way to safely do this and the child will always come first in this administration. Followup to that first line of questioning, though, does the president still believe he has absolute immunity . It makes him sound as though he thinks hes above the law while hes president of the United States, at least. It is very it is almost as if folks dont understand a legal term of art, absolute immunity is a legal term of art. You know, i can describe that. Maybe i can best describe that by quoting Alexander Hamilton who was referenced in the thomas opinion, and Alexander Hamilton really created the posture and the outlook that laid the foundation for the notion of absolute immunity, and it was this, energy in the executive is a leading character in the definition of good government. It is essential to the protection of the community against foreign attacks. It is not less essential to the Study Administration of the laws to the protection of property against those irregular and high handed combinations which sometimes interrupt the ordinary courts of justice to the security of liberty against the enterprises and assaults of ambition of factions and of anarchy, a feeble executive implies a feeble execution of the government. The point he was making is that the executive is imbued with many constitutional authorities, many responsibilities to protect this nation from threats foreign and domestic, and he must be able to operate unencumbered. Thats where the proposition of absolute immunity comes from. Thats what the administration was defending in court. We are pleased by 90 opinion to send this back to the lower court though were not pleased by the absolute immunity component. Could you expand a little bit on education secretary devos comments today, not going to cut funding to schools, but shift funding to families . Does the white house have a comment on the retirement yesterday of the colonel . To your first question, i did not see secretary devoss comments, but as you described them, it leads me to believe that it was a reference to the president s tweet yesterday about changing Education Funding if schools dont reopen. As i noted yesterday, what this administrations goal is is that funding be tied to the child not to a school district, where schools are staying closed. Thats our paramount guiding principle as to what that looks like in action, that will be forthcoming. Were hopeful that all the schools reopen in the nation. Thats the goal. We are hopeful for more Education Funding in phase four, as i noted, and with the colonel, im not going to focus or comment on a former junior employee. I know the white house has not spoken to him since he left, and i would refer you for further to the army. Any pressure from the white house for him to retire . [inaudible]. Picking up on the coronavirus questions in school, North Carolina, for instance, has seen a record high number of coronavirus related hospitallizations, more than a thousand a day. Thats a fiveday its the white houses position that schools in North Carolina, in hardhit areas by coronavirus should absolutely reopen next month . It is our opinion that schools should reopen. I would refer you to dr. Redfield who said yesterday head of cdc this virus has a very limited effect on kids. He went on to say unlike the flu, kids are not driving the transmission cycle. Hes in agreement with dr. Scott atlas, former chief of neuroradiology at stanford who said children under 18 have virtually zero risk of death from covid, virtually zero risk of serious illness which was also underscored by Yale School Public Health professor. The bottom line is that the impacts of covid19 on children is minimal or very low compared to other age groups. Do you know what is at risk for children is people not reporting for child abuse . These very serious consequences that are at play in the educational disparity i noted when kids stay home from school. Dr. Birx also said yesterday however that there wasnt enough data on children because they werent originally testing children at the same rate as adults. But to the point about places like North Carolina where they have been hard hit, you think they should absolutely reopen next month . We believe that they should absolutely reopen the schools in this country, that kids are at very low risk, and i would also quote to you the American Academy of pediatrics. I would venture to say those 67,000 pediatricians care very deeply about the children that they treat, and they have said that children and adolescents are at considerable risk of morbidity and in some cases mortality should they stay home from school. This president will fight for the health and well being of children. Yes . Thank you, kayleigh. A study that came out of detroit last week about hydroxychloroquine which the president tweeted about showed that it cut deaths in half. Yet the American People have been told by government agencies, by some Government Medical experts that it is not effective for coronavirus. So what is the official position from the administration on this possible therapy . Im glad youve asked this. The president has always said that he sees hydroxychloroquine as a very promising prophylactic, but that every person should not take it unless they get a prescription from their doctor. Thats paramount, very important. The president has taken it himself as a prophylactic, and i would note that theres been a lot of wrong studies out there that were heavily touted, like there was a lancet study that was published and many in the media pounced on this lancet study and it questioned hydroxychloroquine and you had folks like nbcs glen kerrshner saying the president should resign over that. Cnn spent 90 minutes heralded a study thats been debunked, the study has been retracted. We saw a Henry Ford Health system study showing it very promising leading to cnn now tweet a Surprising New study that the controversial ma lair ye drug hydroxychloroquine help patients better survive in hospitals. It is important to note that in the right settings this potentially could be a life saver for the patients. This is a promising drug but should be taken in consultation with your doctor. Is the fda going to reauthorize it for emergency use . I would refer you to the fda on that. One more if i may on a followup to what the president talked about a few weeks regarding ante fa saying his administration antifa saying his administration plans to designate as a terrorist organization. We havent heard anything else about that. Is that still the plan . When is that happening . Thats a department of justice saying that they will prosecute these cases as domestic terrorist cases, so i would refer you to the doj as to how thats working operationally, but the doj has arrested many individuals including seven out in portland, oregon, for a variety of offenses including attacks on law enforcement. Were working hard to ensure that antifa does not dominate the streets. The Administration Stands against that lawlessness. Does the president think they need to be designated by a terrorist organization . He stands by what he said one question [inaudible]. Nypd had audio evidence of weinstein admitting rape and vances office refused to prosecute all this while attacking President Trumps family and their enterprises. Given this history, what is President Trumps views of vance from both a personal standpoint and a political standpoint . Is vance politically abusing the court system . What are trumps views about him . You have raised very