ruining germany with the influx of refugees, the refugee crisis in europe is the basis for the president's travel ban, he says, and is most likely one of the topics of discussion today. kevin corke joins us live from the white house with more on this one pure they are running a little behind schedule, right? >> they certainly are. i'm glad you mentioned that because keep in mind these two leaders are speaking to domestic audiences as much are they are speaking to the international audience that will be watching this news conference very carefully here today. your requirement -- right, the present was actually in the critical of the german chancellor and the run-up to the election talking about the fact he felt like i taking on upwarda million refugees she was not ony changing the culture in the tons actually endangering the german people. you've heard the president suggest that is important behind the reasoning of this so-called travel ban that we have heard so much about it has been shot down by the ninth circuit on a couple of occasions. i'm sure that will be one of the many questions that we hear

today, but for longtime fox news viewers, you're probably familiar with tanya ryman, i would love to get her take on the body language you saw from that meeting in the oval office, just watching the leaders to sit there stoically. we've been told that because of the previous comments that may be their relationship is strained, but i'm not certain that is the case. these are world leaders who understand sometime the rhetoric does not necessarily match the policies. we continue to await the beginning of this news conference paid once that happens, we will bring it right to you. for now, back to you. >> kevin, we were watching the video you just reference where they were sitting next to each other and especially when you compare to something like remember when he was sitting in the same chair with shinzo be from japan, they look very comfortable and chummy, with the rest of the day, and the mucking around with other opportunities, did they look as strange as that one situation looked? >> i have to be candid. watching the set of pictures you see, it's difficult to get a sense.

unless you're actually standing in the room, and sometimes when i walk into the oval office, you can read the body lay which because you're right there a few feet away. i can certainly tell you this, the two leaders have deeded to talk about. they disagreed on a number of different issues, and one of the bigger issues we have talked about today quite friendly his trade peer you have the president talk about the fact the u.s. has to be more forceful in its trade policy with other nations, sort of matching tariff for tariff. that could have a major impact on the german economy, keep in mind that angela merkel has brought with her leaders from bmw and siemens just to name a couple major corporations. she wants to make sure reciprocity is the story of the day and that there is not too much aggressive posture from a trade perspective by the u.s., and summing us we expect to hear a bit about here today. >> melissa: kevin corke, thank you so much for that. we're going to stand by as soon as they start talking, we will take you there. you can see on the side of your screen. in the meantime, while we are waiting, joining us now is the president and founder of the new democratic network and a former campaign advisor for president

bill clinton. we also have match lap, chairman of the american conservative union and former white house political director for president george w. bush, thinking to both of you for joining us. simon, let me start with you, so much going on in the backdrop of this meeting. one thing that is immediately brought to my mind is we've been talking about all the different wiretapping's and remember when angela merkel was complaining that we were listening in on her mobile phone calls when she was here in the u.s., and was complaining about that to president obama, thinking about that and the background for this meeting as well just one more element. what is your take? >> i don't think that will be a major issue today but i think there's a lot of concern in europe about whether or not president trump is walking away from the global system that america imagine and lead for 70 years be theirs and norma's anxiety about his leadership and also about his proximity to vladimir putin and the perception that he is appeasing russia. i think those are going to be much higher priorities on her agenda today than all the old things that happen in years pas

past. >> melissa: two different things to unpack, when is her immigration policy, the other is everyone's stance against russia. let's start with the immigration policy. president trump has been very critical of her, but at the same time, she has started this start light plus program in europe where they are paying refugees if they will withdraw their application and even those that have been denied, they will pay them in order to not appeal them and we deny, incorporated clearly she has faced a lot of challenges as a result of what was a generous and compassionate immigration policy, no? >> you might call it generous and compassionate, you might call it an economic necessity. many people believe that what angela merkel was trying to do is find ways to simulate the german economy by bringing in more workers, and it was politically disastrous because it raises all of these security concerns which are shared by america and a lot of people throughout europe who understand that the e.u. system allows migrants into one e.u.

country, then they can go to all of the other countries. it scares people when they know that the proper vetting has not been done. it's a very similar debate about we have in this country. >> melissa: i am sorry, simon, reacting to that. it is a double-edged sword for the economic point is a great one. germany looking to stimulate their economy when they have seen countries around them really slow down and they need something, but at the same time, it has created a lot of danger. >> leland: >> there reason thats been so aggressive as they had a worker shortage in the economy has been booming for a long time here they needed another million workers are so to continue to grow at the rate they were going. certainly i think angela merkel has had second thoughts about the program. obviously the question about what is happening with the refugee crisis in europe is a huge issue, i'm sure it's going to be a major topic of discussion today. i am certain angela merkel will be asking president trump to work more aggressively to try to stop a civil war in syria so the refugees do not continue to flow into europe.

