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Executive Summary
President Donald Trump fielded questions from reporters aboard Air Force One on November 30, 2025, addressing a sweeping range of foreign and domestic policy issues. Trump provided updates on ongoing Ukraine-Russia peace negotiations taking place in South Florida, revealing that special envoy Steve Witkoff would travel to Moscow sometime next week while acknowledging that Ukraine faces “corruption problems” that complicate talks. On immigration, the president announced an indefinite pause on asylum applications following the shooting of two National Guard members by an Afghan national, expanded restrictions to include citizens from approximately 19 countries including Somalia, and defended his potential use of “de-naturalization” to revoke citizenship from naturalized criminals. Trump confirmed he had spoken by phone with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro after declaring Venezuela’s airspace closed to U.S. aircraft, defended his controversial pardon of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández by calling it a “Biden administration setup,” addressed questions about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and allegations of ordering follow-up strikes on wounded targets (which Hegseth denied), touted his “favored nations” drug pricing initiative as potentially lowering costs by 500-700%, and revealed he has selected his choice for Federal Reserve chair but declined to name the person. The president also offered to release his recent MRI records after being challenged by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, whom Trump called “retarded” and “incompetent.”
Participants
- Donald Trump – President of the United States
- Members of the Press Corps (multiple reporters, including one identified as Libby Dee from News Nation)
Note: The transcript indicates “2 Speakers” but includes multiple reporters asking questions who are not individually identified by name except for one.
Detailed Topic-by-Topic Analysis
Economic Update and Factory Construction
The president opened the informal press conference by noting the turbulent flight conditions before highlighting recent economic data. “We had some great economic, uh, numbers come out. As you know, we’re doing very well economically. A lot of factories are being built all over the country,” Trump stated, characterizing the economic performance as showing “very strong numbers.”
Context for readers: Presidents frequently use informal travel opportunities to engage with the press corps, and economic messaging remains a consistent priority for the Trump administration as it seeks to demonstrate policy success.
Ukraine-Russia Peace Negotiations
The most substantive policy discussion centered on ongoing efforts to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine, with talks having taken place in South Florida involving U.S. officials and Ukrainian representatives.
Status of negotiations: When asked about the South Florida talks between U.S. and Ukrainian officials, Trump responded: “Well, they’re going along, and they’re going along well. We wanna stop people from being killed. Doesn’t have much to do with us, but I’d like to see if we could save a lot of souls.” The president provided a specific and striking casualty figure: “Last month we had 27,000 people killed in that ridiculous war that should have never happened.” He later repeated this figure, stating “27,000 people killed last week” and “Over the last three or four weeks, 27,000 people killed,” though the exact timeframe remained unclear from his various statements.
Ukraine’s challenges: Trump acknowledged that “Ukraine’s got some, uh, difficult little problems” and when pressed to elaborate, stated bluntly: “We have corruption situation going on, which is not helpful.” When asked if corruption was impeding peace talks, Trump responded somewhat cryptically: “Oh, I said it was going on for three years, right? Didn’t I say it? Three years? I said it, so I was way ahead of schedule, but I think that, uh, there’s a good chance we can make a deal.”
Context for readers: Trump’s reference to predicting Ukrainian corruption “three years” ago likely refers to statements he made during his first term or the 2020-2024 period. Corruption has been a long-standing concern regarding Ukraine, though the country has made significant reform efforts, particularly since 2014 and in its bid for European Union membership.
Russia’s position: The president expressed optimism about Russian willingness to negotiate: “I think Russia would like to see it end. And I think Ukraine, I know Ukraine would like to see it end.”
Upcoming Moscow trip: Trump confirmed that his special envoy Steve Witkoff would travel to Moscow “sometime next week” to meet with Russian officials. When asked if he planned to impose a deadline on Russian President Vladimir Putin for reaching an agreement, Trump responded: “No, I don’t have a deadline. I have a deadline when the war is over.”
Context for readers: Steve Witkoff is a real estate developer and longtime Trump associate who has been appointed as a special envoy for Middle East affairs. His involvement in Ukraine-Russia negotiations represents an expansion of his portfolio. The use of personal associates rather than traditional diplomats has been characteristic of Trump’s approach to foreign policy.
Casualty claims: Trump’s repeated emphasis on casualty figures—“27,000 people killed last week. 27,000. Over the last three or four weeks, 27,000 people killed. That war should end”—served as his primary justification for pursuing negotiations.
