should news break out, we'll break in. breaking news changes everything on fox news channel. the final bell is ringing on wall street. most of the dow 30 are in the green. the dow is up 100 points. here's cavuto. >> neil: thank you, shepard. taking you live to the east room of the white house. we're moments away from the president of the united states talking about prison reform and second chance hiring. he will have many of those with criminal regards that want a second chance but most interestingly, he'll have kim kardshian who is working with the president on this very issue. we're following developments from half a world away with the on going pressure led by the secretary state to get to the bottom of the tanker attacks. now to rich edson at the white house. they seem, rich, to have fingered iran. they don't have doubts about it. what is next? >> mike pompeo says this is the work of iran.

he says intelligence points to that. he says this is part of iran's reaction to the united states restoring heavy economic sanctions against them, part of the u.s. withdrawal from the 2015 iran nuclear agreement. there's secretary pompeo. he says iran is lashing out because the regime wants our campaign lifted and no economic sanctions entitle the islamic republic of iran, engage in nuclear blackmail. iran has denied involvement in this. they say the attacks were designeded to thwart on going discussions with the japanese prime minister and the iranian government. the reports on japan-related tankers occurred while prime minister shinzo abe was meeting for extensive and friendly talks. suspicious doesn't begin to describe what likely transpired

this morning. abe met with the supreme leader. he says he's rejecting a communication from president trump because he doesn't consider the president worthy of exchanging messages. to that, the president says i appreciate prime minister abe going to meet with the ayatollah. i personally feel it's too soon to think about making a deal. they're not ready and neither are we. iran has also threatened to continue producing highly enriched uranium next month in the europeans don't help them circumvent sanctions. neil? >> neil: what seems to be fingering the iranian is a very familiar mine that exploded there and the evidence that points to prior such weapons that the iranians have used. jennifer griffin at the pentagon with more. hi, jennifer. >> hi, neil. we just learned the u.s.s. mason, a u.s. destroyer is being sent to help the u.s.s. banbridge that was involved in rescue evers earlier today.

a defense official confirms the u.s. navy saw an unexpected mine attached to the hell of the panama flagged ship that was attacked this morning. officials say mines were involved in both attacks, not torpedos. >> many resources have been deployed to per peppate the activities in the region. >> japan's prime minister visited iran for a high stakes mix around warned about an accidental war. both had japanese petroleum products. one tanker was on fire but did not sing. 44 sailors had to be rescued at sea. mike pompeo and john bolton were here at the pentagon this morning for a prescheduled meeting with the acting defense secretary and chairman of the joint chiefs in the secure war planning room known as the tank. the tankers had just left ports

in saudi arabia and the united arab emirates on route to asia. last month four oil tankers were damaged by mines not far from where today's incident occurred. the distress calls came eight minutes apart. central command says the u.s.s. banbridge, part of the abraham lincoln strike group, rescued 21 sailors. that aircraft carrier rushed to the region last month amidst rising tensions with iran. the head of the american forces general frank mackenzie warned of an unspecified eminent threat from iran and the proxies in a trip to the middle east. neil? >> neil: thanks very much. so if iran is the one behind this, how do we respond? kirk lippold is here with us what do you think, commander? >> good afternoon. i think right at this point, we need to get irrefutable proof, present it at the u.n., make sure the international community understands what has happened, that it in fact is a result of

iranian actions or proxies. we hold them accountable. >> neil: so we want to do this under the u.n. we don't seem at this point to want to do this alone. what would it ultimately be that we do? >> well, neil, i would harken back to the days from the late 80s when the tanker wars were going on. you had iran and iraq at war with each other. the u.s. took it upon itself along with the international community to escort these oil tankers in and out of the gulf. at that time we needed proof that iran was mining the waterways there, that they were conducting the attacks going on. i think we need that same level of proof here because if we're going to act in a manner that is going to hold the iranian government and the mullahs responsible for what happened, we have to have the proof. we don't want do do anything less. we want to not be the lead in

