Attorney General Barr on the Trump administration's initiative to combat crime

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Attorney General Barr on the Trump administration's initiative to combat crime

Attorney General William Barr sits down for an exclusive interview with Martha MacCallum on 'The Story.'

This is a rush transcript from "The Story with Martha MacCallum," December 20, 2019. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

Trace Gallagher, Fox News: Well, we are awaiting President Trump, who is moments away from delivering remarks at a defense bill signing event at Joint Base Andrews. We'll take you there live as soon as it gets underway. Meantime, back on Capitol Hill an impeachment run-through taking place just hours ago with White House lawyers getting their bearings on the hill and prepping for a Senate trial. One day after Lindsey Graham told Fox the president is "mad as hell and wants his day in court.

Good evening, everybody, I'm Trace Gallagher in for Martha MacCallum and this is "The Story." So, as the White House gears up for a trial Ivanka Trump is speaking out about that anger from the president but also how all of this is "energizing" him.

[BEGIN VIDEO CLIP]

Ivanka Trump: I don't think the words are mutually exclusive. You can be angry at a process that is unjust. Anger at the opportunity cost to the Americans we're all here serving. And what could've gotten done. Angry at the waste of time. Angry at the collateral damage. Angry -- but it's still energizing.

Trace Gallagher: The Republican Party indeed appears to be energized with the RNC hauling in almost $21 million last month. The group tells Fox News that's the best November on record in party history and they haven't had this much cash on hand in almost a decade but a scathing new editorial in Christianity Today calling for the president's removal is raising questions about his support from evangelicals, a cornerstone of his political base. So just how much is impeachment hurting and helping the president's chances in 2020? Ken Starr and Jessica Tarlov are standing by on that and later tonight more of Martha's exclusive interview with Attorney General Bill Barr as the Trump administration cracks down on violent crime across America.

[BEGIN VIDEO CLIP]

William Barr: There's no job tougher than being a policeman and we don't seem to show them the same respect and recognize the sacrifices they make. It's a heavy toll that that job has.

[END VIDEO CLIP]

Trace Gallagher: But first, former independent counsel Ken Starr and Fox News contributor Jessica Tarlov and Governor Mike Huckabee. Governor, to you first, this Christianity Today editorial calling for the president's removal could be a one-off but I want to put up on the screen these numbers from evangelicals. These are polls that show over the past three months, you're talking September, that evangelicals we have lost about 10 points. The president has lost 10 points in a little over three months. That is, as we said earlier, a key part of his base. What do you make of the decline, governor?

Mike Huckabee: Well, there's been so much negative attention but I think when you get down to a democratic candidate who's pro-abortion, who won't stand firm with Israel, somebody who has not been really a champion of religious liberty, and compare them to the extraordinary record of this president, not only will those 10 points come back but I think you're going to see some more. Evangelicals are not leaving President Trump. I think a lot of evangelicals are going to be leaving publications like the one that essentially took democrat talking points and just simply regurgitated them but all the evangelical leaders that I'm familiar with have been very clear that that editorial was not only factually incorrect but it missed the whole point. No evangelical I know, Trace, is a person who says, oh, we don't care what Donald Trump does, but the issue is he has been a president who has been able to accomplish the things that many of us have worked for and prayed for a long time.

Trace Gallagher: Well, you know, Democrats would have a much different take on that, Jessica, because a lot of Democrats are saying look, this is eating into his base and evangelicals are just finally fed up.

Jessica Tarlov: I'm not sure if they're finally fed up. It's pretty hard to go from 80 percent support to turn that on its head but I do think that it's meaningful. Christianity Today wrote a similar op-ed after Bill Clinton's impeachment saying we can't back this kind of person; this kind of immorality does not belong in the White House and that's the same case that they're making today. It's really two-pronged though because there's the personal immorality of Donald Trump, a man who has been married three times and cheated on all of his wives, who talks about women and minorities in the way that he does, who, you know, runs a policy where we don't accept refugees in this country, something that I think is very antithetical to what the Bible talks about. But what this op-ed was focused on actually was the immorality now emanating from the White House and his decision to pressure the president of Ukraine, a guy withholding constitutional -- sorry, congressionally appropriated money for his own personal benefit. So, now you have these two tracks and that's where you get to this opinion piece. I see you shaking your head there, governor, --

Trace Gallagher: Well, because the numbers don't jive, Jessica, --

Jessica Tarlov: But you're also a minister and you know that this man is immoral in every way.

