Trump's Remarks at Signing of an Executive Order on the White House Hispanic Prosperity Initiative [View all]

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REMARKS

Remarks by President Trump at Signing of an Executive Order on the White House Hispanic Prosperity Initiative
ECONOMY & JOBS

Issued on: July 9, 2020

Rose Garden

3:38 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you very much. Please. Great honor to be with you in the beautiful Rose Garden on a sweltering day. (Laughter.)

But I do want to thank you all for being here as we proudly launch the White House Hispanic Prosperity Initiative. Very exciting. Very exciting. (Applause.)

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Four more years!

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.

With this very exciting new effort, we will deliver a future of greater promise, opportunity, and freedom for our nation’s — really, it’s a treasure. You are a treasure. The Hispanic Americans and the Hispanic American community is a treasure. Thank you. (Applause.)

We’re thrilled to be joined today by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. Thank you, Betsy. Thank you. (Applause.) Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. Thank you, Wilbur. (Applause.) Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson. Thank you, Ben. (Applause.) Small Business Administrator Jovita Carranza. Thank you, Jovita. (Applause.) Very popular, Jovita. (Laughter.) And Representative Mike Garcia. (Applause.) Good. Thank you. Thank you. Congratulations, Mike. That was a big win, huh? Biggest in 22 years, they say. Huh? First time in 22 years. That’s a good one. Well, you got something special going, right? Thank you, Mike. Great job.

{snip}

Under our leadership, the Hispanic American high school graduation rate has reached an all-time high in the history of our country, and the dropout rate has reached an all-time low in the history of our country. (Applause.)

{snip}

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR SANCHEZ: Well, thank you, Mr. President. What an honor it is to be here with you and everybody else here in our nation’s capital.

Let me say, from a young boy who grew up in absolute poverty, the youngest of eight kids with a single mother, I understand what it is for the challenges facing all families, but especially Hispanic families in this country. But because of her leadership through personal responsibility — stay in school, get a good education — we have lived the American Dream.

{snip. Oddly, someone other than Trump is praised for her leadership.}

Today, I have lived the American Dream. I look at my brand-new black shoes. That’s the American Dream. (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: Nice shoes.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR SANCHEZ: Mr. President, your leadership, when it comes to job creation; education reform; choice, when it comes to education, will allow this country to fulfill its American Dream. I’m honored to be here with you, Mr. President. Your great leadership, making America great — we stand with you. We’ll keep America great under your leadership.

God bless you. Thank you very much. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, John. Great job, John. Thank you very much. Great honor.

I’ll also be appointing the CEO and president of Goya Foods, Bob Unanue. Please. Please, Bob. (Applause.) Thank you very much, Bob.

MR. UNANUE: Good afternoon, Mr. President. Good afternoon, everyone. It’s such an honor and such a blessing to be here in the greatest country in the world, the most prosperous country in the world, and we continue to grow. And that’s what we’re here to do today.

{snip}

Today, it gives me great honor — and, by the way, we’re all truly blessed at the same time to have a leader like President Trump who is a builder. And that’s what my grandfather did: He came to this country to build, to grow, to prosper. And so we have an incredible builder, and we pray — we pray for our leadership, our President, and we pray for our country that we will continue to prosper and to grow.

Today, I have an announcement to make that the gran familia Goya wanted to share with all of you. There’s a great need today in food banks around the country. Food is being depleted. Hopefully, as the summer ends, we have new crops coming forward, but right now there’s — there is a shortage.

So our employees and some partners we have in the industry wanted to donate 1 million cans of Goya chickpeas and a million pounds of food. And these are all products made in the United States: steel from United States Steel; Silgan containers; Producers Rice Mill, in Arkansas, donating food. Our farmers — and again, all of our products, a lot of our products are grown here in the United States, made in America.

And we’re — we’re very proud to give back to this nation, to the food banks which are going to be needing some of that important food — something that we do all year. But in particular, at this special time, we wanted to make that gift.

{snip. I can't complain about that.}

SECRETARY DEVOS: Well, thank you so much, Mr. President, for your leadership on this initiative. As you have noted, education opens the door to prosperity and opportunity. And Hispanic students, like all students, need to have the freedom and choice to find their education fit.

{snip}

So, thank you, Mr. President, for your leadership in ensuring that all Hispanic students have that chance at the American Dream.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.

SECRETARY DEVOS: Thanks, Mr. President. (Applause.)

{snip}

ADMINISTRATOR CARRANZA:

{snip}

Under your leadership, Mr. President, Latinos have been the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the country, and we want to see that continue.

{snip}

So I’m proud to be here. I’m proud to be serving my country again at this most critical time in our nation’s history. And, Mr. President, thank you for your leadership. Brothers and sisters, thank you for being here today.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much.

REPRESENTATIVE GARCIA: It’s a huge honor. Thank you.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much, Mike. (Applause.)

Ben Carson, please come up just for a minute. Say a few words, Ben. You’ve done such a great job. Thank you very much. (Applause.) Thank you, Ben.

SECRETARY CARSON: Well, thank you, Mr. President. And thank you all for being here today. You know, it’s so important the emphasis that you have placed on opportunity.

And you asked the White House Council on Opportunity and Revitalization to look at those communities that were particularly affected in the COVID-19. And we looked at that, and not just the fact that there was more hypertension and diabetes, obesity, asthma, but to look another layer underneath that and to deal with that. And that’s what we are doing under your leadership.

{snip}

(The executive order is signed.)

END

4:06 P.M. EDT