English subtitles for clip: File:President Trump Participates in the Commissioning Ceremony for the Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78).webm

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The President: Thank you
very much, Secretary Mattis,

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for that wonderful introduction 
and for your devoted service

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to our nation.

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Nobody has done
it like you.

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I'm thrilled to be back on
this magnificent ship

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for this historic moment with
the amazing men and women

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of the United States Navy.

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(Applause.)

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I was with you four months ago,

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and I knew that I had to be here
today, and I told you

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I'd be back to congratulate
you and the crew and everybody

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involved on
commissioning the newest,

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largest, and most advanced
aircraft carrier

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in the history of this world.

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That's a big achievement.

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After today, wherever this
ship sails, you will all carry

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a proud title: plank
owner of the USS Gerald R. Ford.

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(Applause.)

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For the rest of your lives, 
you'll be able to tell

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your friends
and family that you served

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on the greatest ship in
the United States Navy

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and, in my opinion, on the
greatest ship anywhere

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in the world.

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Everyone should take a
moment to celebrate

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this incredible achievement.

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I want to thank the many
public servants who have

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joined us here today:
Treasury Secretary

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Mnuchin, Governor Snyder,
Governor McAuliffe,

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Senator Wicker, and
members of Congress,

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Secretary Stackley,
Admiral Richardson,

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senior military leaders, and, of
course,

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the great Captain McCormack.

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(Applause.)

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Captain, I know you will 
exemplify integrity at the helm.

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And have a good time
doing it, Captain.

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Proud of you.

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Thanks to the entire Ford
family -- Susan, Jack, Steve,

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and Mike -- for
all that you've done

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to support this ship
on its voyage.

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Thank you, Susan.

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(Applause.)

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Thank you.

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I also want to recognize
two other people who were

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very special to
President Ford.

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Thank you, Vice President
Cheney and former

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Secretary of
Defense Rumsfeld.

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Thank you.

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(Applause.)

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They look great.

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They look great.

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As we put this stunning
ship into the service

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of our nation, we must
also pay tribute

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to the thousands of citizens,
military and civilian,

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who helped design
and build her.

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Their love of country has
been poured into

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every rivet and bulkhead
on this vessel.

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You hammered, chiseled,
and sculpted this mighty hull.

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You were there when the
first steel was cut, when

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the turbines first roared
to life, and when those

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beautiful bronze propellers 
first began to spin --

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and spin they did.

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And now you are here to
witness the moment

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when your incredible work of
art becomes the pride

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of the United States Navy and
a symbol of American power

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and prestige, no matter
where in the world you go.

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American steel and
American hands

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have constructed a 100,000-ton
message to the world:

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American might is second
to none, and we're getting

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bigger, and better, and
stronger every day

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of my administration.

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That I can tell you.

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(Applause.)

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Wherever this vessel cuts 
through the horizon,

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our allies will
rest easy and our enemies

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will shake with fear
because everyone will know

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that America is coming and
America is coming strong.

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(Applause.)

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To every worker from 
Newport News Shipbuilding

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and every craftsman and engineer 
who helped build this incredible

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fortress on the sea, 
today we salute you.

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Thank you.

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(Applause.)

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Your skill and your grit 
build the instruments of war

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that preserve peace.

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This ship is the deterrent
that keeps us from having

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to fight in the
first place.

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But this ship also ensures
that if a fight does come,

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it will always end the
same way; we will win, win, win.

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We will never lose.

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We will win.

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(Applause.)

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When it comes to battle, 
we don't want a fair fight.

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We want just the opposite.

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We demand victory, and we
will have total victory,

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believe me.

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(Applause.)

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Having the best technology 
and equipment is only one part

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of the American 
military dominance.

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Our true strength
is our people.

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Our greatest weapon
is all of you.

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Our nation endures because we 
have citizens who love America

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and who are
willing to fight for America.

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(Applause.)

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We are so very
blessed with warriors

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who are willing to serve
America in the greatest

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fighting force in the
history --

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the United States military.

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Today this ship officially
begins its role

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in the noble military history
of our great nation.

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In a few moments, I will
commission this wonderful,

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beautiful, but very,
very powerful warship.

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Captain McCormack
will assume command.

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He will set the first watch, and 
then the crew of the Gerald R. Ford

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will man the ship
and bring her to life.

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(Applause.)

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A ship is only as good as 
the people who serve on it,

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and the American sailor is 
the best anywhere in the world.

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Among you are great
welders, radar

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technicians, machine
operators, and pilots.

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You take pride in your work 
and America takes pride in you.

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We love you.

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We are proud of you.

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Thank you.

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(Applause.)

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But that is
why it is so fitting

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that this ship is named after
a sailor of tremendous

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character, integrity,
and wisdom.

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You know that, Susan.

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Gerald Ford was raised
in American heartland.

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He grew up in Grand Rapids
and became an Eagle Scout.

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He played football at the
University of Michigan on

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a team that won two
national championships.

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And listen to this:

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On that great team, 
he was named MVP.

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Not bad.

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He then went to Yale Law
School, and after Pearl Harbor,

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he volunteered to serve.

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President Ford joined the Navy 
and asked to be sent to sea.

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He wanted to do
that very badly.

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He never really knew why;
he felt it was a calling.

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He was assigned to a new
carrier -- the Monterey --

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becoming a plank
owner himself

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on its commissioning in 1943.

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From there, he sailed to
the Pacific and saw action

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-- and a lot of action
-- in the Pacific War.

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Like so many others of his
generation, Gerald Ford

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returned home and
started a family.

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He ran for Congress, where
he served the people

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of Michigan with honor
for many years.

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From there, he became
Vice President

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and then President of the United
States of America.

