Trump praised House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and his joint fundraising committee, Take Back the House. “My Kevin is always on my side,” he said, and talked about him becoming speaker one day.

Rep. Greg Pence (Ind.), who is the brother of Vice President Mike Pence, was also in attendance. “I know a guy who looks like you,” Trump joked. “How did you get that good of a seat in here ya cheap-o?”

Trump mentioned the Alabama Senate race, where former Attorney General Jeff Sessions is considering jumping in. “Question for Gary Palmer: who is gonna win Alabama? Don’t tell me Sessions. Is it gonna be the coach?”

The president reflected on the shooting of House Minority Whip Steve Scalise a few years ago and remarked how tough the Louisiana Republican is – and Trump quipped he wouldn’t recommend getting shot as a weight loss plan. Trump also said Scalise’s wife “cried her eyes out when I met her at the hospital that fateful day … I mean not many wives would react that way to tragedy, I know mine wouldn’t.”