Remarks in an Exchange With Reporters in South Lake Tahoe, California

Contract Negotiations Between the United Auto Workers and the Big Three Automobile Companies

Q. Mr. President, are you concerned about a potential UAW strike, sir?

Q. Mr. President——

The President. I've been talking to the UAW. Obviously, I'm concerned. I think that there should be a circumstance where the jobs that are being displaced and replaced with new jobs, they should go to the—the first choice should go to the UAW members who've had the jobs, and the salary should be commensurate.

Q. Mr. President——

Former President Donald J. Trump

Q. Have you seen Donald Trump's mugshot yet?

The President. [Laughter]

Q. Mr. President, are you worried at all about the——

The President. I did see it on television.

Q. What did you think?

The President. Handsome guy. Wonderful guy.

Crash of a Private Plane Reportedly Carrying Wagner Group Mercenary Organization Leader Yevgeniy Viktorovich Prigozhin Outside Moscow, Russia

Q. With Prigozhin, what—what brought down his airplane? Have you gotten any solid information about that?

The President. I'm not at liberty to speak to that precisely. But as you know, because you and I have talked about this——

Q. Yes, sir.

The President. ——I find no surprise in what happened. But we're trying to nail down precisely. I don't have anything to say to you about that right now.

Q. Okay.

Recent Rise in Coronavirus Cases

Q. Mr. President, can you say anything about the uptick of COVID cases and the new variant?

The President. Yes, I can. As a matter of fact, I signed off this morning on a proposal we have to present to the Congress a request for additional funding for a new vaccine that is necessary—that works. And tentatively—not decided finally yet—tentatively, it is recommended that—it will likely be recommended that everybody get it no matter whether they've gotten it before or not.

Republican Presidential Debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Q. What was your take of the Republican debate on Wednesday night?

The President. Let me choose my words here. I don't remember them speaking to any of the issues. I mean, there was a lot of talk, but what are they going to do to deal with economic growth? What are they going to do to deal with the notion that—maintaining the job pace that we have now? What are they going to do deal with education? They talk about education like it was a—I mean, [inaudible]—getting rid of the Department of Education, cut 100,000 teachers. I mean, I don't—I don't quite get where they're going.

I kept trying to figure out—I didn't watch the whole debate. I was on a phone call for part of it. But I—I didn't learn much.

Former President Donald J. Trump

Q. Did you watch Trump's interview with Tucker Carlson?

The President. No, I didn't. I didn't have—[laughter]—I didn't have an interest or an inclination.

The President's Supplemental Appropriations Request to Congress

Q. Mr. President, on your—on your supplemental request to Congress, there are some Republicans who want to split up the disaster aid and Ukraine aid. Is that a possibility to you at all to make sure some sort of money passes Congress? Because they have a concern with the Ukraine aid.

The President. None.

Department of Justice Investigation Into the President's Handling of Classified Documents

Q. Mr. President, are you planning to sit for an interview with the Special Counsel looking into the documents matter?

The President. I have—there's no such request and no such interest.

White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Olivia Alair Dalton. Thanks, guys.

Q. Thank you.

The President. Okay?

Republican Presidential Debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Q. How much of the debate did you see, Mr. President?

The President. I probably——

Q. An hour or so?

The President. I mean, I was in and out, getting a call. But probably what I saw consecutively—I probably saw at least an hour and 20 minutes of it.

Q. Well, that's about most of it. You got the gist of it.

The President. Well, you know what I mean. You know—no, I got the gist. [Laughter]

Principal Deputy Press Secretary Dalton. Thanks, guys.

The President's Vacation in Glenbrook, Nevada Q. How are you liking Tahoe, sir? How are you liking Tahoe?

The President. I tell you: If I had your biceps, I would feel better. [Laughter]

Principal Deputy Press Secretary Dalton. Okay. Truly, thank you.

The President. I've been to Tahoe before. Not here, but I've been out here a number of times when Harry Reid was the Leader and a Senator campaigning for a lot of the candidates. It's magnificent. It's magnificent.

Thank you all so very much.

Q. Thank you, sir.