David Litt served from 2011 to 2016 as the special assistant to President Obama. He played a crucial role in the Obama presidency as the senior presidential speechwriter. He was the youngest to do in US history. Known as the comic muse for the US President, David is also known as the &quot;Man Behind the President&#39;s Jokes&quot;.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

WION took this opportunity to speak to David Litt who reflected on myriad topics from the role of jokes in politics to Trump, from Obama&#39;s iconic speeches to Air Force One.

&nbsp;

WION:&nbsp; You were just 24 years old when you started at the White House. How did you get to the speechwriter for Barack Obama?

Litt: I was one of the college students in 2008 who was energised by Barack Obama Campaign and after I graduated I moved to Ohio and worked at the state level at the campaigns and then I moved to Washington having no plans of becoming a speech writer, but then one thing led to another and then I&nbsp; ended up getting a job at a firm writing speech for CEOs and other companies mostly private sector leaders.&nbsp;

Few years after that White House had the opening at the bottom of the ladder for a speechwriter to the senior staff. And they basically said- Hey if you want to apply for this job your references are pretty good, you are the only applicant. Why don&#39;t you come over to work at the White House and I was like- Yeah okay, that sounds pretty good. I can do that.

So I hope there was a little talent involved but I think it was to be at the right place at the right time. &nbsp;

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&#39;Man Behind the President&#39;s Jokes&#39; (WION)
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Let&#39;s go a little backward and try and get to know the &#39;Man Behind Presidents Words&#39; a little better.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

WION: Where did you grow up? And how did it all started?&nbsp;

Litt: I grew up in New York City in Manhattan, and I was never incredibly politically active but my parents would talk about politics like the other people&#39;s parents talk about sports around at the dinner table, and I had never planned of being a political speechwriter but I did write a lot of comedy. So, I had done stand-up comedy when I was in High School, I edited a Humour Magazine when I was in college and that was the sort of entry that I had in writing. It turned out to be useful but I hadn&#39;t guessed that in advance. I never planned on being a writer professionally.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

WION: What was your first President Obama moment?&nbsp;

Litt: First time I met President Obama was for a video where he was wishing America Happy Thanks Giving so it was not a big important video but for me, it was really important. I have never written anything like this. And we went to the taping to watch the President and right before the President started, the videographer she stopped and she turn(ed) to me and said- Mr. President, this is David and this is the first time that he has ever written for you.

President Obama turned to me and said: Well, how is it going for you, David?

And I have literally no idea of what I said. I literally blacked out. Like I don&#39;t remember what I told the President.

Later, I found out that it was (a) completely common occurrence. Like people would meet him and completely short circuit and not remember a word they said.

I guess it happened to the best of us something that we are not familiar.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

WION: If I were to mention some of the most iconic speeches that Barack Obama made I would recall the speech on Race (relations) that he gave in 2008. Do you think he has more of a personal touch in his speeches, unlike other politicians?

Litt: I think the speech was very personal, I mean not exclusively. Many many speeches that President Obama gave was deeply personal.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

WION: How has comedy been the tool of getting a political message out?

Litt: One of the things that I learned when I was in the White House and it becomes more true with time is that comedy is a great way of getting attention and it&#39;s harder to get peoples attention than ever before. You know with the Internet.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

WION:&nbsp; One interesting thing about President Obama was that he gave a lot of references about people in his speeches. You were meant to be talking to these people and getting the insights. What was that like?

Litt:&nbsp; One of my favourite part of the job was to talk to people who were not in Washington DC; who were going to be mentioned by the President but they often didn&#39;t know that. So, I would talk to them, hear their stories and then we will pick people who were really inspiring. You know people who were demonstrating resilience of which all Americans can be proud of.

&nbsp;

WION:&nbsp; You have mentioned about &quot;The Plane&quot; in your book. How cool is it to be the one on &quot;The Plane&quot;?

Litt: Air Force One is just pretty awesome. I mean there is getting around that. There are lots of perks of the White House that wouldn&#39;t be as amazing as you think but Air Force is actually amazing. It wasn&#39;t even about the perks it was about being on Air Force One. More than the White House, in certain ways, Air Force One is the symbol of America...It&#39;s just really special. I do fly coach now. So yeah, I do miss that part of my job.