Venezuela Relations and Airspace Closure
The president addressed his administration’s recent decision to close U.S. airspace above Venezuela and confirmed a previously reported phone call with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Rationale for airspace closure: When asked why Venezuelan airspace should be considered closed, Trump explained: “Yeah, because we consider Venezuela to be not a very friendly country. They sent millions of people really, and probably, uh, a number in excess of that. And, uh, a lot of those people shouldn’t be in our country. From jails, from gangs, from drug dealers, from all of the people that came into our country, shouldn’t have been in our country causing a lot of problems.” He added: “And drugs.”
Context for readers: The Trump administration has long claimed that Venezuela deliberately emptied prisons and sent criminals to the United States as part of migration flows. These claims have been disputed by independent fact-checkers, though there is evidence that some individuals with criminal backgrounds have entered the U.S. among broader migration from Venezuela.
Military implications: When a reporter asked directly whether the warning meant “an airstrike is imminent,” Trump responded curtly: “Don’t read anything into it.”
Maduro phone call: The New York Times had reported that Trump spoke by phone with Maduro. When asked to confirm this, Trump initially deflected—“Uh, I don’t wanna comment on it”—before immediately acknowledging: “The answer is yes.” He refused to provide details about the conversation and when asked if it went well, responded: “I wouldn’t say it went well. Badly. It was a phone call.”
Context for readers: Direct communication between a U.S. president and Nicolás Maduro is highly unusual. The United States does not formally recognize Maduro’s government, instead recognizing opposition leader Juan Guaidó (and later the opposition more broadly) as Venezuela’s legitimate leadership. Such a phone call would represent a significant shift in U.S. diplomatic posture.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Controversy
Trump defended his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth against allegations reported in The Washington Post regarding military strikes against drug trafficking boats.
The allegations: A reporter asked about “the strikes and the controversy around Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth,” specifically referencing Washington Post reporting about “a second strike to kill the two men after they were injured after the first strike.”
Context for readers: The question refers to alleged “double-tap” strikes—military operations where a target is struck, then struck again to kill wounded survivors. Such tactics are controversial under international humanitarian law, which requires that wounded combatants be given medical care and generally prohibits targeting them once they’re incapacitated.
Trump’s response: The president stated: “I don’t know anything about it. He said—He said he did not say that, and I believe him, 100%.” When pressed about whether there was a second strike, Trump replied: “Yeah. No I, I, he said he didn’t do it. He did, he said he never said that.” The president clarified his position: “He said he didn’t do it, so I’d have to make that decision” about whether such an action would be acceptable.
Further elaboration: Later in the gaggle, Trump provided more detail: “I don’t know that that happened. And Pete said he did not want them. He didn’t even know what they were talking about. So we’ll look at, we’ll look into it, but no, I wouldn’t have wanted that. Not a second strike. Uh, the first strike was very lethal. It was fine that, if there were two people around, but Pete said that didn’t happen.”
Trump expressed continued confidence in Hegseth: “I have great confidence” and “Pete said he did not order the death of those two men.”
Defense of boat strike program: Despite the controversy, Trump vigorously defended the overall operation targeting drug trafficking vessels: “Very little. Because you can see the boats. You can see the drugs in the boats. And each boat is responsible for killing 25,000 Americans. So, uh, I, I, and they’re doing an amazing job.”
He claimed the program was showing results: “And you know, we’re getting, you just look at the numbers. The amount of drugs coming into our country by sea is infinitesimal compared to what it was just a few months ago. And each boat, think of this. Each boat on average is responsible for the death of 25,000 Americans.”
Context for readers: The figure of 25,000 deaths per boat appears to be an estimate or projection rather than a verified count. The CDC reports that approximately 107,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2023, though the figure has been declining from its peak. The math would suggest that stopping just four or five boats would account for all U.S. drug deaths, which seems implausible given the complexity of drug trafficking routes.
Juan Orlando Hernández Pardon
One of the more controversial topics addressed was Trump’s decision to pardon former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was convicted in U.S. federal court on drug trafficking charges.
The question: A reporter asked: “Can you explain more about why you would pardon a notorious drug trafficker?” referring to Juan Orlando Hernández.
Trump’s justification: The president explained: “Well, I was told, I was, uh, asked by Honduras, many of the people of Honduras, they said it was a Biden setup. I don’t mean Biden. Biden didn’t know he was alive, but it was the people that surround the Resolute desk, surround Biden when he was there, which was about, uh, very little time. And, uh, the people of Honduras really thought he was set up and it was a terrible thing.”
