Transcript President Trump MCCA speech: Border wall being ‘designed right now’ ‘I wasn’t kidding’

Right now, we are at risk because of what happened. General Kelly is an extremely talented man and a very good man — now Secretary Kelly, Homeland Security. We are doing our job. He’s a great man.  We’re doing our job. And one of the reasons you probably heard that we did it so quickly — in fact, I said, let’s give a one-month notice, and then law enforcement — and General Kelly was so great because he said, we totally knew about it. We knew about everything. We do things well. We did things right.

But the law enforcement people said to me, oh, you can’t give a notice, because if you give a notice that you’re going to be really tough in one month from now, or in one week from now — I suggested a month and I said, well, what about a week? They said, no, you can’t do that, because then people are going to pour in before the toughness goes on. Do you people agree? I mean, you know more about law than anybody, law enforcement.

So I wanted to give, like, a month. Then I said, well, what about a week? They said, well, then you’re going to have a whole pile of people perhaps — perhaps — with very evil intentions coming in before the restrictions.

So there it is, folks. It’s as plain as you can have it. I didn’t — and I was a good student. I understand things. I comprehend very well, okay? Better than I think almost anybody. And I want to tell you, I listened to a bunch of stuff last night on television that was disgraceful. It was disgraceful. Because what I just read to you is what we have, and it just can’t be written any plainer or better. And for us to be going through this — and, by the way, a highly, highly respected judge in Boston ruled very strongly in our favor. You heard that.

In fact, I said to my people, why don’t you use the Boston case? And there were reasons why they couldn’t use the Boston case. This one came later for various reasons. But use the Boston case. And I won’t read that, but there were statements made by that judge — who, again, highly respected — that were right on. They were perfect. They were perfect.

So I think it’s sad. I think it’s a sad day. I think our security is at risk today. And it will be at risk until such time as we are entitled and get what we are entitled to as citizens of this country. As chiefs, as sheriffs of this country, we want security.

One of the reasons I was elected was because of law and order and security. It’s one of the reasons I was elected. Also jobs and lots of other things. But I think one of the strongest reasons is security. And they’re taking away our weapons one by one, that’s what they’re doing. And you know it and I know it, and you people have been very unhappy for a long period of time. And I can read the polls maybe better than anybody because it seems that I understood the polls a lot better than many of the pollsters understood the polls — assuming they were honest polls, which I think probably many of them weren’t. I really believe that.

But we need security in our country. We have to allow you folks to do your job. You’re great people, great people. Great men and women. And we have to allow you to do your job. And we have to give you the weapons that you need. And this is a weapon that you need. And they’re trying to take it away from you, maybe because of politics or maybe because of political views. We can’t let that happen.

So with that, let’s get on to business, right? It’s really something. Thank you.