Remarks at a "Make America Great Again" Rally in Rochester, Minnesota

THE PRESIDENT: So this is supposed to be a Democrat state. I don't think so. I don't think so. [booing]

I don't think so.

They have a very big surprise coming, don't you think? [applause]

Very big surprise.

Hello, Minnesota. [applause]

Great state. Thank you. And I'm thrilled to be back in the heartland with thousands of hard-working and truly great American patriots. You know that. [applause]

In less than two years of Republican leadership, America has achieved the biggest comeback in our history. True. [applause]

Jobs are booming, wages are rising and the number of Americans working right now today has reached an all-time high in our history. [applause]

We are defending our great Second Amendment . . . [applause] . . . taking care of our wonderful veterans, who we love and respect . . . [applause] . . . and our military will soon be more powerful than ever before by far. [applause]

But the radical Democrats want to take it all away. [booing]

They want to destroy our prosperity. We've had great prosperity. You see what's happening. [applause]

You don't want your 401(k)s being cut in half, and if you vote Democrat, that's what's going to happen. They want to erase our gains and plunge our country into a nightmare of gridlock, poverty, chaos and, frankly, crime, because that's what comes with it. [booing]

So we're just five weeks away from one of the most important congressional elections in our lifetime. You see what's happening in Washington right now so you know how important it is. You see what's going on. [applause]

By the way, look back there, look at all that media. Look at all that media. [booing]

If we could ever get them on our side, we'd win for a thousand years--for a thousand years. [applause]

On Tuesday, November 6th, I need your vote, I need your support to stop radical Democrats and to elect proud Minnesota Republicans. And we have some great ones right now up for election. [applause]

This week I announced another historic victory for our nation. We're replacing the job-killing disaster known as NAFTA . . . [applause] . . . with a brand-new U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. [applause]

It's called the USMCA. That works, right? USMCA. [applause]

I didn't want to use NAFTA. That has been a disaster for our country: 50,000 plants and factories moving out, millions and millions of jobs lost, one of the worst trade deals ever. I actually know one that's worse, but I won't tell you, because we're going to be doing something with that too. [applause]

But NAFTA's been one of the great disasters of all time and now we have a great and fair deal. We have a fair deal, and that's what we want. [applause]

Great for our workers and really great for our farmers. It's about time. We're opening it up. [applause]

The barriers are coming down. And this is tremendous for Minnesota. This is tremendous for Minnesota. And you've waited for a long time.

And by the way, we've got plenty coming. You know what's going on with China? They want to make a deal. They want to make a deal. [applause]

But I say they're not ready yet. They want to make a deal, but I told them, "You want to make a deal, but you're not ready yet, so we'll talk later."

We have secured landmark protections for the medical innovations being produced right here in your great state. You have great medical in your state. [applause]

And we've removed unfair trade barriers for our proud Minnesota farmers and our dairy producers like has never, ever been done before in our country. [applause]

America is winning again and America is being respected again all over the world right now, and we're going to keep it that way forever. It's called America first. [applause]

CROWD: USA! USA! USA!

THE PRESIDENT: You even have people sitting behind the flag. That's . . . [applause]

It's OK. [applause]

Great people.

And by the way, you got thousands of people outside and you have thousands of people who I just saw in a lovely room, but I said, "Next time, you have to get here a couple of days earlier." [applause]

Right?

The only reason to vote Democrat is if you are tired of winning. That's really it. [applause]

Because you're winning. You're winning a lot. [applause]

There's never been an administration that in already less than two years--but can you believe we all did this together? We're coming up on two years, can you believe it?

There has never been an administration, with you, that's done so much in so little time. Two years. No administration's come close. None has come close. [applause]

And we've got a lot coming.

If Democrats take over Congress, the stock market will plummet. They will--it will plummet. You know, there's a reason for it. Every day we hit new highs, new highs. I think we had 103 new highs. Think of it. All time. That means jobs. To a lot of people, it means great 401(k)s. It means great--but to a lot of people, it means jobs. It's jobs.

Your 401(k)s will be devastated if Democrats take control and our political system will grind to a really messy halt. And you see what's going on in Congress right now with one of the most respected people, potentially, hopefully Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. [applause]

Man . . .

CROWD: We want Kavanaugh! We want Kavanaugh! We want Kavanaugh! [applause]

THE PRESIDENT: What they're putting him through, and his family. His family is incredible. What they're putting them through.

Democrats want to raise your taxes.

They want to restore job-killing regulations. There's no administration ever that's cut as many regulations.

And we have regulations. We want clean water. We want crystal, clear air. We want beautiful environment. We want. But you don't have to have regulation that makes it impossible for our country to compete with other countries, and that's what we're doing. [applause]

The Democrats want to cripple law enforcement. They want to get rid of ICE. How about ICE? [booing]

ICE, they're tough and they love our country, but you need tough ones. They're tough. They love our country. They get rid of MS-13. They get rid of these gangs. You wouldn't believe it. They throw them the hell out or they bring them to jail. [applause]

The Democrats embrace socialism. [booing]

We're not going to be Venezuela--you see what's happening--and open our borders to deadly drugs and violent gangs. [booing]

And I've said it and I'll say it as many times as you want to hear it, and it's because of their policy: The Democrats are truly the party of crime, because that's what happens. Open borders, that's what happens. [booing]

And the Dems are willing to do anything to hurt anyone to get the power they so desperately crave.