Trace Gallagher: But I want to go to Ken Starr here –

Mike Huckabee: Jessica, that's so incredible unfair. Come on, Jessica.

Jessica Tarlov: Really?

Mike Huckabee: Listen. You -- let me just point out something. You keep saying that there is some Ukrainian problem here. You know, neither you nor I are a constitutional scholar. Judge Starr is. I'll let him weigh in on it but Jonathan Turley, Alan Dershowitz, and many others have been very explicitly clear. There was not an impeachable offense except in the minds of Democrats who wanted to impeach him three years before there was a Ukrainian call.

Jessica Tarlov: You're leaving out all –

Trace Gallagher: And on that segue -- and on that segue let's go to Judge Starr who would like to jump in here because I want to put these numbers up. Jessica was talking about the erosion but look at the numbers here. I mean, impeachment numbers are flat, 48:48. Nobody, nobody has changed their mind over the past three months, according to these polls and you're response on that, Judge Starr?

Ken Starr: And I'm not surprised because the narrative was essentially baked in months ago at the beginning of the fall. So, you either take this with the kind of seriousness that the -- our Democrat brothers and sisters are or you say whether I think it was the wise thing to do, is this really an abuse of power, read as I encourage people to do, read the abuse of power article in the Richard Nixon impeachment and you will shake your head and say, my word, what President Trump did, whether you approve or disapprove of it, doesn't come close. It's not even in the ballpark. It's not in the parking lot. Let me just say one word about Christianity Today. It's a very venerable magazine. I agree with the governor that this is not going to have an impact. Here's the other thing I would add to what the government said in terms of evangelical support. Judges Gorsuch and Kavanaugh. May I say, judges will cover a multitude of sins.

Trace Gallagher: Yeah. I want to move on down the road here because –

Jessica Tarlov: That's a beautiful message.

Ken Starr: Sorry.

Trace Gallagher: Let me just get your opinion on this, Jessica, because you're next. I want to play this soundbite from Joe Biden last night talking about the economy because they have to run against this economy and it's going to be tough. Here's Joe Biden and here's what he said. I'll get your response afterwards.

[BEGIN VIDEO CLIP]

The Press: What is your argument to the voter watching this debate tonight who may not like everything President Trump does, but they really like this economy and they don't know why they should make a change?

Joe Biden: Well, I don't think they really do like the economy. Go back and talk to the old neighbors in the middle-class neighborhoods you grew up in. The middle class is getting killed. The middle class is getting crushed. And the working class has no way up as a consequence of that.

[END VIDEO CLIP]

Trace Gallagher: And unemployment is down, wages are up, the DOW is up. It's a very difficult argument to make, Jessica.

Jessica Tarlov: Yeah. I actually thought that Joe Biden had his strongest debate last night, but this was the one answer that I wasn't a tremendous fan of. When you look at the numbers, I think it's 75, 76 percent have a positive view of the economy. I think next year will be even better. Consumer confidence is up. People are shopping. They feel like they have money in their pockets to do that. So, I think where Democrats really need to go is a more measured response to say that they're very happy about the gains that people have made but there are targeted places that we can do better. Manufacturing, for instance. So, that's where I think the former vice president should be as a lot of the other candidates are on the subject.

Trace Gallagher: And as a former governor, I mean, it's tough, Governor Huckabee, to run against this kind of an economy.

Mike Huckabee: It's real tough especially because so many of the American public that had the economy when Jessica's party had it all to themselves and they weren't doing this well. African Americans weren't doing that well. Hispanics, women. Every single part of the job sector is on fire right now and that's going to be tough for the Democrats to say hey, put us back in charge. We'll get you back to double digit unemployment. That's a hard sell. I don't care who it is.