>> melissa: at the same time, they had that conversation and we have president trump pressing angela merkel about it, and i was surprised to hear they had not done that because germany is a prosperous country. it one thing when they cannot feed their people but it's another when they are an economic powerhouse. >> many countries are living in the past and we cannot pick up all these bills. germany has to spend more on their defense program so they can help in these international catastrophes. but i have to say president trump, i applaud him for standing up for american businesses and their commercial fight with german businesses, the ceo of bmw is on the trip with angela merkel. with these european heads of state do is that they press very aggressively for a favorable treatment for their own companies and it is nice to have an american president saying not so fast, we're not going to play it that way anymore.

>> melissa: simon? >> i think one of the things in the material we have that we know is going to come up is the question of this board are taxed, in germany has threatened to take america to court. listen, the border tax is clearly illegal and international law. it would be a huge break from an american tradition leadership on trade issues for 70 years. this is going to be a major topic of conversation because it is in essence an american trust and the entire global trade system as we know a comet countries should be concerned about where the president is going on this. germany is going to stake out i think a very hard-line in these meetings. these are bound treaties, america has to stand by them. they have to stick to their word going forward. i am sure we going to hear a lot about this in the question and answer in a few minutes. >> melissa: it strikes me as a masterful negotiation move. he says he is going to put these tariffs in place and everyone screams and yells and jumps up and down that it is not legal, there is so much precedent, it

is one of those things when you sit down at a negotiating table, the other side has to believe you're just crazy enough to do what you are promising there. >> maybe i would not use the word crazy, but i would say they realize -- just before simon wed. >> these american ceos are realizing that the president is serious when he's asking them to consider changes and some of the changes, and you can see corporate changes that have happened throughout, through all of the days after election day, and this is also true with european heads of state. heads of state who are our allies peered president trump is changing almost every way in which we have done business with each other and a lot of americans are cheering him on for us. >> melissa: you can see so many important figures of the president's staff entering the room right now peered we saw stephen bannon go by. we saw reince priebus enter the room as well, so you have to think we are good believe my getting close now. simon, let me ask about this relationship with russia, that's a big one. angela merkel is known for her long, long history with

vladimir putin. she has had a relationship with him over years. they've gotten together, they speak the same language literally, she has sat there and really understands him here she does not trust them, but she understands him. you have to think that has to be one of the main topics today. >> there is huge concern, as i said earlier, in europe about america changing its position on russia. there is a perception that we are appeasing russia, that the president has not condemned the ukrainian escalation that has taken place. he has not condemned russia now violating a very important nuclear treaty that is critical to the security of europe. there are many things he has not stepped up on that a traditional american president would have. he too believe i clearly has a different relation with russia than previous american presidents. europeans are very worried about this because they see russia as a real imminent threat to their security so i think this will be a very important part of the dialogue today without any question. >> melissa: we have heard it said before that every new administration kind of goes through this with russia.

we saw it with president obama, we heard about it with hillary clinton as well. the reset with russia, now we are watching, pardon me, watching president trump enter the room right now. as well as german chancellor angela merkel. thank you to our panel for standing by. let's go ahead and listen it no now. >> leland: >> president trump: r merkel, it is a great honor to welcome you to the people's house, the white house. our two nations share much in common, including our desire for security, prosperity and peace. we just concluded a productive meeting with the german and american companies to discuss workforce development and vocational training, very important words. germany has done an incredible job training the employees and

future employees and employing its manufacturing and industrial workforce. it is crucial that we provide our american workers with a really great employment outlook. that includes making sure that we harness the full potential of women in our economy. my administration is in the process of rebuilding the american industrial base, a stronger america is in the interest, believe me, of the world. as a whole. i reiterated to chancellor merkel my strong support for nato as well as the need for our nato allies to pay their fair share for the cost of defense. many nations owe vast sums of money from past years. and it is very unfair to the

