Transcript - Interview: Sean Hannity Interviews Donald Trump in Helsinki - July 16, 2018 | Factba.se

Sean Hannity

00:00:00 - 00:00:06 (7 sec)

Mr. President, great to see you.

Donald Trump

00:00:06 - 00:00:07 (1 sec)

Thank you very much, Sean.

Sean Hannity

00:00:07 - 00:00:17 (10 sec)

You literally just finished the press conference with President Putin moments ago. A lot came up. You were very strong at the end of that press conference.

Sean Hannity

00:00:17 - 00:00:23 (6 sec)

You said, where are the servers? What about Peter Strzok said? Where are the 33,000 emails?

Sean Hannity

00:00:23 - 00:00:32 (9 sec)

And there was this mystery answer that I think surprised a lot of people by the president of Russia, as it relates to the Mueller investigation.

Donald Trump

00:00:32 - 00:00:41 (10 sec)

Well, first of all, he said there was no collusion whatsoever. I guess he said he said as strongly as you can say it. They have no information on Trump. It was an interesting statement, too.

Donald Trump

00:00:41 - 00:00:47 (6 sec)

You know, many years ago, when I was there, it was '13, quite a long time ago, he said there were many, many business people there. In all fairness, I was a very successful businessman but I was one of a lot of people.

Donald Trump

00:00:47 - 00:00:59 (12 sec)

Now, I have to say, I've turned that around, where businesses now are starting to come back in because they know that I'm going to get something very substantial having to do with tax cuts. But businesses now -- you see the car companies, what's happening, they're expanding, they're coming into the country. You see Foxconn, that makes the Apple iPhone -- [Crosstalk]

Sean Hannity

00:00:59 - 00:01:00 (2 sec)

He said it was nonsense.

Donald Trump

00:01:00 - 00:01:18 (18 sec)

He said it's nonsense, that's right. He also says there is absolutely no collusion, which you know, and everybody that watches your show knows, and I think most of the country knows, and Tucker standing over there definitely knows, because he gets it. He's one of the people that get it.

Donald Trump

00:01:18 - 00:01:34 (16 sec)

But I'll tell you that I thought it was a really amazing time -- not about that. I think it's a shame, we are talking about nuclear proliferation. We're talking about Syria and humanitarian aid, we're talking about all these different things, and we get questions on the witch hunt.

Donald Trump

00:01:34 - 00:01:43 (10 sec)

And I don't think the people out in the country buy it. But the reporters like to give it a shot. I thought that President Putin was very, very strong.

Sean Hannity

00:01:43 - 00:01:51 (7 sec)

Let's talk about how the day went. You actually used the term four hours ago that changed.

Donald Trump

00:01:51 - 00:01:53 (2 sec)

Sean Hannity

00:01:53 - 00:01:55 (2 sec)

Was it that quickly and that profound?

Donald Trump

00:01:55 - 00:02:12 (17 sec)

We had a very long meeting and it was a good meeting. We discussed so many different things, including nuclear, including war and peace, including economic, Syria, Ukraine, we discussed many, many things.

Donald Trump

00:02:12 - 00:02:29 (18 sec)

And at the end of a long period of time, I mean, it was really a long -- it was just the two of us, and interpreters. And at the end of this meeting, I think we really came to a lot of good conclusions, a really good conclusion for Israel. Something very strong.

Donald Trump

00:02:29 - 00:02:37 (8 sec)

He is a believer in Israel. He's a fan of Bibi. And really helping him a lot and will help him a lot, which is good for all of us.

Sean Hannity

00:02:37 - 00:02:50 (13 sec)

Let's talk about specifics that you went over, as it relates to both Syria, which he has been a supporter of the Assad regime, and, of course, Iran, which is the number one state sponsor of terror, fomenting proxy wars.

Donald Trump

00:02:50 - 00:03:08 (17 sec)

Right. Well, in Syria, we are getting very close. I think it's becoming a humanitarian situation, and a lot of people are going to move back to Syria from Turkey and from Jordan and from different places, they're going to move back, less so from Europe. But they will be moving back from lots of different places.

Donald Trump

00:03:08 - 00:03:24 (17 sec)

So I really think we are not far apart on Syria. I do think that on Iran, he probably would have liked to keep the deal in place because that's good for Russia. You know, they do business with -- it's good for a lot of the countries that do business with Iran, but it's not good for this country and it's ultimately not good for the world.

