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Despite praising Conan repeatedly, Trump never touched the dog in front of the press.

\"We were going to put a muzzle on the dog -- and I thought that was a good idea. But then he gets even more violent,\" he said.

\"Conan is really a hero,\" Pence said, scratching behind Conan's ears. \"It's really, it's a real joy to be able to help walk him here to the White House.\"

As the event ended, a member of the press corps asked the first lady if she would adopt the dog for Barron, the couple's 13-year-old son. The president and first lady smiled and laughed, but Melania Trump said \"no.\"

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