united states. these nations must pay what they owe. during our meeting, i think chancellor merkel for the german government's commitment to increased defense spending and work toward contributing at least 2% of gdp. i want to thank the chancellor for her leadership in supporting nato and its efforts in afghanistan. this has come at significant cost including the lives of over 50 german soldiers who sacrifice, and we greatly honor them. i also appreciate chancellor merkel's leadership along with the french president to resolve the conflict in ukraine. where we ideally seek a peaceful solution. most importantly, our two countries must continue to work

together to protect our people from radical islamic terrorism. and to defeat isis. i applaud chancellor merkel for germany's contributions both civilian and military as they counter isis. we also recognize that immigration security is national security. we must protect our citizens from those who seek to spread terrorism, extremism, and violence inside our borders. an immigration is a privilege, not a right. the safety of our citizens must always come first. without question. over lunch, the chancellor and i will talk about our economic partnership. meat was work together toward fr and reciprocal trade policies that benefit both of our people

peoples. millions of hard-working u.s. citizens have been left behind by international commerce and together, we can shape a future where all of our citizens have a path to financial security. the united states will respect historic institutions, and we will also recognize the right of free people to manage their own destiny. the close friendship between america and germany is built on our shared values. we cherish individual rights. we uphold the rule of law, and we seek peace among nations. our alliance is a symbol of strength and cooperation to the world. it is the foundation of a very, very hopeful future. thank you.

>> mr. president, ladies and gentlemen, it is a great pleasure and privilege to be here today in the white house together with president donald trump and have a first personal one-on-one meeting one meeting and exchange of views. in the period leading up to this visit, i've always said it is much, much better to talk one delete back to one another and not about one another, and i think our conversation proves this. we talked about the international situation. we talked also about apprenticeship programs when we met with ceos and apprentices around a round table and regarding the shared interests that we have. let me look back into the past. we, the germans, owe a lot to the united states of america. particularly as regards the economic rise of germany.

this was primarily due to the help through the marshall plan. we were also able to regain german unity after decades of the united states forming together with other allies and standing by our side during the period of the cold war. we are very gratified to know that today we can live in peace and freedom as a unified country due to that. i was gratified to know the president underlined how important he thinks nato is pure nato is of prime importance for us, and it was not without very good reason that we said during our summit meeting in wales that also germany needs to increase its expenditure we committed this 2% goal until 2024. last year, we increased our defense spending by 80%, and we are going to work again and again on this. we said that obviously defense and security have a lot of

different efforts and facets iia appeared on the one hand, it is supporting missions in africa for example promoting development assistance but helping missions in africa for example and trying to stand up for their own safety and security. we continue to be in conversation, but what was important for us today as we were able to talk about afghanistan and talk about what come as the president quite rightly said, the continuing mission of germany and afghanistan. i am very glad that the united states are intending to continue to commit to the mission as well, together we fight against islamic terrorism. germany is going to step up its work and continue its work and afghanistan and also in syria, we are going to monitor the situation very closely, work on political solutions and syria but also in libya, what we talked about. i am very gratified to another the american administration and

also the president personally commit themselves to the minsk process. we have to come to a solution, there has to be a safe and secure solution for ukraine in the relationship with russia has to be improved as well once the situation on the ground is clarified, minsk is a good basis but we have not officially made the headway we wanted to but we will work together with our experts in the next few months on this issue. i'm also here in my capacity as the g20 president, as you know we will host that visit aunt summit this year, and i'm very pleased the president has committed to attending this summit. we're going to talk at some length over lunch about the issues, and we say that trade has to be rendered fair, it has to be a win-win situation, talk about the details, and we have already seen today where we had an exchange with our ceos and

also with our apprentices what sort of potential we can tap and what sort of potential r2 economies have. it is very moot delete back moving to see meeting with these young people toward what the future is being done by our companies, so particularly where we are transiting from traditional manufacturing to anh capacity of building skills. incidentally, not only for young people but also for those who may be have lost their jobs and need to be rescaled in order to find a job again. that is an issue i know is very important for you here in the united states but also is important for us in germany. i can say there are a number of issues where we will continue to cooperate very closely on the level of experts but also on our level. we had a very good first exchange of views, so i'm very much looking forward to the talks we will have over lunch. thank you. >> president trump: thank you very much. we will do a couple questions.