All they know is how to do--you know what the words are--they want to resist, they want to obstruct, they want to delay, demolish, they want to destroy. That's what happens. That's what happens.

And just take a look at what's going on. Democrats have been trying to destroy Judge Brett Kavanaugh . . . [booing] . . . since the very first second he was announced. And he was announced for one simple reason: He is an incredible intellect, an incredible person, an incredible talent. [applause]

He's been an incredible judge.

Because they know that Judge Kavanaugh will protect, uphold and defend the Constitution of The United States as written. [applause]

But all you have to do is look at the polls over the last three or four days and it shows that their rage-fueled resistance is starting to backfire at a level that nobody has ever seen before. [applause]

Nobody's ever seen it. Up 11, up 10, up 14. Nobody's ever seen this before. We love it. Do we love it? We love it. [applause]

Because people see what's happening and they don't like it. The people of Minnesota and the people of America are going to reject the Democrat politics of anger and destruction, and they are going to vote to keep making America great again, greater than ever before. [applause]

And in two years, they are going to vote to keep America great, right? [applause]

Keep America great. We're almost at that point already, but I can't--I love "Make America Great," but I can't use it in two years. They'll say, "What have you been doing?" right? "What have you been doing?"

Oh, boy, I tell you, it's been a while. We have had fun, right? We've had fun. [applause]

This is--and they don't even correct me when I say it. They don't even correct me. Fake news media.

But this is . . . [booing]

I mean, look at this stadium. Look, look. As an example, thousands of people in a room next door, thousands and thousands of people outside trying to get in, this big stadium is packed, always. In all fairness to Minnesota, in Las Vegas, in Missouri. You know in Missouri . . .

CROWD MEMBER: [off-mike]

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. I love you too, but you're not my type. [applause]

No, but--hey, Missouri. They had 44,000 people outside of a big arena. 44,000 people. Las Vegas. We went to--West Virginia was incredible. West Virginia. Tennessee. Tennessee, and you see how far Tennessee went up over the last couple of days. [applause]

It's incredible. Missouri, wow, have we done great.

Josh, Josh. [applause]

So we're thrilled to be joined by a number of your terrific Republican leaders and I just want to introduce somebody that's been such an incredible help to me in getting your tax cuts, I mean, not so bad. [applause]

How about this? [applause]

How about this? The Dems want to raise your taxes. We want to lower your taxes. We don't want crime. Crime's OK for them. They want open borders. How the hell do we not win this thing in a landslide every time? How do you . . . [applause]

They're for crime and high taxes. We're for low taxes and no crime. I don't know. Somehow I don't think I would have been a very good politician on the other side of this equation.

But a man who really has been helping me a lot, he's a tremendous force in Washington, he's respected by everybody, Congressman Tom Emmer. [applause]

Minnesota House Speaker Kurt Daudt. [applause]

Thanks, Kurt.

Your state's next attorney general, Doug Wardlow. [applause]

Your next governor--I hear he's doing very well--Jeff Johnson. [applause]

We're also joined by the next United States senator from Minnesota, Karin Housley. Karin. [applause]

So, Karin is running against a far-left Democrat, Tina Smith, who nobody knows who the hell she is. Who is she? [booing]

She was appointed. She took a wacky guy's place. That guy was--he was wacky. Boy, did he fold up like a wet rag, huh? Man. [applause]

Man, he was gone so fast. [applause]

He was gone so fast. I don't want to mention Al Franken's name. OK? So I won't mention it. [applause]

He was gone--he was gone so fast. It was like, "Oh, he did something, oh, oh, oh, I resign. I quit, I quit." Wow.

He was gone and he was replaced by somebody that nobody ever heard of. Her name is Tina Smith. Honestly, you know, I do this stuff for a living. I'm not sure I have ever heard of her (inaudible). The fact is, there's no reason for me to have heard of her, because she's never going to vote for us. She'll always vote for Schumer and Pelosi . . . [booing] . . .and, of course, the legendary low-IQ Maxine Waters. [applause]

Low-IQ person.

She'll be with Schumer--do whatever he wants. "What would you like me to do? Should I vote for higher taxes?" "Yes." "Oh, I want higher taxes. Should I vote against the wall?" Which is happening, folks. She wants to vote against the wall. [applause]

She voted against the wall.

CROWD: Build that wall! Build that wall! Build that wall!

THE PRESIDENT: So we are building the wall. We started it. $1.6 billion. Now we got another $1.6 billion and we just got another. But I want to build it at one time, fast. But we're making a lot of progress on the wall. A lot of progress. [applause]

I'd like to do it a lot faster.

I'm good at building. [applause]

And Tina voted for deadly sanctuary cities. Karin . . . [booing]

Karin, do you promise you will not be voting for sanctuary cities, Karin? OK. Good. [applause]

She wants to keep crime out of Minnesota. That sounds like a good platform, right? Tina Smith would rather protect violent criminal aliens than loyal American citizens, which is why Tina Smith, that nobody ever heard of, needs to be voted out of office. She got appointed, I guess.