Trace Gallagher: Very quickly. Last word to you, Ken Starr, but I want to get your opinion on Nancy Pelosi withholding these articles of impeachment against -- for the Senate. Do you get it? Is she holding an ace that we don't know about?

Ken Starr: No. She's making yet another terrible mistake I think tactically but that's politics. I think she's once again conducting herself in a way that's just inconsistent with the Constitutional order. Ironically after invoking the founding fathers now we see instead of doing that, which she should've done promptly, name the impeachment managers and exhibit the articles over to the Senate. She's just saying I'm going to sit on it and see -- and try. Call it extortion. How about that? Call it abuse of power. She has a duty to send these over to the Senate.

Trace Gallagher: Call it whatever markets well. Ken Starr, Governor Huckabee, Jessica Tarlov, good to see all of you. Thank you.

Jessica Tarlov: Thanks, Trace. Happy Holidays.

Trace Gallagher: You, too. Well, we are awaiting president who will deliver remarks at a military bill signing ceremony. We'll take you there live when it happens and up next Martha's exclusive interview with Attorney General William Barr on what's fueling the War on Cops and what the Trump administration is doing to combat violence in America's seven most crime ridden cities.

[BEGIN VIDEO CLIP]

Bill Barr: We're calling it Operation Relentless Pursuit, and it's a two-pronged attack on violent crime. First, we're going to be increasing federal agents, analysts, and equipment into initially a group of seven cities throughout the country. And second, we're going to provide substantial resources to the state and local law enforcement.

[END VIDEO CLIP]

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

Martha MacCallum: With regard to the FBI director, Christopher Wray, you have defended him, the president has at times kind of gone after him a bit. And he did that in a recent tweet after the IG report came out. And Director Wray was, you know, protective, of the FBI. And said, you know, we have to look at what things might need to be fixed with regard to the report. The president said, "I don't know what report the current director was reading, but it sure wasn't the one given to me. With that kind of attitude, he will never be able to fix the FBI." What do you say to said that?

William Barr: I have a great relationship with Chris, and I value it very, very much. He's fully aware of the problems of the past and he is focused on addressing them. And he he's been very forward leaning in terms of getting to the bottom of it. He's cooperated a great deal with Horowitz and Durham -- more cooperation than I could have ever expected. And also, he's been very proactive in developing reforms to deal with it. So, we're working with him is a pleasure. I think he's a great leader of the FBI. I think what the president was getting at there is, you know, the president or the burden of probably the greatest conspiracy theories, baseless conspiracy theories in American political history, where he's accused of treason and so forth. And I think he's intent that this has not happened to any other president in the future and is concerned if he if he perceives that people are not taking that seriously enough or downplaying the misconduct of the past. I think that's what he was getting at. But, you know, I've discussed with the president the great work that Chris is doing over at the FBI. And I think he's very comfortable with the current.

Martha MacCallum: There have been stories written in the past 24, 48 hours that he is on his way out. Do you have any indication that Christopher Wray's job is in any jeopardy at all?

William Barr: No, it's nonsense.

Martha MacCallum: And has the president ever suggested to you that his job is in jeopardy?

William Barr: No.

[END VIDEO CLIP]

Trace Gallagher: Attorney General William Barr with a forceful defense of FBI director Christopher Wray and his response to the IG report, which outlined failures within the bureau at the outset of the Trump Russia probe. Earlier this week, Barr and Ray joined forces in Detroit to launch Operation Relentless Pursuit, a Trump administration plan to combat crime in America's most violent cities through a surge of law enforcement. That's where Martha caught up with the attorney general for an exclusive interview.

[BEGIN VIDEO CLIP]

William Barr: What's striking to me is that despite the unrelenting opposition during the first three years of his administration, the president's been able to accomplish so much. And in my area of law enforcement, for example, since he came into office, we've been able to push down violent crime, we've expanded enforcement against firearms with the Project Guardian, and I'm announcing a crackdown on violent crime in a number of cities that he directed me to do once the impeachment process started and the ability to come to some compromise on a violent crime bill fell apart. He directed me to do whatever we can without that legislation. So, we're moving forward.