Trump continued: “Uh, he was the president of the country, and they basically said he was a drug dealer because he was the president of the country. And they said it was a Biden administration set up. And I looked at the facts and I agreed with them.”
Logic behind the decision: When pressed for evidence that Hernández was set up, Trump offered this reasoning: “Well, you take a look. I mean, they could say that, uh, you take any country you want. If somebody sells drugs in that country, that doesn’t mean you arrest the president and put him in jail for the rest of his life.”
He elaborated: “That includes this country, okay, to be honest. I mean, if somebody does something wrong, do you put the president of the country in jail? They said it was a Biden set up. It was a Biden administration set up.”
Political context: Trump connected the pardon to Honduran domestic politics: “And you have a big race going on this week, you know, next week. Uh, I think it’s gonna be a very important race. It’ll be interesting to see Honduras.”
Context for readers: Juan Orlando Hernández served as President of Honduras from 2014 to 2022. He was extradited to the United States in 2022 and convicted in March 2024 in Manhattan federal court on charges of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and weapons offenses. Prosecutors presented evidence that he received millions of dollars in bribes from drug traffickers and used his position to protect cocaine shipments. His brother, Tony Hernández, was also convicted of drug trafficking in the U.S. The conviction came after a trial with extensive witness testimony and documentary evidence. Trump’s characterization of this as a “setup” contradicts the Justice Department’s case and the jury’s verdict.
Asylum Pause and Immigration Restrictions
Trump announced sweeping changes to U.S. asylum policy in response to the recent shooting of National Guard members.
Duration of asylum pause: When asked how long the administration planned to pause asylum applications, Trump responded: “I think a long time.” Pressed for specifics about whether this meant a year or two years, the president stated: “Uh, no time limit. But it could be a long time.”
Rationale: Trump was emphatic about his reasoning: “We don’t want those people. We have enough problems. We don’t want those people.” He later elaborated: “Let me just tell you something. We don’t want those people. Does that make sense? You know why we don’t want ’em? Because many of ’em are no good and they shouldn’t be in our country.”
Context for readers: The U.S. asylum system is governed by both domestic law (the Immigration and Nationality Act) and international treaty obligations (the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol). An indefinite suspension of asylum processing would likely face immediate legal challenges, as asylum seekers have the right under U.S. law to have their claims heard. Previous attempts to restrict asylum have been blocked or limited by federal courts.
Triggering incident: The announcement came after an Afghan national was identified as the suspected shooter of two National Guard members. Trump referenced this: “Yeah, yeah. They, people that shouldn’t be in our country. That’s right.” He later added: “And that includes Somalians and includes plenty of others.”
Somalia and the List of Restricted Countries
The president’s comments about Somalia were particularly pointed and extended.
Number of countries: When asked how many countries would be on the restricted list, Trump responded: “Well, I guess we gave you 19, right?” adding “And it’s probably more than that.”
Characterization of restricted countries: Trump described the nations subject to restrictions: “The people from different countries that are not friendly to us and countries that are outta control themselves. Countries like Somalia that have virtually no government, no military, no police. All they do is go around killing each other. Then they come into our country and tell us how to run our country. We don’t want them.”
He added: “No, that, I don’t think they’re all third world, but in many cases they are third world. They’re not good countries. They’re very crime-rid countries. They’re countries that don’t do a good job. They’re countries that don’t register from the standpoint of success. And we frankly don’t need their people coming into our country telling us what to do.”
Specific attack on Representative Ilhan Omar: Trump made clear reference to Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, though he didn’t name her directly: “I’m talking about like Somalia, where you have a congressman goes around telling everybody about our constitution, and yet she supposedly came into our country by marrying her brother. Well, if that’s true, she shouldn’t be a congressman and we should throw her the hell out of our country.”
Context for readers: Representative Ilhan Omar is a Somali-American congresswoman representing Minnesota’s 5th congressional district. She came to the United States as a refugee as a child. Trump has repeated the debunked claim that she committed immigration fraud by marrying her brother; this allegation has been thoroughly investigated by news organizations and found to lack credible evidence. Omar has denied the allegation, and no evidence has emerged to substantiate it. Trump’s statement conflates “congressman” (traditionally a male-gendered term) when referring to Omar, though “congresswoman” or “member of Congress” would be more accurate.
