White House press conference: Trump interrupts with threat to cut GM subsidies over job layoffs
US press secretary Sarah Sanders is holding the first White House news briefing this month.
The conference comes as the White House is juggling controversies on multiple fronts, including growing tension at the US-Mexico border where agents fired tear gas at travelling migrants – a move staunchly defended by Donald Trump — and recent developments from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election after former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was accused of lying to the FBI in violation of a recent plea deal.
During the press conference, Ms Sanders suggested that the Obama administration also allowed for the use of tear gas at the US-Mexico border, and said that Mr Trump would like to see the Mueller investigation come to its conclusion.
"Certainly the president has voiced his unhappiness from the beginning that this has gone on, this ridiculous witch hunt for two years, and we would like to see it come to a conclusion," Ms Sanders said when asked why the president appears uneasy with the looming release of the Mueller report, which will be delivered to the US attorney general.
Those concerns come just as the US economy shows signs of potential weakening, too, after General Motors announced thousands of layoffs this week amid ongoing tension over the president's harsh tariffs on foreign imports that have left major American industries in jeopardy as the cost of raw materials has surged. Meanwhile, on the international front, Russian aggression in Ukraine has put a spotlight on Mr Trump's relationship with the Kremlin as he has refused to condemn the aggression there.
Just at the end of the press conference, the president himself weighed in on Twitter to discuss the GM layoffs, and suggested that the company may see its subsidies for electric car production revoked. White House officials had indicated during the press conference that punishments may come for the auto maker over its thousands of layoffs.
"Very disappointed with General Motors and their CEO, Mary Barra, for closing plants in Ohio, Michigan and Maryland. Nothing being closed in Mexico & China. The U.S. saved General Motors, and this is the THANKS we get! We are now looking at cutting all @GM subsidies, including for electric cars. General Motors made a big China bet years ago when they built plants there (and in Mexico) - don’t think that bet is going to pay off. I am here to protect America’s Workers!" Mr Trump tweeted.
Other topics covered during the press conference included the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi — US National Security Adviser John Bolton said he would not listen to a tape recording of the murder — and the recent US report on climate change, which Ms Sanders said the president does not believe is accurate.
Please read along for our coverage of the press conference, as it happened.
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