President Trump is predicting Republicans will do surprisingly well during this fall's midterm elections.

During the course of a wide-ranging pool spray Friday morning on the White House lawn, Trump said the U.S. economy "is the strongest in the history of the nation."

"That’s why I think we’re going to do so well in the midterms," Trump told reporters. "That and because — wait, that and because we have the strongest economy in the history of our nation. We have the best jobs numbers in the last 44 years, top of Drudge. The best job numbers in 44 years.”

The president was addressing questions about the controversial policy of separating children of illegal aliens from their parents when they are caught at the U.S. southern border. Trump said the policy is a Democratic law that he "hates" and would like to change it today.

Here's a transcript:

REPORTER: “Mr. President, why did Jeff Sessions announce —“

TRUMP: “The children, the children can be taken care of quickly, beautifully and immediately. The Democrats forced that law upon our nation. I hate it. I hate to see separation of parents and children. The Democrats can come to us, as they actually are, in all fairness, we are talking to them, and they can change the whole border security. We need a wall. We need border security. We’ve got to get rid of catch and release. You catch a criminal, you take his name, you release him and he never shows up again, he goes into our society. And then we end up getting him in a different way, oftentimes after he’s killed somebody. We’ve got to change our laws. The Democrats have control because we don’t have the votes. The Republicans need — we need more Republicans frankly, and that’s why I think we’re going to do so well in the midterms. That and because — wait, that and because we have the strongest economy in the history of our nation. We have the best jobs numbers in the last 44 years, top of Drudge. The best job numbers in 44 years.”



RELATED:

— Trump on Border Policy: ‘I Hate the Children Being Taken Away’

— Deutsch on Trump’s Immigration Policy: ‘Literally, We Have Become the Bad Guys’

— Trump on Cohen: I Don’t Care If He Cooperates, ‘I Did Nothing Wrong’

— Trump on IG Report: ‘The Mueller Investigation Has Been Totally Discredited’

— Trump on IG Report: ‘It Totally Exonerates Me’