Transcript for President signs proclamations modifying national monuments

It. Other analysts and look. Okay. And firm handshake there from the president of the United States and some lawmakers there in due time put his signature on his Patti also put signature on this very important documents as a presidential. Proclamations. Modifying the national monument status. As to national monuments there in the state. At noon time at the state capital everyone I'm on the buys within walking through what happened there and why it matters also some of the other big headlines we're following around. DC today he saw there at the results of a long review president trump had asked his interior secretary Ryan thinking to carry out looking out. At 27. Different national monuments this is the first modification. To come as a result of that review one in gull. To the room now my colleague glory or there is there at the Utah State Capitol she's traveling weighed the president Gloria Freddie went. Catching up on the headlines today this is not what of the president's stated agenda priority so why is this. Coming now what's the significance. This decision today. Well it is very significant in fact it is the first time in more than half a century. That a president has attempted announcing they succeeded in reversing. Those proclamations on some national monuments your you saw him sign that presidential proclamation and there is your national monument down. We have been told prior to this speech that he can now share with you the bear is here eighth grade us. Was at one point 35 million acres that's now going to go down to 230. Q2 hundred. 130. Does an acre. What you side immediately after he signed a proclamation were cheers and chants. That's four more years this is filled with several Republican state. Lawmakers that they have been pushing their senators senator Orrin hatch. To do something about it before the president at this stage senator hatch introduced him by saying he with the the end of the Obama administration he says he was blind sided. When President Obama has established as one point 35 million. Acres forebears years. Hatch said he immediately went to president have to try to do something about it. And what we got today it didn't mean he isn't radically changed the guys and bad air here is and the other one is the grand barricade at the line made the right. None of them now severely reduce. So Gloria help us understand a little bit but the practical impact of these designations are that change in the designations. Will be who benefits from this and who loses. Well immediately when the president came here today when he sent me thank you hear me I know how bad. You this land how men who loved his winning it did not meet all of his argument it's. By bureaucrats are so far away in Washington DC so immediately you're going to be a few things happen you're going to see this plan. Read opened. Raising and we saw a lot of cowboy hat here we are told there were several Rangers in the audience here today they will now be able to open up this land is raising her cattle known environmental and how to hobbling that they say that over raising causes severe. In environmental negative impact also defeated when opened up for recreational use. Today here to walk out I was just out on these plans recently last week it is quiet you're collecting outstanding people buried TV vehicles. You go out of hunting fishing and on this land so it won't be a very big difference when it. What you'll see in a very short time. The president also arguing that federal management restricted beat up he didn't mean is that these areas so you'll see. The infant back from project will likely get started. Improvements to roads in this area surrounded but essentially what it does the president argued it begins acting. State level you're going to see me areas managed now by the bureau of land management and the national forestry service. Those organizations have people on the ground here in you after they say can better listen to the locals for how this plan. We're there live there with the president in Utah Gloria hello this is the second and they're with the president would love to come back you to see we have a reaction on some of these other headlines. But over at the White House my colleague Jordan Phelps joins us live as well and Jordan wanna ask you we saw president trump there winds senators Orrin hatch senator Michael Meeks. Two other Republican senators who helped to bring him one step closer to his first be legislative wind what are we hearing from the White House. On how tax reform will move forward from now. Yet that's right I'm that the president saying this brings him one step closer to delivering that Christmas present to the American people in the form of tax relief. Eileen out here at the White House they're actually was a major victory over the weekend bringing them one step closer today S and that the bill passed the senate. Now there are still major differences between house and the senate version that of course have to be reconciled. At we don't know at this point whether it's gonna go back in conference I'm at this point. I'm but of course though is that those issues still have to be resolved. When Jordan I want to ask you also about another bit of news they've got today it's been something the president come hasn't addressed it directly until. Today and that is a special election that's coming up just eight days away in Alabama. Of course Roy Moore is a Republican candidate there who faces several. Accusations of sexual assault and misconduct I years ago in Alabama and pat the president finally way and all is growing more and endorse him what are we hearing from the White House about fat. Yeah the president actually spoke to Roy Moore on his weight you talk on Air Force One today had a conversation with him where he. Expressed his support for Rory Moore I mean. It's really striking now to see the president really throwing his support. Foley. We know that the president has previously and made it you know comments about how Doug Jones could be bad but this of course and I noted ball endorsement. Didn't doing doing anything about why the endorsement is coming down now widely viewed senator or her starring that I candid first senate's. Roy ray Meyer as an important part of this plan moving forward. Yeah I'm that one thing about the tiny here that's interesting as it's coming on the same day that act a lot of the