mark. >> reporter: a lot of americans were wondering what you were going to do about healthcare. so i wonder if you can talk to the people more about -- speak of the gentleman needs to use a microphone. >> reporter: president trump has a different style than most other presidents, what do you think of this style, do you think it is good for the world or the nation? thank you both. >> president trump: thank you. we both have a really wonderful group of people meeting later. we met with 12 pretty much who know in congress, and they were nos and went to all yeses all. we have a lot of yeses coming in, it's all coming together. we are going to have great healthcare. is going to be passed, i believe

and think substantially very quickly. it is coming together beautifully. you have the conservative groups, other groups, everybody wants certain things. in the end, we are going to have a great healthcare plan. i have to tell you that obamacare is a disaster. it is failing. i was in tennessee, and we had a tremendous crowd. the other night, and they have have to state uncovered. the insurance companies have left. the other half has one insurance company, and that will probably be bailing out pretty soon also. they will have no buddy. you have many states where they have one, a lot of states where they will have none. obamacare will fail. it will fold. it will close out. very, very soon if something is not done. i have often said politically the best thing i can do is absolutely nothing. wait one year and then even the democrats will come and say please, please, you have to help us. but it is not the right thing to do for the people. we have a great plan.

we have a plan that is getting more and more popular with the republican base, conservative base, and with people generally. the press has covered it very inaccurately. people are truly covered wealth, and i think it is going to be something that is going to be a model to be looked upon. i will tell you after we are finished. >> chancellor merkel: thank you very much. i am here as chancellor of the country of germany, i represent german interests. i speak with the president of the united states who, well, stands up for, as his bride, american interests. that is our task, respectively. i must say that i was very gratified to know that more than gracious hospitality with which i have been received here. we had a conversation while we were trying to address also those areas where we disagree but to try to bring people together, try to show what is

our vantage point, what is the american vantage point and then trying to find a compromise which is good for both sides because we need to be fair with each other. each and everyone is expecting for his or her leader that they can serve their own people. for germany, i can say people are different. people have different abilities, characteristics, traits of character, origins, they have found their way into politics along different pathways. which there is diversity, that is good. sometimes it is difficult to find compromises, but that is what we have been elected for. if everything just went like that without problem, we would not need politicians to do these jobs. from the german press agency. madame chancellor, given the experience, you have always said that you are so confident that walls can fall. how dangerous do you think this isolationist policy of the u.s. president is with the import of

terrorists plan, and he doesn't think the e.u. deals -- doesn't deal with the e.u. and a very respect the way. mr. president, america first, don't you think this is going to weaken also the european union and why are you so scared of diversity in the news and the media that you speak so often of a fake news and that things that in the end cannot be proven like for the fact that you were wiretapped by mr. obama? >> president trump: nice, friendly reporter. first of all, i don't believe in an isolationist policy. but i also believe a policy of trade should be a fair policy. the united states has been treated very, very unfairly by many countries over the years, and that is going to stop. i am not an isolationist. i'm a free trader, but i am also a fair trader. free-trade has led to a lot of bad things happening.

look at the deficits we have, look at all of the accumulation of debt. we are a very powerful company -- country, and we are a very strong, very strong country. we will soon be at a level that we perhaps have never been before. our military is going to be strengthened. it has been depleted. i am a trader. i am a fair trader. i'm a trader that wants to see good for everybody worldwide, but i am not an isolationist by any stretch of the imagination. so i don't know what newspaper you are reading, but i guess that would be another example of, as you say, fake news. >> chancellor merkel: allow me if i make to put it in the following terms. we have not yet had time to talk at great length about economic issues, but i would say that the success of germany in the economic area but also on

security and peace that the success of germans have always been one where the germans saw one side of the coin and the other side of the coin has been european unity and european integration. that is something of which i am deeply convinced and i am not only saying this back home, i am saying this here, i am saying it in the united states, also here in washington and my talks with the president. secondly, i believe that globalization ought to be shaped in an open-minded wake but also in a very fair way, freedom of movement within the european union, for example, is a very important element of our economic progress, of peace, has been for many, many decades. the european countries for many, many centuries waged wars against each other. we have to protect our external borders because -- and there we have to work on the basis of mutual benefit, migration,

immigration, integration, has to be worked on obviously, traffickers have to be stopped, but this has to be done by looking at the refugees as well, giving them opportunities to shape their own lives and where they are. help countries who right now are not an inability to do so. sometimes because they have civil war. i think that is the right way of going about it. this is where we have a change of views about it, but my position is the one i've just set out for you. >> president trump: i might add that we have many plans, met plants and factories coming back to the united states, many jobs are coming back to michigan, to ohio, pennsylvania, in a lot of places where they were losing jobs. we will have a different policy, but it is going to be a great policy not only for the united states but a great policy worldwide. i look very much forward to it. kevin.

