The conference comes as the White House is juggling controversies on multiple fronts, including growing tension at the US-Mexico border where agents fired tear gas at travelling migrants – a move staunchly defended by Donald Trump — and recent developments from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election after former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was accused of lying to the FBI in violation of a recent plea deal.
During the press conference, Ms Sanders suggested that the Obama administration also allowed for the use of tear gas at the US-Mexico border, and said that Mr Trump would like to see the Mueller investigation come to its conclusion.
"Certainly the president has voiced his unhappiness from the beginning that this has gone on, this ridiculous witch hunt for two years, and we would like to see it come to a conclusion," Ms Sanders said when asked why the president appears uneasy with the looming release of the Mueller report, which will be delivered to the US attorney general.
Those concerns come just as the US economy shows signs of potential weakening, too, after General Motors announced thousands of layoffs this week amid ongoing tension over the president's harsh tariffs on foreign imports that have left major American industries in jeopardy as the cost of raw materials has surged. Meanwhile, on the international front, Russian aggression in Ukraine has put a spotlight on Mr Trump's relationship with the Kremlin as he has refused to condemn the aggression there.
Just at the end of the press conference, the president himself weighed in on Twitter to discuss the GM layoffs, and suggested that the company may see its subsidies for electric car production revoked. White House officials had indicated during the press conference that punishments may come for the auto maker over its thousands of layoffs.
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"Very disappointed with General Motors and their CEO, Mary Barra, for closing plants in Ohio, Michigan and Maryland. Nothing being closed in Mexico & China. The U.S. saved General Motors, and this is the THANKS we get! We are now looking at cutting all @GM subsidies, including for electric cars. General Motors made a big China bet years ago when they built plants there (and in Mexico) - don’t think that bet is going to pay off. I am here to protect America’s Workers!" Mr Trump tweeted.
Other topics covered during the press conference included the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi — US National Security Adviser John Bolton said he would not listen to a tape recording of the murder — and the recent US report on climate change, which Ms Sanders said the president does not believe is accurate.
Please read along for our coverage of the press conference, as it happened.
US National Economic Council director Larry Kudlow refused to say whether Mr Trump plans on punishing GM for laying off thousands of workers. Mr Trump has suggested that the automaker better open a new plant, but it is not clear what he might do in retaliation if the company does not do so.
"I'm going to leave that to him. You may find additional announcements coming on that topic," Mr Kudlow said.
US National Economic Council director Larry Kudlow has said that the US position on trade with China enjoys international support, and said that China should stop what he characterized as unfair trading practices that harm the US and European allies.
"There is broad based support for the American position here, which is China should change its practices and come into the community of responsible trading nations," he said. "They can do that, they're a major economy right now. It's not like they were 25 or 30 years ago. We would welcome it, the president has said that he would make a deal".
White House National Security Adviser John Bolton has been brought on to discuss the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was brutally murdered by individuals connected to the Saudi Arabian government. Mr Trump has refused to punish Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman for the killing, and has cited Saudi oil as a reason for letting that government of the hook.
White House National Security Adviser John Bolton is now discussing what Mr Trump may discuss with Russian President Vladimir Putin in an upcoming meeting.
He said that the discussions earlier in the year in Helsinki will likely be revisited, and mentioned security apparatus cooperation.
He refused to respond to shouted questions from journalists on whether the president will discuss Russian aggression in Ukraine that has been reignited recently.
White House National Security Adviser John Bolton has been asked if Mr Trump will condemn Russian aggression in Ukraine, and whether it was an act of war. Mr Bolton demurred.
"Ambassador Haley... spoke for the United States yesterday at the UN Security Council and we're going to stand by that statement", Mr Bolton said.
White House National Security Adviser John Bolton says that he has not listened to the taped recording of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and said that he is not sure what he will learn from listening.
"The president has spoken to our position on this issue, he's spoken very clearly and that is our position," he said.
He then said that CIA Director Gina Haspel is not being instructed not to speak to senators about that recording.
White House National Security Adviser John Bolton has been asked if the White House has any reason to think the Chinese position on contentious trading issues might be changed when the presidents of both countries meet at the upcoming G20 meeting.
Mr Bolton cited a warm relationship between the two presidents, but did not give any further specifics or promises.
Ms Sanders has referred questions about Paul Manafort's recently reported meetings with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange just months before a major trove of Democratic emails were published on that website to Mr Manafort's lawyers. The meeting were first reported in The Guardian.
Asked if the White House remains confident that Trump associates did not coordinate with Russian efforts to meddle in the 2016 campaigns, Ms Sanders defended the president.
"Certainly remain confident in the White House's assertion that the president was involved in no wrongdoing," Ms Sanders said.
Ms Sanders has said that it is unfortunate if migrant women or children at the border were hit with tear gas, and suggested that tear gas was used regularly during the Obama administration.
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