And Tina Smith is voting against Judge Kavanaugh. Can you believe that one? [booing]

So, he was number one at Yale, number one at Yale Law School. I think she's looking for a better student. [laughter]

Finally, I want to introduce two incredible--by the way, Karin, come up, please, will you? [applause]

KARIN HOUSLEY: You really do go off script, don't you? Jeez.

THE PRESIDENT: I do. I do.

HOUSLEY: Thank you so much for telling everybody.

And he said "Tina Smith" way too many times. We need to say "Karin Housley" a lot more. [applause]

Thank you.

THE PRESIDENT: Vote for her. Vote for Karin. [applause]

Now for the people that we're here for. Congress is very important, and I'm here to support Congressman Jason Lewis, who you know. [applause]

He's a friend of mine, who has worked so hard for us and so hard on your Second Amendment, which is under siege, and so hard on cutting your taxes and regulations.

So, Jason, thank you. Come on up, Jason. [applause]

And the next representative from Minnesota's 1st District, Jim Hagedorn.

Come on up, fellas. [applause]

JASON LEWIS: Welcome to Minnesota, Mr. President. [applause]

Now--now, everybody in this room knows Minnesota loves President Trump. [applause]

But I will tell you, in 2020, when he comes back here and takes this state, the whole world's going to know Minnesota loves President Trump. [applause]

And you know what else Minnesota loves, Mr. President? They love tax cuts that let you keep more of your money. [applause]

Now, in the final analysis, that's really it, isn't it? I mean, growth is great, 4.5 percent growth, more job openings than job-seekers, after-tax income up 6 percent in one year. But in the final analysis, whose money is it? It's yours. You ought to have it. [applause]

Minnesota loves manufacturing, mining and energy production in the 2nd District. Minnesota loves our farmers now, thanks to the president, who have free trade and fair trade. [applause]

Right here in Rochester, Minnesota is very proud and loves health care; the kind of plan that you choose, not the plan that government bureaucrats choose for you. [applause]

And that's why we repealed the Obamacare mandate and the president signed it into law. [applause]

And--and one more thing, Mr. President. Minnesota loves your judicial appointments. [applause]

That's right. Minnesota loves your appointments to the lower courts, they love your appointments to the appellate courts, and Minnesota loves your appointments to the Supreme Court, including Judge Brett Kavanaugh. [applause]

My friends, my friends, that's what's at stake in this election: due process, the presumption of innocence, the rule of law, private property, in other words, the Constitution of the United States. [applause]

And if Nancy Pelosi becomes speaker of the House, you can throw that all aside. [booing]

But you know what? The radical resisters have to come through Minnesota first. And this is where it stops. I'm not going to let it happen, Jim Hagedorn isn't going to let it happen, and President Donald J. Trump is not going to let it happen. Thank you all. [applause]

On to November and let's win there. [applause]

JIM HAGEDORN: Thank you.

Wow. Does Rochester, Minnesota, and southern Minnesota love this president? Absolutely. [applause]

Boy, think back . . . [applause]

Think back where we were just two years ago. Our nation's future was on the line. Had we not won that election, we would have lost the country the way the forefathers put it together. And by the grace of God, and we are grateful and proud, Mr. President, that (inaudible), and thank you for what you're doing for our country. [applause]

We are.

I just want to give the president a quick update on the Democrat Party here in Minnesota. They've moved far to the left like the rest of the Democrats across the country.

We actually have a guy running for governor who wants to make Minnesota a sanctuary state. [booing]

We have--we have two people running for the United States Senate on the Democrat Party. They love late-term abortion and they believe in gun control. [booing]

And we have all these congressional candidates, including the guy I'm running against, who think that we should have socialized medicine, single-payer. Does that make sense for the Mayo Clinic, Rochester? No, no. [booing]

They want to resist. They want to replace. They want to take us back to Obama and then some. Are we going to let that happen? Heck no. No. Not going to let that happen.

CROWD: No!

HAGEDORN: Mr. President, we're going to work tirelessly. And because of your support and leadership and your endorsement, I want to go out to Washington and serve as a conservative reinforcement to partner with you to keep moving America in the right direction.

Thank you, Mr. President. [applause]

THE PRESIDENT: Wow. Wow. Good talent. [applause]

So, Jason and Jim are both running against extreme Democrats. Jim's opponent, Dan Feehan . . . [booing] . . . supports a total government takeover of health care, which drives your costs right through the roof and the health care is lousy, by the way. [applause]

Oh, is that so? [applause]

And he wants to make Minnesota into--true--a sanctuary for the criminal aliens and for gang members. [booing]

That's the people--they will come flooding up here as soon as you do it. It happens every time.

Jason's opponent, Angie Craig . . . [booing]

Who the hell is Angie Craig? --also wants to take away your health care. And she refuses to support Enbridge Pipeline. You know all about that. That would bring more than 8,000 jobs to Minnesota.

And you know we've really opened up Minnesota. You see what's going on with the mines and the miners and the ore. [applause]

Worst of all, a vote for Dan Feehan and Angie Craig is a vote for Nancy Pelosi as speaker of the House. [booing]

Can you imagine Nancy Pelosi as speaker of the House? [booing]

Don't do that to me. [applause]

I didn't buy into that. Neither did you.