[indistinct question] >> president trump: kevin, i think we have a very unified republican party. after all, we have the presidency, the house, the senate. we are getting along very well. i will tell you. if you were at the meeting i just attended, where we took 12 nos or semi nos, no yeses, within a short period of time, everyone was very much on board.

and a commitment to vote yes. i think we have a very unified party. i think more unified than even the election. you see when they talk about me, i seem to be very popular, at least this week within the party. because we have our highest numbers bear the highest numbers i've ever had in the party. so i think there is a great unification. healthcare is a very, very difficult subject. it's a very complex subject, and it's a subject that goes both ways. you do something for one side and the other side doesn't like it. but it is really something that has come together very well, and i think it's going to be very, very popular, extremely popular. on trade with germany, i think we're going to do fantastically well. right now, i would say that the negotiators for germany have done a far better job than the negotiators for the united states, but hopefully we can even it out. we don't want to victory. we want fairness. all i want is fairness. germany has done very well in

its trade deals with the united states, and i give them credit for it. and i can speak too many other countries peered when you look at china, look at virtually anyo business with, it is not exactly whatou call good for our workers. you look at the horrible nafta transaction. nafta has been a disaster for the united states. it's been a disaster for companies and in particular it's been a disaster for the workers. a lot of the companies have moved. but the workers are -- that is the reason i'm standing here, that number one and maybe the military, building up our military which we will do, and we will be stronger than ever before in hopefully not have to use it, but we will be stronger and perhaps far stronger than ever before, but it is probably the reason i am here is when you talk about trade. so i think that we are going to be a very different country. i think we are going to -- have great values, but in terms of

our military, it's going to be much stronger, and our trade deals are going to be good, solid deals, not deals that lead to closing plans and tremendous unemployment. okay? thank you. >> chancellor merkel: when we speak about trade agreements and the european union, negotiating those agreements for the benefit of the european union but also the input by the member states they bring to intake billy mack the table what is important to them. we have underlined as germans in the business community and have made the experience that any kind of agreement that we have concluded, for example at the very latest with south korea, it brought us more jobs actually. people were very much concerned about losing jobs to the automotive industry, but in the end, it turned out pretty girly in regards to south korea that both sides benefited. i think it is only fair that the

purpose of concluding agreements that both sides win. that is the sort of spirit in which we ought to be guided in negotiating any agreements between the united states of america and the e.u. i hope that we can resume the agreement that we started. we have just now concluded an agreement with canada, and hope that we will come back to the table and talk about the agreement between the e.u. and the u.n. again. >> reporter: madame chancellor, a question addressed to you. today, we are talking about a trade. the president of the past always said that he does not like multilateral trade agreements but prefers bilateral trade agreements. do you think from the e.u. point of view that this is a bilateral agreement with the e.u. and

another on the other side or the president of the united states in the europeans have a basically different understanding of what the e.u. is all about? that is my question addressed to you. mr. president, my question addressed to you, rejected white house claims of the alleged wiretapping on you, trump tower, trump organization, a member of your campaign, that british intelligence was either responsible for it or involved in it. after these claims are rejected, what is your take on that? are there other suspects, or do you think it was a mistake to blame british intelligence for this? and by the way, my second question, are there from time to time tweets that you regret? >> president trump: very seldom. >> reporter: you so you never wish not to have? >> president trump: i probably would not have been here right

now, but very seldom. we have a terminus group of people that listen and i can get around the media when the media does not tell the truth, so i like that. as far as wiretapping, i guess by this past administration, at least we have something in common, perhaps. and just to finish your question, we said nothing. all we did was quote a certain very talented legal mind who was the one responsible for saying that on television. i did not make an opinion on it. that was a statement made by a very talented lawyer on fox. so you should not be talking to me. you should be talking to fox. [speaking german] >> melissa: i believe the president has clearly set out

his philosophy as to what trade agreements have to bring about for the ames well. i personally do not think that germany needs to negotiate and not the european union. we have given our confidence to the european union, rather the commission and negotiate on behalf of the member states, so that is not going to prevent us from concluding this, that would then codify do not qualify as a bilateral agreement with e.u. and the united states if we had a pair the question is will it be a benefit to both countries are not? let me be very honest and candid, free-trade agreement with united states of america is not always been all that popular in germany either. there have been demonstrations against the free-trade agreement in the united states and in europe and also in germany. i am very glad to note that apparently their perspective on that has changed a little bit at