Martha MacCallum: With regard to why you're here in Detroit. You wrote a piece this week that talked about the lack of respect for police officers and the United States is something that you're very concerned about. And you said when we show our respect and appreciation for police, that says more about our love of liberty and justice than perhaps any other act. What do you think has been fueling the anti-cop feeling in some parts of the United States?

William Barr: It's a mystery to me because when you stop and think about it, you know, we rely so much on our on our police to keep us safe. And, you know, we learned the lesson after Vietnam that our heroes who fight our wars to protect us deserve our respect. And at least we now show them the respect they're due. But when you stop and think about it, the police are doing that also. And they have the toughest job in the United States. There's no job tougher than being a policeman. And we don't seem to show them the same respect and recognize the sacrifices they make. It's a heavy toll that that job has. And I've been trying to point out that in full employment economy, there are a lot of other options for these people. And we can't take for granted that they're always going to be people of this character who are willing to step up and take these jobs. And there's a shortage of police around the country. So, I think as a country, just as we did soul searching around after Vietnam about how we treat our military, I think we have to do some soul searching about how we treat our police.

Martha McCallum: You gave a dinner for I think a couple hundred police officers in New York City last night, treating them all to big Italian dinner in New York. Why'd you want to do that?

William Barr: As I said to them, you know, I think it's a noble -- there's no more noble job than serving as a police officer, and I wanted to convey to them the respect I have and the appreciation I have for the job they do. I grew up in New York City. NYPD is sort of the police force of my youth. I think they're not only New York's finest, they're the country's finest. And I thought going and having dinner with a large group of the police officers would be a good way to send that message.

Martha MacCallum: You talked to in your piece about social justice DAs, and you put social justice in quotes. What do you mean by that? What does that mean? Social justice DAs.

William Barr: Well, there's been this recent development where George Soros has been coming in largely in Democratic primaries, where they're not going to be much voter turnout and putting in a lot of money to elect people who are not very supportive of law enforcement and don't view the office has bringing to trial and prosecuting criminals but pursuing other social agendas. And they have started to win in a number of cities. And they have, in my view, not given the proper support to the police. And they're following policies that are ultimately going to lead to an increase in violent crime and more victims.

Martha MacCallum: Do you think if people don't treat their police officers better in communities, that they're going to sort of bite off their nose to spite their face, that they will end up with fewer police officers, fewer people who want to protect them?

William Barr: Yeah, you know, I was accused of suggesting that the police are going to withdraw their protection. That's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is most police forces in the country have high number of vacancies. And as the job gets higher and as police feel that the prosecutors or their political leaders in the jurisdiction are not supporting them, they either can stop being police, or they can move to a jurisdiction that's more hospitable. And I think that, you know, we could find ourselves in the position that if we don't, communities that aren't supporting the police, may not get the police protection they need.

Martha MacCallum: Attorney General Barr, thank you very much. Good to have your time today.

William Barr: Thank you.

[END VIDEO CLIP]

Trace Gallagher: There you have more of Martha MacCallum's exceptional interview with Bill Barr. Meantime, President Trump now wheels up to Andrews to Joint Base Andrews, where he will deliver remarks at a military bill signing ceremony just minutes from now. We will bring you there live as soon as it gets underway. And up next, the new report that Russia's Vladimir Putin influenced President Trump's view on Ukraine and pushed the idea that Ukraine worked to defeat him in 2016. Lisa Boothe and Marie Harf here on that next.

[BEGIN VIDEO CLIP]

Nancy Pelosi: And that's why I say, "All roads leads to Putin.".

[END VIDEO CLIP]

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

[begin clip]

Nancy Pelosi: This is about Ukraine it's about Russia who benefited by withholding that military assistance. Russia, it's about Russia our adversary in this is Russia. All roads lead to Putin understand that.