If Democrats take charge, Maxine Waters will also . . . [booing]

Now, listen to this one. She's going to take over Financial Services in Congress. Can you believe it? Maxine Waters. [booing]

That's one of the most powerful committees in Congress.

If you want to stop Pelosi from becoming speaker, if you want to stop Chuck Schumer from becoming majority leader . . . [booing] . . . and if you want to stop the radical Democrats from running Congress, then you need to vote Republican. You have to get out there on November 6th and vote Republican. [applause]

You've got to get it--and vote for these people. These are great people. [applause]

A Democrat-controlled Congress would also pose a grave threat to Medicare. You know what they're doing with Medicare? They'll destroy it. The majority of House Democrats have cosponsored a socialist takeover of health care that would obliterate Medicare. Their plan is called Medicare for All, except they have no money. But it's really Medicare for none.

Their plan would rob American seniors of the benefits they have paid--and they've paid these benefits and they've paid so much money for their entire lives and you take it away.

CROWD MEMBER: [inaudible]

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, darling.

Love these people. These people are so great. [applause]

Republicans want to protect Medicare for our great seniors, who have earned it and they've paid for it.

And we will always protect Americans with pre-existing conditions. We're going to take care of them. [applause]

Some of the Democrats have been talking about ending pre-existing conditions and some people have--you know what I say? We'll get a little more money from China. It'll be just fine. [applause]

OK? It'll be just fine. [applause]

We'll be just fine.

We're going to take care of pre-existing conditions, folks. Remember that.

The lead sponsor of the Democrats--think of this. The health care takeover, who is the lead sponsor? I've been reading so much about him. He did predict I was going to win, by the way. I will say that. That's the only thing he's gotten right in a long time.

Keith Ellison. Did you know that? [booing]

No, he did. That's right. He was on a show the day after I announced. On June 16th, I came down the stair with Melania--who's right now in Africa, our first lady. She's doing a great job. [applause]

Doing a great job for the people of Africa. Amazing.

But Ellison was on a show the day after I announced and he looked at two people, the hosts, he said, "You know he's going to win, don't you?" And they smiled. One laughed. They spoke. They thought I was just doing this for fun. You think this is fun? You think this . . . [applause]

This is a lot of work. It's a lot more work than anybody knew.

And that's the last time he's been right, but I'm glad he was right about that.

Ellison is the number two official in the entire Democrat Party and he recently marched in a parade wearing a shirt that read, "I do not believe in borders." Oh, that's wonderful. [booing]

By the way, you don't have borders, you don't have a country, folks. You don't have a country.

Keith Ellison's Democrat Party embraces radical socialism and open borders. The new platform of the Democrat Party is to abolish ICE. They want to unleash violent predators and ruthless killers--and you know it. Somebody would say, "Oh, gee, why is he saying that? That's not"--it's true. [applause]

Like MS-13, near our schools, near our families and into our communities. No good. [booing]

Republicans believe America should be a sanctuary for law-abiding Americans, not criminal aliens. [applause]

And Republicans proudly stand with the brave men and women of ICE, Border Patrol and law enforcement, our police. [applause]

Great people. They do an incredible job.

My administration has also reformed our refugee program to protect American communities like you have in Minnesota, where you're being treated very unfairly, and to protect your families and your taxpayer dollars.

If you want security, if you want a border, then what you have to do is immediately go out, think about it, get your friends, get your neighbors, get your workers. You've got to go November 6th, vote Republican. That'll do it. [applause]

That'll do it. We need the votes. [applause]

You know, I keep hearing we have a majority. If somebody has a cold, we don't have a majority. If somebody's not feeling great, we don't have a majority. It's like--it's like the saying--that's why we're getting the wall by hook, by crook, we're getting the wall, but it's so difficult. These guys want to stop it. They want to say--you know, it's interesting. We've got $700 billion for the military, which is, you know, many, many, many times--we've got $716 billion for the military. We are rebuilding our military.

But to get money for the wall, their whole life is trying to obstruct the wall because they know we want it. But you know what? It's not working. I'd like to do it a lot faster, but it's not working. We're getting the money.

You think it's easy? Not easy. But we're getting it built and it's already going up in San Diego and lots of other places along the border. [applause]

CROWD: Build that wall! Build that wall! Build that wall!

THE PRESIDENT: This election is about safety and it's about prosperity. Since the election, we have created over 4 million new jobs. The media will tell you there was no way we could have said that during the campaign. Nobody would have believed it.

And we've lifted 4 million Americans off of food stamps. Think of that. [applause]

You know, when you do that, you save a lot of money and you also make a lot of people really happy. When you think about it, right?

We've added nearly a half a million new manufacturing jobs. Remember, "You need a magic wand. You'll never do that." I said, "What happens? We don't build anything anymore?"

And we have companies pouring into our country and they're coming to Minnesota. They're coming to a lot of states. But we have companies. They're all coming back. They want to be where the action is. They're all coming back. They're all coming back. The auto companies. [applause]

I was with Prime Minister Abe two days ago. He said, "Many of our auto companies are coming back." I said, "No, no, that's not good enough. All of them have to come back. All." [applause]

And he's going to do that.

