Trump admin updates: US military is preparing for possible activation of National Guard in DC

Ever the developer-in-chief, Trump made a surprise appearance on the White House roof above the briefing room, apparently inspecting future construction.

The media, which had been pushed significantly down the driveway, attempted to figure out what was going on.

"Mr. President, what are you doing up there?"

"Just taking a little walk," he shouted back.

"What are you building?"

"It goes with the ballroom, which is on the other side," he said.

Pressed again by reporters Trump replied "something beautiful” while pantomiming with his hands.

Trump said it was "Just more ways to spend my money," adding "Just more ways to spend my money for the country."

"Anything I do is financed by me," he stressed.

The president was accompanied by a small group of aides and Secret Service. The group included architect Jim McCrery, who has been commissioned to add Trump's ballroom to the White House. The two men appeared engaged in intense conversation as they surveyed the grounds -- with lots of animated pointing.

"What are you trying to build?" one reporter shouted.

"Missiles," Trump responded, presumably joking. "Nuclear missiles," he repeated while making the gesture of a rocket launching.

-ABC News’ Mary Bruce and Lalee Ibssa

When asked how exactly the U.S. is going to enforce the terms of the foreign trade deals to make sure these promised investments actually happen, President Donald Trump brushed off concern but noted that if they don't make the investments, their tariff rate will increase.

Well, then they pay tariffs for 35%," Trump said on CNBC Tuesday when asked what happens if the European Union investments don't happen.

Trump also insisted that the investments are not loans.

When asked about the details of what that $600 billion investment will go to, Trump said it will go to "anything" he wants.

"The details are $600 billion to invest in anything I want, anything I can do, anything I want, whether and the purpose was, they've been, you know, ripping us for so many years that it's time that they pay up, and they have to pay up," Trump said.

-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart

Trump revealed in a CNBC interview Tuesday that he was deciding between four people to replace Fed Chair Jerome Powell when his term finishes next May.

Trump indicated that two of the men on his list are named Kevin: Kevin Warsh, a current Fed Board governor, and the Director of the National Economic Council Kevin Hassett.

The president claimed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told him he didn't want to lead the Fed when Trump asked him.

He also celebrated the decision from Dr. Adriana Kugler, the Federal Reserve Governor, to resign on Friday, calling it a "pleasant surprise."

-ABC News' Lalee Ibssa and Michelle Stoddart

President Donald Trump defended his decision Tuesday morning to fire the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, calling Friday’s jobs report “very political,” without offering any evidence of his claims.

"It's totally rigged. Smart people know it. People with common sense know it. And a lot of people like to keep their head under the covers," Trump said when asked what evidence he had to support his claims.

Trump kept pointing to an argument that the job numbers looked good before the election and then were revised downward after the election for the basis of his claims; however, a large downward revision happened in August, well before the election.

-ABC News' Lalee Ibssa and Michelle Stoddart