Control in the president s upcoming meeting with the families and community of parkland, florida. [background chatter] afternoon. Apologies for the delay. Very sorry for being late. Last week while many around the country celebrated valentines day, a deranged killer murdered 17 people and injured 15 more at Stoneman Douglas high school in parkland, florida. As you also, the president visited the hospital and Sheriffs Department and Broward County last week. He and the first lady spent time with victims recovering, thanks the doctors for their work, and praised the bravery of first responders. Here at the white house, victims and families have been in our thoughts and prayers. We pray for the recovery of those injured and for peace and comfort of those lost. Our broken hearts are filled with gratitude as we heard the stories of incredible heroism. The 15yearold Anthony Wharton was shot five times while he used his body as a human shield and remains in the hospital and recovery. Thank you for your courage. We are all rooting for you. Assistant football coach aaron feis shielded students from a hail of gunfire, giving his life to save others. Was thereott bible exceeded his classroom but opened his door to let students run into safety. That cost scott his life but saved the lives of so many others. Numerous other teachers sheltered students in their classrooms. Tomorrow we will be hosting parents, teachers, and students here at the white house to discuss issues and safety of schools. Members of parkland will be anticipating a listening session and people impacted by past School Shooting including sandy hook and columbine. On thursday will be hosting officials like Law Enforcement committee to continue the conversation. As the president has said many times, it is the right of every american child to grow up in a safe community. The begins in americas neighborhoods. The brave when an men and women of Law Enforcement have full support. Where teachers across the nation invest their lives and their students, no carrot should have to wonder if their child will return from school. The president has expressed his support forever to improve the for effort to improve the federal background checks for weapons, and we will work on ways to improve safety and security of schools. As you are aware later today or exactly now in the east room, the president will award the medal of valor to 12 Public Safety officers. They include Law Enforcement, emergency medical personnel, and firefighters. The president looks forward to risk it recognizing them for risking their lives to protect america. Leon ariz are individuals who exhibited exceptional courage, ardless of personal safety the recipients are individuals who exhibited exceptional courage regardless of personal safety. The right for the first question. Thank you. Does the president now acknowledge what the special counsel made clear, which is that russians not only tried to meddle but interfere in the 2016 election . Sarah the president hasnt knowledge that multiple times before. He acknowledged it during the acknowledged has that multiple times before. He acknowledged it for a third time at a press conference in poland. He stated several times, where you guys get confused, it seems to happen regularly, the president has not said russia did not metal. He said it did not have an impact and was not with help from the Trump Campaign. It is very clear russia meddled in the election. It is also clear it did not have an impact on the election, it is clear the Trump Campaign did not in any with the russians way for the process to take place. If that is the case, why hasnt the president implemented the sanctions which Congress Passed last year . Sarah look, frankly, that is not completely accurate. This president has been tougher on russia, far tougher there is a process that has to take place. We are going through that process, that that law also says country has to violate something to further those sanctions to go in place. What i can tell you hold on. The president has been tough on russia. He helped push through 700 billion to rebuild the military. Excited about that. He has helped export energy to eastern europe. Russia is not excited about that. He has put and upheld sanctions the Obama Administration put in place. He has closed three diplomatic properties. Here in thessias united states. He has taken a number of actions against russia and put pressure on them. He has armed ukrainians. There were places obama was too weak and refused to put pressure on russia where this president has. [speaking simultaneously] first a clarification from some of the president s tweets. The president doesnt really think the fbi failed to start the parkland shooter because it was too involved with the russia investigation, does he . Sarah i think he was speaking not necessarily that is the cause. I think we all have to be aware of the cause of this is that of a deranged individual that made a decision to take the lives of 17 other people. That is the responsibility of the shooter, certainly not the responsibility of anybody else. He was pretty directs. He said this is unacceptable. They are spending too much time to prove russia. Sarah he is making the point he would like the fbi agencies to not be focused on something that is clearly a hoax in terms of investigating the Trump Campaign and its involvement. [speaking simultaneously] sarah i said the campaign interfered. The collusion is about what russia did, and it raises the question now you said the president agrees the National