They're all coming back. They've already started. You look at Michigan, what's going on in Michigan, where they're coming back so fast--but they're coming back to Ohio. They're coming back to Pennsylvania, South Carolina, North Carolina. And they're coming in to a place called Minnesota.

Do we love Minnesota? [applause]

1972. You know what that is, right? That was the last time--and boy, we came, like, this close. One more speech up here and I would have won this state.

I came--do you remember? I said, "I think I'm going to win Minnesota," and everyone said, "No, no, it hasn't been won since 1972." Is that right? 19--right? The Congress (inaudible), right? Yeah. 1972. It hasn't been won. I said, "No, look at the crowds. They love it. We're going to take care of Minnesota. We're going to stop what's happening that's so unfair in Minnesota." [applause]

And then on election night, I said, "Let's go to Minnesota," but they already scheduled for a great place, a great state, Michigan. That's another one hadn't been won in many, many years.

I went to Michigan. We had 32,000 people in Michigan at 1 o'clock in the morning. It was already Election Day. So I had to skip Minnesota. I felt so badly because one more speech--I could have showed up at 3 o'clock in the morning maybe. I don't know. [applause]

But we're going to win. We're going to win Minnesota. And you see that just by this crowd. Look at this crowd. This place is . . . [applause]

So something I'm very proud of, African-American unemployment has reached its lowest rate ever recorded. [applause]

African-American poverty has reached its lowest rate ever recorded. Think of those two sound bites. The lowest unemployment, the lowest rate of poverty.

So think of this: How does your African-American, how do you vote for somebody else? I've done more for them in two years. African-Americans are coming up and they're saying, "Mr. President, thank you. Thank you." [applause]

And their median income is the highest. But not only for African-Americans, for Asian, for Hispanic. [applause]

Hispanic unemployment is the lowest it's ever been. Think of it. Asian unemployment, the lowest it's ever been. People with no high school diploma--that's a very important group of people to me--it is by far the lowest it's ever been. [applause]

Women I'm failing with. I am failing with women. It's only the lowest in 65 years. Sorry. Sorry. [applause]

I thought it would be history by now, because I've been saying African-American, I've been saying Hispanic, I've been saying Asian, I've been--and women, it's only the lowest in 65 years. But I thought by now, it would be OK.

CROWD MEMBER: [inaudible]

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Thank you. [applause]

Got a lot of energy, this one over here. She's got a lot of energy.

Thank you, darling. Thank you.

Sixty-five years, not bad, but soon it's going to be in history, I predict.

My administration has taken the toughest-ever action cracking down on China's trading abuses. We have to stop it.

And we have a very good relationship with President Xi. I have a very good relationship. But we can't allow what's happened over so many years to continue happening. They've been taking $500 billion, with a B, out of our country and rebuilding China. And I said, "We can't do that anymore. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." [applause]

For years, China has been draining us, taking our factories and building up their country with our money, and at the expense of our workers and our companies. And we're not going to have it. No more. [applause]

And not only China. Many countries. Look, many countries.

We defend countries that are very rich. They don't pay us or they pay us a small percentage.

I mean, look, we get along great with these countries, but take Saudi Arabia. Would you say they have some money? [applause]

So we defend them and they pay a small percentage. I said, "Excuse me, King Salman"--he's my friend--"do you mind paying for the military?" [applause]

"Do you mind? Hey." [applause]

They're paying for 30 percent. I said, "Do you mind paying?" "But nobody has asked me." I said, "But I'm asking you, King." He says, "Great." He said, "But are you serious?" I said, "No, I'm totally serious. Trust me." [laughter]

And they'll do it. He said nobody's ever asked him.

You're talking about--by the way, you're talking about billions and billions of dollars.

Japan, "No, President Obama would never have asked. That's not his kind of thing. Not his thing." [applause]

Why would somebody ask to be paid back billions of dollars?

Japan, very rich, very great country. I told you, Prime Minister Abe, great man. Just won a fantastic election. Big results. I have an--an incredible relationship. I said to him, "Listen, we're defending you." We're doing a great job. They were sending missiles over Japan from North Korea. Because of me, those missiles aren't going over Japan anymore. There are no more missiles, no more testing, no more nuclear. [applause]

We got our hostages back. We got the remains of our great heroes back, right? The remains. The remains are coming back. That was the most beautiful ceremony. Did anybody see that ceremony a month ago? So beautiful. And the remains are coming back. [applause]

And what do I get? I get the fake news saying, "Why isn't he moving faster?" I just left--what?--three months ago. I had a meeting in Singapore. [booing]

I mean, this has been going on for 75 years--now let's say 25 years with the missiles and the nuclear--but no president's done anything. It's--it's like, three months.

And they'll say, the all-time great, "What's taking so long?" I said, "It's been three months and you don't have rockets and you don't have missiles and you don't have nuclear testing and we get all of our"--I mean, it's crazy. But here's what they say.

So, they can't get me. One of them actually said--a nice guy, a friend of mine. He actually said, "Why is the president giving so much to North Korea?" I said, "I haven't given anything. What have I given?"

I haven't paid--I didn't pay $1.8 billion for the hostages like Obama did . . . [booing] . . . with Iran, remember? $1.8 billion in cash. Gave them $150 billion. So I haven't given.