&nbsp;

WION: What is the process of writing a comic speech for the President?&nbsp;

Litt: In someway jokes are not the highest stakes thing the President has got to do, in fact, it can be just opposite. But they (jokes) can be very difficult because in a joke every word needs to be exactly right. So we would get jokes from 12-13 people, we would give hundreds of ideas and cut that down to 40, and then work with the President to pick with him the one he likes the most.&nbsp;

President Obama in addition to being a funny guy in person is amazing in delivering a joke on stage. So he made us look good which you know was pretty nice.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

WION: Tell us about two of the best memories while working for the White House?&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Litt:&nbsp;That&#39;s a difficult question because there are so many things.

One of the best memory that I have is the first day I walked through the gate. The feeling of saying, wait is it really me in here? It was impossible not to have that going through in my head.&nbsp;

The other moment was when President Obama gave one of his best speeches, most important speeches that I think, was when he spoke for the victims of Mass Shooting in Charlottesville... at the same day the Supreme Court ruled in favour of marriage equality, so gays and lesbians could get married nationwide, and also a day before (the) Supreme Court upheld the Healthcare law. All three of those things combined people from all over Washington. (They) started coming to the White House and White House was lit up in the colour of a rainbow. You see a little progress every time and you see that your country is a lot better place in the evening than it was in the morning. That is pretty amazing to be a part off.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

WION: What were some of the challenges of writing speeches for one of the most powerful men on this planet?

Litt: People constantly criticising of what you write though they don&#39;t know that you are writing it. And also you have people who are always taking words out of context. I mean that is politics. And it is then when you have to constantly look over your shoulder while writing, which is hard.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

WION: What was the thing that you loved most about working with President Obama?&nbsp;

Litt:&nbsp; What I loved working with President Obama was to be a chance to be a part of these moments. To play even the smallest role in somebody&#39;s kid getting a healthcare when they needed or somebody feeling that their story is becoming a part of the American story that they never thought it would be. Just to be one of many many people contributing to that was a very very good feeling.&nbsp; And I really do miss that.

&nbsp;

WION: What were your fear while writing for the President?

Litt: My biggest fear was making a mistake that would make my Boss Look bad. You know if he looked bad it will be a national news may be not just in the US, it could be international news. So the stakes were just so much higher. The job was similar but the consequences of the mistakes were not just the same.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

WION:&nbsp;What do you think will be the most difficult part to deal while writing for President Trump?

Litt: One of the things that I learnt was that the words are important but what is more imp is the ideas behind it. Most difficult part for me to write for Donald Trump would be the world of his ideas which I do not agree with as it is contrary to everything America stood for since the beginning of the US. And so the speechwriting thing would be difficult and I wouldn&#39;t be taking up the job is that there is something fundamentally wrong with the way he views the US.

&nbsp;

WION: In this age of social media where the Twitter rules, what is the relevance of a speech?

Litt:&nbsp; I think the speeches that the President gives will always matter. What might matter is the day to day speaking that the President would do. But I think in big moments like State of the Union or in times of Crisis, people want to hear from the President. People want to hear from there leaders. And I think that is still true even in a social media age. And people sill want this stability and the depth of understanding that you only can get through a speech; you can&#39;t really get through a tweet.

"Most difficult part for me to write for Donald Trump would be the world of his ideas, which I do not agree with, as it is contrary to everything America stood for since the beginning of the US", David Litt, senior presidential speechwriter of Barack Obama

