REMARKS

Remarks by President Trump Celebrating America’s Truckers

HEALTHCARE

Issued on: April 16, 2020

South Lawn

2:28 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: That’s beautiful stuff. They are beautiful, beautiful trucks. That’s the real deal. You wouldn’t switch jobs with anybody, would you? Huh?

MR. MADIGAN: No, sir.

THE PRESIDENT: You wouldn’t — I know the truckers. They wouldn’t switch with anybody. It’s what they love, right? That’s why they’re good at it. These are the best too.

{snip}

THE PRESIDENT: And thank you very much, Charlton. Appreciate it. Great job.

We’re also joined by Dylan Madigan, a driver for DHL Express who has been delivering personal protective equipment to hard-hit areas of New Jersey.

Dylan, please, say a few words. Thank you.

MR. MADIGAN: First, I would like to thank President Trump for inviting me here today and for his outstanding leadership of our country, especially during this pandemic we are facing. For myself and my colleagues at DHL Express, who are picking up and delivering essential shipments every day, we are on the frontlines, but we also know that our true heroes are the medical professionals who are battling to save thousands of precious lives each day. It is an honor to support them, especially in the Northeast, where I am based.

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THE PRESIDENT:

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And we’re also working — I think they’ll be happy to know, because they know the roads better than anybody — we’re working very strongly on an infrastructure package. And if we could get some Democrat support, we’re going to have a tremendous — you’re going to have nice roads again. Nice, beautiful roads again. A $2 trillion — potentially, a 2-trillion-dollar package.

We eased regulation so that the truckers could be free to drive more hours and to transport emergency relief supplies, including masks, and gloves, and gowns, and groceries. We worked with states to lift burdensome restrictions and ensure that all states’ rest areas remain open to support these hardworking men and women on the road.

And we also declared that our talented workers at private truck stops are essential employees. They are indeed. I don’t know if you know that. Did you know we call you all as “essential”? There’s very few people called “essential.” I don’t know if they call me essential. I’m not sure about that. But you’re essential, that I can tell you.

But all truck drivers can continue to have warm meals and hot showers, access to mechanics, and a place to park at night.

We postponed the REAL ID deadline and made sure commercial licenses, learner’s permits, and medical certificates will not expire while DMVs remain closed. That’s a big deal.

And because nearly 90 percent of operators in the trucking industry have fewer than 10 trucks, our Paycheck Protection Program, which is a tremendous success — in fact, it is now depleted; $350 billion is now depleted, and we’re going for another $250 billion. They want it. They have to have it. This is for companies to give and to make sure that they won’t be letting people go. Keep the companies together, and keep the workers — keep the people that really run those companies, keep them well taken care of. But we’re protecting the jobs and wages of countless truckers employed by small businesses.

Truckers are playing a critical role in vanquishing the virus, and they will be just as important as we work to get our economic engines roaring, which is happening very quickly. You watch. But once we get going, the truckers are going to be working so hard you’re not going to be able to take a day of rest in between. Maybe a couple of hours.

But they work hard. They work long. Nobody works harder, actually. I know a lot about trucking. I know a lot about truckers, and I know plenty of truckers. They’re great people.

{snip}

END

2:47 P.M. EDT