>> thank you. mr. timmons: what's that? >> thank you. >> thank you, guys. >> the truck administration also announced two new executive orders related to trade. the first prevents foreign companies from undercutting u.s. companies by selling goods at an unfair price. the second calls for a review of trade deficits and abuses. vice president pence and commerce secretary wilbur ross joined the president in the oval office. >> thank you.

during the campaign, i traveled the nation and visited the cities and towns devastated by unfair trade policies. probably one of the major reasons i am here today, trade. trade has ever made that deals like our country has made. i saw the shuttered factories and spend time with the laid off factory workers. i heard their stories and i promise them action and i promised them a solution. all over america, you are already see that solution take place. take a look at what is going on in michigan with forward and general motors and so many more. the jobs and wealth have been stripped from our country. year after year, decade after decade, traded deficit upon trade deficit. than $7 billion last year alone and lots of jobs. thousands of factories have been stolen from our country.

but these of voiceless americans now have a voice in the white house. under my administration, the theft of american prosperity will end. we are going to defend our entry and create a level playing field for the american worker, finally. today, i am signing to executive orders that sends this message loud and clear. that sets the stage for a great revival of american manufacturing. you saw that today, you saw what happens, you saw the kind of numbers we have. the survey actually showed 93% of manufacturers are now optimistic about the future, a record high. that is up from about 56% just a couple of months ago. we going to build on that tremendous momentum and we are bringing manufacturing and jobs

back to our country. signing an executive order to ensure we fully collect all duties imposed on foreign and -- foreign importers that are cheaters feared from now on, those who break the rules will face the consequences and they will be very severe consequences. second, i am ordering the first-ever comprehensive review andmerica's trade deficits all violations of trade rules that harm united states and the workers of the united states, just as i promised during my campaign. this review will be led by secretary wilbur ross, who is joining us here today. wilbur is an outstanding success story. , a unbelievable businessman ,reat but very fair negotiator

and he is simply known as wilbur and everybody knows him. now we have him on our side. i thank you, wilbur, you are going to do a fantastic job. we're going to investigate all trade abuses and based on those findings, we will take necessary and lawful action to end those many abuses. to anyt beholden political or financial interests, i don't care. i'm here to do a job, i am doing a job or the american worker. i really don't care. orhing about my business anybody's business, wilbur isn't, peter is in, none of the folks here are. we are doing a job. it is an opportunity like nobody has ever given, and we are here to do a great job for the american worker and our companies, where the american workers are employed.

i work for the american people, whether you are a democrat or republican or belong to no party at all, you are an american and i am here to represent you and your family. we are going to get these things straightened out, we are going to get these bad trade deals strained out, right, peter? you have been looking at them for years. right, wilbur? this combination over here cannot be beaten. that's why i the fight of special interest and follow through on my pledge to withdraw immediately from the transpacific partnership, and that is why i am taking these very historic steps today. of america and the american worker is my northstar. these two orders will point out our nation and pointed to everybody, point to the world, next week as you know in florida, the southern white

house, we are having the president of china and a large group from china, his representatives and we are going to get down to very serious business. we look forward to it. i have spoken to him numerous times on the phone and we very much look forward to it. it has been very bad what has been happening to our country in terms of our companies and our jobs. we are going to start turning it around and we are going to turn it around fast. it is not going to take a long time, it is going to go fast. i want to end by saying we have a team that is second to none, and when everybody is a simple and fully in gear after these two orders, i think it will be something very special. i would like to ask wilbur to say a few words, and then peter, you say a few words. i think i'm speaking for both, i am not a hundred percent sure.

i will say, he has one hell of a good marriage going. come on, wilbur. mr. ross: if anyone had any doubt about the president was all to fix the trade problems, these two executive orders should in that speculation now and for all time. the marks the beginning of totally new chapter in the american trade relationship with our partners overseas. thank you very much. i remember while during the campaign, the day the president made the speech outside of pittsburgh and laid down a set of promises to the american people on trade. today, this is the beginning of the fulfillment of those promises in a grand way with wilbur ross at the helm and the president being the grand strategist of this. we are going to get it done for

the american people, workers and domestic manufacturers. thank you. this is great day for the american worker and economy. once again, president trump is keeping his word. as we look for ways to expand experts from this country, imports to this country, the president has determined we will have free trade but it will be liketrade and arms negotiations with countries, holding them accountable to the promises they make. the work of members on this team and the president will ensure we put america first went comes to trade. we put american jobs and workers first. thank you,rump: everybody. you're going to see some strong results very, very quickly. [indiscernible]

>> thank you, guys. >> on today's white house briefing, secretary sean spicer was asked about the tweet from president trump where he encouraged warmer national security adviser michael flynn to ask for immunity in exchange for testifying before congress on russian interference in the 2016 elections. with a his exchange report appeared -- reporter. reporter: we saw this morning the president telling michael flynn he should ask for immunity. we also know that in the past the president has said that if you ask for immunity, what are you guilty of?

icer: the president thinks mike flynn needs to testify. i'm not going to give mike flynn advice from the podium, but the president's view is he should go up there and testify. the president gave legal advice from his twitter account. he said in the past, the only reason you ask for immunity is if you commit -- he is sayingcer: do what you have to do and get out there and tell congress what we have been saying for a long time. i get your point, but i think the interesting thing is if you stop for second and realize with the president is doing, he is saying do whatever you have to do is go out, make clear what happened, take whatever precautions you want or what your legal counsel advises you. but again, i have heard in some circles thategal

it is him and sally it's and so on. it is a little bit opposite from what you here in this room beard -- room. we talked the other day with members of the administration. this does -- there is an important distinction that is been lost on a lot of you, every action we have taken, we have talked about russian and the lack of a connection, we have talked about the fact that every person who is been breached has a come away saying none exist. at the end of the day, the narrative still comes to this. we have gone to the point where we encourage people to talk to the house and senate intelligence committee and appropriate investigator so they can continue to get to the bottom of this. that is quite the opposite of what you would normally think that somebody who is not trying to get to the bottom would do.

>> investigations into russian interference and the 2016 presidential elections continue and questions remain about president trump's claim that the obama administration used surveillance tactics to monitor his campaign. congressman adam schiff visited the white house today to view documents related to u.s. surveillance of foreign nationals beard he says the materials were presented to him as being the same ones shown last week to committee chair nunes.ewness -- devin afterward, he said "while i cannot discuss the content of the documents, if the white house had any concern over these materials, they should have been shared the full committees in the first place. these materials should now be provided to the full membership of both committees are going >> this weekend, c-span's cities tour will explore the literary scene and history of chico,

california, saturday at noon eastern on book tv. author bash an author tells us about the founding of chico and his book. >> most important and long-lasting relationship with the federal government, starting with his days in congress, was his close relationship with the united states department of agriculture. sent --onstantly being constantly corresponding with officials in the usda and was constantly receiving from them different crops that they wanted tested out in california's swenson -- soils and climates. they really used renter chico as one of their early, experimental farms before they ran their own. >> on sunday at 2:00 p.m. eastern, we visit the california

state university farm. >> we are the number one state in the nation in terms of agriculture. there are 23 csu campuses but only four of them have agriculture. chico represents the northern part of the state, we draw students from all over california to get experience in agriculture. >> and we will also go inside the chico museum to see the historic chinese altar from the 1880 chico chinese temple. watch c-span's cities tour of chico, california saturday at noon eastern on c-span two and sunday afternoon on c-span3. working with our cable affiliates and visiting cities across the country. next, look at trade deficits and their impact on the u.s. economy. speakers include former officials from the clinton and george w. bush administration. this was hosted by the washington international trade association and