David Litt served from 2011 to 2016 as the special assistant to President Obama. He played a crucial role in the Obama presidency as the senior presidential speechwriter. He was the youngest to do in US history. Known as the comic muse for the US President, David is also known as the "Man Behind the President's Jokes". WION took this opportunity to speak to David Litt who reflected on myriad topics from the role of jokes in politics to Trump, from Obama's iconic speeches to Air Force One. WION: You were just 24 years old when you started at the White House. How did you get to the speechwriter for Barack Obama? Litt: I was one of the college students in 2008 who was energised by Barack Obama Campaign and after I graduated I moved to Ohio and worked at the state level at the campaigns and then I moved to Washington having no plans of becoming a speech writer, but then one thing led to another and then I ended up getting a job at a firm writing speech for CEOs and other companies mostly private sector leaders. Few years after that White House had the opening at the bottom of the ladder for a speechwriter to the senior staff. And they basically said- Hey if you want to apply for this job your references are pretty good, you are the only applicant. Why don't you come over to work at the White House and I was like- Yeah okay, that sounds pretty good. I can do that. So I hope there was a little talent involved but I think it was to be at the right place at the right time. 'Man Behind the President's Jokes' (WION) × Let's go a little backward and try and get to know the 'Man Behind Presidents Words' a little better. WION: Where did you grow up? And how did it all started? Litt: I grew up in New York City in Manhattan, and I was never incredibly politically active but my parents would talk about politics like the other people's parents talk about sports around at the dinner table, and I had never planned of being a political speechwriter but I did write a lot of comedy. So, I had done stand-up comedy when I was in High School, I edited a Humour Magazine when I was in college and that was the sort of entry that I had in writing. It turned out to be useful but I hadn't guessed that in advance. I never planned on being a writer professionally. WION: What was your first President Obama moment? Litt: First time I met President Obama was for a video where he was wishing America Happy Thanks Giving so it was not a big important video but for me, it was really important. I have never written anything like this. And we went to the taping to watch the President and right before the President started, the videographer she stopped and she turn(ed) to me and said- Mr. President, this is David and this is the first time that he has ever written for you. President Obama turned to me and said: Well, how is it going for you, David? And I have literally no idea of what I said. I literally blacked out. Like I don't remember what I told the President. Later, I found out that it was (a) completely common occurrence. Like people would meet him and completely short circuit and not remember a word they said. I guess it happened to the best of us something that we are not familiar. WION: If I were to mention some of the most iconic speeches that Barack Obama made I would recall the speech on Race (relations) that he gave in 2008. Do you think he has more of a personal touch in his speeches, unlike other politicians? Litt: I think the speech was very personal, I mean not exclusively. Many many speeches that President Obama gave was deeply personal. WION: How has comedy been the tool of getting a political message out? Litt: One of the things that I learned when I was in the White House and it becomes more true with time is that comedy is a great way of getting attention and it's harder to get peoples attention than ever before. You know with the Internet. WION: One interesting thing about President Obama was that he gave a lot of references about people in his speeches. You were meant to be talking to these people and getting the insights. What was that like? Litt: One of my favourite part of the job was to talk to people who were not in Washington DC; who were going to be mentioned by the President but they often didn't know that. So, I would talk to them, hear their stories and then we will pick people who were really inspiring. You know people who were demonstrating resilience of which all Americans can be proud of. WION: You have mentioned about "The Plane" in your book. How cool is it to be the one on "The Plane"? Litt: Air Force One is just pretty awesome. I mean there is getting around that. There are lots of perks of the White House that wouldn't be as amazing as you think but Air Force is actually amazing. It wasn't even about the perks it was about being on Air Force One. More than the White House, in certain ways, Air Force One is the symbol of America...It's just really special. I do fly coach now. So yeah, I do miss that part of my job. WION: What is the process of writing a comic speech for the President? Litt: In someway jokes are not the highest stakes thing the President has got to do, in fact, it can be just opposite. But they (jokes) can be very difficult because in a joke every word needs to be exactly right. So we would get jokes from 12-13 people, we would give hundreds of ideas and cut that down to 40, and then work with the President to pick with him the one he likes the most. President Obama in addition to being a funny guy in person is amazing in delivering a joke on stage. So he made us look good which you know was pretty nice. WION: Tell us about two of the best memories while working for the White House? Litt: That's a difficult question because there are so many things. One of the best memory that I have is the first day I walked through the gate. The feeling of saying, wait is it really me in here? It was impossible not to have that going through in my head. The other moment was when President Obama gave one of his best speeches, most important speeches that I think, was when he spoke for the victims of Mass Shooting in Charlottesville... at the same day the Supreme Court ruled in favour of marriage equality, so gays and lesbians could get married nationwide, and also a day before (the) Supreme Court upheld the Healthcare law. All three of those things combined people from all over Washington. (They) started coming to the White House and White House was lit up in the colour of a rainbow. You see a little progress every time and you see that your country is a lot better place in the evening than it was in the morning. That is pretty amazing to be a part off. WION: What were some of the challenges of writing speeches for one of the most powerful men on this planet? Litt: People constantly criticising of what you write though they don't know that you are writing it. And also you have people who are always taking words out of context. I mean that is politics. And it is then when you have to constantly look over your shoulder while writing, which is hard. WION: What was the thing that you loved most about working with President Obama? Litt: What I loved working with President Obama was to be a chance to be a part of these moments. To play even the smallest role in somebody's kid getting a healthcare when they needed or somebody feeling that their story is becoming a part of the American story that they never thought it would be. Just to be one of many many people contributing to that was a very very good feeling. And I really do miss that. WION: What were your fear while writing for the President? Litt: My biggest fear was making a mistake that would make my Boss Look bad. You know if he looked bad it will be a national news may be not just in the US, it could be international news. So the stakes were just so much higher. The job was similar but the consequences of the mistakes were not just the same. WION: What do you think will be the most difficult part to deal while writing for President Trump? Litt: One of the things that I learnt was that the words are important but what is more imp is the ideas behind it. Most difficult part for me to write for Donald Trump would be the world of his ideas which I do not agree with as it is contrary to everything America stood for since the beginning of the US. And so the speechwriting thing would be difficult and I wouldn't be taking up the job is that there is something fundamentally wrong with the way he views the US. WION: In this age of social media where the Twitter rules, what is the relevance of a speech? Litt: I think the speeches that the President gives will always matter. What might matter is the day to day speaking that the President would do. But I think in big moments like State of the Union or in times of Crisis, people want to hear from the President. People want to hear from there leaders. And I think that is still true even in a social media age. And people sill want this stability and the depth of understanding that you only can get through a speech; you can't really get through a tweet.