[end clip]

Trace Gallagher: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi linking President Trump's now infamous phone call with the Ukrainian president to an alleged affinity for Vladimir Putin and now The Washington Post reports former White House officials say they feared Putin influenced the president's views on Ukraine and 2016 campaign, adding, quote, here, Ukraine, he told them on many occasions, had tried to stop him from winning the White House. The White House has declined to comment on this story. So we bring in Lisa Boothe and Marie Harf, former State Department spokesperson. Both of them are Fox News contributors. Your thoughts on Nancy Pelosi saying all roads lead to Putin, Lisa?

Lisa Boothe: Well, I think Russia is pretty disappointed that they no longer have President Obama in office. Sent humanitarian aid to Ukraine as opposed to the lethal aid that President Trump has sent like javelins. And look, I think you can make the argument it's the Democrats who have done the bidding of both the Ukrainians and the Russians. It was a DNC consultant who was working with the Ukrainian embassy to dig up dirt on Paul Manafort and disseminate that information. It was the anti-corruption board in Ukraine that released that damaging information about Paul Manafort that led to his resignation, as well as damaging stories to President Tromp as Democrats try to tie him to Russia and also, it was Hillary Clinton and the DNC who paid for the dossier from Christopher Steele, whose sources were Russian, who was working with a Russian oligarch at the same time he was digging up information. So, it's the Democrats who paid for that information.

Trace Gallagher: And if I can, Marie, I just want to offer this one more thing, because, you know, in this defense spending bill, the president is about to sign. There are more sanctions against Russia, which could end up costing them hundreds of millions of dollars. Do you buy into Pelosi's line that, look, this is all about this is all about Putin?

Marie Harf: I do. And what was so interesting in that Washington Post story that you mentioned is there were White House officials who were trying to convince President Trump that this Ukraine theory that they meddled in the election, that that's a conspiracy theory. And when they were asking him why do you keep believing this, he said, "Putin told me." There is one country who meddled in our election in 2016 at a governmental level that undertook a sustained campaign to meddle in our election and that was Russia. And the question that is before us now, based on all of this reporting, including this new Washington Post story, is why does Donald Trump believe Vladimir Putin and what he tells him over what our intelligence community here in the United States tells him that the Ukraine theory is a conspiracy theory, it is nothing more, and that it's the Russians who did it. We can talk about Javelins and Christopher Steele and Hillary Clinton until we're blue in the face. That's not the question on the table today.

Trace Gallagher: And I just want to clarify when Marie says that, you know, well White House officials said the president said Putin told him, well, that's an anonymous White House official who reportedly said –

Lisa Boothe: Sure.

Trace Gallagher: --- that President Trump said that Putin told him. Lisa, the question here is look, you have the mainstream media and you have Democrats saying that Ukraine absolutely did not meddle. It is an absolutely didn't meddle and you have some GOP lawmakers who are saying, listen, you know, we just want some more answers. We want some more answers as to whether Ukraine absolutely did not meddle.

Lisa Boothe: Right. I mean, you've got an official for the Ukrainian embassy on record in Politico saying that he was instructed to help dig up information about Paul Manafort. So, I think it is a lie to say that there was nothing there. To the extent of which they meddled, that is a question but I think for Democrats who purport to care about meddling you would want to get to the bottom of that and also another thing where I think this entire Democrats even caring about Russia to begin with is a farce as 1) why did President Obama take so long to place sanctions on Russia? He waited until on his way out, in my opinion to tie President Trump's hands politically and then secondly, you even have Fiona Hill who Democrats lauded, who worked at the NSC, who, you know, was closely intimately involved with Russian affairs who expressed concerns that the dossier was Russian disinformation. So, for all the Democrats who say that they care about Russian meddling, why wouldn't you want to get to the bottom of if Hillary Clinton and the DNC were paying for potential Russian disinformation that then the FBI used to obtain a FISA warrant on an American citizen?

Trace Gallagher: And speaking of getting to the bottom of things, what do you make, Maria, just to kind of switch gears here a little bit, of these reports coming out that John Durham, the federal prosecutor looking into the origins of the Russia probe, is now kind of looking at investigating former CIA director John Brennan and his role in this whole thing? It brings up kind of some fascinating, intriguing questions, yes?

Marie Harf: Well, just to put a pin, though, in the conversation about Fiona Hill.

