Transcript - Press Gaggle: Donald Trump Speaks to Reporters at The White House - June 15, 2018 | Factba.se

Question

00:00:00 - 00:00:02 (3 sec)

Mr. President, do you think that James Comey's actions were unfair to Hillary?

Donald Trump

00:00:02 - 00:00:15 (13 sec)

No, I think that James Comey was [unfair to the people of this country. I think what he did was a disgrace. I think he goes down as the worst FBI Director in history, by far. There's nobody close. And I think I did the country a tremendous favor by firing him.

Question

00:00:15 - 00:00:17 (2 sec)

Doesn't the report [Inaudible]

Donald Trump

00:00:17 - 00:00:43 (26 sec)

No, I think -- actually, if you take a look, when he totally exonerated her -- because I call it "Comey Three." You had one, two, and then you had Comey three. He totally exonerated her. And if anything he's saying is correct, what she did is they tried to pretend it didn't happen. I would have gone out there and I would have had the greatest news conference in history. They tried to pretend the exoneration didn't happen.

Donald Trump

00:00:43 - 00:00:57 (14 sec)

Now, the exoneration was incorrect because there's no way they could have checked that number of emails in just a few days. But if you remember, just before the election, he went out and he exonerated her and they didn't even talk about it. That was the greatest political mistake.

Donald Trump

00:00:57 - 00:01:17 (20 sec)

With all of that being said, I won Wisconsin, I won Michigan, I won states that a Republican hasn't won in many, many decades, years. She didn't do a good job and you never gave me credit for doing a great job. But the fact is, I did a great job.

Question

00:01:17 - 00:01:36 (19 sec)

Mr. President, there was a Fox news report this week that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein is pushing back and threatening to investigate the congressional investigators who just want documents. Do you think that that is appropriate?

Donald Trump

00:01:36 - 00:02:10 (34 sec)

Well, I hope that's not so. And I know they're getting documents. And I purposely -- look, if you see what I've done with North Korea and with the State Department, Mike Pompeo, it's running so well. It's -- I have this running so well. I have purposefully, because of this ridiculous witch hunt, I have said I'm going to stay away from the Justice Department until it's completed. So I wanted to stay away. Now, that doesn't mean I have to, because I don't have to. I can get involved. But I don't want you people to say that I'm interfering, that I'm doing anything.

Donald Trump

00:02:10 - 00:02:23 (14 sec)

I think that the report yesterday, maybe more importantly than anything, it totally exonerates me. There was no collusion. There was no obstruction. And if you read the report, you'll see that. What you'll really --

Question

00:02:23 - 00:02:25 (1 sec)

On North Korea --

Donald Trump

00:02:25 - 00:02:48 (24 sec)

Excuse me. Wait, wait, wait. What you'll really see is you'll see bias against me and millions and tens of millions of my followers. That is really a disgrace. And yet, if you go -- and yet, if you look at the FBI, and you went in and you called the FBI -- the real FBI -- those guys love me, and I love them.

Question

00:02:48 - 00:02:52 (4 sec)

Are you going to suspend Mueller? Are you thinking of suspending Mueller?

Donald Trump

00:02:52 - 00:03:17 (25 sec)

No, but I think that whole investigation now is -- look, the problem with the Mueller investigation is everybody has got massive conflicts. You have Weissmann who was at Hillary Clinton's funeral, meaning, her party that turned into a funeral. And they were screaming and crying and they were going crazy. How can you have people like this? So you have -- I call them the "13 Angry Democrats." You have a tremendous animosity.

Donald Trump

00:03:17 - 00:03:30 (13 sec)

Now, here's the good news: I did nothing wrong. There was no collusion. There was no obstruction. The IG report yesterday went a long way to show that. And I think that the Mueller investigation has been totally discredited.

Question

00:03:30 - 00:03:37 (7 sec)

Mr. President, you have spoken so passionately about the circumstances that led to Otto Warmbier's death.

Donald Trump

00:03:37 - 00:03:37 (0 sec)

Question

00:03:37 - 00:03:44 (7 sec)

In the same breath, you're defending now Kim Jong Un's human rights records. How can you do that?

Donald Trump

00:03:44 - 00:03:48 (4 sec)

You know why? Because I don't want to see a nuclear weapon destroy you or your family. I don't want to see --

Question

00:03:48 - 00:03:52 (3 sec)

By the way, you declared the nuclear threat from North Korea is over.

Donald Trump

00:03:52 - 00:04:11 (19 sec)

Excuse me. Because I don't want to see a nuclear weapon destroy you and your family. I want to have a good relationship with North Korea. I want to have a good relationship with many other countries. And what I've done, if you remember, if you're fair, which most of you aren't -- but if you're fair, when I came in, people thought we were probably going to war with North Korea. If we did --

Question

00:04:11 - 00:04:13 (2 sec)

You say the threat is over. Is it over?