Security adviser shows it is incontrovertible, what is the president going to do about it . What is he specifically doing about the fact russia interfered with our election and had every intention of doing it again . What is he doing about it . Sarah last week the department of Homeland Security secretary said they are discussing this process and going through and looking at every single day at the best ways forward. Everybody wants to blame this on the trump administration. This happened under obama. But it has been a year. What has he done . Sarah we have spent time working on cyber security, focusing on protecting the fairness on our elections. The department of homeland with state and local officials over the last several weeks along with election vendors to make sure the election systems is secure. Stateeek they met with and private officials on how to secure Election Officials from election systems from foreign interference. We are working with our allies on a daily basis to make sure we are focusing on best practices, which has been a topic of conversation with multiple heads of state. President trump and the administration have made it clear interference in our elections will have consequences. We will continue to impose consequences in response to russian cyber attacks. We called out russia by name. It was one of the first times you have seen that. We will keep doing things like that. He has not even called out putin. He criticized obama and the fbi. He did not criticize vladimir putin. Sarah he has been tougher on russia in the first year that obama was in eight years combined. He has imposed sanctions, taken away properties, recent with the military. Rebuilt the military. Last week there was an incident that will be reported in the coming days and another way this president was tough on russia. Last week the florida gov. Rick scott called the fbi directors call for the fbi directors resignation. They were together last week. Did Governor Scott talk to you about that . More importantly, what does the president think he tweeted about this, but what does he think about, should the director go . Sarah i am not sure if it came up in the private conversations between the president and governor. I would have to check and get back to you. In terms of the inaction of the fbi, currently it is being reviewed and investigated. I cannot speak to it. I believe it is internally. At this point there is not a lot i can say. I do feel and believe we are looking at what actually could be taken and certainly what actions can be taken. No changes in that. We have answered that question a number of times. I dont have anything new on that. What about the event tomorrow . You mentioned who is coming. What is the topic, mental health, guns . What is he talking about with the parents and students . Sarah i think it is a wide range of issues. You have a number of people that have unfortunately been through horrific tragedy like the one we saw in parkland, florida last week as well as some that hope they never have to go through that. We will have a number of parents fromeachers and students schools in the local area as well. This is a listening session to see what can be done better, what the actual concerns of the students are, what they would like to see. One of the things the president wants to do is make sure he sits down with a number of people from across all fronts. Unfortunately when horrific tragedies like this happen, everybody wants a quick and simple answer. There is not one. There is not a simple answer. We want to make sure we are addressing the problem. Want to talked with as many people that have a role in this process. He will sit down with teachers and local Law Enforcement officials. Bring all those conversations together and look for the best path forward. We are looking to do everything we can within every capacity. [speaking simultaneously] thank you, sarah. What is his position now . To reinstating the band . Sarah i dont have any specific announcements. That is what the next several days and weeks will look like. We will see what this process looks like and what areas we can help make changes. Specifically i know background checks were something that president is supportive of, making more efficient and we will continue to look at a number of other factors as well. Thanks a lot, sarah. In the aftermath of the indictment handed down by special counsel bob muellers office, the president treated quite a bit and tweeted over the weekend. He was critical of the fbi, was critical of immigrants, critical of the Ranking Member of the house intelligence committee, adam schiff, even critical of his predecessor. But he was not critical of russia. He was not critical of the russian president vladimir putin. I did not get a sense of outrage in what the president put out there in his tweets, saying he is angered another country, russia, try to interfere with the u. S. President ial election. Sarah he actually called out russia by naming his official statement that went out shortly after this indictment came down. He called them that actors and specifically called out russia as the only individual in that statement. That was the first reaction. I would disagree with you. Tough onso extremely russia, and we will continue to do that. People are outraged by the fact that russia sarah he is angered that anybody would meddle with our system. Again, i think it is important to remember that we are looking forward to securing the best ways on making sure it does not happen. A few questions. You mentioned the