good points about the partisan attorney in manhattan. Justice alito said this in his opinion that stood out to he said as for the potential use of subpoenas to harass, we need not exhibit a naivety from which ordinary citizens are free as we recognize a president is easily identifiable target, more than 2300 local prosecutors and District Attorneys in the country many local prosecutors are elected and have ambitions for higher elective office. Bring in vance, a democrat, someone who Justice Thomas pointed out something very interesting, Justice Thomas noted that the District Attorney for the county of new york vance served a subpoena on the president s personal Accounting Firm that, quote, was nearly identical to a subpoena issued by a Congressional Committee requesting nearly ten years of the president s financial records. So the partisan attorney, the democrat from new york, is aiding and abetting the democrats, lawless democrats like nancy pelosi who have pursued this president with bogus charges of collusion, with bogus charges in the impeachment inquiry and are now pursuing this only to be rebuked by the Supreme Court and assisted by vance. For nonlawyers i mean is there Legal Recourse against overly political d. A. S . [inaudible]. You know, this was an individual who was elected at the state level, so i guess the recourse would be the ballot box, but i would also note just on that point that president obama and Vice President biden who were caught spying on the trump campaign, the opposition party. You had former Vice President biden in the Oval Office Just before inauguration talking about the logan act. Later the logan act was weaponized and used against Lieutenant GeneralMichael Flynn in a way that was so unfair and a grave miscarriage of justice, but you have obama and biden who get away with this, but yet we need to go investigate President Trump. It is really quite nonsensical. Thanks. In President Trumps tweets about the Supreme Court decisions this morning he said he thinks the court treated him differently than it would have treated other president s. Does he think this was a political decision by the Supreme Court . Or that politics or personal views somehow entered into their legal reasoning . I think you were referring to the tweet about broad deference, and what he was trying to note there, what he was noting was just that there should have been further deference to this notion i read about hamilton and others of absolute immunity, allowing the executive of the president very important job to protecting this country and all other tasks given to the president of the United States. [inaudible] they had never given to another president . With regards to, that i think Justice Alito hit on this, he said in the clinton case, for example, the court held that a sitting president could be sued in federal court, but the court took pains to reserve judgment on the question of whether a comparable claim might succeed in the state tribunal, any direct control by a state court over the president , the court observes might raise concerns about protecting federal officers from possible local present dis. Local prejudice. Even back in the clinton case where federal Court Prosecutions were greenlighted, they gave their grave reservations for a state Court Proceeding of this nature. So i think he was noting the distinguishing features there. I would like to ask a clarifying question from something that was said earlier. The president you said would like to see more conservative justices. Is he comfortable with the number of nine justices . Theres nothing in the law that says he has to have only nine. Would he consider appointing more . The president has never mentioned adding other justices but the Democrat Party has as a way to get around i guess the rulings they dont like. The unemployment numbers from today, 1. 3 million additional claims in the last week. A bit of a slowing down of that recovery. Are you at all concerned that the number continues to be so high still on those four months into continued unemployment claims . I would note that the numbers fell 100,000. This was the 14th consecutive weekly decline that we have seen. From its peak in late march, initial claims are down 5. 6 million. Also looking at continuing claims, another metric that came out today, they reflect actual benefit payments and those fell 700,000 from its peak in may 8 the week of may 8th, and they are down nearly 7 million. Combined as larry kudlow shared with me those facts in may and june the bureau of labor statistics that 8 million jobs gained as larry likes to say the v shaped rebound continues. Are there any concerns that those jobs are not returning fast enough, particularly today the market seemed to notice the unemployment claims more so than they have in recent weeks . I would say that the two jobs reports the 8 million together, both record breaking months are very encouraging signs, and we like what we see on the horizon. Of course theres more work to be done. We have a jobs president at the helm to do that work. The Health Department director in tulsa has said President Trumps rally there likely contributed to a big surge in coronavirus cases in the area. Does the president now regret holding that rally . So we have not seen data to reflect that. We dont regret holding the rally. [inaudible]. Can you tell us if President Trump discussed the issue of funding for the wall with [inaudible] is that a dead issue for the president . It didnt come up in discussions that i was a part of. Im grateful that you bring up the wall which is being built, at accelerated pace more than 500 miles by the end of the year. We appreciate the help of the Mexican Government and securing the border with the troops they have provided. Does the president contend that the Mexican Government still contribute like directly to fund again, im not aware of their other discussions they may have had. What i would note is the usmca, that mexico is a big part in making it happen, bringing tons and tons of money and revenue into the United States and were very grateful for that. Yes . Thank you, kayleigh. Two quick questions, first of all, Given United Airlines recent announcement that might have to furlough workers, does the president support extending the aid that was already given to the airlines further . And second, on a vaccine, does the president have any views on whether or not k through 12 students should be mandated to get vaccinated against covid19 once a vaccine is safe and effective . with 67 acknowledging their concern for this and this is why President Trumps taken action calling strongly or law and order and peace on her street. Additionally we have had hundreds of federal arrest. The executive order that is enhanced or Police Departments which i announced yesterday from the Justice Department and honor of a 4yearold boy who was tragically killed in a sleeping kansas city. As we head to the weekend as is our last press briefing at three so i wanted to make it plea because far too many children have been lost but important to know their important to see their faces. Maybe ill hold in our prayer and keep close to our hearts the families of Natalia Wallace who was seven but kia james who is 10 for another jones jr. Who was 14 and sara gaston who was one lena nunez who was 10, rhea jones who was 13 davon mcneill who was 11 and corey turner and atlanta who was 80. May may we have peace in our streets this weekend and hold these families in our prayers. Thank you