Donald Trump

00:03:24 - 00:03:50 (26 sec)

And if you look at what is happening, Iran is falling apart, they have riots in all their cities. The inflation is rampant and going through the roof, and not that you want to hurt anybody, but that regime, we will let the people know that we are behind them 100 percent. But they are having big protests all over the country, probably as big as they have ever had before. And that all happens since I terminated that deal. So, we'll see.

Sean Hannity

00:03:50 - 00:03:59 (9 sec)

Can you partner with Russia to perhaps stop the fomenting of terror, stop the proxy wars? Was that discussed?

Donald Trump

00:03:59 - 00:04:17 (17 sec)

Well, it was. I think it would be a great thing if we could do it. You have some people saying, oh, you have to do -- you know, get involved with Russia, but if we could stop killing all over the place, or terrorism, we discussed radical Islamic terror at great length, because they have the problem, too.

Donald Trump

00:04:17 - 00:04:31 (15 sec)

We discussed ISIS and, as you know, we've pretty much eradicated ISIS in the Middle East. And we've done a very strong job, he acknowledged that. But we discussed ISIS and the threat of ISIS, and basically the threat of terrorism.

Sean Hannity

00:04:31 - 00:04:45 (14 sec)

Let me go to the issue of nuclear proliferation. 2021, the START Treaty needs to be extended, and also the INF as it relates to -- and he did bring up the idea of missile defense.

Donald Trump

00:04:45 - 00:04:46 (1 sec)

Sean Hannity

00:04:46 - 00:04:49 (3 sec)

Were those issues discussed, and did you make any progress?

Donald Trump

00:04:49 - 00:04:53 (4 sec)

Well, I think we're at the very beginning, they are very important issues.

Donald Trump

00:04:53 - 00:05:11 (19 sec)

To me, the most important issue is the nuclear issue, because I know President Obama said that global warming is our biggest problem, and I would say that nuclear warming is our biggest problem by the factor of about 5 million. The nuclear problem, we have to make sure, we have to be very careful.

Donald Trump

00:05:11 - 00:05:25 (13 sec)

And, you know, if you look at Russia and the United States, that's 90 percent of the nuclear weapons. And we have to do something and working on other countries. And he also said he wants to be very helpful with North Korea.

Donald Trump

00:05:25 - 00:05:41 (16 sec)

We are doing well with North Korea. We have time. There is no rush. You know, it's been going on for many years, but we are doing very well. As you know, we got our hostages back. There's been no testing. There's been no nuclear explosion, which we would have known about immediately.

Donald Trump

00:05:41 - 00:05:51 (10 sec)

There's been no rockets going over Japan. No missiles going over Japan. And that's now been nine months, and the relationship is very good. You saw the nice letter he wrote.

Donald Trump

00:05:51 - 00:06:00 (9 sec)

And so, I think a lot of good things are happening, but President Putin is very much into making that all happen.

Sean Hannity

00:06:00 - 00:06:05 (5 sec)

A lot of people in the lead up to this -- obviously, you met with our NATO allies.

Donald Trump

00:06:05 - 00:06:05 (1 sec)

Sean Hannity

00:06:05 - 00:06:13 (8 sec)

And America pays 70 cents of every dollar, and a lot of people have not lived up to their commitment as it relates to that.

Sean Hannity

00:06:13 - 00:06:32 (19 sec)

And also, interestingly, because a big part of NATO's mission is to prevent any hostility from Russia. And yet, Angela Merkel wants to import billions of dollars' worth of their energy, up to 70 percent, which I would argue, that would make them vulnerable and --

Donald Trump

00:06:32 - 00:06:40 (8 sec)

She's paying Russia billions of dollars. Now that's her choice. I mean, she is going to do it, but it's a little tough when you are in NATO and you do that.

Donald Trump

00:06:40 - 00:07:01 (20 sec)

I will say that I was amazed at the media because honestly, I was there for a day and a half, and it started right when I got there, and I was very respectful. But I told people, it's unfair. The United States could be paying for 91 percent, OK? Could be. So, the minimum is 70 percent, but it's probably 91.

