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Remarks Prior to a Meeting With President Simonetta Sommaruga of Switzerland and an Exchange With Reporters in Davos, Switzerland

January 21, 2020

President Trump. Okay, thank you very much, everybody.

President Sommaruga. Yes, please have a seat.

President Trump. And we'll be having a meeting largely based on trade, President of Switzerland and representatives from Switzerland.

And we have a tremendous relationship. We're working on other matters also that are very interesting. But today we're going to be discussing largely trade with Switzerland. They'd like to do an agreement, and we'll see what we can do.

And thank you all for being with us. Thank you very much.

President Sommaruga. Thank you, Mr. President.

President Trump. Thank you.

President Sommaruga. So, welcome. A warm welcome to you, to your delegation. We're very glad to have you here. We are glad to continue our contacts.

President Trump. Yes.

President Sommaruga. You had a contact with my predecessor last year that was——

President Trump. That's right. That's right.

President Sommaruga. ——very great. And, well, you know that Switzerland President has only for 1 year.

President Trump. Right.

President Sommaruga. So you can see the diversity of Swiss Presidents. [Laughter] We have different languages. Mr. Parmelin, he will be the President next year.

President Trump. Right. Wow. Good.

President Sommaruga. And you can talk in French to him.

President Trump. Good. [Laughter]

President Sommaruga. And Mr. Maurer is speaking German. Afterwards, it will be Mr. Cassis; he's Italian speaking. We have a female; we have male Presidents——

President Trump. That's very good.

President Sommaruga. ——different cultures that makes part of Switzerland.

So very glad to have had this talk. On our diplomatic channels, we agreed on three main issues to talk about our bilateral relations, including good offices in Switzerland, of course. Then, as well, on our economic ties we have. And also something which is concerning everybody: global warming. I think it's worth also to talk about that——

President Trump. Sure.

President Sommaruga. ——because as the Minister of Environment as well, it's for me also something that is every day on my agenda. President Trump. Good.

President Sommaruga. So we have a lot to talk about. I'm very glad——

President Trump. We look forward to it.

President Sommaruga. Okay. Thank you.

President Trump. Thank you. Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you.

France-U.S. Relations

Q. Mr. President, can you say what you and President Macron agreed to? Can you say what you and President Macron agreed to?

President Trump. We had a very good conversation. It worked out very well. The U.S. is very happy with the result, and we appreciate very much what President Macron did. Thank you.

Q. What is it——

NOTE: The President spoke at 4:14 p.m. at the Davos Congress Centre. In her remarks, President Sommaruga referred to former President Ueli Maurer, Chief of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education, and Research Guy Parmelin, and Chief of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Ignazio Cassis of Switzerland.

Donald J. Trump, Remarks Prior to a Meeting With President Simonetta Sommaruga of Switzerland and an Exchange With Reporters in Davos, Switzerland Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/335414

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