least in germany, too. >> president trump: thank you very much. great honor, thank you. >> melissa: very interesting press conference they are with president trump and german chancellor angela merkel. president trump emphasized that obamacare failing and that the g.o.p. plan is getting more popular with the base. trump reiterating that the chancellor, to the chancellor has a strong support of nato as well as the need for nato allies to pay a fair share of their gdp. chancellor merkel said that germany will work toward a 2% gdp contribution to nato by 202a few of the highlights. i am doing now by retired four-star general jack keane, fox news military analyst and chairman of the institute for

the study of war. saw that before the show, germany pays 1.2% of their gdp, that level to nato. the level is supposed to be 2% is what everyone is supposed to shoot for purely u.s. dust 3.6%. she acknowledged that, and it is kind of surprising given the fact that germany is a very prosperous country. your thoughts? >> first of all, i think the fact she has committed to achieve that goal and the goal is supposed to be achieved by 2024, i suspect that she came here to make that statement to president trump, and i was not surprised by it. listen, on the plus side, germany has been involved in afghanistan almost from the very beginning. remember, the only time nato has ever gone to war on behalf of one of its allies is when the united states was attacked on 9/11. germany is a part of that force. admittedly, they wanted to go and the part of afghanistan where there was the least amount

of combat, which is typical of some of the other forces of europe with the exception of the brits, but nonetheless, they have stood by us in that war. that obviously was our war but also it touched nato. i think in going forward here, i think the obvious concern is radical islam and the middle east and how it emanates out of there, particularly isis and what it has done in terms of migration and the immigration issue throughout europe. certainly, chancellor merkel, who is probably one of the two most experienced world leaders that president trump will deal with in his term of office here, the other one certainly being vladimir putin, chancellor merkel has been in office for 12 years, grew up in east germany, speaks fluent russian and is a highly skilled politician who has survived many crisis, both political and economic in her country. i think of the council that she can provide to him in dealing

with russia is instrumental, much as benjamin netanyahu can help president trump with the middle east challenges itself because she has a relationship with putin, and she also pushes back on putin. she is a strong advocate of standing up and confronting him when it is necessary. so i hope that out of this, i think what they have discussed so far is largely security issues. the economic discussions will take place at the lunch they are going to. so i think from a security perspective, i suspect they have probably made some progress here. they obviously have differences on globalization, on free-trade, also those things that will manifest themselves. i don't think they will be able to resolve those differences but as merkel said, i'm a politician dealing with a politician as well, and we are going to try to find -- resolve our differences and compromise.

that is what they do. >> melissa: you are a learned student of these relations. knowing the tension that has been between these two, of course, based on some of the campaign rhetoric and some of the policies merkel has had that president trump thinks has act fired on her at the same time, you just outlined their relationship and all of her knowledge of putin and that area. what would you guess their relationship is really like behind-the-scenes? >> the personal relationships i really -- i think we make too much of them. >> melissa: really? >> talking about body language and the rest of it. it is the issues that are really important. it is the policies that come out of that. every once in a while, a leader is going to really like another world leader and they will have a friendship, relationship that comes out of that. i think -- look at merkel, she is very steady. i don't think she really cares much about what trump said about her during the campaign. she goes to campaign herself,

she is facing when coming up in the fall, that is one of the reasons why she is here so early in president trump's tenure. she wants to make sure they are moving in the right direction as much as they possibly can together. and germany has the number one economy in europe, this bilateral relationship we have with each other is very important. german manufacturing business has rescued that south from the textile industry that got destroyed by china. you know this. hundreds of thousands of jobs that german employers are employing american workers largely from nonunion workforce workforces, and those are gangbusters jobs. >> melissa: it is very important. at the same time, one of the moments that is going to get the most play is there was a reference to wiretapping there. of course, president trump was very much ready for that. he immediately brought up the

idea of angela merkel complaining last time around to president obama that her own mobile phone was being listened in upon by the u.s. government, and so somebody in the audience asked him about the wiretapping allegations and specifically the idea that there had been a theory floated about great britain and the government they are being in this somehow and said, how does she feel about this or did you guys talk about this? he said, well we knew we had something in common. at least we have sung in common now or summing to that effect which was very funny, a moment that he was clearly prepared for. what was your take on that? >> none of us really know what is going on here. here's the things that we do know. germany spies on the united states. we spy on germany. we spy on england. england spies on us. we spy on israel. israel spies on us. these are things that we all know happen because why? we want to know what the thought process of our friends are and

