There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns - the ones we don't know we don't know.

Know that the immediate staff and others in the Administration will assume that your manner, tone and tempo reflect the President's.

If you are working from your inbox, you are working on other people’s priorities.

Don't think of yourself as indispensable or infallible. As Charles De Gaulle said, the cemeteries of the world are full of indispensable men.

If you can't solve a problem, make it bigger.

You're thinking of Europe as Germany and France. I don't. I think that's old Europe.

... something under $50 billion for the cost. How much of that would be the U.S. burden, and how much would be other countries, is an open question.