Donald Trump

00:07:01 - 00:07:21 (21 sec)

So, we are paying for 91 percent of the cost of keeping Europe safe. On top of that, the European Union takes total advantage of us with tariffs and with trade barriers. But they kill us on trade. We lost $151 billion last year. So they beat us on trade, and we defend them for essentially nothing.

Donald Trump

00:07:21 - 00:07:24 (3 sec)

And I said, it's not going to be that way anymore. You've got to pay up. You've got to pay up. You got to pay more --

Sean Hannity

00:07:24 - 00:07:26 (2 sec)

The secretary general gave you the credit.

Donald Trump

00:07:26 - 00:07:28 (2 sec)

He gave me all of the credit.

Sean Hannity

00:07:28 - 00:07:28 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:07:28 - 00:07:41 (13 sec)

Last year, they raised $44 billion more only because -- more, additional. And he said it was only because of President Trump. So, I figured I'd wake up the next day and read these wonderful stories, and by the way, I got along great --

Sean Hannity

00:07:41 - 00:07:42 (2 sec)

Do you really believe the media would report that?

Donald Trump

00:07:42 - 00:07:50 (7 sec)

I actually thought finally, I'm going to have a great story. OK? Foreign relations, I'm going to have a great story.

Donald Trump

00:07:50 - 00:08:10 (20 sec)

And instead of saying that I raise $44 billion, not million, $44 billion last year for NATO, I raised -- it could be over $100 billion this year and into the future. They said that I treated the heads of other nations rough. And I didn't. I actually have great relationships with them. [Commercial Break]

Sean Hannity

00:08:10 - 00:08:26 (16 sec)

In the lead up to the summit, you actually tweeted out if you were given the greatest city of Moscow for retribution for all the sins, et cetera, Russia. The media would be asking, why you didn't get to St. Petersburg as well?

Donald Trump

00:08:26 - 00:08:37 (11 sec)

I said that. I said if I got Moscow as part of a deal, they'd say, here's Moscow, please pardon us, the soccer ball was really very nice. I have to say. It was very nice.

Donald Trump

00:08:37 - 00:08:44 (7 sec)

You know, they did a great job in running that. But it is true. You know, I said, if I got Moscow, they would want St. Petersburg with it.

Donald Trump

00:08:44 - 00:09:03 (19 sec)

So the media was very unfair. I never thought -- this was when I said, this is foolproof. I raised $44 billion and the secretary general said he raised $44 billion and it's only President Trump, because I said, otherwise, we are going to have to start thinking about our relationship to NATO.

Donald Trump

00:09:03 - 00:09:24 (22 sec)

I also said this. NATO is wonderful but it helps Europe a lot more than it helps us and yet we are paying for 90 percent of it. So, I was amazed that most of most of the media -- you didn't and some others didn't -- but most of the media said that I was tough, very tough, and nasty to foreign leaders.

Donald Trump

00:09:24 - 00:09:28 (4 sec)

And I really wasn't at all. But I did say, you have to pay up.

Sean Hannity

00:09:28 - 00:09:39 (11 sec)

You talked about Europe as a foe. You talked about Vladimir Putin as a foe and you clarified that means a competitor. Similarly, the media's upset you say an enemy of the people.

Sean Hannity

00:09:39 - 00:09:42 (3 sec)

Aren't you really saying they are doing their job? And --

Donald Trump

00:09:42 - 00:10:00 (18 sec)

Well, when I say enemy of the people, I'm not talking about all of the media. I'm talking about there is a big percentage of the media, when you look at CNN, how false their reports are. When you look at NBC and some of the others, when you read "The New York Times," it's just a story after story after story that's just a negative spin.

Donald Trump

00:10:00 - 00:10:14 (14 sec)

And we are doing great things. We have the greatest economy in the history of our country. We have the best unemployment numbers in the history of our country, the best African-American unemployment numbers in history, Hispanic in history, women's numbers in history --

Sean Hannity

00:10:14 - 00:10:16 (1 sec)

Fourteen states set records.

Donald Trump

00:10:16 - 00:10:17 (1 sec)

Fourteen states, I didn't know that.

Sean Hannity

00:10:17 - 00:10:18 (1 sec)

Record low unemployment.

Donald Trump

00:10:18 - 00:10:21 (3 sec)

Surprise that's only 14 actually. That's a disappointing number.