But I have a very good relationship with Chairman Kim. I have a very good relationship. So because of that relationship, let's see. I think we'll work something out. Maybe we won't. Who knows? It's a deal. Let's see.

But so far--so I'm--when did I leave, like three months ago, three and a half months ago, maybe less? And they're saying, "He agreed to meet," because they--I didn't give--so you know what I gave them? I agreed to meet. That's what they say. I agreed to meet. Is that a big deal? I agreed to meet.

I asked the Democrats before--you know, we were close to a war with North Korea, I'll you what. And my rhetoric was very tough at the beginning. It was really, really tough. In fact, they all said I'm going to cause a war with North Korea. I'm going to cause a war. And then with Putin of Russia, they said, "He was too nice." He was--that was a great meeting. We had a very successful--so they want me to get into a boxing match with him. I think I'd do very well. [applause]

But with Russia . . .

CROWD: USA! USA! USA!

THE PRESIDENT: No, no. It's the fake news. Fake news.

They said with Russia, "He was too nice. He was too nice." With North Korea, they said, "He was too tough. He was too tough."

And let me tell you, if I was really rough with Russia, they'd say, "He was too tough. He was too tough."

These people are loco, I'm telling you. Loco. [laughter]

People are crazy. [applause]

Fake news. The fake news, everybody. They are fake.

After years of rebuilding foreign nations, we are finally rebuilding our nation, right? [applause]

To give our workers and businesses a level playing field, Republicans passed the biggest package of tax cuts and tax reforms in the history of our country. [applause]

Better vote for Karin. They want to take them away. They want to take them away.

We've taken historic action to make health care more affordable and we've gotten rid of the soaring premiums. You know, the premiums on Obamacare--nobody realized it. They were going up 116 percent, 138 percent, 200 percent. Through great management and great people, we've kept them down. We've mostly obliterated Obamacare, although we had it won except for 2 o'clock in the morning--I say it again--2 o'clock in the morning and I was like--I'm not going to do it. Two o'clock in the morning.

But think of it differently: We didn't get one Democrat vote so we're stuck with it, but it's obliterated.

And the big thing is, we got rid of the most unpopular part of Obamacare. It's called the individual mandate, where you have the privilege of paying a fortune so that you don't have to pay a fortune for horrible health care, right? [applause]

So, the premiums in Minnesota this year are coming down by double digits. Think of that. [applause]

And I don't even like this stuff, but while we have the remnants of Obamacare, we're working to make it much more affordable than you had.

And to reduce drug prices, the FDA has approved a record number of affordable generic medicines. And that's not all. [applause]

Drug prices are coming down. You might have seen last month where I called up some of the drug companies. I said, "Folks, you just raised up the drug prices. You can't do that." And they all reduced them. Do you believe it? That's when I said, "I've a lot of power." [applause]

Pfizer, right? You saw that. Pfizer, Novartis, they raised their drug prices and I'm bringing them down. I said, "What are you doing with raising them?" "I'm sorry, Mr. President, we'll reduce them immediately." I said, "Man, this is a powerful position. I never . . ." [applause]

First time in the history of drug companies that they've done that. They literally announced it. I called them the next day. I told them I was extremely unhappy and they said, "We're going to reduce it."

Who the hell does that? Do you think Hillary Clinton would have done that?

CROWD: No!

THE PRESIDENT: I don't think so. I don't think so.

CROWD: Lock her up! Lock her up! Lock her up!

THE PRESIDENT: By the way, she or whoever it might have been, crazy Bernie, whoever they put in, they wouldn't have done any of the things--we did the greatest trade deal. Look at the money. We did 4.2 percent GDP. They were going down. They would have had a minus four point. They--they said 4.2 percent is impossible. It's going to go higher, much higher.

We have such potential. Between military and trade deals, we have hundreds of billions of dollars worth of fat and potential.

And what I love--what I love, hopefully you don't need it for a long time or never, to help critically ill patients get life-saving treatments, we passed Right to Try. I love it. [applause]

I hope you don't need it. I hope I don't need it, too. I hope you don't need it.

But that's--you know, we have the greatest--frankly, the greatest drug companies in the world. And we would have drugs that would take four or five years--you know, we've brought it down from 14 years to get approved down to four. I think we'll be at three or two. But still, you've got to wait a long time. And a person who is dying, a person is terminally ill and they have a great, you know, possible cure, and so a person wants to see if they could possibly--you couldn't get it. There was no way of getting it. No way in a million years.

I worked with Congress, including these guys and . . . [applause] . . . and Greg. And Greg, right? And Jim and Mark and the whole group. But we worked with Congress and we got it done.

I love the name, Right to Try. Now, they can go, they sign a paper. You have no idea: They've been trying to get this for 40 years. You know, who would think?

They've been trying for 40 years. And it is, you have problems with insurance companies. You have problems with trials. You have problems with so many different things. You have problems with everything. Everything is there--and you have problems with liability.

I said, "Sign a document that there's no liability." They don't want to give something, the person dies and then the family sues the country (sic). That's no good. So you sign away your rights if you take it. And you know what happened? Everybody said, "Wow, that's a good idea." Can you believe this?