this thing but be the ones that put together this international coalition. iran is attacking the world's oil supply, not just the u.s. >> neil: why would iran do something so foolish? even working through agents or rebels. knowing full well we have an armada there. we can wipe them out in a moment's notice if it came to that. why would they risk that wrath? they don't have many friends supporting them in the region. >> two things. they want to ratchet it up and it's going to raise the price of oil, which means they'll get more money in their coffers and being used around the world. the second thing is, it's very bizarre that they would pull something like this off while prime minister abe is there visiting with the supreme leader. it just does not make sense. so there may be a little bit of internal machinations going on within the iranian government. >> neil: what if someone is

trying to set them up? i'm not saying that's the case. if you want to trigger a battle with iran, that's a good way to do it. >> i think right now trying to figure out if we've got a false flag, i don't believe it. i think the iranians are behind this. we probably have the intelligence to back that. clearly secretary pompeo as well as acting secretary of defense shanahan believe it. at this point, we need to get that intelligence to a point where we can declassify it, share it with the american people first, then with the world so we can understand the threat that iran represents to the world's oil supply and the energy flow that comes in and out of that region. >> shepard: thank you. good catching up with you under these weird circumstances. kirk lippold. you know the drill. when people are getting concerned about some problem in the middle east, this is what happens. scott martin, market watcher, what he makes of this. what next? >> probably higher prices, neil,

until you discuss this was about figuring out what really happened here and whoever is and this and what they're doing. let's face it, we saw markets bid up oil prices today. they came off a bit towards the end of the day, of course. that will influence prices in the pump. demand, let's face it, with the economy doing so well is up since memorial day weekend year over year. a lot of folks flying this summer as well that will drive up costs. of course, seeing as we have things unsettled in the strait of hormuz, that will push up prices, too. >> and we have protests in hong kong. looking for stuff to rattle markets, the commodity markets like oil, you have plenty of ammunition, don't you? >> you do. you also have the fact that we have seasonality at play. this very tasty summer blend of gasoline out there for the summer driving season just in time for us to spend more on it. there's many factors going on. you mentioned hong kong, the

g-20. a lot of uncertainty pushing around the commodity prices behind me. >> neil: there's always a tug of war on oil and all that. the supply and demand equation looks iffy. the federal reserve being accommodated and that it will put a lid on energy prices. what do you think? >> there's probably a lid. but the lid is probably higher. we're probably say 3/4s of the way up in the glass or in the container. as we've seen, it's gone up. and i a agree with you. the good news is, the permian basin is the world's largest oil producer. you know as well as i do, markets react first and asked questions later. that's what's happening right now. >> neil: interest rates are surprisingly low. not getting people overly

rattled. that depends if there's an escalation, right? >> it does. i'll tell you, interest rates being this low for so long and continuing to go lower is a concern. the bond market, in my opinion, even though they're wrong, might be the smartest market out there they're telling us something here. it's rates overseas where we have negative rates in many developed countries now. we may be heading that way as well. >> neil: thanks very much. scott martin following the developments. also want to give you a quick look at the east room of the white house, this is an unusual event. the president is talking about giving a second chance to those out of jail that want a second chance. he has with him in that audience some of who have just come out of prison and want that opportunity. he also has kim kardshian with him to say this is the ideal time to push for it. the president and kim kardshian after this. the lexus es...

♪ ...every curve, every innovation, every feeling... ...a product of mastery. lease the 2019 es 350 for $379/month for 36 months. experience amazing at your lexus dealer.

so chantix can help you quit slow turkey.rkey. along with support, chantix is proven to help you quit. with chantix you can keep smoking at first and ease into quitting. chantix reduces the urge so when the day arrives, you'll be more ready to kiss cigarettes goodbye. when you try to quit smoking, with or without chantix, you may have nicotine withdrawal symptoms. stop chantix and get help right away if you have changes in behavior or thinking, aggression, hostility, depressed mood, suicidal thoughts or actions, seizures, new or worse heart or blood vessel problems, sleepwalking, or life-threatening allergic and skin reactions. decrease alcohol use. use caution driving or operating machinery. tell your doctor if you've had mental health problems. the most common side effect is nausea. quit smoking slow turkey.

talk to your doctor about chantix. it also has the highest growth in manufacturing jobs in the us. it's a competition for the talent. employees need more than just a paycheck. you definitely want to take advantage of all the benefits you can get. 2/3 of employees said that the workplace is an important source for personal savings and protection solutions. the workplace should be a source of financial security. keeping your people happy is what keeps your people. that's financial wellness. put your employees on a path to financial wellness with prudential.