Trace Gallagher: Okay.

Marie Harf: Fiona Hill also testified that anyone who claims Ukraine meddled in our election is doing Russia's bidding and propagating Russia's propaganda. So, Fiona Hill said if you go out there and say Ukraine meddled that's what Russia's trying to convince people of and it's not true and I'm not going to be a part of it. You don't think John Brennan –

[CROSSTALK]

Wait. When it comes to John Brennan, I'll answer your question, too.

Trace Gallagher: Go ahead.

Marie Harf: When it comes to John Brennan, I know John Brennan, I've worked with him. Everyone I know who worked on the counterintelligence investigation into Russian meddling did so because they believed there was a possible genuine national security threat.

Trace Gallagher: Yeah, but the whole idea –

Marie Harf: I'm not saying everything was done perfectly, but there's a lot of –

Trace Gallagher: Listen, Lisa.

Marie Harf. --- allegations and not a lot of evidence to back up some of those.

Trace Gallagher: I got to go but the whole idea that, you know, John -- that Carter Page was a U.S. asset, I mean, a Russian asset when in fact he was a U.S. asset working with the CIA has got to be answered by somebody. I'll give you 10 seconds, Lisa, and we got to go.

Lisa Boothe: Well, I was going to say if in fact that the dossier does include Russian disinformation. I'm pretty sure Putin is pretty glad that Hillary Clinton and the DNC paid for it, and the FBI used it to obtain multiple FISA warrants.

Trace Gallagher: Lisa Boothe, Maria Harf. Thank you both. Good to see you.

Female Speaker: You, too.

Female Speaker: Thank you.

Trace Gallagher: Well, as you saw, President Trump has landed at Joint Base Andrews where any moment now he will deliver final remarks before departing to Mar-A-Lago for the holidays and we will take you there live. Next.

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

Trace Gallagher: And you are looking live at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland as we await President Trump at a signing ceremony for a massive military spending bill. The National Defense Authorization bill establishes the space force as the newest branch of the armed forces. The first new military branch to be created in more than 70 years as part of the $738 billion bill. Correspondent Mark Meredith is on site where we expect to hear from the president at any moment. Mark.

Mike Meredith: Good evening, Trace. That's right. Any moment we do expect President Trump, as well as the First Lady, to take the stage right here where I am here in a hanger at Joint Base Andrews just outside of D.C. The president's going to be greeting some of the military service members that are based here. He's going to be thanking those troops that serve all over the world but as you were mentioning, this is also going to be a chance for him to sign the National Defense Authorization Act and this is a comprehensive bill that just passed Congress this past week. Several hundred billion dollars that covers a variety of programs for the Pentagon, but it also includes things like a pay raise, a little more than 3 percent for troops.

It also creates paid family leave, some up to 12 weeks for federal government employees and one thing we do expect the president to talk a lot about tonight is the establishment of this space force. This is something that the White House has been really setting their eyes on all year long and through this NDAA, or the National Defense Authorization Act, we expect that they'll be able to hire some 200 people and spend some $40 million to get the space force up and running and then of course that program is expected to extend drastically over the next several years.

As I mentioned, though, the White House has certainly said that this has been a top priority for them. It has been mocked by some people out there. However, the administration says that they're not joking when they say this is all about trying to stop a threat from Russia, from China when it comes to military interference with satellites, and of course, what's happening with space. Now, the president is not going to be here in Andrews for too long. He's going to be heading down to Florida later on this evening with the First Family, he'll be kicking off his holiday vacation. Trace, we expect to be down there until early January, January 5th. But the crowd here, a military crowd. The president also flanked by some of the military aircraft, helicopters, certainly going to be focusing on the troops. And they're not only serving right here, but they're serving all over the world. Trace.

Trace Gallagher: Mark Meredith standing by live for us at Joint Base Andrews. In the background, you can hear House of the Rising Sun. They're not down in New Orleans, no matter what you say. They're at Joint Band -- Joint Base Andrews. What you're going to see here is actually fascinating because what this is, is a kind of a display, a mini display, if you will, of the military might of the United States. On hand, you'll also have Mark Esper, the Defense Secretary, Mick Mulvaney will be there, and we saw Ivanka trump, and we're told that Melania Trump will actually introduce the president. So as soon as Melania starts speaking, we will go to it live, because that will kind of lead us directly into the president.