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With this ship, we honor
him for his lifetime

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of selfless and
distinguished service.

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We also remember his wife,
Betty -- I remember her well

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-- and we honor the
bravery she showed

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in living her life so that her 
experiences could help others.

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Susan, she was a great
woman -- a great woman.

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(Applause.)

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Gerald Ford said that his time 
in the Navy convinced him

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that our lack of military 
preparation before World War II

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has only encouraged our enemies 
to fight harder and harder

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and harder.

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He learned a lot.

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In the future, Ford said,
I felt the United States

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had to be strong.

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Never again could we
allow our military

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to be anything but the
absolute best.

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If he could see this ship today, 
President Gerald Ford

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would see his vision
brought to life,

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and he would see his legacy of
service being carried on

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by each and
every one of you.

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(Applause.)

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Gerald Ford embodied American 
values like few others:

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love of family, love of 
freedom, and, most of all,

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love of country.

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He knew that patriotism is
the heartbeat of a nation.

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He knew that we must love our 
country in order to protect it.

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And he knew that we must
have pride in our history

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if we are going to have
confidence in our future.

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The men and women of
America's Armed Services

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are part of a
living history.

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You uphold timeless
customs and traditions,

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and you protect our nation
and our freedom

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for the next generation to come.

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You are fulfilling your
duty to this nation,

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and now it is the job of our
government to fulfill

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its duty to you.

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(Applause.)

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For years, our government has 
subjected the military

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to unpredictable funding and a 
devastating defense sequester.

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You remember that?

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Sequester -- not good.

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This has led to deferred
maintenance,

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a lack of investment in new
equipment and technology,

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and a shortfall in
military readiness.

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In other words, it's been a 
very, very bad period of time

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for our military.

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That is why we reached a deal to 
secure an additional $20 billion

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for defense this year --

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and it's going up -- and why I
asked Congress for another

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$54 billion for next year.

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Now, we need Congress to
do its job and pass the budget

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that provides
for higher, stable,

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and predictable funding levels
for our military needs

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that our fighting men and
women deserve --

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and you will get, believe me.

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President Trump, I will
tell you -- you will get it.

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Don't worry about it.

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But I don't mind getting a
little hand, so call that

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congressman and call that 
senator and make sure you get it.

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(Applause.)

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And by the way, you can 
also call those senators

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to make sure you get healthcare.

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(Applause.)

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We must end the defense 
sequester once and for all.

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We must also reform
defense acquisitions

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to ensure that we are getting
the best equipment

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at the best prices so that our
dollars are used only

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for the best interests of our
country and those who serve.

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We do not want
cost overruns.

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We want the best equipment, 
but we want it built ahead

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of schedule and we want 
it built under budget.

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(Applause.)

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This is the very least we 
can do for the patriots

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who have volunteered to give 
their sweat, their blood,

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and, if they must, their very 
lives for our great nation.

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The commissioning of this
new American carrier marks

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the renewal of our
commitment to a future

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of American greatness.

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Greater than ever before,
remember that --

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greater than ever before.

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Just moments from now, the
Captain will set the first watch

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on the USS Gerald R. Ford

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and, with God's grace, a 
watch will stand until the day

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she is decommissioned 
50 years or more from now.

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Most of you who will man
this ship today

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are just about 20 years old.

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Together, you are embarking 
on a truly great adventure.

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The journey will require
all of your talents,

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all of your efforts, and
all of your heart.

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As you know, the sea holds 
many challenges and threats.

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But starting today, you will 
face, together as a team

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aboard this ship, which is your 
responsibility and your home.

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Three generations of
Americans will eventually

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man these decks.

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Perhaps even some of
your own children

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and grandchildren someday.

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You will inspire many
more American patriots

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to follow your lead
and to serve.

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And one day, when you are
old and have lived a long

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and hopefully happy and
successful life,

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you may find yourselves back
aboard this ship

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surrounded by your family 
to mark its decommissioning.

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And on that day, our
entire nation will honor

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00:16:33,959 --> 00:16:38,869
not just this carrier, it
will honor you and the role

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00:16:38,864 --> 00:16:43,134
you will have played
in keeping America safe,

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strong, and free.

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To every patriot who will
serve on this ship today

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00:16:50,709 --> 00:16:55,419
and throughout history, I
say this:

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Keep the watch, protect her, 
defend her, and love her.

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00:17:02,154 --> 00:17:04,894
Good luck and Godspeed.

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00:17:04,890 --> 00:17:09,700
Thank you to the Ford family, 
and thank you to every sailor

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in the greatest navy on Earth.

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00:17:12,131 --> 00:17:17,171
God bless you, God
bless the Gerald R. Ford,

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00:17:17,169 --> 00:17:21,609
and God bless the
United States of America.

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00:17:21,607 --> 00:17:23,177
Thank you very much.

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God bless you all.

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00:17:24,743 --> 00:17:47,663
(Applause.)

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00:17:47,666 --> 00:17:49,206
Captain McCormack: 
Thank you, Mr. President.

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00:17:49,201 --> 00:17:52,171
And I would be honored if
you would place Gerald R. Ford

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00:17:52,171 --> 00:17:54,841
in commission.

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00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:57,210
Will the guests
please rise?

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Ship's company, attention.

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00:18:05,617 --> 00:18:12,257
The President: I hereby place 
United States Ship Gerald R. Ford

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00:18:12,257 --> 00:18:14,927
in commission.

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00:18:14,927 --> 00:18:19,097
May God bless and guide
this warship

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00:18:19,097 --> 00:18:24,507
and all who shall sail in her.

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00:18:24,503 --> 00:18:25,843
God bless you.

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00:18:25,838 --> 00:18:27,268
Thank you.

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(Applause.)