Opinion: On Obama, Trump, Air Force One and Jokes

US President Donald Trump departed Washington for an almost two week trip to Asia Friday, leaving a trail of invective and scandal that risks overshadowing efforts at top-level diplomacy.

Trump left Joint Base Andrews bound for Hawaii - where he will receive a briefing from United States Pacific Command - before travelling on to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines.

But before climbing the steps of Air Force One, Trump unleashed a Twitter barrage, pillorying his own Justice Department and calling for his former political opponents to be prosecuted.

&quot;A lot of people are disappointed in the Justice Department, including me,&quot; Trump later said, complaining they were probing his campaign&#39;s ties to Russia but not adequately investigating his former Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

&quot;There was no collusion, there was no nothing. It&#39;s a disgrace, frankly, that they continue.&quot;

His comments dealt a fresh blow to the traditional barriers between the executive and the judicial system, breaking the taboo over presidential interference with investigations.

Trump will meet China&rsquo;s Xi Jinping, Japan&#39;s Shinzo Abe and other Asian leaders with his standing at home dramatically weakened by series of indictments against former campaign aides.

His week started with special counsel Robert Mueller - who is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 election - indicting Trump&rsquo;s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort on money laundering charges.

Mueller also revealed that a Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos had lied to the FBI about his contacts with Kremlin-connected officials, but then turned informant.&nbsp;

Trump said he did not recall a campaign encounter with Papadopoulos, during which the young aide proposed a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

&quot;I don&rsquo;t remember much about that meeting, it was a very unimportant meeting. Don`t remember much about it,&quot; Trump said.The president, who was elected one year ago, may be leaving Washington, but news from the US capital is likely to trail him.&nbsp;

New indictments are rumoured to be on the way, perhaps within days.

While he is away Republican lawmakers will also be working furiously to pass tax cuts that are make-or-break for his legislative agenda.

And there will also be gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey seen - in part - as a gauge of his popularity.&nbsp;

Trump tried to seize on Democratic infighting ahead of those votes, fired up by explosive revelations from a top Democratic operative that the 2016 presidential primaries were tipped in Clinton`s favor.

&quot;Crooked Hillary Clinton, rigged the Primaries! Lets go FBI &amp; Justice Dept,&quot; he tweeted.

