Remarks by President Trump Before Air Force One Departure

Press Conference

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. I want to extend our condolences to the people of El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio. They're incredible people and they've been through a lot.

I just want to also thank the law enforcement in both places. The job they've done is incredible. I also want to congratulate them. I mean, nobody could have done what they've done. This could have been -- as bad as it was, it could have been so much worse.

I just have to thank them. The job they've done is incredible. And they were right on the ball in El Paso; they were there so quickly. And, in Dayton, in less than a minute -- think of the damage he did in just a short period of time -- in less than a minute, the law enforcement acted and killed him. And it would have been unbelievable. It was -- it would have been -- it was horrible, but it would have been so much worse. It could have been so much worse.

I just want to say that these are two incredible places. We love the people. Hate has no place in our country. And we're going to take care of it.

I spoke with Attorney General Bill Barr at length; I spoke to Christopher Wray, Director of the FBI; I spoke to the governors -- both governors -- and we're doing a lot of work. A lot of people are working right now -- a lot of law enforcement people and others. I spoke to members of Congress about whatever we can do and a lot of -- a lot of things are being done right now, as we speak.

I'll be making a statement tomorrow sometime. But just on behalf of our First Lady and myself, condolences to all. We have to get it stopped. This has been going on for years -- for years and years -- in our country. And we have to get it stopped.

So thank you very much. And I will be making a statement tomorrow at about 10 o'clock. And I'll see you there. Thank you all very much.

Q What are you going to do about the problem of automatic and semiauto- --

THE PRESIDENT: You have to talk up.

Q The gun problem. What are you going to do about it? What -- how are you going to address it?

THE PRESIDENT: We're talking to a lot of people, and a lot of things are in the works, and a lot of good things. And we have done much more than most administrations. And it does -- it's not -- really not talked about very much, but we've done, actually, a lot. But perhaps more has to be done.

But this is also a mental illness problem. If you look at both of these cases, this is mental illness. These are peop- -- really, people that are very, very seriously mentally ill. So a lot of things are happening. A lot of things are happening right now.

And I will see you tomorrow at 10 o'clock. Thank you.
END

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