Connection to Tim Walz: Trump also connected his immigration stance to criticism of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz: “But if you have a problem with it, uh, you know what? I think there’s something wrong with him. Anybody that would do what he did, anybody that would allow those people into a state and pay billions of dollars out to Somalia, we give billions of dollars to Somalia. It’s not even a country because it doesn’t function like a country. It’s got a name, but it doesn’t function like a country.”
Comments About Tim Walz
Trump used highly charged language when discussing Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who was the 2024 Democratic vice-presidential nominee.
Use of “retarded”: A reporter asked: “Off of that, in that same post you mentioned Tim Walz and you called him, uh, what many Americans do find an offensive word, uh, ‘Retarded.’ Do you stand by that claim of calling Tim Walz retarded?”
Trump responded: “Yeah. I think there’s something wrong with him. Absolutely. Sure.” He continued: “Yeah, there’s something wrong with Walz.”
Context for readers: The term “retarded” is widely considered offensive and outdated when referring to intellectual or developmental disabilities. Major medical and advocacy organizations stopped using the term years ago in favor of “intellectual disability.” The reporter’s question acknowledged this by noting that “many Americans do find [it] an offensive word.” Trump’s willingness to stand by the language represents a departure from typical presidential rhetoric.
De-Naturalization Plans
Trump discussed his administration’s consideration of revoking citizenship from naturalized Americans.
The question: A reporter asked: “Mr. President, you said that you might de-naturalize some American citizens. Can you talk about—”
Trump interjected: “You mean people that are in here that shouldn’t be here?”
The reporter clarified: “Well, that became Americans. Are you trying to revoke their citizenship?”
Trump’s response: “Well, we’ll see. I mean, yeah, we have criminals that came into our country and they were naturalized, maybe through, uh, Biden, or somebody that, uh, didn’t know what they were doing. If I have the power to do it, I’m not sure that I do, but if I do, I would de-naturalize, absolutely.”
Context for readers: The process of “denaturalization” does exist in U.S. law but is extremely rare and typically reserved for cases involving fraud in the naturalization application or concealment of material facts (such as war crimes or terrorism). The Supreme Court has held that citizenship cannot be revoked without the citizen’s consent unless it was obtained through fraud or illegal means. Using denaturalization as a broader immigration enforcement tool would represent a significant expansion of the practice and would almost certainly face legal challenges. Trump’s acknowledgment that he’s “not sure” he has the power to do this reflects the uncertain legal ground.
“Reverse Migration”
A reporter asked Trump to explain what he meant by “reverse migration.”
Trump’s explanation: “It means, uh, get people out that are in our country. Get ’em outta here. I wanna get ’em out. We got a lot of people in our country that shouldn’t be here, and they came in through Biden and he was the worst president in the history of our country. But the single biggest thing he did was allow million, the worst, allow millions of people into our country that shouldn’t be here.”
He continued: “Drug dealers, uh, prisons were opened up and allowed to come into our country. Uh, you take a look at the people that were allowed to come into our country. We’re paying a big price for it and we will for years to come, including the recent killer of two wonderful National Guards people. And I’ll tell you what, that animal should not have been allowed to come into our country.”
Context for readers: “Reverse migration” is not a standard policy term. Trump appears to be using it to describe mass deportation efforts. The claim that foreign countries “opened up” prisons and sent criminals to the United States has been a recurring theme of Trump’s rhetoric but lacks comprehensive evidence. While some individuals with criminal backgrounds have entered the U.S. through migration, the characterization of a coordinated effort by foreign governments to empty prisons is not supported by available evidence.
National Guard Shooting Victims
Trump discussed his conversations with the families of the National Guard members who were shot, one fatally, by an Afghan national.
The victims: The president confirmed he had spoken with both families: “I have spoken to both families. Well, I mean, I could give you an update. They’re devastated. Does that make sense to you? They’re devastated.”
Regarding Andrew Wolfe, who was critically wounded: “Well, as you know, the one is no longer with us, and, uh, Andrew is fighting for his life.”
Context for readers: Sarah Beckstrom was killed in the attack, while Andrew Wolfe was critically wounded. Both were members of the National Guard.
Conversation with the Wolfe family: Trump spoke movingly about Andrew Wolfe’s parents: “And his parents are unbelievably great people, highly religious people, and they’re praying and they want everybody to pray for Andrew. And he has a chance to make it. But he is, uh, I mean, his mother and father, they were so unbelievable. They were so positive. From West Virginia, great state.”
Conversation with the Beckstrom family: Trump said of Sarah Beckstrom’s parents: “Uh, I spoke with Sarah’s parents too and the only thing I can say, they were devastated. They can’t even believe it could happen.”
