President Donald Trump arrived back at the White House on Friday, December 15, pointing to his new hat, which read “Presidential Helicopter Squadron.” According to the remarks released by the White House via the Office of the Press Secretary, Trump spoke in Quantico, Virginia, at the Marine Corps Air Facility to Marine Helicopter Squadron One. Although Trump didn’t speak to the press upon his return to the South Lawn, he let the words “Presidential Helicopter Squadron” on his white baseball cap speak for him.
However, the words that the president spoke during his speech are what’s gaining buzz online, with President Trump claiming that no other president would wear such a hat.
“THE PRESIDENT: So they gave me this hat. It says: ‘Presidential Helicopter Squadron. Would you wear it? Now, no other President would do this. But I will, because I’m proud of you. (Applause.) I’m proud of you. What the hell.”
Trump went on to call the people listening to him “nice,” and since they were “the ones taking care of” his helicopter, Trump noted that he better be nice to the folks. Trump called himself a spoiled man who has had many helicopters.
“And we ordered a couple of big, beautiful new ones.”
Ex-Marine admits to stealing $100,000 in gear from presidential helicopter squadron https://t.co/LcFe0iIoPi pic.twitter.com/Vvr9pDgZot
— Insider Business (@BusinessInsider) May 25, 2017
Trump bragged about how he would have paid less for helicopters, and they would have been “even better.” When Trump asked about how many presidents have come out to see the Marines, someone shouted “eight years ago” from the crowd.
“Good. Good. President Obama, no? (Applause.) I don’t know.”
President Trump said it was great to be surrounded by the Marines before launching into a talk about military equipment allegedly getting “depleted over the last eight years.” But Trump claimed that the military wasn’t depleted anymore but would enjoy “the best equipment in the world.”
Trump spoke of Marine Helicopter Squadron One being “one of the most visible symbols of the presidency” before deciding if he liked Marine One or Air Force One better. He wouldn’t spill the beans on his favorite aircraft.
No press coverage of @POTUS visit to HMX-1, his presidential helicopter squadron at Quantico, but WH released transcript of his remarks: “So you’re the ones taking care of my helicopter, right? I better be nice to you. I better be nice to you.”
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) December 15, 2017
THE PRESIDENT: So they gave me this hat. It says: “Presidential Helicopter Squadron.” Would you wear it? Now, no other President would do this. But I will, because I’m proud of you. (Applause.) I’m proud of you. What the hell.
— James Oliphant (@jamesoliphant) December 15, 2017
Trump did, however, launch into a speech about winning the election and making America great again as he tried to recall the number of electoral college votes he garnered. Trump said that his detractors said over and over again that he wouldn’t get 270 electoral college votes, as is often revisited by the president in his speeches.
Trump also spoke of what a comforting thought it was to see a Marine at night when he travels home to the White House.