Donald Trump

00:04:13 - 00:04:30 (17 sec)

Quiet. Quiet. Quiet. If we did, millions of people would have been killed. I don't mean like -- you know, people are saying 100,000. Seoul has 28 million people 30 miles off the border. You would have had 30, 40, 50 million people killed. Who knows what would have happened?

Donald Trump

00:04:30 - 00:04:47 (18 sec)

I came in; that was what I inherited. I should have never inherited. That should have been solved long before I got there. I did a great job this week. The fake news said, "Oh, you met." But the only thing they saw that I gave up -- one broadcast said, "He gave up so much." You know what I gave up? I met. I met.

Donald Trump

00:04:47 - 00:05:20 (32 sec)

We had great chemistry. He gave us a lot. You haven't had a missile test in seven months. You haven't had a firing. You haven't had a nuclear test in eight and a half months. You haven't had missiles flying over Japan. He gave us the remains of our great heroes. I have had so many people begging me -- parents, and fathers, mothers, daughters, sons -- wherever I went, "Could you please get the remains of my boy back?" They're giving them back. Nobody thought that was possible.

Question

00:05:20 - 00:05:20 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:05:20 - 00:05:42 (22 sec)

Wait, wait. They're doing so much. And now we're well on our way to denuclearization. And the agreement says there will be total denuclearization. Nobody wants to report that. So the only thing I did was I met. I got along with him great. He is great. We have a great chemistry together. That's a good thing, not a bad thing.

Question

00:05:42 - 00:05:46 (4 sec)

How can Kim love his people if he's killing them?

Donald Trump

00:05:46 - 00:06:08 (21 sec)

I can't speak to that. I can only speak to the fact that we signed an incredible agreement. It's great. And it's going to be great for them, too. Because now North Korea can develop and North Korea can become a great country economically. It can become whatever they want. But there won't be nuclear weapons and they won't be aimed at you and your families.

Question

00:06:08 - 00:06:10 (2 sec)

Mr. President, why did you offer to halt the military exercises with South Korea?

Donald Trump

00:06:10 - 00:06:12 (2 sec)

That was my offer. Just so you understand. Military --

Question

00:06:12 - 00:06:12 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:06:12 - 00:06:13 (1 sec)

Okay, you want to hear?

Question

00:06:13 - 00:06:13 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:06:13 - 00:06:20 (7 sec)

Okay? Military -- I call them "war games." I hated them from the day I came in. I said, why aren't we being reimbursed?

Question

00:06:20 - 00:06:22 (2 sec)

That's North Korea's term. "War games."

Donald Trump

00:06:22 - 00:06:23 (1 sec)

That's my term.

Question

00:06:23 - 00:06:24 (1 sec)

They use it too.

Donald Trump

00:06:24 - 00:06:43 (19 sec)

They might use it. We pay for it. We pay millions and millions of dollars for planes, and all of this. It's my term. I said, I'd like to halt it because it's bad to be negotiating and doing it. It costs us a lot of money. I saved lot of money. That's a good thing for us. Okay, go ahead.

Question

00:06:43 - 00:06:54 (11 sec)

What did you mean just now when you said you wished Americans would sit up at attention when you spoke --

Donald Trump

00:06:54 - 00:07:00 (6 sec)

I'm kidding. You don't understand sarcasm. Who are you with? Wait, wait, who are you with? Who are you with?

Question

00:07:00 - 00:07:01 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:07:01 - 00:07:07 (6 sec)

You're with CNN! Hey, you are the worst.

Question

00:07:07 - 00:07:09 (2 sec)

Mr. President --

Question

00:07:09 - 00:07:09 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:07:09 - 00:07:12 (3 sec)

Wait, wait, we have time.

Question

00:07:12 - 00:07:22 (10 sec)

So there's some high-profile court cases going on. You've got a former campaign manager, your former lawyer. They're all dealing with legal troubles. Are you paying close attention --

Donald Trump

00:07:22 - 00:07:37 (15 sec)

Well, I feel badly about a lot of them, because I think a lot of it is very unfair. I mean, I look at some of them where they go back 12 years. Like Manafort has nothing to do with our campaign. But I feel so -- I tell you, I feel a little badly about it. They went back 12 years to get things that he did 12 years ago?

Donald Trump

00:07:37 - 00:07:51 (14 sec)

You know, Paul Manafort worked for me for a very short period of time. He worked for Ronald Reagan. He worked for Bob Dole. He worked for John McCain, or his firm did. He worked for many other Republicans. He worked for me, what, for 49 days or something? A very short period of time.