[ giggling ] ♪li'm a slick chickp♪ [ doorbell ] [ slap ] your nails! xfinity home... cameras. xfinity home... disarm the system. door's open. morning... welcome to the neighborhood. do you like my work? secure your home with x1 voice control. and have professional monitoring backing you up with xfinity home. demo at an xfinity store, call or go online today. >> neil: all right. the east room of the white house. we're going to hear from the president and among others.

we're also learning simultaneously that sarah sanders is leaving the white house as press secretary. the president tweeting out after 3 1/2 years, i assume might go back longer, our sarah huckabee sanders will be leaving the white house at the end of the month and going home to the great state of arkansas. she's a special person with extraordinary talents. i hope she decides to run for governor. sarah, thank you for a job well-done. quick reaction to all of these developments with beverly and david. david, i late to hit all of you with these breaking news developments that you haven't had a chance to digest. is it your sense that this was inevitable? >> i mean, i'm surprised. i think anyone that joins the

trump administration is and works in the cauldron of the white house of the trump administration, president trump -- working with president trump is not easy. he's very demanding and changes his mind frequently. people that are close to him end up becoming separated from him. so she actually survived longer than many of her colleagues, many of her cohorts. it's not unexpected. nobody lasts too long in this white house. >> neil: that's a long run. think about it. but hugo, from "the washington examiner," the timing of this is odd. just after the george stephanopoulos interview with the president, the hypothetical came up and the president reacted the way he did. he said yeah, i'd be open to it. maybe he's pointing the finger, why did you get me into this, sarah sanders. >> it's an interesting theory. i don't know that that is the case. i suspect there wouldn't have

been such a good farewell if there was friction between them. i'd agree with david that sarah sanders was working at the interface between the white house on the one hand and the press on the other, a fantastic clash between the two. she's been dealing with that immensely tense and difficult relationship. you know, having to speak on behalf of the president and the administration and the white house, you know, every day, day in and day out. she's been the president's sort of wing man or wing woman in this case for a long time and has done a job that i'm not surprised he's praising. >> neil: beverly, think about it. a long run to be in that same job since the beginning of this administration. many have felt frustration that the president doesn't hold as many press conferences, there's

not the daily briefings to the extent there were. that is not her call. it's the president's call. that's what has got the media wincing when it always happens. they put that on her. what do you think of this? >> well, first of all, i agree with my other panelists, this is one of the toughest jobs in washington d.c. especially in this role with one of the presidents, it would be toughest to be press secretary for. he's had one of the most contentious relationships with the media. for her to go out there and do an amazing job and how she's handled this. there's been a few controversies. i wouldn't be surprised if the rigor of this job combined with her being a mother is one of the reasons she's saying right now, i want to take a step back and do something different. he had this interview with george stephanopoulos because of all of the controversies surrounding that. who knows if that is her call. we probably won't find out. it's an interview he shouldn't have taken.

>> neil: we're watching, we got this news that sarah sanders will be leaving the white house. that there's going to be this push for a second chance reform for those that leave prison, the second chances that been led by the likes of kim kardshian. the president is going to do something that the left and the right support, this was bipartisan support, this measure had with democrats and republicans. it's an interesting day timing-wise about hearing dirt on a potential opponent. that got a blast from the left, a shrug from the right. what do you think? >> it's an interesting time for him to be doing this. this is his signature political issue, legislative issue, which is criminal justice reform. it has bipartisan support. he has been successful pushing this forward.

