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But now for the real reason, and a reason I'm very proud of because he's been my friend for a long time with swearing in our next ambassador to the People's Republic of China. What timing, David? What timing? Only you could have picked this timing. I picked him a long time ago, but it's just happened to come due on a pretty important date. But our friend, David Perdue, Senator David Perdue, joining David this afternoon, or his incredible wife, Bonnie, has been at his side for a long time. Their sons, David and Blake, their daughter-in-law, Danielle, and daughter-in-law, Charlotte, and their grandsons, David, Hudson, and Jack. That's a beautiful family. Congratulations. I didn't think you had it in you, David. That's really something. That's pretty amazing. Look at that. Our new ambassador brings to this position a lifetime of experience at the highest levels of business and politics, and he is at the highest level. Over four decades in business he rose to lead several major American corporations, including, as the president and CEO of the footwear giant Reebok, where he did very well and did a great job, and later CEO of Dollar General. Likewise, he did a great job. David also lived and worked in Singapore and Hong Kong for several years, developing a wealth of experience negotiating and doing tremendous business deals for lots of different leaders that he worked with. Following his tremendous business success, as an executive, David stepped forward to serve America in government, and as we all know, in 2014 he was elected United States Senate in Georgia, and he was very popular, very respected from day one. He served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and was a tremendous partner to our administration during my first term. I dealt with him a lot, and he solved a lot of problems. Now I'm interesting David to help manage one of America's most complex and consequential foreign relationships, and I know he'll do a fantastic job. As our lead diplomat in Beijing, David will work to promote American interests and stability in the Indo-Pacific, help stop the flood of Chinese fentanyl across our borders, which we have to do. We lost, I believe, 300,000 people last year, seek fairness and reciprocity for the American worker, ensure the safety of our citizens overseas, and promote peace in the region and in the world. And I'm confident that he will do an exceptional job. He's an exceptional man, and make our country very proud, and make our country very safe, too. So David, I want to congratulate you. This is as big as it gets, and the timing is unbelievable, but it's time that we have somebody like this. This is a very, very extraordinary man, and you're going to do a fantastic job. And say hello to President Xi when you're over there, please. Okay? Thank you very much. Marco, would you do the service? Thank you. You stand here and raise your right hand. Raise your right hand. Aye. Stephen. Aye. David Perdue. Do solemnly swear. Do solemnly swear. That I will support and defend. That I will support and defend. The Constitution of the United States. The Constitution of the United States. Against all enemies. Against all enemies. Foreign and domestic. Foreign and domestic. That I will bear true faith. That I will bear true faith. And allegiance. And allegiance. That I will do the same. That I take this obligation freely. That I take this obligation freely. Without any mental reservation. Without any mental reservation. Or purpose of evasion. Or purpose of evasion. And that I will well. And that I will well. And faithfully discharge. And faithfully discharge. The duties of the office. The duties of the office. On which I am about to enter. On which I am about to enter. So help me God. So help me God. Congratulations. (applause) David, would you like to say something? Mr. President, I'm humbled to be in this office today. I love what you've done with this office. I like the Declaration of Independence. I want the world to know that I know this man personally. He loves this country, and I am glad to be your man in China. Thank you. Thank you, David. (applause) I think just for the sake of formality. Here we go, David. Come on up. Come on up here, Bonnie. That's what it's all about, right? And now we send you on your way. Lots of luck. Yes, sir. We're right behind you, David. We're important to seeing you over there, sir. Okay. Have a good time. Congratulations, everybody. -Thank you. -Congratulations.

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