Donald Trump

00:07:51 - 00:08:18 (27 sec)

I feel badly for some people, because they've gone back 12 years to find things about somebody, and I don't think it's right. I don't think it's right that they burst into a lawyer's office on a weekend and early in the morning. I never heard of that before. I mean, could you imagine if they burst into Barack Obama's lawyer's office? It would not be acceptable. It would not be acceptable. I mean, that's really a terrible thing.

Donald Trump

00:08:18 - 00:08:44 (26 sec)

Now, I feel badly for a lot of those people. I feel badly for General Flynn. He's lost his house. He's lost his life. And some people say he lied, and some people say he didn't lie. I mean, really, it turned out maybe he didn't lie. So how can you do that? How can you do that -- because who has lied more than Comey? I mean, Comey lied a tremendous amount.

Question

00:08:44 - 00:08:49 (4 sec)

You say that you feel badly. Is there any consideration at any point of a pardon for any of the people that you --

Donald Trump

00:08:49 - 00:08:57 (8 sec)

I don't want to talk about that. No, I don't want to talk about that. They'll [Inaudible]. But look, I do want to see people treated fairly. That's what it's all about.

Donald Trump

00:08:57 - 00:09:10 (13 sec)

I mentioned the other day -- you saw what I did with the woman -- she's in jail for 23 years on charges where other people are out after three months. I thought it was a very unfair. It was brought to -- and she had another 20 years left, okay? She was 63 years old.

Question

00:09:10 - 00:09:12 (3 sec)

What about those who don't have a celebrity talking for them?

Donald Trump

00:09:12 - 00:09:13 (0 sec)

Question

00:09:13 - 00:09:15 (2 sec)

What about all those folks who don't have Kim Kardashian speaking on their behalf?

Donald Trump

00:09:15 - 00:09:18 (3 sec)

Well, I'm looking at them too, if you don't mind. I'm looking at them too.

Question

00:09:18 - 00:09:20 (3 sec)

Do you worry that Michael Cohen might flip?

Donald Trump

00:09:20 - 00:09:21 (0 sec)

Question

00:09:21 - 00:09:22 (1 sec)

Are you worried that Michael Cohen might flip?

Donald Trump

00:09:22 - 00:09:28 (7 sec)

Look, I did nothing wrong. You have to understand, this stuff would have come out a long time ago. I did nothing wrong. I don't do anything wrong.

Question

00:09:28 - 00:09:29 (1 sec)

Is Michael Cohen still your friend?

Donald Trump

00:09:29 - 00:09:30 (1 sec)

It's really nice.

Question

00:09:30 - 00:09:31 (1 sec)

Is he still your friend?

Donald Trump

00:09:31 - 00:09:34 (3 sec)

I always liked Michael Cohen. I haven't spoken to Michael in a long time.

Question

00:09:34 - 00:09:35 (1 sec)

Is he still your lawyer?

Donald Trump

00:09:35 - 00:09:40 (4 sec)

No, he's not my lawyer anymore. But I always liked Michael, and he's a good person. And I think he's been --

Question

00:09:40 - 00:09:40 (0 sec)

Are you worried he will cooperate?

Donald Trump

00:09:40 - 00:09:42 (2 sec)

Excuse me, do you mind if I talk?

Question

00:09:42 - 00:09:43 (1 sec)

I just want to know if you're worried --

Donald Trump

00:09:43 - 00:09:45 (2 sec)

You're asking me a question; I'm trying to ask it.

Question

00:09:45 - 00:09:48 (2 sec)

I just want to know if you're worried if he's going to cooperate with federal investigators.

Donald Trump

00:09:48 - 00:09:50 (3 sec)

No, I'm not worried because I did nothing wrong.

Question

00:09:50 - 00:09:51 (0 sec)

Got it. Got it.

Donald Trump

00:09:51 - 00:09:51 (0 sec)

Question

00:09:51 - 00:09:58 (7 sec)

Mr. President, did you tape that statement about Don Jr.? Did you dictate the statement about Donald Trump, Jr.?

Donald Trump

00:09:58 - 00:10:00 (2 sec)

Let's not talk about it. You know what that is?

Question

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

But can you tell us?

Donald Trump

00:10:00 - 00:10:05 (5 sec)

It's irrelevant. It's a statement to the New York Times -- the phony, failing New York Times.

Question

00:10:05 - 00:10:08 (3 sec)

Well, just to clear it up. To clear it up.

Donald Trump

00:10:08 - 00:10:14 (6 sec)

Just wait a minute. Wait a minute. That's not a statement to a high tribunal of judges.

Question

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

Donald Trump

00:10:14 - 00:10:25 (11 sec)

That's a statement to the phony New York Times. In fact, frankly, he shouldn't even speak to the New York Times because they only write phony stories anyway, although yesterday they wrote a nice story about what a [Inaudible].