White House visit: When asked if he planned to bring the Beckstrom family to the White House, Trump confirmed: “Yeah, I do. I do. I’ve already suggested it. I said, ‘Uh, when you’re ready,’ because that’s a tough thing—come to the White House. We’re gonna honor Sarah. And likewise, uh, with Andrew, recover or not, uh, we’re gonna hond- — honor.”
Context for readers: Presidential meetings with families of service members killed or wounded in the line of duty are traditional acts of respect and mourning. Trump has used this incident to justify his immigration restrictions, linking the alleged shooter’s Afghan nationality to broader arguments about asylum and refugee policies.
Healthcare and Drug Pricing
Trump promoted his “favored nations” drug pricing policy as a transformative healthcare initiative.
The policy: When a reporter began asking about healthcare, Trump interrupted to tout his initiative: “You know, one of the reasons that healthcare can work is because of what I just did with favored nations. You’re gonna have drug prices coming down 500, 600, 700% ’cause of me.”
He elaborated: “In other words, we’re gonna have the lowest drug prices, tied for the lowest drug prices anywhere in the world. It’s called favored nations. And you don’t talk about it. It’s probably the biggest thing to happen in medicine in the last hundred years. And it can have a huge impact, positive impact on pricing for healthcare.”
Context for readers: The “favored nations” or “most favored nation” drug pricing policy would tie Medicare drug prices to the lowest prices paid by other developed nations. Trump first proposed this through an executive order during his first term, but it faced legal challenges and implementation difficulties. The claim that prices will come down “500, 600, 700%” is mathematically problematic—a 100% decrease would mean drugs become free, so percentages above 100% don’t make mathematical sense in this context. Trump likely means that some drugs cost 5-7 times more in the U.S. than abroad and would see equivalent price reductions. The claim that this is “the biggest thing to happen in medicine in the last hundred years” is subjective and would arguably be contested by developments like antibiotics, vaccines, cancer treatments, and other medical breakthroughs.
Federal Reserve Chair Selection
Near the end of the gaggle, Trump revealed he had made his choice for the next Federal Reserve chair.
The exchange: When asked if he was any closer to picking a new Fed chair, Trump responded: “I know who I’m gonna pick. Yeah.”
A reporter immediately asked: “Oh, tell us.”
Another asked: “Is it Kevin Hassett?”
Trump declined to reveal the name: “I’m not telling you [Laughs]. We’ll be announcing it. Thank you very much, everybody.”
Context for readers: The Federal Reserve chair serves a four-year term. The current chair’s term and Trump’s plans for replacement would be significant given the Fed’s role in setting monetary policy and interest rates. Kevin Hassett served as chairman of Trump’s Council of Economic Advisers during his first term and has been mentioned as a potential candidate for various economic policy positions.
MRI Records
The gaggle concluded with an extended exchange about Trump’s medical records and a recent MRI.
The challenge: A reporter noted: “If Governor Walz asked you to release the, the MRI records.”
Trump’s response: “Governor Walz? You mean the incompetent Governor Walz? So if they wanna release it, it’s okay with me to release it. It’s perfect.”
Trump compared it to his controversial phone call with Ukraine’s president that led to his first impeachment: “It’s like my phone call where I got impeached. It’s absolutely perfect. So if you wanna hear about it or if you wanna release it. Do you wanna have it released NewsNation?”
When the News Nation reporter said yes, Trump responded: “Failing, failing NewsNation.”
The reporter objected: “No, sir, we’re not failing.”
Trump continued: “Uh, Newsnation is doing a lousy, by the way. But if you wanna have it released, I’ll release it. Absolutely.”
What was examined: When asked what part of his body was examined, Trump gave a striking response: “I have no idea. It was just an MRI. What part of the body? It wasn’t the brain because I took a cognitive test and I aced it. I got a perfect mark, which you would be incapable of doing.”
Context for readers: Medical privacy is typically protected, but presidential candidates and presidents have often released medical information to demonstrate fitness for office. Trump’s claim that he doesn’t know what body part was examined in his MRI is unusual, as patients are typically informed about what medical tests are examining. His reference to cognitive testing echoes claims he made during and after his first term about passing cognitive assessments.
MLA Citation
“Press Gaggle: Donald Trump Speaks to Reporters on Board Air Force One – November 30, 2025.” Factba.se, Roll Call, 30 Nov. 2025, https://factba.se.