democrats and republicans push it forward. it's nice that they can agree on this. this event should be commemorating that and celebrating moving that forward. unfortunately, we have the other news events. sarah huckabee sanders, we have the breaking news about him inviting more help from foreign governments, which he should have learned from the special counsel and the mueller report is illegal, a campaign finance violation to receive anything of value from a foreign power. his son, almost was prosecuted for campaign finance violations for having that trump tower meeting with russians. he's saying we'd do it all over again. he learned nothing it from. and second chanceses, kellyanne conway and the news about her and the special counsel has recommended she be fired because of hatch act violations. president trump keeps giving her more chances, to keep doing the same apparently violating the hatch act and stay in her position. >> neil: we should stress other

incidents have come up with other administration officials that might have violated that. i don't know what the truth is. i'm looking at kim kardshian and others take a seat. is the pressure on the president -- let's go to the east room. i want to give you the chance to respond to this. the president of the united states talking prison reform, talking about the things that unite the party. ♪

>> thank you very much. please, please. great occasion. i want to welcome everyone to the white house. we're here today to announce a vital new action that we're taking to help former inmates find a job, live a crime-free life and succeed beyond their wildest dreams. [applause] this afternoon we're grateful to have distinguished guests including alex acosta. thanks very much, alex. [applause] governor phil bryant. thank you, phil. [applause] governor bill lee from

tennessee. [applause] and i have to say my administration is focused on lifting up all americans. that's what we're doing with this. as part of our working families agenda, we've expanded apprenticeships and job training, delivered historic tax cuts, the biggest ever in the history in our country and increased access to affordable healthcare and child care. it's been really important. [applause] as a result of the booming economy, we're bringing americans who have been on the sidelines back into the work force including former inmates and those recovering from opioid addiction. very important. it's been incredible the success we've had. since the election, we've created six million new jobs. we've added more than a million

new jobs in manufacturing, construction and steel alone and everyone said that would be impossibility to do, manufacturing jobs. african american, hispanic american and asian american unemployment have reached the lowest levels and the lowest rates in the history of our country. it's been an incredible situation. our policies are rebuilding lives, rebuilding families and rebuilding communities. to realize america's full potential, we must unlike the talents of every single citizen. we want to left every american family out of poverty and into a future of hope and opportunity. in december of last year, i signed into law ground-breaking historic reform to our criminal justice system. the first step act. [applause]

thank you. thank you very much. i think you like it. it is true though, since we got a pass, nobody realized how tough it was. nobody thought they could do it. we got it done. we had tremendous conservative support and tremendous liberal support. it was very bipartisan. some of the most conservative people, mike lee was in favor of it, chuck grassley was in favor of it. on the other side, i didn't

think people would be signing it. but they all wanted it. i'm very proud of it. jared an ivanka were incredible. they pushed it. [applause] and they were pushed by kim kardshian. thank you, kim and kanye. since its passage, more than a dozen states have advanced similar reforms at the state level. now we must make sure that the americans returning from prison get a true second chance. right? america wins with citizens with a criminal record can contribute to their communities as

law-abiding members of our society. when inmates come home, the single most important action we can take is to help them find a really good job where they love the job, they go there and making a lot of money, right? that's what's happening. that's because of a lot of reasons and because we have a great economy. some people that wouldn't have normally made that choice, they've made that choice and they're so happy. i'm talking about employers. they're so happy. one man said the best people that work for them came out of prison. now he considers them among his best people. too often former inmates are not considered for jobs even if they're qualified, rehabilitated and ready to work. that's why we're taking crucial steps to encourage business to expand second chance hiring practices. [applause]

so when we say hire american, we mean always americans. that's what's happening. first time probably ever. i think i can say truly, it's probably the first time that we can truly say that in the history of our country that that is happening. it's been fantastic. the unemployment rate for former inmates is up to five times higher than the national average. my administration has set an ambitious goal. we want to cut the unemployment rate for these individuals to single digits been five years. we think there's a good chance of doing it. [applause]

thank you. second chance hiring is about a safer community, a stronger work force and a thriving economy. [applause]

thank you. >> thank you, mr. president. thank you all for being here. and don't worry about the name. that's the best pronunciation anybody has done. i'm john. mr. president, you know, your courage in criminal justice reform has made america safer, made america better and made america more prosperous. thanks for that first and foremost. [applause] >> neil: all right. you're listening and we'll continue watching what is the first example of the fruits of labor on bipartisan support on criminal justice reform that would allow and try to address those that come out of prison, can't find work. the president as a measure on the table, a move now, an initiative that is widely supported by republicans and democrats alike. in a washing to -- washington

