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Now it goes without saying it is, of course a pivotal year for US politics, as President Biden former President Trump face off in a twenty twenty presidential election rematch in November. Of course, so this year plenty of voters to think about it course when November comes around, with economic issues including the cost of living at the forefront for many, very pleased to say right now to talk about all these issues, and a trade mission to Europe.
Glenn Youngkin, the Governor of Virginia visiting Europe on this trade mission. It's the third international trade mission, then, Governor, for you in your role Germany, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, how do you define success on a mission like this?
Well, first of all, thank you for having me, and we have had a tremendous trip to Europe. We've seen great companies, we've seen political leaders, and success for US
is defined first by deepening relationships. We have a number of great companies that have been in Virginia for thirty forty fifty years that are headquartered in Europe but have their US headquarters or manufacturing in Virginia, but also new relationships and it's also been a great time for us to meet new companies that are interested in coming to Virginia, and we've had a couple of really interesting, great announcements four hundred million dollars investment in Virginia yesterday out of
Denmark with one hundred and fifty new jobs. But on top of that, we've also been able to glean real insight into macro trends. And of course I've heard tom over and over again about the tremendous risk of China and the need to be invested in the US, the need to make sure that power is reliable and affordable and increasingly clean. And of course talent is at the forefront of all discussions, and Virginians of the home to the best talent in the nation, and that's why people want to be there.
Really really interesting. Of course, you have the economic performance of the US as well, the inflation Redutch, and I want to in terms of the reliably Lizzy question, Gulf is the un still reliable? Still be reliable off in November? If you get a President Trump in office. There's deep concern we know this in European capituls about where President Trump stands on things like NATO on Ukraine on trade. Indeed, has that been the topic that's come up? Is that concerned justified?
Well? I think people look back at the rip roaring economy that was built during the last Trump administration and would fully expect that President Trump, should he be elected, would build a rip ring economy again. And of course, the challenges that we have in the US economy today are underpinned by high inflation and low growth. And I see it every day. Virginians are struggling, They're living paycheck to paycheck. The grocery store prices have gone up twenty
five percent over the last few years. Gas prices are up fifty percent. The silent thief of inflation is really causing challenges, and so we need the opposite. We need low and and high growth. I believe that's what President Trump built his last time. It's an economy that people remember very well, and that's the economy that we need
to make sure that international companies are investing into. And Tom, I think at the heart of this is the recognition that the threat of China around the world is driving particularly European businesses, to understand that trusted relationships supply chains in these most critical industries like semiconductors, like pharmaceuticals, like electric vehicle batteries, and the need for advanced storage are driving people to want to invest in the United States,
grow businesses in the United States, and deepen the already great relationships that we have.
And so therefore, presumably you would lolly against tariffs on European businesses on the European economy if that's what comes through from a President Trump.
Yeah, of course, the issue of tariff's is something that's was used effectively back in the Trump administration in establishing a real recognition that China was competing unfairly. China continues to compete unfairly, and it needs to be combated, and that's why the deep relationship with trusted allies is so important. Listen. The bottom line is we need to make sure that
open access to markets goes both directions. And one of the things I've enjoyed the most is the recognition from so many European businesses that investing in the United States and developing a strong platform for research and development, for manufacturing, for distribution, for aftermarket support is so important. You know, one of the things we've seen in Virginia which have been so exciting is the companies like steel from Germany
have been in Virginia for fifty years. Their US manufacturing hub is there, their headquarters is there, their service centers are there. And that's what I think, that's what companies are recognizing the US offers, and particularly Virginia.
Okay Governor on the politics of the US and with seeing this cools across campuses, universities across the US, not just in your homestead, but it's happened as well. We saw some vondence at at Virginia Commonwealth University en Richmond, not far from your governor's mentioned. What actions would you be prepared to take if that kind of vondnce flies up again.
Well, at the heart of this, first of all, is a real commitment to freedom of expression. It's in our First Amendment, in our Bill of Rights, to our Constitution. But it needs to be peaceful. And these demonstrations have crossed over peaceful in a big way. And what we've course seen is non students causing real problems, non students
inciting hate speech and anti Semitism and violence. And so we preemptively went to work with our Attorney General, Jason mars in Virginia law enforcement, leaders of our universities and colleges to make sure that we tried to preempt this. We would not allow encampments intents. We are not allowing hate speech, and if they're peaceful, then of course that's part of our constitutional right and part of the American fabric, but we can't allow hate speech, anti Semitism, and most importantly,
violence and disruption and threats. I think we've been effective in coordinating this, and I'm hopeful that we can continue to make sure that the safety on our university campus is paramount.
Former President Trump describing the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia of twenty seventeen that we will remember so stannically as peanuts compared to these university protests is not the right way to chounts rise it.
Well. I think one of the big priorities that we've had is to preempt and to make sure that violence doesn't even get started. And that's why this coordination early on with our Attorney General, with law enforcement, and with university leadership has been so important. And what we saw, of course at Virginia Commonwealth was a large introduction of outside element. They were bringing supplies. They actually brought water bottles that had been filled with bear spray. They were
organized to try to confront law enforcement. And I don't believe that's the students. I think that's outside influences, and that's why it's so important that we're coordinated in a preemptive way to make sure that everyone stays safe.
Are you worried more generally about political violence and civil unrest in and around the November general election in the US.
Well, again, I firmly believe that the ability to freely express one's views is so important. It's part of America, it's part of our constitutional freedoms and rights, and we
must protect those. But there are real boundaries, and when threats are made in violence ensues, then we can't allow that to happen, and we've seen that when it goes, when it goes unaddressed, we can have cerch situations like we saw up Columbia or we saw out in California this week, where violence ensues and we just can't allow
that to happen. Most importantly, there is an absolute safe place, a freedom of expression that we need to ensure, but we must draw boundaries on what we're not going to allow and intimidation, hates speech, and violence won't be allowed in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Another lightning rod issue for voters, it seems, is abortion reproductive rights in the US, and it seems like at the ballot voters are setting a pretty clear message that they want to keep reproductive rights. And you saw that in your own state, Virginia last year, voters telling you that Republicans are on the wrong side of this issue.
Well, first of all, this is an incredibly emotional and difficult topic across the United States, and with the Supreme Court ruling now two years ago on most states had taken up I think the appropriate responsibility what we tried to do in Virginia was fine common ground to find
a place that was reasonable. And I think that discussion is really important for us to have, and I'm committed to continue that discussion because I do think that it all starts with hearing one another and making sure that we first understand that, yes, this is an incredibly difficult topic, and second of all, there is a reasonable place to land, and that's the place that I can continue to work with our General Assembly in Virginia to try to
Find Governor Glen Youngkin, Governor of Virginia, really appreciate your time this morning as you wrap up that trade mission of course to your IT and we look for it's welcome you here in the UK at some point later this year, so thank you.