If you don't know what's in this spending bill, the big-ticket item here is for the Space Force. And it really is fascinating because it is an entirely new branch of the U.S. armed services. And what they'll do is they will actually kind of hunker down with the Air Force in the Air Force facilities, but this is going over -- this is kind of going over the whole thing about making our way past the moon and beyond, and the president will talk about that.

As we mentioned, there are also some sanctions in Russia and some military might coming in. As soon as the president starts speaking, we will bring it back to you. We'll take a short break. Coming right back.

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

Trace Gallagher: And back to a live look at Joint Base Andrews, we are expecting President Trump just moments from now speaking there at a signing ceremony for a massive military spending bill as we await the president. Let's bring back in Lisa Boothe and Marie Harf. This spending bill, Marie, is kind of a victory for both sides. Big victory for the president because it gives him his space force. And he could say, look, I'm the first president in 70 years to have a new branch of the military victory for the Democrats because it takes away some money for that border wall that he so desperately wanted down there on the border. So, it's kind of a little bit a little bit for everybody there.

Marie Harf: A little pre Christmas holiday special for everyone. You know, the NDAA often ends up like that because everyone, Democrats and Republicans want to fund our military they want a strong military. The debate is always about how much and what that goes for and I think the fact that even during impeachment, even during these very polarized times, this was a bipartisan bill that passed. We got the military funded. We got parental leave. We got a pay raise for troops. You know, these are some things that are really important in both parties came together to get this done before the end of the year. It's a good thing.

Trace Gallagher: Yeah, you can see the president and Melania Trump right there in the right-hand side of your screen. They're being introduced we expect Melania will go up and introduce the president and as soon as she walks up to the podium, we will take it from there. In the meantime, Lisa Boothe, your thoughts on this?

Lisa Boothe: Let's say we also know that President Trump loves these visuals with the military. We saw that put on full display on the 4th of July and Marie's right about the point of, you know, working together on this defense authorization. Also, just the mere fact that Democrats have the majority in the House, Republicans have the majority pardon.

Trace Gallagher: Let me just stop you. Let me stop you for one second there, Lisa. Let's just watch this for 10 seconds.

Lisa Boothe: Sure.

Trace Gallagher: The ceremony here.

[band plays Star Spangled Banner] [military salutes]

Trace Gallagher: We just wanted to pause for that very important when you're talking about defense spending to pay a little bit of respect to our military and America. You see the president and Melania Trump. She will go up and introduce him and when she starts speaking, we will take her live. Apologies, Lisa Boothe, for interrupting. I just wanted to make sure we caught that moment. Your thoughts continuing?

Lisa Boothe: No, I appreciate that. That was a beautiful and patriotic moment. So, I appreciate that we can all share that together and, you know, look to it to the point Marie was making. We've got a Democrat majority in the House, a Republican majority in the Senate. So just by the product of the fact that we have this divided government, they have to come together. So not everyone gets everything that they want, but what is really important is what President Trump's doing right now with the men and women who put their lives on the line to protect us, to keep us safe and in return Congress should make sure that our military men and women have the money that they need.

Trace Gallagher: One more time Lisa.

Lisa Boothe: OK.

No problem.

Trace Gallagher: Here we go Melania.

First lady Melania Trump: I want to thank every member of our military and their families for their devotion to our country and their courage to defend our freedoms. During this holiday season we send our prayers to all who are serving overseas and who will not be home with their families over Christmas. Our nation is with you and thanks you for all the sacrifices you make to keep us safe. Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and happy and healthy New Year. Now it is my honor to introduce to you my husband, President Donald Trump.

President Donald Trump: Thank you. Thank you very much and thank you, Melania, and hello Joint Base Andrews, special place -- at ease. We have good news for you. On behalf of the first lady Vice President Mike Pence, Mrs. Pence, I want to wish everybody a very merry Christmas. Happy New Year. This is a truly historic day for the American armed forces.