So after 40 years, we have it. And now people are trying it. And you know what? We've had some incredible results. And it's also telling you whether or not this stuff works. There's something good about that, too. [applause]

We've had some incredible results, right? I love it. [applause]

People would fly to other continents, they'd fly to other countries. If they were poor they'd just go away. They'd had no hope. They'd go to their house or their apartment and they'd have no hope. Now, they have hope. It's beautiful. It's so great. [applause]

We also passed Veterans Choice, giving our veterans the right to see a private doctor . . . [applause] . . . see a private doctor instead of waiting in line. I mean, we had people waiting for three weeks, two weeks, 12 days, nine weeks.

We had people that were not very sick. It took them so long to see the private doctor, to see a doctor, a veterans doctor--and they're good doctors. We really do, we have great doctors--but it's a long process. So they're not very sick. By the time they'd see the doctor 22 days later, they'd be terminally ill. Think of it. They would die. They would die on line waiting. They now have the right to go to a private doctor and we pay the bill. [applause]

Forty-four years they've been trying to get it. I thought that was my idea. I came back, "I got the greatest idea." I said to all my medical people, "I got the greatest idea. It's taken too long. We could never solve this problem. Too many people, too few doctors. They're great doctors, but you can't get to them. I got the greatest--we're going to have the people go to a private doctor and we're going to pay for it."

And they said, "Sir, we've been working on this for 44 years." But I got it approved because I'm good at getting things approved, right? Right? [applause]

All done. All done.

And these people helped me. Right there. They helped me with it. Right there. [applause]

And we also passed landmark VA accountability law to ensure anyone who mistreats our veterans will be held accountable. We say, "Jim, you're fired. Out. Get out. Get out." [applause]

We had no right to do it. [applause]

Between the unions and the civil servants, they could do anything. They could be sadists--and they were. They were sadists. These are sick people. They--they could be sadists. They could be stealing. They could be robbing you blind. They could be doing anything. You couldn't fire them. They were totally protected. Now, you just fire them. Get them out. [applause]

We have secured a record $716 billion to rebuild our military and give our brave warriors their largest pay raise in a decade. [applause]

And at my direction, the Pentagon is now working--I'm so excited about this--to create the sixth branch, number six, of the American armed forces, called the Space Force. [applause]

We have the Air Force. Now we have the Space Force.

I withdrew the United States from the horrible one-sided Iran nuclear disaster deal. [applause]

And we've opened the American embassy in Jerusalem. [applause]

Presidents have been promising that for many, many decades and I finally know why, because I was hit so hard when they heard I was going to do it. I got calls from every country in the world. "Please, don't do it." And I told you the story. I said, "Look, I don't want to take any calls from any leaders of any countries. Tell them I'll call them back." We were going to have it signed on a Monday. Big ceremony. I said, "Tell them I'll call them back next week." [laughter]

Because they were calling me and they were saying, "Mr. President, please don't do that. Please. Please."

So I know why Obama and Bush and everybody didn't do it. I mean, I understand. There was a lot of pressure put on them.

So I just said, "Tell them I'll call them back next week." [applause]

So on Monday I signed it, and then on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I called everybody back. "Hi, how are you doing? What's up?" [laughter]

"Well, we didn't want you to do . . ." I said, "Oh, I'm sorry. Gee, it's too late." I said, "What can I do? What can I do?" [applause]

"What can I do?"

For years you watched as your leaders apologized for America. Now you have a president who is standing up for America . . . [applause] . . . more than ever before. [applause]

CROWD: USA! USA! USA!

THE PRESIDENT: We're standing up for your values, we're standing up for Minnesota and we are standing proudly for our national anthem. [applause]

All right.

I'll give you a quick story that they don't know. They've never heard. It's hard to believe; I thought they knew everything about me.

So in making the deal with Mexico and then Canada,--as you know, Canada was very tough, but that they worked out fine. And the NFL--because we talk about the flag and the--I'm not happy about it with the NFL. OK? I'm not happy, if it's OK with you guys--is it OK with you? [applause]

Not happy. People should stand proudly for our national anthem and for our flag. [applause]

So I'm not happy. I'm not happy.

But that seems to be working out. Do you notice? That's seems to be working out very good.

But to show you--so we're making the deal with Canada. And it's big stuff. You know, it's cars and it's farming and it's agriculture and it's factories and it's big, big dollars. Tremendous. They say it's the largest trade deal ever made, $1.3 trillion.

But I heard that the NFL had a big problem with Canada on their advertising, on the commercials. A big, big problem. I'm not going to get into what it was, but it was a very bad problem and it went on for years and it was really hurting the NFL.

Now, I don't care. I like some of the people. I don't like some of the--it doesn't matter. It's an American company. It's a great American company.

So during the negotiation I said, "You've got to fix the NFL problem." They said, "What?" I said, "You've got to fix the NFL problem." Took me two minutes and now the NFL is so happy it's all worked out. It's all worked out. [applause]

They don't know that. It's all worked out. We've got to fix it. [applause]

And now our country will be taking tens of millions of dollars more money. It's going to go--a lot of it's going to go to the players and they'll still hate me. Can you believe it?

But you know what? Think of it. It took me two minutes. You've got to fix the problem. It's because--not because I love them or don't like them. I do like them. It's a great American company. I said, "You've got to fix the NFL problem. It's unfair what you do to them during the Super Bowls. Very unfair."

