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(CNSNews.com) - President Donald Trump said in his press briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic on Saturday that he wants to see American sports fans back in arenas and stadiums as soon as it is safely possible to do that---and that he knows that is what Americans want also.

“And the fans want to be back, too,” Trump said. “You know, they want to see basketball and baseball and football and hockey. They want to see their sports. They want to go out onto the golf courses and breath nice clean beautiful fresh air.”

Earlier in the day, Trump had held a conference call with the commissioners of the nation’s professional athletic leagues—including the commissioners of the NBA, MLB and NFL.

“These are all the great leaders of sport, and they want to get back, they got to get back. They can’t do this,” Trump said in his opening statement.

“Their sports weren’t designed for it. The whole concept of our nation wasn’t designed for it,” Trump said.

“We’re going to have to get back. We want to get back soon—very soon,” he said.

Later, when the briefing was opened to questions, a reporter asked Trump: “Can you talk about your call with the sports commissioners? Did you say you’d like to see people back, fans back in arenas in as soon as August?”

“Absolutely, I want fans back in the arenas,” Trump said. “I think it’s--

“In August, sir,” the reporter interrupted. “Will that be safe?”

“No, by whenever we’re ready,” Trump said. “I mean, as soon as we can, obviously.

“And the fans want to be back, too,” Trump said. “You know, they want to see basketball, and baseball, and football, and hockey. They want to see their sports. They want to go out onto the golf courses and breath nice clean beautiful fresh air.”

The reporter then asked Trump: “When do you think that people can be back based on the science--"

“I can’t tell you a date, but I think it is going to be sooner rather than later,” said Trump.

“But, and you know, we are not going to have separation for the rest of the times on our planet. We need it for this period of time,” Trump said.

“But eventually, people are going to be able to occupy those seats in arenas, next to each other, like we have for all of my life and all of your life” he said.

“They are going to be close together, but they are going to be breathing air that is not infected, that is not going to kill people,” said Trump.

Another reporter then asked Trump: “Since you’re not committing to pack the stadiums by August what are your contingency plans?”

“Well, I am not committing to it. I’m not committing to it. We’re going to see where we are. That would be great if we could,” Trump said.

“But we are going to be back to good health soon, in my opinion,” Trump said. “We’re making a lot of progress, and we’re making progress because as Tony [Fauci] told the story about the restaurant, about how they were separated sort of automatically, people are doing that. People are doing that. They are staying in their homes. They do not want to go out. They are doing what they know is the right thing to do. It is not very complicated. It’s in many ways, it’s a very beautiful thing to see.”

Here are transcripts from the two parts of President Trump’s press conference where he talked about when spectator sports will start up again:

President Donald Trump: “We have to open our country again. We have to open our country again. We don’t want to be doing this for months and months and months. We are going to open our country again. This country wasn’t meant for this. Few were. Few were. But we have to open our country again.

"I just spoke with the commissioners, leaders, I would say of virtually all of the sports leagues—Rob Manfred, commissioner of baseball, Major League Baseball; Roger Goodell, commissioner of the National Football League; Adam Silver, commissioner of the National Basketball Association; Gary Bettman, commissioner of the National Hockey League; Jay Monohan, commissioner of the PGA tour; Cathy Engelbert, commissioner of the Women’s National Basketball Association; Dana White, the Ultimate Fighting Championship; Vince McMahon, president of the WWE; Don Garber, commissioner of Major League Soccer; Steve Phelps, president of NASCAR; Michael Whan, commissioner of the LPGA; Roger Penske, founder and chairman of Penske Corp.; and Drew Fleming, president of the Breeders Cup. And there were a couple of others on. And these are all the great leaders of sport, and they want to get back, they got to get back. They can’t do this. Their sports weren’t designed for it.

"The whole concept of our nation wasn’t designed for it. We’re going to have to get back. We want to get back soon—very soon.:

.......

President Trump: “We have to open our country. You know, I had an expression: The cure can’t be worse than the problem itself. Right. I started by saying that, and I continue to say it. The cure cannot be worse than the problem itself. We got t get our country open.”

Reporter: “Re-opening. Can you talk about your call with the sports commissioners? Did you say you’d like to see people back, fans back in arenas in as soon as August?"

Trump: "Absolutely, I want fans back in the arenas. I think it’s--"

Reporter: "In August, sir. Will that be safe?"

Trump: "No, by whenever we’re ready. I mean, as soon as we can, obviously. And the fans want to be back, too. You know, they want to see basketball, and baseball, and football, and hockey. They want to see their sports. They want to go out onto the golf courses and breath nice clean beautiful fresh air."

Reporter: “When do you think that people can be back based on the science--"

Trump: “I can’t tell you a date, but I think it is going to be sooner rather than later. But, and you know, we are not going to have separation for the rest of the times on our planet. We need it for this period of time.

"But eventually, people are going to be able to occupy those seats in arenas, next to each other, like we have for all of my life and all of your life. They want to sit next to each other at restaurants. They don’t want to be, you know, six feet away. Some restaurant man called up, he said: You know, I’m worried, because I have a small restaurant with not that many seats. I think he said 120. He said: If I practice what this is, I am down to 30 seats. I can’t make it. I said: Don’t worry about it. That’s for a short period of time. We’ll be back to your number of seats.

"We can’t do that otherwise you’re making everything—that means your stadium is half the size of what it was a month ago. No, no. They are going to be close together, but they are going to be breathing air that is not infected, that is not going to kill people.

"Please."

Reporter: “Since you’re not committing to pack the stadiums by August what are your contingency plans—

Trump: “Well, I am not committing to it. I’m not committing to it. We’re going to see where we are. That would be great if we could. But we are going to be back to good health soon, in my opinion. We’re making a lot of progress, and we’re making progress because as Tony told the story about the restaurant, about how they were separated sort if automatically, people are doing that. People are doing that. They are staying in their homes. They do not want to go out. They are doing what they know is the right thing to do. It is not very complicated. It’s in many ways, it’s a very beautiful thing to see.”