what policies they are going to be deriving and how those policies will impact the united states. we would like to know before action is actually taken so we can try to influence that if we can. those are our friends. obviously, we work full-time on our adversaries. we have to get past some of this i think and recognize what the road is really like out there. >> melissa: absolutely, general jack keane, always a pleasure, thank you for bringing your insight on our show, appreciate it. president trump emphasizing he has more g.o.p. support for the administration's health care plan and in that press conference per that spring and congressman rooney who is here now, republican from florida and a member of the house joint economic and foreign affairs committee. we are all focused on this press conference and is meeting going on, but i imagine healthcare is right at the front of what you are thinking about today. where do you think this deal stands now? what is the number one sticking point right now? >> i think the bill is made

stronger with the additions the president spoke about this morning, adding to the medicare reform, block grant option and bricked requirement that the republican study group proposed as well as making really absolutely certain that no tax credit money can be used to fund abortions. i think that's going to help bring a few more folks on board to make sure we get this thing over the finish line. >> melissa: describe what it is like right now at this point when you go behind closed doors and you work on this legislation. a lot of people say when the president comes into the mix, it is let's make it jail time, he can be very charming. he is not stuck on one ideology or another, he's trying to bring people together, is that what it feels like or is that the party line for show? >> we are all united in a common enterprise to get rid of this disastrous health care plan that plagued america for eight years and get something that works better in brings back choice. all of our republic conference and the president want to go the same place.

there may be a few minor differences of people who feel we have to cover certain things that do not fill it with my in reconciliation right now, certain people are concerned about the impact back there at home of coverage changes, but the american people have said they want choice and patient-centered care and i think leadership has done a long way to provide that opportunity. >> melissa: you are the one of the people that went home, speaking of folks back home, and you faced some friction from the people you represent when you had a town hall about what is going on with healthcare. did that impact your thinking here, and what did it change? >> it did not change anything in my opinion, but it showed me how dissen formed many people have been. i started the town hall by reading a letter from a lady in my district saying, please don't take away pre-existing conditions. i said to the people there, i said no one anywhere in the republican conference or the president has ever said anything about removing pre-existing conditions. i don't know where you folks have been getting that. i said, let's talk realistically

about what we can do to make this healthcare system better and to provide patient-centered choice. >> melissa: you feel like that message got through? why do you think there is so much disinformation? it is all over television all the time, every day as people are watching. that question in particular. i don't see a lot of different people not acknowledging that pre-existing conditions would continue to be a part of the plan. i am as befuddled as you are where she would get that from. >> i was absolutely perplexed. i think i debunked that then i finally got to the end of the town hall as people really opened up and laid the bottom line of the table. they want a single-payer system, they want a government top-down single-payer system, and i said, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for bringing that on the table because we don't want that. >> melissa: and they understood by that would not be good, the cost involved in the potential kind of care you would get like at the va? >> i think a lot of them understood and some do not want to understand but they understand we mean business.

>> melissa: congressman rooney, thank you so much for your time. fox news alert, a laptop computer containing floor plans for trump tower and other national security information was stolen from a secret service agent vehicle in brooklyn. chief intelligence correspondent catherine herridge is live from washington with more on this one. this is a wild story. what can you tell us? >> is a very serious situation. it's really a red alert situation whenever you lose a laptop computer with the secret service, and in this case it was not locked. it was taken, looks like, from a vehicle of the secret service was using late thursday in new york city. it has all of the trappings of probably a theft for the value of the computer as opposed to the intelligence it contained. we have received a statement from the secret service i am going to read to you here. it says "the u.s. secret service can confirm that an employee was

the victim of a criminal act in which our agency issued laptop computer was stolen. secret service issued computers contain multiple layers of security including full disk encryption and are not permitted to contain classified information. the investigation is ongoing and the secret service is withholding additional comment until the facts are gathered." so here what the secret service is saying is the laptop is gone but they havefeatures in place t access the information and they are also indicating as i mentioned that they think it is petty criminal theft, it was not a foreign entity that was trying to steal that laptop and computer, but nonetheless, it's always a very serious situation when these devices are unaccounted for. >> melissa: lovely they are right about that pit also new reports on the white house jumper appear ready your hearing on that story? >> first reported by cnn and we confirmed it independent lay here at fox news, the white house jumper as all of our viewers will remember, he was in