that is sharply divided. back to the white house. >> nearly everybody asked me for a job. everyone wanted a job to avoid crime, to reunify with their families, to pay child support. i never forgot that. as my journey to sobriety took shape, i was blessed with people like the folks in this room that gave me that second chance to contribute. i would go on to build a large reentry program in new jersey. from there, i would go on to be recruited to work down here in washington d.c. to help do this nationally. i've worked with governor bryant, so many good people in the room. and without a second chance, i don't know where i would have been. i'm not sure if i could have stayed sober, i certainly know i wouldn't have contributed to the level i did. next month, i have my first child, a baby daughter on the way. i have -- thank you. [applause]

i'm married and i have the ability to be standing here with you, mr. president. thanks for taking on criminal justice reform. folks, this have the public safety issue of our time, this is a justice issue of our time, this is a civil rights issue of our time and a prosperity issue of our time. mr. president, thanks to you, it's all of our time. god bless you. [applause] >> thank you, john. it's an incredible story. i can't tell you the job he's done. so respected. across the federal government, we're giving former inmates the resources that they need to make the most of their new lease on life. today the federal bureau of prisons announced that it will work with employers to help

those leaving prison to have a job lined up when they are released. something that has never happened before. also, earlier today, the department of labor, alex, that's good, he's done a great job, he's done a good job, awarded $2 million to states to support fidelity bonds, which underwrite companies that hire former prisoners. we're expanding our second chance pell grant pilot program to allow individuals to use their time in prison to take college-level classes. that's great. [applause] that's great. that's great. the department of energy has begun a new initiative to inform american workers including inmates about great jobs in the booming energy industry.

that is a great industry. [applause] just in case you didn't hear me say this before, we've become the number 1 energy producer by far in the world. we're topping saudi arabia, topping russia. [applause] our administration is also working to allow rehabilitated citizens with a criminal record to apply for both federal government jobs and affordable housing. something that we were unable to do before. [applause] here with us today is marcus bulloch. he went to prison as a minor in 1996 and now runs a technology company. he's doing a very good job. marcus, please come up and say hello. you're here. thank you. [applause] >> thank you so much,

mr. president. when i was in cell c-12, i never thought i would be standing here so i'm going to suck all of this moment up when i'm standing here. [applause] thank you. thank you. thank you. [applause] thank you so much. when i was 15 years old, i made one of the worst mistakes of my life. it landed me in front of a judge listening to him sentence me to eight years in adult maximum security prison. i grew up in a prison cell. i'll tell you, that is some of the darkest times of my life. the depression that i fought, the battles on the prison rec yards that i saw every day, they became a part of me and built this dark spirit that my mom began to see and my mom made a commitment because she wanted me to understand that there was life after prison.

there would be potential days that looked like this. so my mom wrote my letters and send my pictures the remaining six years of my prison sentence so she should show me the window to the world, this is why i'm grateful of what happens around the country. we have the first step act. what we're doing now, the second chances. even once i came home, it was still very challenging for me to get a job. after finally finding the job at a paint store, minimum wage job and i was very grateful just to be able to get a job and it was only because of the way that they worded one of the questions on the application, it allowed me to even eventually start my first business after prison, a painting business. we hired over 18 employees and after the 19th one, we realized the first 16 were all returning citizens just like me. [applause] thank you.

thank you. [applause] while we were building opportunities for other men and women to come home and have a great place to be able to work with a sustainable employment, we wanted to venture out a little bit further. in 2012, we started our first tech company. that tech company is now a venture-backed company that connects families back to their incarcerated loved ones the same way my mom wrote me letters and pictures while in prison. we connected over 140,000 families around the country. same greatful because the resources that are flowing back into these prison cells using our tech is building the next generation of entrepreneurs, leaders, business executives like me and great employees that some of you launch kristina edible companies. so grateful to be a smart part of this solution. we understand the crisis is huge. but with you guys' leadership, i feel very optimistic about the future of employment. [applause]