Trump&rsquo;s trip itself had already promised to be anything but easy.

The main foreign policy item on the agenda will be efforts to contain or roll back North Korea&#39;s ballistic and nuclear missile programs.

It is the longest presidential tour of Asia since George HW Bush visited in late 1991 and early 1992.

That culminated in the 41st president fainting and vomiting at a banquet in Japan.

Trump used his departure to announce that the already marathon trip will be extended to include an East Asia Summit in the Philippines, which he had been slated to miss.

Trump will meet China?s Xi Jinping, Japan?s Shinzo Abe and other Asian leaders with his standing at home dramatically weakened by series of indictments against former campaign aides.

US President Donald Trump departed Washington for an almost two week trip to Asia Friday, leaving a trail of invective and scandal that risks overshadowing efforts at top-level diplomacy. Trump left Joint Base Andrews bound for Hawaii - where he will receive a briefing from United States Pacific Command - before travelling on to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines. But before climbing the steps of Air Force One, Trump unleashed a Twitter barrage, pillorying his own Justice Department and calling for his former political opponents to be prosecuted. "A lot of people are disappointed in the Justice Department, including me," Trump later said, complaining they were probing his campaign's ties to Russia but not adequately investigating his former Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. "There was no collusion, there was no nothing. It's a disgrace, frankly, that they continue." His comments dealt a fresh blow to the traditional barriers between the executive and the judicial system, breaking the taboo over presidential interference with investigations. Trump will meet China’s Xi Jinping, Japan's Shinzo Abe and other Asian leaders with his standing at home dramatically weakened by series of indictments against former campaign aides. His week started with special counsel Robert Mueller - who is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 election - indicting Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort on money laundering charges. Mueller also revealed that a Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos had lied to the FBI about his contacts with Kremlin-connected officials, but then turned informant. Trump said he did not recall a campaign encounter with Papadopoulos, during which the young aide proposed a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. "I don’t remember much about that meeting, it was a very unimportant meeting. Don`t remember much about it," Trump said.The president, who was elected one year ago, may be leaving Washington, but news from the US capital is likely to trail him. New indictments are rumoured to be on the way, perhaps within days. While he is away Republican lawmakers will also be working furiously to pass tax cuts that are make-or-break for his legislative agenda. And there will also be gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey seen - in part - as a gauge of his popularity. Trump tried to seize on Democratic infighting ahead of those votes, fired up by explosive revelations from a top Democratic operative that the 2016 presidential primaries were tipped in Clinton`s favor. "Crooked Hillary Clinton, rigged the Primaries! Lets go FBI & Justice Dept," he tweeted. Trump’s trip itself had already promised to be anything but easy. The main foreign policy item on the agenda will be efforts to contain or roll back North Korea's ballistic and nuclear missile programs. It is the longest presidential tour of Asia since George HW Bush visited in late 1991 and early 1992. That culminated in the 41st president fainting and vomiting at a banquet in Japan. Trump used his departure to announce that the already marathon trip will be extended to include an East Asia Summit in the Philippines, which he had been slated to miss.

US President Donald Trump leaves for Asia with heavy domestic baggage

US President Donald Trump said late on Friday (February 10) aboard Air Force One that he is considering issuing a revised travel ban executive order, after the initial order was rejected by an appeal court a day earlier.

In a step that triggered the most serious legal confrontation yet for the new Republican administration, Trump two weeks ago issued an executive order banning entry into the United States by refugees and citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries, triggering nationwide protests and legal challenges.

A federal judge in Seattle last week issued a temporary restraining order putting the travel ban on hold. That suspension was upheld by an appeals court in San Francisco on Thursday, raising questions about Trump&#39;s next step.

In a surprise visit with reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Florida from Washington, Trump said he was considering &quot;a brand new order&quot; that could be issued as soon as Monday or Tuesday if he decides to move in that direction.

Trump&#39;s order, which he called a national security measure meant to head off attacks by Islamist militants, barred people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering for 90 days and all refugees for 120 days, except refugees from Syria, who are banned indefinitely.

President Trump tweeted on the travel ban, once again taking a pot shot at the judiciary.