Sean Hannity

00:10:21 - 00:10:24 (3 sec)

Well, keep working hard, I think it will get there.

Sean Hannity

00:10:24 - 00:10:31 (7 sec)

But the more amazing thing, too, is we have more jobs available than we actually have people on unemployment.

Donald Trump

00:10:31 - 00:10:31 (0 sec)

Sean Hannity

00:10:31 - 00:10:34 (2 sec)

And the labor participation rate in this country has never been higher.

Donald Trump

00:10:34 - 00:10:34 (1 sec)

Sean Hannity

00:10:34 - 00:11:16 (41 sec)

Let me go back, because everybody in the media is so focused on this. In 2014, in "The Washington Times," Devin Nunes said with certainty that Russia would try to impact the 2016 elections. Barack Obama in the month before the 2016 elections, and I will read and I will quote, "No serious person out there would suggest that somehow you can even rig America's elections, no evidence that it has happened in the past, which is not true, and number two, or that it could happen in this election, and I invite Mr. Trump to stop whining and to go out there and try to get votes." He said that two weeks before the election.

Donald Trump

00:11:16 - 00:11:30 (14 sec)

Well, he thought that Hillary Clinton was going to win, he didn't want to do anything to disturb it, and you know, frankly, when I won, he said this is the biggest deal. But before I won, he said this is nothing, and it can't happen.

Donald Trump

00:11:30 - 00:11:41 (11 sec)

It's a very dishonest deal. And you know, you have to find out who did Peter Strzok report to? Because it was Comey and it was McCabe, but it was also probably Obama.

Donald Trump

00:11:41 - 00:11:58 (18 sec)

If you think that Obama didn't know what was going on, when you watch -- and I said it today, with President Putin, when you watch Peter Strzok's performance, the lover of Lisa Page, when you watch that performance, the FBI, I tell you, I know so many people in the FBI. These are incredible people.

Donald Trump

00:11:58 - 00:12:07 (9 sec)

What they have -- what they are going through, watching this guy, a total phony. I mean, how about we'll stop him? Or something to that affect.

Sean Hannity

00:12:07 - 00:12:09 (1 sec)

They said we will stop you.

Donald Trump

00:12:09 - 00:12:09 (1 sec)

Sean Hannity

00:12:09 - 00:12:10 (1 sec)

We'll stop him.

Donald Trump

00:12:10 - 00:12:11 (1 sec)

Sean Hannity

00:12:11 - 00:12:13 (1 sec)

Insurance policy.

Donald Trump

00:12:13 - 00:12:21 (9 sec)

And he said originally, I guess it was the two of them. No. Then he said the next say, I meant the American people. And even the Democrats say that doesn't work -- [Crosstalk]

Sean Hannity

00:12:21 - 00:12:25 (4 sec)

Of course Lisa Page contradicted him. And he gives a more honest assessment.

Donald Trump

00:12:25 - 00:12:42 (17 sec)

I heard that she did much better than he did, and took a lot of hard shots, but at least she was honest about it. He is a disgrace to our country, he's a disgrace to the great FBI. A disgrace. And how he is still being paid is beyond belief.

Sean Hannity

00:12:42 - 00:12:49 (6 sec)

Did you like President Putin's idea that Robert Mueller should go talk to him because -- [Crosstalk]

Donald Trump

00:12:49 - 00:13:08 (19 sec)

I was fascinated by it. So they have a treaty where they work together with the United States, because everyone says we don't have an extradition treaty, but they have a treaty where they were together, and his prosecutors were prosecuted, and he said that Robert Mueller's people could go with them, but they probably won't.

Sean Hannity

00:13:08 - 00:13:10 (2 sec)

Yes, interesting. Let me ask you -- [Crosstalk]

Donald Trump

00:13:10 - 00:13:14 (4 sec)

The 13 angry Democrats do you think they want to go, I don't think so.

Sean Hannity

00:13:14 - 00:13:18 (4 sec)

And of course, this pit bull Andrew Weissmann who I think has a pretty atrocious record that we have found.

Donald Trump

00:13:18 - 00:13:34 (16 sec)

It's very sad what's happening to our country because of this. We have never done better in so many ways, including economically. But when you see this thing going on, and I will tell you, it's driven a wedge between us and Russia. Maybe we've just knock down that wedge but it has driven a wedge.