headline they're talking about the Russian investigation. I we now of course on Friday that plane and made a plea agreement ad in a special counsel's case I spell it you know the president. Ask for one Parton may very well want to detract from that story line that continues to. Dog this White House so and that it's possible that that factored and and it's head to the White House is calculation here. Let me ask you a little bit about some of the tweets from over the weekend to there where a flurry some of them attacking. Hillary Clinton some attack in the FBI it seemed as well there was one in particular wanted to ask you about maybe we can bring it out here. It came from the presidents Twitter account and it went back to sort of explaining his reasoning for firing. Then. His national security advisor general Flynn this of course comes on the heels of course. The breaking news on Friday when general playing at pleaded guilty to one charge. Of lying to the FBI in this tweet we saw president trump. Tweet that he lied to both the vice president and the FBI that was general plan and that was why the president had to fired and that of course contradicts the long held White House story. That's Flynn who was fired solely for lying to vice president pence what are we hearing from the white house on that now. Yes the light at the president rather appear to make an explosive and missed and I that he Neil plane had lied. To the FBI before he fired him and that that was one of the reasons of course that does not track with the story we only knew from the White House that. I hit hired him because he misled the vice president. At we've heard from the president's personal lawyer now. I explain that and the president did not add that he actually drafted this tweet not the president's head of the president's lawyer taking the fall for that we. I'm. Ration out there and they're offering now on that is that. At the president only meal at that plane had offered the same phony story TU FBI agents as he had offered the vice president. At but that trump legal team argues that because the president did not it was not characterized by the Department of Justice. At eight why the president did not know that Flynt have liked the FBI at the time so they're really threading a needle here. I eighths and basically laying out that yes the president get hungry then some believe that plane had given the FBI and cracked information. But because the DOJ had and care crisis that's they say the president I did it now. And you're just to be clear here the explanation for that specific tweet is that it did not in fact come. From the president but rather from his personal attorney is that correct. Yes his personal attorney John dowdy taking up fall for this. I saying that he drafted that tweet and then think it to the president's national media director I'd dance gave me now. I they're not going into you act directly whether or not it innocent that we or whether the president himself. But of course I'm that it goes without saying that the White House had pet has sat on multiple occasions that the president's tweets are officials' statements. This tweet still stands on the president's Twitter feed out this moment so at the White House is not retracted that statement or offered any clarification. Even if the president's lawyer hat so notable that. That this is still adding an official statement from the president of the unites states at this moment. And not to build on too deeply on this it just also the clarification have we ever had an instance in which the president's attorney has come for it to say. That was my tweet not the president's. It now and I don't think that any of the president's attorneys if there are at it they're worth their weight are recommending and that the president we on this topic. This is obviously something that it lawyer when you want at the president's that we on. And picked out in this case saying you know love I'm out of that the tweeting bits that I it was a mistake I'm obviously this. This is a bit of a fishy acts when he sent it doesn't seem to make sense that doubt what happens at this tweet out but that's the explain to their offering on the. Jordan Phelps at the White House there I think we still have Gloria Rivera when that's over at the Utah State Capitol glory you are traveling win the presidents. How we heard anything else from him on any of these headlines about the possibilities of tax reform moving for me some mention it. In the speech right there about Roy Moore or anything else about general plea and admission and doubts. President front kept is almost. Strictly CDC today about those national monuments in the beginning and his agent. This guy just a few minutes ago he said that he would be delivering even being beautiful actress for American. Bike racing season that got. Very likely to happen that reflect pop and is on the part of the White House lawmakers in. GOP lawmakers in both the house and the senate has that they feel the odds are good they would get packed. I remember there are hurdles ahead but the house and the senate have to reconcile the differences in their bills and some of it didn't. Some of those differences are significant they've got to get that done they say they can do it they they didn't get embers into the president's death. So he can sign it might think that this is a big December for the this event here and you know maybe next holiday packed them. For the country as a public hearing you got any others that the other eight and winds thinking was looking at night. 27 saying that it's really across the west. There are more steps ahead in thinking once again he's so the president needs signing president approximately fifty patients restricting the size of this monument. In several other states. Hearing today and into the afternoon I'm the first proclamation on various here is thick crowd erupted in these. More years vacancy the president at least taking some time to celebrate the tax reform and hearings got this live on national line. Lying there alive let that happen the president today. In new top thanks to Gloria thanks also to Jordan Phelps over at the White House and thanks to you for watching. You wanna get more on any of these stories head over to abcnews.com. Any time or download ABC news act. Get all the breaking news headlines right to your phone for now on mom and Abbas cannot see you back here since.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.