ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (AP) 鈥 President Donald Trump hasn鈥檛 been shy about sharing his thoughts since taking office, and he added a 20-minute Q&A with reporters aboard Air Force One to the mix. He held forth on everything from the color of the presidential plane to the fate of TikTok, Greenland and Canada.
Trump popped in to the plane's press cabin Saturday night while flying from to Florida, where he was staying at his Doral golf club through Monday evening, though he insisted he'd be too busy to hit the links.
The new president scoffed at reporters getting 鈥渁 bit more access鈥 than under his predecessor, Joe Biden, and joked it was 鈥渓ike 5,000%鈥 different 鈥 meaning he was willing to answer a lot more questions. Trump called Air Force One a 鈥渟pecial plane鈥 but observed that it hasn鈥檛 changed much from his last term. And, yes, .
鈥淲e want power blue, not baby blue,鈥 Trump said. 鈥淓verything has its time and place. We鈥檒l be changing the colors.鈥
Here are some highlights from the conversation:
Trump says he鈥檚 talking with potential investors about the future of TikTok
Trump said he鈥檚 considering several possible investors who are looking to purchase TikTok, which faces the prospect of a U.S. ban if it isn't sold by its Chinese parent company.
鈥淣umerous people are talking to me," he said. 鈥淰ery substantial people.鈥 He said he expects to decide what happens next 鈥減robably over the next 30 days.鈥
The president said he'd not been in contact with Oracle about buying TikTok, despite reports that he had, and that he'd not spoken to Oracle's billionaire co-founder , whom he called a friend. He noted Ellison lives 鈥渞ight down the road鈥 from his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.
But he said there are many other potential buyers.
鈥淲e have a lot of interest in it, and the United States will be a big beneficiary,鈥 Trump said of a potential sale. 鈥淚鈥檇 only do it if the United States benefits.鈥
He added that, 鈥淚 have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok鈥 because he felt like it improved his standing with young voters in November鈥檚 presidential election.
Trump really wants federal workers back in the office
Asked about the series of he鈥檚 signed since taking office that have placed new rules on the federal workforce, Trump said he was opposed to work-from-home concessions that became more common during the .
鈥淵ou have to go to your office and you have to work,鈥 he said. 鈥淥therwise, you鈥檙e not going to have a job.鈥
Trump also said he鈥檚 not worried about existing federal employees leaving and the talent pool to find replacements being diminished: 鈥淲e have very deep talent. We also have a lot of excess people.鈥
鈥淭his was a gimmick for Democrats, to a certain extent,鈥 he said of existing federal worker rolls, which he suggested were too large.
Trump says he still wants Greenland, and Canada 鈥榮hould be a state鈥
Trump reiterated his desire to somehow purchase Greenland from Denmark, despite that country insisting it's not for sale.
鈥淚 do believe Greenland, we鈥檒l get because it really has to do with freedom of the world,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t has nothing to do with the United States, other than we鈥檙e the one that can provide the freedom.鈥
The president also made some of his most extensive comments about his recent suggestions that Canada could become part of the U.S.
鈥淚 love Canada,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 have so many friends up in Canada. And they like us, and they like me. But Canada鈥檚 been taking advantage of the United States for years, and we鈥檙e not going to let that happen.鈥
He suggested that the U.S. is losing hundreds of millions annually to Canada in trade deficits while Canada does 鈥渁lmost 90% of their business with the United States.鈥
鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on supporting the country unless that country is a state. And, if it鈥檚 a state, the people of Canada will pay a much lower tax.鈥
He said 好色tvs would also 鈥渉ave no military problems, they鈥檇 be much more secure in every way, and I think it鈥檚 a great thing for Canada.鈥
鈥淚 view it as, honestly, a country that should be a state,鈥 he said. 鈥淭hen, they鈥檒l get much better treatment, much better care and much lower taxes and they鈥檒l be much more secure.鈥