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Our legal system is broken! &quot;77% of refugees allowed into U.S. since travel reprieve hail from seven suspect countries.&quot; (WT) SO DANGEROUS!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/830389130311921667">February 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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On Air Force One, Trump said regarding the 9th Circuit court fight: &quot;We will win that battle. The unfortunate part is that it takes time statutorily ... We need speed for reasons of security.&quot;

In separate remarks, Trump also said that Iran President Hassan Rouhani &quot;better be careful&quot; after Rouhani was quoted as saying that anyone who speaks to Iranians with threats would regret it.

Trump was asked about Rouhani&#39;s reported remarks to a rally in Tehran to celebrate the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.

Rouhani was quoted in media reports as saying Iran had shown in the 38 years since the revolution that &quot;it will make anyone who speaks to Iranians with the language of threats regret it&quot;.

&quot;He better be careful,&quot; Trump said.

Trump, on February 2, had put Iran &quot;on notice&quot; over charges that Tehran violated a nuclear deal with the West by test-firing a ballistic missile, taking an aggressive posture toward Iran that could raise tensions in the region.
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Transcribed interview of President Trump onboard Air Force One:

TRUMP: &quot;Hello, everybody. Everything good? Press conference, good? I think it was great, huh? Really good. Are you comfortable?

REPORTER: &quot;Can you talk about some of what you said?&quot;

TRUMP: &quot;Some what?&quot;

REPORTER: &quot;Some of what you said in the press conference.&quot;

TRUMP: &quot;Sure.&quot;

REPORTER: &quot;You spoke about you--, you, you&#39;re going to win this--, this court battle against the--, the-, the immigration travel ban.&quot;

TRUMP: &quot;We will win that battle. The unfortunate part is it takes time statutorily. So, it takes a little time. We&#39;ll win that battle but we also have a lot of other options, including just filing a brand new order on Monday.&quot;

REPORTER: &quot;Is that your plan to--&quot;

TRUMP: &quot;Could very well be. But I like to keep you, you know, I like to surprise you. We need speed for reasons of security, so it could very well be that we do that.&quot;

REPORTER: &quot;What are some of the changes that you are looking at?&quot;

TRUMP: &quot;Very little. Just--, in honor of the decision we will, perhaps, do that. We&#39;ll see. But, Monday or Tuesday.&quot;

REPORTER: &quot;You talked about new security measures. Is that separate from, potentially, running a new--&quot;

TRUMP: &quot;We&#39;re going to have very, very strong vetting. I call it extreme vetting and we&#39;re going to have very strong security in our country. We are going to have people come into our country that want to be here for good reasons.&quot;

REPORTER: &quot;What do you think of reports, Mr. President--. What do you make of reports that General Flynn had conversations with the Russians about sanctions before you were sworn-in?&quot;

TRUMP: &quot;I don&#39;t know about it. I haven&#39;t seen it. What report is that? I haven&#39;t seen it.&quot;

REPORTER: &quot;(Unintelligible) reporting that he talked to the ambassador of Russia before you were inaugurated about sanctions being--&quot;

TRUMP: &quot;I haven&#39;t seen that. I&#39;ll look at that.&quot;

REPORTER: &quot;Mr. President, what is your response to the Iranian president who, earlier today, told people that any--, any nation that threatens the nation of Iran is going to regret it eventually.&quot;

TRUMP: &quot;He better be careful. Thank you. Thank you very much.&quot;

(Reuters)
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Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump had a message for the Iranian president - 'better be careful'

