Trump Commissions the USS Gerald R. Ford: ‘Second to None’

RUSH TRANSCRIPT Trump Thank ░░░░░░░░ very much Secretary Mattis ░░░░░░░░ the wonderful introduction and ░░░░░░░░ your devoted service to ░░░░░░░░ nation Nobody has done ░░░░░░░░ like you I m ░░░░░░░░ to be back on ░░░░░░░░ magnificent ship For this ░░░░░░░░ moment with the amazing ░░░░░░░░ and women of the ░░░░░░░░ States Navy I was ░░░░░░░░ you four months ago ░░░░░░░░ I knew that I ░░░░░░░░ to be here today ░░░░░░░░ I told you I ░░░░░░░░ be back to congratulate ░░░░░░░░ and the crew and ░░░░░░░░ involved on commissioning the ░░░░░░░░ largest and most advanced ░░░░░░░░ carrier in the history ░░░░░░░░ this world That s ░░░░░░░░ big achievement After today ░░░░░░░░ this ship sails you ░░░░░░░░ all carry a proud ░░░░░░░░ Plank owner of the ░░░░░░░░ Gerald R Ford For ░░░░░░░░ rest of your lives ░░░░░░░░ ll be able to ░░░░░░░░ your friends and family ░░░░░░░░ you served on the ░░░░░░░░ ship in the United ░░░░░░░░ Navy and in my ░░░░░░░░ the greatest ship never ░░░░░░░░ the world Everyone should ░░░░░░░░ a moment to celebrate ░░░░░░░░ incredible achievement I want ░░░░░░░░ thank the many public ░░░░░░░░ who have joined us ░░░░░░░░ today Treasury secretary mnuchin ░░░░░░░░ Snyder Governor Mcauliffe Senator ░░░░░░░░ And members of Congress ░░░░░░░░ stackly admiral Richardson Senior ░░░░░░░░ leaders and of course ░░░░░░░░ great captain Mccormick Captain ░░░░░░░░ know you will exemplify ░░░░░░░░ at the helm And ░░░░░░░░ a good time doing ░░░░░░░░ captain Proud of you ░░░░░░░░ to the entire Ford ░░░░░░░░ Susan Jack Steven Mike ░░░░░░░░ all that you ve ░░░░░░░░ to support this ship ░░░░░░░░ its voyage Thank you ░░░░░░░░ I also want to ░░░░░░░░ two other people who ░░░░░░░░ very special to president ░░░░░░░░ Thank you vice president ░░░░░░░░ and former secretary of ░░░░░░░░ Rumsfeld They look great ░░░░░░░░ look great As we ░░░░░░░░ this stunning ship into ░░░░░░░░ service of our nation ░░░░░░░░ must also pay tribute ░░░░░░░░ the thousands of citizens ░░░░░░░░ and civilian who helped ░░░░░░░░ and build her their ░░░░░░░░ of country has been ░░░░░░░░ to every ribbon and ░░░░░░░░ on this vessel You ░░░░░░░░ chiselled and sculpted this ░░░░░░░░ hull Were you there ░░░░░░░░ the first steel was ░░░░░░░░ When the turbines first ░░░░░░░░ to life And when ░░░░░░░░ beautiful bronze propellers first ░░░░░░░░ to spin and spin ░░░░░░░░ did and now you ░░░░░░░░ here to witness the ░░░░░░░░ when your incredible work ░░░░░░░░ art becomes the pride ░░░░░░░░ the United States Navy ░░░░░░░░ a symbol of American ░░░░░░░░ and prestige no matter ░░░░░░░░ in the world you ░░░░░░░░ American steel and American ░░░░░░░░ have constructed a 100 ░░░░░░░░ ton message to the ░░░░░░░░ American might is second ░░░░░░░░ none And we re ░░░░░░░░ bigger and better and ░░░░░░░░ every day of my ░░░░░░░░ That I can tell ░░░░░░░░ Wherever this vessel cuts ░░░░░░░░ the horizon our allies ░░░░░░░░ rest easy and our ░░░░░░░░ will shake with fear ░░░░░░░░ everyone will know that ░░░░░░░░ is coming and America ░░░░░░░░ coming strong To every ░░░░░░░░ from Newport News ship ░░░░░░░░ and every craftsman and ░░░░░░░░ who helped build this ░░░░░░░░ fortress on the sea ░░░░░░░░ we salute you Thank ░░░░░░░░ Your skill and your ░░░░░░░░ build the instruments of ░░░░░░░░ that preserve peace This ░░░░░░░░ is the deterrent that ░░░░░░░░ us from having to ░░░░░░░░ in the first place ░░░░░░░░ this ship also insures ░░░░░░░░ if a fight does ░░░░░░░░ it will always end ░░░░░░░░ same way We will ░░░░░░░░ win win We will ░░░░░░░░ lose we will win ░░░░░░░░ it comes to battle ░░░░░░░░ don t want a ░░░░░░░░ fight We want just ░░░░░░░░ opposite we demand victory ░░░░░░░░ we will have total ░░░░░░░░ believe