>> and tomorrow, marcus, will be announcing a run for a major public office. [ laughter and applause ] a good job. he's does a great job. thank you very much. really fantastic. today we're also joined by many employers who are hiring former inmates and helping us build the strongest economy on earth. we have successful people in this room and we appreciate it all very much. thanks very much. great job. [applause] among the leaders that join us today is steve preston, the ceo of goodwill. goodwill employs and provide

training for 100,000 former inmates each and every year. steve, i want to thank you for the devotion and all that you do for a second chance. steve? [applause] >> thank you very much, mr. president, for your leadership and the first step act. and for working with congress to pass this on a bipartisan fashion. that sounds great, doesn't it? it does. we know that it's not an issue of one side of the aisle or the other. it's an issue for the entire country. now, yes all get to work together to ensure people that are coming back home a real second chance. you know, we all know about high recidivism rates. it doesn't have to be that way. i know because the president said last year alone, goodwill worked with over 100,000 second

chance individuals with the right kind of support, those recidivism rates plummet and in their place come high success rates. so we need to provide support for people to get back on their feet, to stabilize their lives and so importantly define meaningful employment. it's the promise of that job, that often cements the path forward to a sustainable life. the small investment that we make to do that has a return many times over. not only financially, which i think any of us can prove out, but certainly in the form of lives that are transformed both for the individuals and for their families. it's so important that we remember those families in this process. so thank you again, mr. president, for all that you're doing to be a part of -- to advance this important effort. thank you guys for your stories. these are -- there's no better testimony than to see what is happening here.

there's other people around the country that have the same experience if they're given the right chance. thank you. [applause] >> i thought maybe i would take a moment. so at the white house and been with me 3 1/2 years before i won, before the election is a person, a friend, a woman, a great, great magnificent person actually named sarah huckabee sanders. she's very popular. [applause] she's very popular. [applause]

she's done an incredible job. she's tough, she's good. we've been through a lot together. she's tough and bad. she's tough and she's good. she's great. she's going to be leaving the service of her country and she's going to be going -- i guess you can say private sector. i hope she's -- she's comes from a great state, arkansas. that was the state i won by a lot. i like it. we love arkansas. she's going to be going back to arkansas with her great family. her husband is a fantastic guy and her family. i don't know, phil and folks, if we can get her to run for the governor of arkansas, she will do well. i'm trying to get her to do that. [applause] i saw in the room and i really wanted to call her up. she's a special person, a very, very fine woman. she has been so great. she's such heart.

thank you for an outstanding job. thank you. stand up. [applause] >> thank you. thank you so much. i'll try not to get emotional. because i know that crying can make us look weak sometimes, right? this has been the honor of a lifetime, the opportunity of a lifetime. i couldn't be prouder to have had the opportunity to serve my country and particularly to work for this president. he has accomplished so much in these 2 1/2 years and it's truly been something that i will treasure forever. it's one of the greatest jobs i could ever have. i have loved every minute, even the hard minutes. i loved it. i love the president. i love the team that i've had the opportunity to work for. the president is surrounded by some of the most incredible and most talented people you could

ever imagine. it's truly the most special experience. the only one i can think of that might top it just a little bit is the fact that i'm a mom. i have three amazing kids. i'm going to spend a little more time with them. [applause] meantime, i'm going to continue to be one of the most outspoken and loyal supporters of the president and his agenda and i know he's doing to have an incredible six more years and get a lot more done. like what we're here to celebrate today. i don't want to take away from that. i want to get back to the tremendous thing the people behind me have done. thank you so much, mr. president. it's truly an honor. [applause] >> great person. great person.

thank you, sarah. she's a warrior. you guys know what warriors are. we have no choice. we have to be warriors in this world. but she's a warrior. thank you very much, sarah. we're also glad to have with us the president of the society for human resource management, johnny taylor. where is johnny? come here, johnny. this guy is some guy. some athlete. that i can tell you. so maybe you can talk about what we're doing and how well you're doing with it. thank you. [applause] >> ivy -- i remember the

president signing the first step act. i literally did not believe that would ever happen. and so much so that it -- i got up and i said i can't believe it. he said he would do it. i didn't think it would happen. here we were. i realize there's so many people that worked behind the scenes, people like mark holden from coke industries. so many of you had worked to make this a reality. the first thing i thought is what can i do as an american to do my part in this. i represent an organization called a society for human resources management. we represent 300,000 h.r. people across the globe. our companies employ 115 million people every day. a we said, there's some role that we must be able to play. it hit me, what is the next step? what we know is that once people get out too afternoon get out of incarceration, too often they return because they can't find a job. these aren't bad people. they're people that are trying to survive.