And I got a call from Roger Goodell. [booing]

No, very nice. And I figured he was calling about the flag. Like, to say, "Could you leave us alone, please?" [laughter]

And he wasn't. He said, "Mr. President, I'd like to thank you for what you did. You solved a problem that was going on for years." The Obama administration couldn't do it. Nobody could do it. Nobody could get it done. I did it in two minutes. It was like, "You've got to do it. We've got to do it." It was a tiny, little part of the deal. I figured, "What the hell? It was like two sentences." [applause]

But it was very nice. Roger Goodell called me and then Bob Kraft, who owns--who's a great owner. Now, it's great to have Coach Belichick and Tom Brady, that's a good thing, right? [applause]

I always say, "Bob, you're a great owner and you're one of the luckiest men on Earth. You took Tom Brady in the sixth round, right? And you have the greatest coach in football." That's a good thing and he's a great guy. But he called me to thank me and Roger Goodell called to thank me. Very nice. And we're all friends.

I want what's good for the country. People said to me . . . [applause]

True.

One of my killers called up. We have very tough negotiators, very smart guys. We have, like, the A Team of the world. And he said, "You know, we could have that--that NFL thing. I heard about it for years." Everybody heard about it, what they were doing.

I said--I said--they said, "You know, I think we could fix that NFL deal for you." I said, "Let's fix it." They said, "Really? You want to do that?" I said, "No. They're a great American company. They're going to pay tax on that money. They're going to pay the money to people that work and live in our country. Fix the deal." They were surprised. I said, "Fix it." They fixed it and it was a nice thing.

OK, enough of that. [applause]

That's enough of that. [applause]

True.

So the NFL, good company, great, great people.

We're lifting millions of our citizens--and you know this--from welfare to work, from dependence to independence and from poverty to prosperity. That's what's happening. That's what's happening. [applause]

And a lot of people are coming out of prisons and they're able to get jobs now. Isn't that great? They're getting a second chance and even a third chance and they're getting jobs. And people that are hiring many of these prisoners are saying unbelievable how good they are. It's so beautiful to see.

And before, they wouldn't have a chance. People didn't want to hire them. They're hiring people coming out of prison and these people are stepping up.

I have a friend that hired many, quite a few, and he said, "I can't say every one," but he said, "These people are unbelievable. They're so hard-working. We've given them a second chance." It's a--to me, it's a beautiful thing. [applause]

But to continue our incredible momentum, you have to get your friends and get your family and get your neighbors and your coworkers and get out, and you have to--November 6th, you have to go out and vote Republican. [applause]

Send Jason Lewis and Jim Hagedorn to the House. [applause]

And vote to send Karin Housley . . . [applause]

Get Karin Housley into the Senate. We need her. We need her vote. We need her. She's going to be fantastic. [applause]

Forget about Tina. Karin, they're going to get you in.

A vote for Republicans is a vote for lower taxes, less regulation and more products made right here in the good old USA. That's what we want (ph). [applause]

It's a vote to respect our borders, respect our Constitution, and to love and respect the heroes of law enforcement. [applause]

Great. They're great. They're great people. No easy job.

And a vote for Republicans is a vote to reject the Democrat politics of anger, division and destruction--it's destruction--and to unite together as citizens, as patriots and as Americans.

To everyone in this beautiful, big, rich room, to every citizen watching across our land, this is your time to choose. It's a time to choose whether we turn backward to the failure and frustrations of the past, or whether we continue forward into a future of American greatness. [applause]

It's not up to the media or to the pundits to decide your fate. It's up to you.

This was the greatest movement, 2016, all of those hats, Make America Great Again. Look at them. [applause]

Amazing. Amazing.

It's the greatest movement in the history of our country. It is. I mean, there's never been a movement like this. There's never been a movement like this. [applause]

As an example, the presidential election is not for two and a half years. Look at this room. Look at this. Look outside. This is not a normal situation. [applause]

This is the greatest movement in the history of our country and they know it. And they don't even challenge me when I say it, because if I was wrong, there would be headlines. "Donald Trump . . ." [laughter]

It's up to the proud people of our country and the very proud people of Minnesota, a great state. [applause]

You have the power with your votes to defend America's honor and reclaim America's future.

Loyal citizens like you helped build this country. Together, we are taking back our country, returning power to the American people. [applause]

This state was settled by tough pioneer men and strong pioneer women . . . [applause] . . . who braved the wilderness to build a life and to build a home. They didn't have a lot of money, they didn't have a lot of luxury, but they all had one thing in common: They loved their families, they loved their country, and they loved their God. [applause]

These courageous patriots did not shed their blood, sweat and tears so that we could sit at home while others try to tear down their legacy and destroy our proud American heritage.

For the sake of our freedom and for the sake of our children, we are going to work, we are going to fight, and we are going to win, win, win. [applause]

We will not bend. We will not break. We will never give in. We will never give up. We will never back down. We will never surrender. And we will always fight on to victory. [applause]

Because we are Americans and our hearts bleed red, white and blue. We are one people, one family and one glorious nation under God, and together we will make America wealthy again . . . [applause] . . . make America strong again . . . [applause] . . . we will make America safe again . . . [applause] . . . and we will make America great again. Thank you, Minnesota. Thank you. Thank you. [applause]