US President Donald Trump said late on Friday (February 10) aboard Air Force One that he is considering issuing a revised travel ban executive order, after the initial order was rejected by an appeal court a day earlier. In a step that triggered the most serious legal confrontation yet for the new Republican administration, Trump two weeks ago issued an executive order banning entry into the United States by refugees and citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries, triggering nationwide protests and legal challenges. A federal judge in Seattle last week issued a temporary restraining order putting the travel ban on hold. That suspension was upheld by an appeals court in San Francisco on Thursday, raising questions about Trump's next step. In a surprise visit with reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Florida from Washington, Trump said he was considering "a brand new order" that could be issued as soon as Monday or Tuesday if he decides to move in that direction. Trump's order, which he called a national security measure meant to head off attacks by Islamist militants, barred people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering for 90 days and all refugees for 120 days, except refugees from Syria, who are banned indefinitely. President Trump tweeted on the travel ban, once again taking a pot shot at the judiciary. Our legal system is broken! "77% of refugees allowed into U.S. since travel reprieve hail from seven suspect countries." (WT) SO DANGEROUS! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2017 × On Air Force One, Trump said regarding the 9th Circuit court fight: "We will win that battle. The unfortunate part is that it takes time statutorily ... We need speed for reasons of security." In separate remarks, Trump also said that Iran President Hassan Rouhani "better be careful" after Rouhani was quoted as saying that anyone who speaks to Iranians with threats would regret it. Trump was asked about Rouhani's reported remarks to a rally in Tehran to celebrate the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. Rouhani was quoted in media reports as saying Iran had shown in the 38 years since the revolution that "it will make anyone who speaks to Iranians with the language of threats regret it". "He better be careful," Trump said. Trump, on February 2, had put Iran "on notice" over charges that Tehran violated a nuclear deal with the West by test-firing a ballistic missile, taking an aggressive posture toward Iran that could raise tensions in the region. Transcribed interview of President Trump onboard Air Force One: TRUMP: "Hello, everybody. Everything good? Press conference, good? I think it was great, huh? Really good. Are you comfortable? REPORTER: "Can you talk about some of what you said?" TRUMP: "Some what?" REPORTER: "Some of what you said in the press conference." TRUMP: "Sure." REPORTER: "You spoke about you--, you, you're going to win this--, this court battle against the--, the-, the immigration travel ban." TRUMP: "We will win that battle. The unfortunate part is it takes time statutorily. So, it takes a little time. We'll win that battle but we also have a lot of other options, including just filing a brand new order on Monday." REPORTER: "Is that your plan to--" TRUMP: "Could very well be. But I like to keep you, you know, I like to surprise you. We need speed for reasons of security, so it could very well be that we do that." REPORTER: "What are some of the changes that you are looking at?" TRUMP: "Very little. Just--, in honor of the decision we will, perhaps, do that. We'll see. But, Monday or Tuesday." REPORTER: "You talked about new security measures. Is that separate from, potentially, running a new--" TRUMP: "We're going to have very, very strong vetting. I call it extreme vetting and we're going to have very strong security in our country. We are going to have people come into our country that want to be here for good reasons." REPORTER: "What do you think of reports, Mr. President--. What do you make of reports that General Flynn had conversations with the Russians about sanctions before you were sworn-in?" TRUMP: "I don't know about it. I haven't seen it. What report is that? I haven't seen it." REPORTER: "(Unintelligible) reporting that he talked to the ambassador of Russia before you were inaugurated about sanctions being--" TRUMP: "I haven't seen that. I'll look at that." REPORTER: "Mr. President, what is your response to the Iranian president who, earlier today, told people that any--, any nation that threatens the nation of Iran is going to regret it eventually." TRUMP: "He better be careful. Thank you. Thank you very much." (Reuters)

Aboard Air Force One: Trump mulls 'brand new order' to revise travel ban

US President-elect Donald Trump called for the cancellation of a multi-billion dollar contract with Boeing to build the next Air Force One, calling the inflating costs &quot;totally out of control&rdquo;.

&quot;Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!&quot; he tweeted.

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Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/806134244384899072">December 6, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Trump&#39;s tweet come close on the heels of&nbsp;the aerospace giant&#39;s chief executive&nbsp;Dennis Muilenburg expressing concerns on the anti-trade rehtoric voiced by Trump. Trump has&nbsp;vowed to withdraw fromt the Trans-Pacific Partenrship. He has also slammed the North American Free trade Agreement in the past for draining American jobs.&nbsp;

About 75 percent of the planemaker&rsquo;s near-record order backlog is bound for overseas customers, The Chicago Tribune reported.

When Boeing was first asked to do the job in January 2015, the cost of converting two 747-8 jumbo jets to state-of-the-art luxury command centers by 2024 was estimated $3 billion.

