IMMELT: HERE'S HOW I LOOK AT INFRASTRUCTIURE IT BOTH CREATES JOBS IN AND OF ITSELF BUT IT ALSO MAKES US MORE PRODUCTIVE WHICH IS A GOOD THING. I LOOK AT TAX REFORM, CARL, AND SAY BASICALLY WHAT'S BEEN SITTING OUT THE PAST DECADE IS CAPITAL INVESTMENT BACK IN THE U.S. IT'S A GOOD CHANCE THAT TAX REFORM IS KIND OF THE MISSING INGREDIENT THAT CAN HELP DRIVE SOME OF THAT CAPITAL INVESTMENT BACK. THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A 3% GDP GROWTH U.S. AND 2% GDP GROWTH. WE HAVE HAD 0% INTEREST RATES FOR A DECADE NOW. IF YOU'RE A CONSUMER AND HAVE A JOB, YOU FEEL RICH. BUT THAT'S NOT ENOUGH TO CREATE THE KIND OF ECONOMIC GROWTH THAT I THINK THE PRESIDENT WANTS TO CREATE AND MOST PEOPLE WANT TO SEE. I THINK TAX REFORM IS ACTUALLY QUITE IMPORTANT WITH TERRITORIAL SYSTEM, REPATRIATION IS PART OF THAT.

QUINTANILLA: YOU SOUND OPTIMISTIC.

IMMELT: I'VE BEEN THROUGH EVERY CYCLE KNOWN TO MANKIND OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS. I THINK THE SENSE IS THAT THE U.S. HAD BEEN IN A SLOW GROWTH MODE. THERE'S ENOUGH GROWTH AROUND THE WORLD TO BE ABLE TO KEEP US GOING FORWARD. AND I THINK IF YOU COULD JUST SOLVE A FEW THINGS IN THE U.S. -- IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO DOES THEM, BUT IF YOU COULD JUST GET A FEW THINGS GOING, THERE'S LOTS OF PENT-UP DEMAND AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH.

QUINTANILLA: TRADE HAS BEEN A BIG PART OF THIS STORY. AND THIS CARRIER PLANT IS TURNING INTO SOME SORT OF CAUSE CELEB RIGHT? A TEST OF WHETHER OR NOT A TRUMP PRESIDENCY CAN ACTUALLY KEEP PRODUCTION FROM GOING OVERSEAS OR BEING REVERSED, COMING BACK IN. HOW LIKELY IS THAT? VOTERS WHO VOTED ON THAT, IS THAT A FOOL'S BET OR NOT?

IMMELT: SO, I THINK PROTECTIONISM HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A DECADE OR MORE. PRESIDENT TRUMP ISN'T THE FIRST ONE TO TALK ABOUT IT. IT'S BEEN GOING ON IN EUROPE, CHINA. THE WORLD I GREW UP IN WITH THESE FREE TRADE DEALS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, I THINK ANYBODY THAT WAS PLANNING ON THAT GOING INTO THE FUTURE IS -- THAT'S NOT THE WAY WE'VE THOUGHT ABOUT GE. I THINK IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN EXACTLY WHAT THE NEW TRADE RULES ARE GOING TO BE. AND I THINK WE HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE. FOR SOMEONE LIKE US THAT'S AN EXPORTER, REALLY, WE MAKE AND SELL THINGS AROUND THE WORLD. WE CAN NAVIGATE THE WORLD ON OUR OWN. BUT IF YOU WALK THROUGH WALMART, HOME DEPOT, DO ALL THOSE PRODUCTS HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE UNITED STATES? DO ALL THE HAIR DRYERS AND SNEAKERS AND REFRIGERATORS HAVE TO COME BACK -- IS THAT WHAT'S GOING TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE THE ECONOMY GROW AGAIN? I THINK PEOPLE HAVE TO SIT AND THINK THROUGH EXACTLY WHAT THE PUTS AND TAKES ARE. FOR US WE'RE A GLOBAL COMPANY. WE SELL IN 190 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. WE DO IT FROM A LOCAL STANDPOINT. WE'RE GOING TO KEEP GLOBALIZING. WE'RE AN EXPORTER. I THINK THE WORLD WE LIVE IN TODAY IS SO DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS 10, 15, 20 YEARS AGO. YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE IN TRADE DEALS. BUT WE DON'T NEED TRADE DEALS IN GE. I THINK WHAT THE PRESIDENT WILL LEARN, WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL LEARN IS THAT AS HE TRAVELS THE WORLD, TRADE DEALS GIVES HIM POWER. THE ABILITY TO USE TRADE AS AN ECONOMIC, LET'S SAY, NEGOTIATING TECHNIQUE, MAKES HIM MORE POWERFUL.

QUINTANILLA: BECAUSE HE'S SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE OF OTHER COUNTRIES. WHO ARE TRYING TO DO THE SAME THING?

IMMELT: EXACTLY. I'VE TRAVELED THE WORLD, CARL, FOR 35 YEARS. PEOPLE CARE ABOUT SAFETY. THEY CARE ABOUT GROWTH. IF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TRAVELS AROUND THE WORLD AND HAS NOTHING TO OFFER FROM A STANDPOINT OF ECONOMIC CONNECTION, YOU LOSE HALF OF YOUR NEGOTIATING POWER. THIS GUY IS A NEGOTIATOR, A DEAL MAKER. SO I THINK LET'S JUST WAIT AND SEE WHAT HE DOES.

David Fuller's view

Yes, President-elect Trump is a negotiator, but he has a very steep learning curve in terms of understanding how big multinational companies such as GE compete internationally.  Who wouldn’t?

I hope Trump and his advisors hold plenty of roundtable sessions with business leaders from a range of industries.