we can play a role in that if we can help remove some of the barriers, those barriers that lead to high levels of recidivism. again, no one wants to go back. so what we needed to do is figure out how we can play a role, the country's human resources professionals to remove the barrier of employment. so we're bringing people back into the workplace. we're back to my team. it was a week before christmas. wait a minute. what? you want me to work over the weekend? i said yes. mark holden, jenny is in the room. thank you. we all said we would work together on the weekend with my chief of staff and our team and we came up with an idea. over literally a one-week period, we launched a website called getting talent back to work. we got 1,500 employers across this country to immediately sign, to join the movement. we needed employers to commit. it wasn't enough to get people out of incarceration. we needed to get them employed. in a short period of time after

announcing it, coke, branson, myself, we had people signing up. so now mr. president, your goal, your goal of getting that five times the number down to single digits, we're going to do it. the society for human resource management -- [applause] sherm and our 300,000 members are committed. we're going to be warriors to get these warriors back to work. thank you and god bless you. [applause] >> thank you, johnny. he'll do it, too. this afternoon we also have an exciting announcement to ensure former inmates can overcome some of the greatest barriers to employment, including limited access to transportation, which is needed for interviews and for jobs. to make this announcement, i'd

like to invite up a very special guest and a powerful advocate for not only just it's the reform but a good person. and i hear she's starting to study law. she's also one of the most successful people in the entertainment business. soon she'll be one of the most successful lawyers. i hate to tell my lawyers back there. i knew her father. she has good genes. good genes for everything. she's been a real friend and her husband is a real friend of mine. kim kardshian west. [applause] >> hi. it really is such an honor to when here today. so thank you. my whole journey with criminal justice reform started about a year ago when i came to see the

president after speaking to ivanka and jared who really fought for me to get here. and i pled the case of alice johnson who the president granted clemency to. after that, i really spent so much time going to different prisons because i really had no connection to anybody on the inside and really just felt like for me i am at the place in my life that i wanted to make a difference and just wanted to do the right thing. but i didn't know how or what to do or even really what was going on. so after going to visit so many different prisons and really sitting down with lifers, with every situation you can possibly imagine, my heart just completely opened up and i

wanted to do more. so i started to study the law, which is, you know, law school basically in california. and my attorneys are here today. erin and jessica from cut 50. [applause] thank you. the best part of it is that i learned so much that i don't even know if -- i don't want to speak for anybody in law school, but i learned so much just basically working on memos and being the assistant to them while the first step act was happening and like learning how you get bills passed and working on it from the ground up. so to get the president's support and see it come to fruition was magic. and the one thing that i just realized that needed so much support that i'm happy to help

and be supportive where i can was the reentry of people coming home and seeing the lack of support that really existed, whether it is housing or the amount of letters that i get with people just needing transportation to job interviews, to jobs -- these people want to work. they want to best outcome. and i'm so happy to be here today amongst people that want the same thing and that really believe in supporting their reentry. i'm so happy to announce today that we have a ride share partnership where formally incarcerated people will be gifted gift cards so that they can get rides to and from job interviews, to and from jobs,

family members and that is so important, so needed. i just want to thank the president for standing behind this issue and seeing the compassion that he's had for criminal justice has been really remarkable. so i just want to thank all of the organizations that are, you know, partnering with everything going on and really being supportive. it does mean a lot to so many people that i've had the pleasure to speak to. i think the ultimate goal is everybody wants the community to be safe and the more opportunity we have and that they have in the support that we help give them, the safer everyone will be and the recidivism rate will continue to just get low er i'm thankful to everybody here in support and so thankful of the ride share organization.