court here in washington, d.c., just recently after he breached the white house perimeter. what we have confirmed today is that he was on the grounds for at least 15 minutes before he was detained and questioned by the secret service. remember he claimed that he had some kind of appointment with the president which was why he was there. they also said he had mace in his knapsack but again that is a long time to be on the white house grounds and evade secret service with the defense and protectors and perimeter fence, hard to understand how that happens. >> melissa: absolutely, a very long time. >> another very serious thing. >> melissa: thank you for those reports. the ink barely dry on the president's budget. a lot of questions about the funding for the popular meals on wheels program which could be facing a federal diet. could a backlash on capitol hill put taxpayer funding back on the menu? in the middle of the night,

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>> melissa: is federal support for meals on wheels on the chopping block? the white house yesterday defending the plan to cut taxpayer funding which some states direct to the popular program. >> meals on wheels is not a federal program, it is part of my part of that community, the block grants we give to the states. they've been identified as programs since the second bush administration as ones that were just not showing any results. we cannot do that anymore. we can't spend money on programs just because they sound good. meals on wheels sounds great, again that is a state decision to find that particular program and take the federal money to give it to the states to say we want to give you money for programs that don't work. i cannot defend that anymore. >> melissa: chief national correspondent ed henry is live in washington with more on this

one. >> mick mulvaney broader point is obviously valid, with the nation drowning in $20 trillion worth of debt right now, the president deserves credit for trying to finally force washington to get serious about spending cuts and making wiser r money. the problem with the president is putting the first bull's-eye on meals on wheels may not be smart politically when democrats today are noting the white house wants to cut $3 million that helps feed 2.4 million seniors. let's separate fact from fiction we might my fiction in this debate be number one, mick mulvaney said only 3% of the meals on wheels budget comes from the community block developer and program the president wants to cut. that part is true. 60% of the budget comes from outside sources like corporate and foundation grants peer that is all true. there is much more to the story. we did some digging, meals on wheels has actually been made up of 5,000 independent groups, and they get roughly 33% of their funding from, yes, the federal government through what is known as the older americans act.

that is administered by the health the health and human services department. turns out, hhs is facing a $15 billion cut from the president's budget. so while we have to stick to the facts and note that the president has not signaled he is targeting older americans act specifically, if you're cutting $15 billion from hhs, that money has to come from somewhere, so this could be a much bigger cut two meals on wheels that is being advertised right now. >> melissa: but we do not know. you just talk to the ceo of meals on wheels, right? go ahead. >> what she is saying is it is not just about helping seniors and feeding them, it's also making sure that they do not get up and try to cook themselves meals, some of these seniors, who end up hurting themselves. watch. >> we know meals on wheels is a lifeline for any cut to these programs which are already in some ways struggling to be able to provide meals to people who really need them would be harmful and also what translate into higher healthcare costs on

the other end. >> what did she mean by healthcare? turns out you can see right there. $34 billion they claim and decrease in the costs from seniors who would normally fall if they were going around and making their own meals, and they say that one year of meals on wheels equals the cost of one day in the hospital. so i was a very expensive to be in the hospital. they are trying to make the case as well that there is a prevention piece here. you're going to hear from the white house the other side which is, look, they want to help needy people, but their big choices to be made when you're deep in debt. >> melissa: thank you for that. we will be right back. ♪

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>> melissa: have you heard that a monopoly makeover is in the works in the famous board game is booting the boot, the wheelbarrow and a thimble. the wh winners, a penguin, a t-roetion --.

the-rex and a rubber ducky. i don't know about the penguin. these are symbols. tweet me and tell me what you think. i'm melissa francis. here's shep. >> shepard: it's noon on the west coast. 3:00 in washington where president trump is accusing north korea of "behaving very badly." fox news travels to the north korean border with rex tillerson. he says military action is an option for dealing with a dictator, kim jong-un. >> nothing has been taken off the table. >> shepard: we'll take to chris wallace about this nuclear showdown. also, the head of house intelligence committee getting ready to question the fbi director about president trump's unfounded claims that president obama order wiretapping in trump tower. today is the deadline for the feds to hand over information on any americans they might have caught