me Having the ░░░░░░░░ technology and equipment is ░░░░░░░░ one part of the ░░░░░░░░ military dominance Our true ░░░░░░░░ is our people Our ░░░░░░░░ weapon is all of ░░░░░░░░ Our nation endures because ░░░░░░░░ have citizens who love ░░░░░░░░ and who are willing ░░░░░░░░ fight for America We ░░░░░░░░ so very blessed with ░░░░░░░░ who are willing to ░░░░░░░░ America in the greatest ░░░░░░░░ force in history the ░░░░░░░░ States military Today this ░░░░░░░░ officially begins its role ░░░░░░░░ the noble military history ░░░░░░░░ our great nation In ░░░░░░░░ few moments I will ░░░░░░░░ this wonderful beautiful but ░░░░░░░░ very powerful warship Captain ░░░░░░░░ will assume command He ░░░░░░░░ set the first watch ░░░░░░░░ then the crew of ░░░░░░░░ Uss Gerald R Ford ░░░░░░░░ man the ship and ░░░░░░░░ her to life A ░░░░░░░░ is only as good ░░░░░░░░ the people who serve ░░░░░░░░ it And the American ░░░░░░░░ is the bester in ░░░░░░░░ the world Among you ░░░░░░░░ great welders radar technician ░░░░░░░░ operators and pilots you ░░░░░░░░ pride in your work ░░░░░░░░ America takes pride in ░░░░░░░░ We love you we ░░░░░░░░ proud of you Thank ░░░░░░░░ But that is why ░░░░░░░░ is so fitting that ░░░░░░░░ ship is named after ░░░░░░░░ sailor of tremendous character ░░░░░░░░ and wisdom You know ░░░░░░░░ Susan Gerald Ford was ░░░░░░░░ in American heartland He ░░░░░░░░ up in Grand Rapids ░░░░░░░░ became an eagle scout ░░░░░░░░ played football at the ░░░░░░░░ of Michigan On a ░░░░░░░░ that won two national ░░░░░░░░ and listen to this ░░░░░░░░ that great team he ░░░░░░░░ named MVP Not bad ░░░░░░░░ then went to Yale ░░░░░░░░ school and after Pearl ░░░░░░░░ he volunteered to serve ░░░░░░░░ Ford joined the Navy ░░░░░░░░ asked to be sent ░░░░░░░░ sea He wanted to ░░░░░░░░ that very badly He ░░░░░░░░ really knew why he ░░░░░░░░ it was a calling ░░░░░░░░ he was assigned to ░░░░░░░░ new carrier the Monterey ░░░░░░░░ a plank owner himself ░░░░░░░░ its commissioning in 1943 ░░░░░░░░ there he sailed to ░░░░░░░░ pacific and saw action ░░░░░░░░ a lot of action ░░░░░░░░ the pacific war Like ░░░░░░░░ many others of his ░░░░░░░░ Gerald Ford returned home ░░░░░░░░ started a family He ░░░░░░░░ for Congress where he ░░░░░░░░ the people of Michigan ░░░░░░░░ honor For many years ░░░░░░░░ there he became vice ░░░░░░░░ and then president of ░░░░░░░░ United States With this ░░░░░░░░ we honor him for ░░░░░░░░ lifetime of selfless and ░░░░░░░░ service We also remember ░░░░░░░░ wife Betty I remember ░░░░░░░░ well And we honor ░░░░░░░░ bravery she showed in ░░░░░░░░ her life so that ░░░░░░░░ experiences could help others ░░░░░░░░ she was a great ░░░░░░░░ A great woman Gerald ░░░░░░░░ said that his time ░░░░░░░░ the Navy convinced him ░░░░░░░░ our lack of military ░░░░░░░░ before World War II ░░░░░░░░ only encouraged our enemies ░░░░░░░░ fight harder and harder ░░░░░░░░ harder He learned a ░░░░░░░░ In the future Ford ░░░░░░░░ I felt the United ░░░░░░░░ had to be strong ░░░░░░░░ again could we allow ░░░░░░░░ military to be anything ░░░░░░░░ the absolute best If ░░░░░░░░ could see this ship ░░░░░░░░ president Gerald Ford would ░░░░░░░░ his vision brought to ░░░░░░░░ And he would see ░░░░░░░░ legacy of service being ░░░░░░░░ on by each and ░░░░░░░░ one of you Gerald ░░░░░░░░ embodied American values like ░░░░░░░░ others Love of family ░░░░░░░░ of freedom and love ░░░░░░░░ country He knew that ░░░░░░░░ is the heartbeat of ░░░░░░░░ nation He knew that ░░░░░░░░ must love our country ░░░░░░░░ order to protect it ░░░░░░░░ he knew that we ░░░░░░░░ have pride this in ░░░░░░░░ heftry if we re ░░░░░░░░ to have confidence in ░░░░░░░░ future The men and ░░░░░░░░ of America s armed ░░░░░░░░ Are part of a ░░░░░░░░ history You uphold timeless ░░░░░░░░ and traditions and you ░░░░░░░░ our nation and our ░░░░░░░░ for the next generation ░░░░░░░░ come You are fulfilling ░░░░░░░░ duty to this nation ░░░░░░░░ it is the job ░░░░░░░░ our government to fulfill ░░░░░░░░ duty to you For ░░░░░░░░ our government has subjected ░░░░░░░░ military to unpredictable funding ░░░░░░░░ a devastating defense sequester ░░░░░░░░ remember that Sequester not ░░░░░░░░ This has led to ░░░░░░░░ maintenance a lack of ░░░░░░░░ in new equipment and ░░░░░░░░ And a shortfall in ░░░░░░░░ readiness In other words ░░░░░░░░ s been a very ░░░░░░░░ bad period of time ░░░░░░░░ our military That s ░░░░░░░░ we reached a deal ░░░░░░░░ secure an additional 20 ░░░░░░░░ for defense this year ░░░░░░░░ it s going up ░░░░░░░░ why I asked Congress ░░░░░░░░ another 54 billion for ░░░░░░░░ year Now we need ░░░░░░░░ to do its job ░░░░░░░░ pass the budget that ░░░░░░░░ for higher stable and ░░░░░░░░ funding levels for our ░░░░░░░░ needs That our fighting ░░░░░░░░ and women deserve And ░░░░░░░░ will get Believe me ░░░░░░░░ Trump I will tell ░░░░░░░░ you will get it ░░░░░░░░ t worry about it ░░░░░░░░ I do mind getting ░░░░░░░░ little hand So call ░░░░░░░░ congressman and call that ░░░░░░░░ and make sure you ░░░░░░░░ it You can also ░░░░░░░░ the senators to make ░░░░░░░░ you get health care ░░░░░░░░ must end the defense ░░░░░░░░ once and for all ░░░░░░░░ must also reform defense ░░░░░░░░ to insure we re ░░░░░░░░ the best equipment at ░░░░░░░░ best prices so our ░░░░░░░░ are used only for ░░░░░░░░ best interests of our ░░░░░░░░ and those who serve ░░░░░░░░ do not want cost ░░░░░░░░ We want the best ░░░░░░░░ but we want it ░░░░░░░░ ahead of schedule and ░░░░░░░░ want it built under ░░░░░░░░ This is the very ░░░░░░░░ we can do for ░░░░░░░░ patriots who have volunteered ░░░░░░░░ give their sweat their ░░░░░░░░ And if they must ░░░░░░░░ very lives for our ░░░░░░░░ nation The commissioning of ░░░░░░░░ new American carrier marks ░░░░░░░░ renewal of our commitment ░░░░░░░░ a future of American ░░░░░░░░ Greater than ever before ░░░░░░░░ that greater than ever ░░░░░░░░ Just moments from now ░░░░░░░░ captain will set the ░░░░░░░░ watch on the Uss ░░░░░░░░ R Ford And with ░░░░░░░░ s grace a watch ░░░░░░░░ stand until the day ░░░░░░░░ is decommissioned 50 years ░░░░░░░░ more from now Most ░░░░░░░░ you who will man ░░░░░░░░ ship today are just ░░░░░░░░ 20 years old Together ░░░░░░░░ are embarking on a ░░░░░░░░ great adventure The journey ░░░░░░░░ require all of your ░░░░░░░░ all of your efforts ░░░░░░░░ all of your heart ░░░░░░░░ you know the sea ░░░░░░░░ many challenges and threats ░░░░░░░░ starting today you will ░░░░░░░░ together as a team ░░░░░░░░ this ship which is ░░░░░░░░ responsibility and your home ░░░░░░░░ generations of Americans will ░░░░░░░░ man these decks Perhaps ░░░░░░░░ some of your own ░░░░░░░░ and grandchildren someday You ░░░░░░░░ inspire many more American ░░░░░░░░ to follow your lead ░░░░░░░░ to serve And one ░░░░░░░░ when you are old ░░░░░░░░ have lived a long ░░░░░░░░ hopefully happy and successful ░░░░░░░░ you may find yourselves ░░░░░░░░ aboard this ship surrounded ░░░░░░░░ your family to mark ░░░░░░░░ decommissioning and on that ░░░░░░░░ our entire nation will ░░░░░░░░ not just this carrier ░░░░░░░░ will honor you and ░░░░░░░░ role that you will ░░░░░░░░ played in keeping America ░░░░░░░░ strong and free To ░░░░░░░░ patriot who will serve ░░░░░░░░ this ship today and ░░░░░░░░ history I say this ░░░░░░░░ the watch protect her ░░░░░░░░ her And love her ░░░░░░░░ luck and god speed ░░░░░░░░ you to the Ford ░░░░░░░░ and thank you to ░░░░░░░░ sailor in the greatest ░░░░░░░░ on Earth God bless ░░░░░░░░ God bless the Gerald ░░░░░░░░ Ford and God bless ░░░░░░░░ United States of America.”