In just a few minutes, I will proudly sign into law the largest ever investment in the United States military. In fact, I can say the largest ever by far. Today also marks another landmark achievement as we officially inaugurate the newest branch of our military. This is a very big and important moment it's called the Space Force. Most importantly, we are supporting you, the heroes who defend our families, secure our nation and protect our freedom. The 2020 National Defense Authorization Act is about making sure our war fighters have the tools, resources and equipment you need to fight and to win all the time to win. We're making our military stronger and more powerful than ever before.

We're joined today by Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and our service secretaries general Mark Milley. Thank you very much, General fantastic job you're doing and members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, many distinguished military leaders and representatives Mac Thornberry, Joe Wilson, Mike Rogers, Michael Turner, Michael McCaul, Robert Wittman, French Hill, Matt Gaetz, Greg Pence and Michael Walls. And I want to give a special shout out to a very great gentleman who loves the military, loves this country. Senator Jim Inhofe's worked so hard on this. Thank you, Jim.

I want to extend a special thanks to commander of the Air Force District of Washington, Major General Ricky Rupp and commander of the 11th Wing and Joint Base Andrews, Colonel Andrew Petrov. Thank you colonel and I am profoundly grateful to everyone at America's airfield. That's what they call it, America's airfield. I use it often. There is no greater honor than to serve as your commander in chief. I especially want to thank the incredible people who fly and maintain Air Force One. You are the best of the best. Thank you very much for doing such an incredible job.

Today's signing of the 2020 NDAA is a watershed event in the truest sense of the word. Before I came into office, the military endured deep and devastating budget cuts. Our military, quite frankly, was very depleted. As a candidate for president, I promised to reverse these crippling cuts and to ensure our military remains unchallenged and unrivaled anywhere in the world and right now, there is no one there is no country that comes even close. The law I'm signing today provides 738 billion, that's with a B. 738 billion dollars in defense funding for the 2020. That's an all-time record in the history of our country that's the highest amount we've ever spent on our military and that's after 700 billion in my first year. And 716 billion last year and it's all made right here in the USA very important.

And I have to say that we make the finest equipment, the finest planes, finest missiles, the finest ships we make the finest equipment anywhere in the world. It's not even close. This brings our total investment in national defense since my inauguration to almost two and a half trillion dollars. Then what's the good of a budget? If you don't have the best military in the world, and now, we focus on the budget a little bit, is that OK? We'll focus on the budget. Two and a half trillion dollars. So that's really something and it's new and it's beautiful and within the next 12 months, you'll have most of it.

In addition to massive acquisitions in the past two years, this bill authorizes nearly one hundred new F35, 24 brand new FA18s,155 army helicopters of all different types, 165 brand new beautiful Abrams tank said to be the best in the world. More than 50 Paladin Howitzers, 2 new Virginia class submarines, 3 new Arlie Burke destroyers, a forward class aircraft carrier, and two others on their way and much, much more. But as we discussed earlier, our military is getting far more than just the equipment. For this first time and I have to say, you know, what happened last year, it was a good pay raise, but now you're getting another pay raise and this will be the largest pay raise in more than 10 years, more than a decade.

So, if you don't want it, you don't have to take it. For the first time since President Harry Truman created the Air Force over 70 years ago think of that. We will create a brand new American military service at such a momentous statement. 70 ago, the Air Force with my signature today, you will witness the birth of the space force, and that will be now officially the 6th branch of the United States armed forces. That is something really incredible. Its a big moment that's a big moment that we're all here for space and It'll be a lot of things happening in space because space is the world's newest world fighting --

Trace Gallagher: And it is a big moment: $738 billion defense spending bill will create the space force, which will be housed with the U.S. Air Force to protect our country from the outer limits. The president will have continuing coverage in a moment when he leaves here. He will go to the winter White House at Mar-a-Lago, Florida, through the holidays. We hope your holidays are great. Have a merry Christmas and happy New Year. I'm Trace Gallagher in Los Angeles.

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