Trump&#39;s tweet caused the shares of Boeing stock to&nbsp;fall nearly $2 a share before markets opened on Tuesday, The Washington Post reported.&nbsp;

The light blue and white liveried jets, with &nbsp;&quot;United States of America&quot; emblazoned on the fuselage and an American flag on the tail, are known to be a powerful symbol of US might.

But the current &nbsp;747-200s, first ordered by Ronald Reagan and put into service in 1990, are reported to be getting old.

The country&rsquo;s Air Force issued the first of a series of contracts for the project to build new ones, beginning this year.

It, however, was a $25.7 million effort to look at ways to cut the costs of fielding the next presidential aircraft, news agency AFP reported.

But the cost projections have reportedly risen.

&quot;I think Boeing is doing a little bit of a number. We want Boeing to make a lot of money, but not that much money,&quot; the president-elect told reporters at Trump Tower, his Manhattan headquarters, AFP reported.

&quot;We are currently under contract for $170 million to help determine the capabilities of these complex military aircraft that serve the unique requirements of the President of the United States,&quot; Boeing said in statement, not referring to Trump&rsquo;s comments directly, AFP reported.

&quot;We look forward to working with the US Air Force on subsequent phases of the program allowing us to deliver the best planes for the president at the best value for the American taxpayer,&quot; Boeing said.

Following Trump&rsquo;s comments, the White House said that it does not know where Trump got his figure of more than $4 billion from.

&quot;Some of the statistics that have been cited, shall we say, don&rsquo;t appear to reflect the nature of the financial arrangement between Boeing and the Department of Defense,&quot; White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters.

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP and Reuters)

The tweet comes soon after Boeing's CEO Muilenburg expressed concerns on the anti-trade rehtoric voiced by Trump

US President-elect Donald Trump called for the cancellation of a multi-billion dollar contract with Boeing to build the next Air Force One, calling the inflating costs "totally out of control”. "Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!" he tweeted. Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 6, 2016 × Trump's tweet come close on the heels of the aerospace giant's chief executive Dennis Muilenburg expressing concerns on the anti-trade rehtoric voiced by Trump. Trump has vowed to withdraw fromt the Trans-Pacific Partenrship. He has also slammed the North American Free trade Agreement in the past for draining American jobs. About 75 percent of the planemaker’s near-record order backlog is bound for overseas customers, The Chicago Tribune reported. When Boeing was first asked to do the job in January 2015, the cost of converting two 747-8 jumbo jets to state-of-the-art luxury command centers by 2024 was estimated $3 billion. Trump's tweet caused the shares of Boeing stock to fall nearly $2 a share before markets opened on Tuesday, The Washington Post reported. The light blue and white liveried jets, with "United States of America" emblazoned on the fuselage and an American flag on the tail, are known to be a powerful symbol of US might. But the current 747-200s, first ordered by Ronald Reagan and put into service in 1990, are reported to be getting old. The country’s Air Force issued the first of a series of contracts for the project to build new ones, beginning this year. It, however, was a $25.7 million effort to look at ways to cut the costs of fielding the next presidential aircraft, news agency AFP reported. But the cost projections have reportedly risen. "I think Boeing is doing a little bit of a number. We want Boeing to make a lot of money, but not that much money," the president-elect told reporters at Trump Tower, his Manhattan headquarters, AFP reported. "We are currently under contract for $170 million to help determine the capabilities of these complex military aircraft that serve the unique requirements of the President of the United States," Boeing said in statement, not referring to Trump’s comments directly, AFP reported. "We look forward to working with the US Air Force on subsequent phases of the program allowing us to deliver the best planes for the president at the best value for the American taxpayer," Boeing said. Following Trump’s comments, the White House said that it does not know where Trump got his figure of more than $4 billion from. "Some of the statistics that have been cited, shall we say, don’t appear to reflect the nature of the financial arrangement between Boeing and the Department of Defense," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters. (WION with inputs from AFP and Reuters)

Trump calls for cancellation of new Air Force One order, says costs 'out of control'

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Opinion: On Obama, Trump, Air Force One and Jokes

US President Donald Trump leaves for Asia with heavy domestic baggage

Aboard Air Force One: Trump mulls 'brand new order' to revise travel ban

Trump calls for cancellation of new Air Force One order, says costs 'out of control'