[applause] >> president trump: thank you. thank you. i think she's pretty popular. i can tell you this. if she is your assistant, she's your assistant. two lawyers. she is the highest assistant. there's never been anything like it. anyway, thank you, kim. that was beautiful. while i'm here, a couple friends, and they've been really incredible to me. pastor darrell scott, just stand up. [applause] he's a religious man but i watched him on cnn so often.

i wouldn't say that's the friendliest. i watched you take apart people like they were nothing, so thank you, pastor. 2020, will do it again. we're going to do it again. pastor paula white, thank you. thank you. [applause] right from the beginning, both of them. we are revitalizing our cities, restoring hope to our communities, and uniting citizens all across our country. we are helping families grow their incomes and attend the schools of their choice, earn a great living, and have a truly rewarding career. we want to ensure that every american is prepared for the jobs of today and for the industries of tomorrow. together, we are expanding the blessings of america for every citizens from every background, from every community, and every

walk of life. we are breaking down old barriers, tearing down yesterday's obstacles, and replacing the failures of the past with the bright and limitless future. that's what we have going. it's a limitless future. so many people in this room and so many people outside of this room, they are given a second in some cases a third chance, in all fairness. i will say they are really, really producing. it's a great thing to watch. you know. you know all about it and you know about it very well. thank you. we really appreciate you being here. we'll not stop until everyone in our national family can achieve their own beautiful american dream. i want to thank everybody for being here. god bless you. god bless america. very much appreciated. thank you all very much. [applause] >> neil: you're watching a little bit of bipartisanship, so rare on capitol hill today. the president outlying criminal

justice reform that would among other things allow former prisoners to get back into the workforce, to dramatically pair down to single digits from five times that amount today. the president is optimistic he can do that. all of this when we are learning sarah sanders, white house press secretary, will be living at the end of the month. they say timing is everything here by "the wall street journal" james freeman on the significance of that. talk about taking enemy fire all the time in the back-and-forth. she had to endure. the press was hard on her. she was hard on the press. now the question is, who follows her? >> that is a good question. i think she served the president honorably and well and i think you could argue she had the toughest -- that job was toughest under the trump administration than it's ever been, in terms of the hostility of the press. eventually ended up kind of cutting down those daily briefings.

i think there are definitely some big shoes to fill there. she's done a tough job and done it well. >> neil: she is going home to arkansas, we are told. the president said he had hoped she might run for governor. how likely do you think that is? >> i think she's got a lot of the ingredients. she is unflappable. she's been in the line of fire. she knows how to deal with the media. she is now very well-known thanks to her role in the white house. i think whether she wants to go the political end, get into the arena and run herself or whether she wants to have a media career perhaps, i would say those are two opportunities that would be very available to her. >> neil: what do you think of the timing of all this? the stephanopoulos interview the president had come he was asked hypothetical, what would you do if an enemy had dirt on an opponent, would you hear about. the president said yes. do you think anything has to do with that, but the president may

be felt ill at ease being put in a position like that? >> i suppose it's possible. sometimes i think we can overanalyze these departures. these white house jobs, as you know, our real grinds. very few people are able to do them over the whole course of an administration. it's very long hours. she's got three kids and a husband that she probably doesn't see too much of right now. so while "i want to spend more time with my family" can be something of a cliche but i think for these white house jobs it's very true that you finally get to return innocence to civilian life. >> neil: you work in a famous building, its historic and it's an honor but after a while it also gets to be a grind. james freeman, thank you very much, of "the wall street journal." bring you up-to-date: sarah sanders leaving as white house press secretary at the end of the month. we have no idea who will succeed her. we do know right now there is still --

the president has to address, not the least of which the comments he made to george stephanopoulos on the democrats piling on to say it should be forbidden. legislation should be provided to make sure no president entertains the idea and the back-and-forth goes on. here's "the five." ♪ >> dana: hello, everyone. i'm dana perino with katie pavlich, juan williams, jesse watters and tom shillue. it's 5:00 in new york city and this is "the five" ." fox news alert. president trump announcing a short time ago that sarah sanders is leaving the white house as press secretary. white house correspondent kevin corke joins us now with the very latest. it was very touching for the president to bring her up on stage at the event and give her a moment to say a few things. and for the american people. she will be living at the end of the month. >> you are spot on. she's the third woman in history. you of course one of the other two, dd myers of course back