president ordered background checks. The house built for kerry includes that . Open carry includes that . Sarah i have not spoken to him about that specific procedure. He spoke to senator cornyn. The Senate Version is different, and he is supportive of that, but we will continue those conversations. Shulkin they have the president [indiscernible] federal resources. To both of them have the confidence of the president . Sarah i dont have any reason to believe otherwise. If they dont have the confidence, you would know. And they talked about security clearances, those with interim acuity clearances, at the end of this week [indiscernible] , thef those people attorney and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, can you talk about how he would do his job in the white house if he does not have that clearance . Sarah i can tell you that no decision within the memo will impact anything that Jared Kushner is working on in terms of specifics and security clearance. I cant answer whether someone has security clearance or not. I can tell you that nothing that has taken place will affect the valuable work that gerrit is doing. Jared kushner is doing. He will be a valuable member and do the work he has been focused on with the last year. You mentioned a deranged individual took the last lives of 17 people. That person took dozens of lives in las vegas in which the wake of the president offered some thing about bump stocks which of followed by the wayside. Excited supporting a bill that would encourage state and federal governments, Government Agencies to do what they are supposed to do. Does the government have any idea at all how to address this, or is he starting from scratch . Sarah the president supports not having the use of bump stocks, and we expect further action on that in the coming days. He ordered the department of justice and the atf to review the regulation of bump stocks. My understanding is that review has been completed and that will take place shortly. The president when it comes to that is ensuring those devices once again that i will not get ahead of the announcement, but the president does not support the use of those accessories. On the broader topic of deranged individuals getting weapons and killing people indiscriminately, does he have any ideas on how to deal with this . Sarah again, that is part of the conversations we will have [speaking simultaneously] he has to listen to a bunch of people. Does he have any ideas of his own . That would suggest he has no ideas. Sarah you are taking my words out of context. I was trying to before you interrupted me. The focus is on mental illness, working with the health and Human Services department to ,etermine the best path forward and what is available and allowed under the law is something we take seriously. It is something we want to address and that we are working hand in hand with both the federal government as well as state and local laundry smells local law officials with what we cannot do. We cannot just flip a switch, but there is a process. We are aligned order country, and the president is trying to do everything he can in his capacity to address these concerns. [speaking simultaneously] president with the president consider granting mr. Kushner a full clearance even if red flags suggested otherwise . Sarah i am not aware of any red flags. It is irresponsible to suggest that without having seen any individual file. And secondly i have not spoken to the president whether or not that would be necessary, but as i said, mr. Questioner kushners sarah im not aware. Announcer he is promoting quite a bit about trading more features and firearms having more people with firearms in schools and wondering if there is in the range of ideas the president is open to and if you can explain how the white house is going to runs process in terms of taking and ideas from everybody and having a concession. Sarah i havent spoken to him about speaker Newt Gingrichs plan come up with over the next several days and weeks, how he will run the process and how it is taken yes taking information from individuals who have been affected, specifically by School Shootings, as well as those who would hope will not be in that same situation, and talking to state and local Law Enforcement officials, state and local elected officials on what we are legally allowed to do, and what areas we feel like we can help them move forward. What does the president think travels . Handling of sarah i think there is a 97 page Inspector General report, and until that secondary review takes place and is completed, i cant comment further on it. Does the president believe in florida, the teenager. Laws in placere that restrict, but whether or not we make that a federal policy hasnt yet been determined. I think certainly doesnt is something on the table for us to discuss and we will come up with over the next couple of weeks. The weekend he tweeted about his National Security adviser and he forgot to say that russia did it impact the outcome of the election, has he spoken to him since and does he have confidence in them to do his job . He does have confidence and general mcmaster and he likes the generals answer but he thought that addendum would important to add. [indiscernible] announcer live coverage continues on cspan with an event on the relationship between the president , the press, and the public. Will hear again from Sarah Sanders and former press secretary mike mccurry, as well as number of white house correspondents. Evening is hosted by the white house correspondents