Donald Trump addressed supporters and staffers at a luncheon on the eve of the inauguration on Thursday, claiming, “We have, by far, the highest IQ of any cabinet ever assembled.”
“I want to thank everyone, we’ve had such great, great support in this room,” Trump said in Washington D.C. before scanning the crowd and pointing out various public figures, including Jeff Sessions, Cory Lewandowski, Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell.
When discussing his selection for attorney general, Trump said the “legendary” Sessions “will be one of the outstanding stars of this country.” The president-elect mentioned that all of his cabinet picks are doing well in the confirmation hearings, but joked that Sessions and Tom Price were given a hard time until everyone realized how smart they are.
Pres.-elect Donald Trump on his cabinet: "We have by far the highest IQ of any cabinet ever assembled." pic.twitter.com/czBpZ4cNMD
— ABC News (@ABC) January 19, 2017
Trump is scheduled to speak at a pre-inauguration concert later on Thursday, so the luncheon comments could be his second-to-last public statements as a regular citizen. Trump arrived in D.C. on Thursday morning on a government jet, as his personal plane will not be used while he’s in office.
During the luncheon, Trump also praised education secretary nominee Betsy Devos before the room’s pool reporter was asked to leave and footage was no longer available. Fox News host Chris Wallace explained it as, “Instead of Trump adjusting to the presidency, the presidency is going to have to adjust to Donald Trump.”
“It becomes increasingly clear he is going to do it his way. You’re not going to tell a 70-year-old billionaire ‘well not you have to do things in a different way than you were comfortable doing them,’” Wallace said.