7 Key Insights from Trump’s Initial Post-Election Press Conference
The president-elect expressed his belief that brokering peace between Russia and Ukraine would prove to be more challenging than achieving peace between Israel and Hamas.
President-elect Donald Trump held his first press conference on December 16 following his victory in the 2024 presidential election, where he discussed a variety of issues including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and his views on the recent drone sightings in the Northeast.
During the conference, Trump outlined plans to reassess childhood vaccinations through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), speculated about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis potentially appointing Lara Trump to fill Sen. Marco Rubio’s (R-Fla.) seat next year, and touched on U.S. foreign policy, the possibility of a pardon for indicted New York City Mayor Eric Adams, and the border wall.
Kennedy to Create Vaccine Report
Trump mentioned that he dined recently with his HHS nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., along with executives from Pfizer and Eli Lilly. He indicated that this group would “examine autism … [and] investigate its causes” due to his concerns over increasing diagnosis rates. After the original article suggesting a link between vaccines and autism was retracted, numerous subsequent studies have consistently found no correlation between vaccines and autism.
When asked if Kennedy intends to eliminate any vaccines, given the former Democrat’s past criticisms linking some to higher autism rates, Trump clarified that he did not want Kennedy to revoke any vaccines.
Instead, he expected Kennedy to produce a report outlining his views. The report would aim to propose cost savings and spark “serious discussions,” such as the reduction of pesticides in vaccines.
“I believe [Kennedy] will take a more moderate approach than one might assume. He has an open mind. We’re going to significantly reduce drug costs,” Trump stated.
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Trump expressed his strong support for the polio vaccine and disapproved of vaccine mandates in schools, likening them to COVID-19 vaccine requirements.
Florida Senate Seat Consideration
When questioned about whether he anticipated DeSantis would appoint his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, to Rubio’s soon-to-be-empty Florida Senate seat, Trump stated he “probably” did not foresee the governor making that choice, distancing himself from the decision-making process.
“Ron is doing a great job. It’s his decision—has nothing to do with me,” Trump remarked. “Ron’s going to have to make that decision, and he’ll make the right one.”
DeSantis is reportedly weighing several potential candidates for the position, including his Lt. Gov. Jeanette Núñez, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, and former Florida House Speaker José Oliva. He recently indicated that he is vetting and interviewing candidates, with a formal confirmation process for Rubio as the prospective next secretary of state occurring post-Trump’s inauguration.
Drone Sightings
In light of a recent surge in drone sighting reports over states such as New Jersey, New York, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, Trump remarked on the public’s reaction after various government agencies indicated on Saturday that the reports could stem from a mix of misidentified traditional aircraft and private citizen drone operators.
“The government is aware of what is going on,” Trump said. “Our military knows where these drones originated. If it’s from a garage, they can inspect that garage directly.”
Regarding the reports of aerial objects and any sightings in the atmosphere, Trump insisted that the government “knows where it started and where it went.”
“For some reason, they don’t want to speak openly about it. I believe they’d be better off stating, ‘Our military has the information, and our president knows,’” he added. “For some reason, they want to keep the public in suspense.”
The president-elect noted he couldn’t fathom the possibility that the sighted objects came from a foreign adversary, urging the government to be transparent with the public, especially given the recent sightings around his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey.
Xi, Netanyahu Discussions
When queried about his reaction to media reports suggesting that Xi Jinping, the leader of the Chinese Communist regime, is unlikely to attend his January inauguration, Trump replied he was unsure if Xi would be present as they had “not really discussed … the invitation” significantly.
“China and the United States can, together, resolve all global issues, if you think about it. It’s very crucial,” Trump remarked. “He’s an extraordinary individual.”
Trump confirmed he had spoken recently with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, describing their discussions as a “very fruitful conversation.”
“Real discussions will commence on the 20th [of January] … I believe we will reach a positive outcome for the Middle East,” he asserted.
Trump reiterated his warning that if hostages were not released by his inauguration, “all hell is going to break loose, and in a very strong way.”
Russia-Ukraine Peace Harder Than Middle East
Trump remarked that he believed establishing peace between Russia and Ukraine would be more complicated than achieving peace between Israel and Hamas.
He stated he would not have permitted Ukraine to utilize U.S.-made long-range missiles against Russian territory, emphasizing that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “must negotiate a deal.”
“The situation between Russia and Ukraine, I perceive it as more challenging,” he stated. “I don’t think they should have let missiles be fired 200 miles into Russia.”
Trump indicated that the missile authorization allegedly granted by President Joe Biden led to Russia enlisting soldiers from North Korea to engage in combat against Ukraine.
“Too many lives are being lost,” Trump commented, attributing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to high inflation.
New York City Mayor Pardon
Trump also addressed the potential for a pardon for New York Mayor Eric Adams, who was indicted in September on criminal charges linked to a federal corruption investigation.
He admitted he was not fully informed about the specifics of Adams’s case but expressed he would certainly consider a pardon for the mayor.
“He has been treated quite unfairly,” Trump observed. The indictments against Adams allege that he accepted discounted international flights from companies like Turkish Airlines, which Trump likened to reporters receiving airline upgrades.
“It’s similar to receiving an upgrade on a plane many years ago—I know everyone here has experienced that. They notice you’re important and say, ‘I want to upgrade that person from NBC,’ and the result is a lifetime in prison,” Trump commented.
Adams has pleaded not guilty to the accusations, which allege he offered favorable treatment to foreign nationals in return for illicit benefits.
Border Wall Restraining Order
Following a Daily Wire investigative report revealing the Biden administration’s hasty decision to sell unused sections of the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, Trump condemned the action as “extremely unfortunate.”
“We invested a great deal of money in building the wall. The design was specifically tailored by the Border Patrol due to its difficulty to scale,” he stated. “We have completed hundreds of miles … 571 miles of wall.
“They understand we plan to utilize it, and if we don’t have it, we’ll have to reconstruct it, which will cost double what it did previously, amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars.”
Trump mentioned his recent conversations with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Texas Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, all Republicans, regarding efforts to stop the sale of sections of the border wall before his January inauguration.