Donald Trump

00:13:34 - 00:13:46 (12 sec)

And President Putin said that, one of the early things that he said when we started, he said it's really a shame because we could do so much good, whether it's humanitarian aid throughout the Middle East whether it's not just Syria, so many different things.

Donald Trump

00:13:46 - 00:14:01 (15 sec)

The safety of nuclear power, which is ultimately, there is nothing bigger and nothing more important. And they drove a phony wedge, just a phony witch hunt. A rigged deal. With guys like Peter Strzok and Comey and McCabe.

Sean Hannity

00:14:01 - 00:14:03 (2 sec)

McCabe, Strzok, Page.

Donald Trump

00:14:03 - 00:14:09 (6 sec)

The whole group. And you can imagine who else. It's a real, it's a real shame.

Sean Hannity

00:14:09 - 00:14:19 (9 sec)

And if there was Russian interference, Hillary played through a law firm, a investigative group Fusion GPS, the hired a foreign national -- [Crosstalk]

Donald Trump

00:14:19 - 00:14:19 (1 sec)

Sean Hannity

00:14:19 - 00:14:28 (9 sec)

-- that put together a Russian dossier that was used to lie about you. Which by the way, Putin confirmed today he didn't have such information on his peril.

Donald Trump

00:14:28 - 00:14:41 (13 sec)

He knew exactly about it because he's been saying it. It makes him angry when he sees it. And you know, it's very interesting, you look at what's happening, and you look at the whole thing. He understood it and he was -- I don't know if you could see, he was incensed even talking about it.

Donald Trump

00:14:41 - 00:14:55 (14 sec)

But he is willing to take those 12 people, there is no extradition. But he is willing to let Robert Mueller's people go over there and bring a big investigation of those people working together with the Russian investigators.

Sean Hannity

00:14:55 - 00:15:16 (21 sec)

Last question for this. I know you've got a lot to do. And you just finished a busy day. You've now been to 21 countries since January of 2017. Like North Korea, you are very clear in saying that this is a process. Where would you like to be in a year both with North Korea and with Russia?

Donald Trump

00:15:16 - 00:15:23 (7 sec)

Well, I think we're doing very well with Russia as of today. I thought we're doing horribly before today. Really, I mean horribly, dangerously.

Sean Hannity

00:15:23 - 00:15:26 (2 sec)

It has been that dramatic today.

Donald Trump

00:15:26 - 00:15:47 (21 sec)

I think it was great today, but I think it was really bad five hours ago. I think we really had a potential problem. I think with two nuclear nations. Ninety percent of the nuclear power in the world between these two nations, and we've had a phony witch hunt deal drive us apart.

Sean Hannity

00:15:47 - 00:15:50 (4 sec)

This is the biggest wedge. This was the biggest wedge.

Donald Trump

00:15:50 - 00:16:02 (11 sec)

I think, well, it's the thing that he told me. When he went in he said what a shame. He felt it was very hard for me to make a deal because of, you know, all of this nonsense and much of the case.

Sean Hannity

00:16:02 - 00:16:03 (2 sec)

You said before it's nonsense.

Donald Trump

00:16:03 - 00:16:18 (15 sec)

You have to understand, you take a look, you look at all these people, I mean, some were hackers, some of them. Then again, you know, these are 14 people and they have 12 people. These aren't 12 people involve in the campaign. Then you have many other people. Some told a lie.

Donald Trump

00:16:18 - 00:16:31 (12 sec)

You look at Flynn, it's a shame. But the FBI didn't think he was lying. With Paul Manafort, who clearly is a nice man. You look at what's going on with him. It's like Al Capone.

Sean Hannity

00:16:31 - 00:16:33 (2 sec)

The 2005 tax case.

Donald Trump

00:16:33 - 00:16:35 (2 sec)

The case that I guess is very real.

Sean Hannity

00:16:35 - 00:16:37 (1 sec)

Twenty three hours.

Donald Trump

00:16:37 - 00:16:40 (4 sec)

It's just a sad thing. It's a very sad thing for our country to say this.

Sean Hannity

00:16:40 - 00:16:42 (2 sec)

Mr. President, thank you so much.

Donald Trump

00:16:42 - 00:16:44 (2 sec)

Thank you so much. Thank you very much. I appreciate it.