My White House visit left me more hopeful than ever

I spent a day at the White House while Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump were negotiating, and I was at the press conference that they held. My first big observation is that the White House is filled with very energetic people, many of them young, who were part of the campaign and who bring the same work ethic, the same excitement, the same intensity. You know, we’re operating as a team. They feel that they’re helping change history. They really are making America great again. And I thought there was more energy in this White House, and I’ve been in and out of White Houses since Nixon, so I’ve seen a lot of different presid. There was more energy, more enthusiasm, more commitment than I can remember. I must say also thatents and a lot of different teams

the efforts they’re making, the number of new ideas, the number of executive orders, is very, very impressive, and they have a very large team, some 23 people on the policy side who are developing new approaches, new developments you’re going to see continued effort to save money, a continued effort to take over the bureaucracy and remind the bureaucrats that, in fact, there’s people elected by the American people who were in charge, not lifetime bureaucrats hiding behind rules and regulations. The actual press conference was amazing. I’ve known Prime Minister Netanyahu since 1984

when Jack Kemp had him come down to the House Restaurant. Three of us had a long lunch together, and I’ve worked with him on a number of issues. He is the longest serving Prime Minister in Israeli history, and yet, watching him with President Trump, I was very struck with how respectful he is of Trump. He emphasized that Trump was the best American president from Israel’s standpoint in history. He emphasized that when Trump had very large ideas that they’re worth listening to and thinking about, he felt comfortable that President Trump was, in fact, deeply committed to the safety and survival of Israel, and he was delighted when President Trump indicated that he was going to do whatever it took to make sure that Iran did not get a nuclear weapon, starting with imposing very, very severe sanctions. It was also interesting to be in the room, because while I was in the front with the other policy people behind us, there were several 100 reporters photographers. The East Room was a big room in the White House. And to be there and listen to all these people, we had a combination of Israeli press and American press, all of them yelling to get attention, to ask questions. So it was quite interesting. The other thing that hit me in being at the White House and watching what they’re doing is they have a very professional, serious commitment to move big ideas and to get things done. I had a meeting with the legislative team, and I have to say, about 15 people there, the people who work the House and the Senate, and it was remarkable the level of professionalism that was in that room. I was very, very impressed. So I’ll report again as things go forward. But I think this was a very interesting day. I think you’re going to see a lot of interesting things coming from this White House.