Question

00:10:25 - 00:10:31 (6 sec)

Thank you, sir. On the IG report, you've said twice now that it exonerated you and it proved there's no collusion. The IG report --

Donald Trump

00:10:31 - 00:10:35 (4 sec)

Look, if you read the IG report, I've been totally exonerated. As far as I'm concerned --

Question

00:10:35 - 00:10:36 (1 sec)

It had nothing to do with collusion. It had nothing to do with that.

Donald Trump

00:10:36 - 00:10:47 (11 sec)

Take a little at it. Take -- no, take a look at the investigation. Take a look at how it started. Take a look at the horrible statements that Peter Strzok, the chief investigator, said. And take a look at what he did with Hillary Clinton. Take a look at --

Question

00:10:47 - 00:10:51 (4 sec)

[Inaudible], sir, that has nothing to do with collusion. Why are you lying about it, sir?

Donald Trump

00:10:51 - 00:11:09 (19 sec)

I'll tell you what -- you're asking me about Peter Strzok being fired. I am amazed that Peter Strzok is still at the FBI, and so is everybody else that read that report. And I'm not even talking about the report; I'm talking about long before the report. Peter Strzok should have been fired a long time ago, and others should have been fired.

Question

00:11:09 - 00:11:15 (5 sec)

Mr. President, are you going to fire Scott Pruitt?

Donald Trump

00:11:15 - 00:11:19 (4 sec)

I'm looking at Scott, and Scott has done a fantastic job at EPA, but -- you know, we'll -- we'll make --

Question

00:11:19 - 00:11:21 (2 sec)

You don't see anything problems with his ethical --

Donald Trump

00:11:21 - 00:11:23 (2 sec)

I'm not happy about certain things, I'll be honest.

Question

00:11:23 - 00:11:24 (1 sec)

Are you going to fire him?

Donald Trump

00:11:24 - 00:11:34 (11 sec)

Excuse me. Excuse me. I'm not happy about certain things. But he's done a fantastic job running the EPA, which is very overriding. But I am not happy about it.

Question

00:11:34 - 00:11:36 (2 sec)

Do you think he's used his position for private gain?

Donald Trump

00:11:36 - 00:11:37 (1 sec)

Question

00:11:37 - 00:11:43 (6 sec)

Mr. President, do you agree with children being taken away from [Inaudible]?

Donald Trump

00:11:43 - 00:11:51 (8 sec)

No, I hate it. I hate the children being taken away. The Democrats have to change their law. That's their law. They will force --

Question

00:11:51 - 00:11:57 (6 sec)

Sir, that's your own policy. That's your own policy. Why do you keep lying about it, sir?

Donald Trump

00:11:57 - 00:12:04 (7 sec)

Quiet. Quiet. That's the Democrats' law. We can change it tonight. We can change it right now. I will leave here --

Question

00:12:04 - 00:12:07 (2 sec)

You're the President. You can change it right now.

Donald Trump

00:12:07 - 00:12:13 (7 sec)

I will leave here -- no, no. You need their votes. You need their votes. The Democrats, all they have to do --

Question

00:12:13 - 00:12:17 (4 sec)

Mr. President, you control both chambers of Congress. The Republicans do.

Donald Trump

00:12:17 - 00:12:20 (3 sec)

Excuse me. By one vote? We don't need it. You need 60 votes.

Question

00:12:20 - 00:12:20 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:12:20 - 00:12:29 (9 sec)

Excuse me. We have the one vote -- excuse me. We need a one-vote -- we have a one-vote edge. We need 60. So we need 10 votes. We can't get them from the Democrats.

Question

00:12:29 - 00:12:31 (3 sec)

What about executive action?

Donald Trump

00:12:31 - 00:12:36 (5 sec)

Now, wait. Wait. You can't do it through an executive order.

Question

00:12:36 - 00:12:37 (1 sec)

On North Korea, sir. On North Korea.

Question

00:12:37 - 00:12:39 (2 sec)

Mr. President, why --

Donald Trump

00:12:39 - 00:12:41 (2 sec)

Can we do one question at a time? Wait. One question at a time.

Question

00:12:41 - 00:12:41 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:12:41 - 00:13:01 (20 sec)

The children can be taken care of quickly, beautifully, and immediately. The Democrats forced that law upon our nation. I hate it. I hate to see separation of parents and children. The Democrats can come to us as they actually are -- in all fairness, we are talking to them -- and they can change the whole border security.

Donald Trump

00:13:01 - 00:13:26 (24 sec)

We need a wall. We need border security. We got to get rid of catch-and-release. You catch a criminal, you take his name, you release him, and he never shows up again. He goes into our society, and then we end up getting him in a different way, oftentimes after he's killed somebody. We've got to change our laws. The Democrats have control because we don't have the votes. The Republicans need -- we need more Republicans, frankly. And that's why I think we're going to do so well in the midterms. That and because --

Question

00:13:26 - 00:13:28 (2 sec)

Do you support the immigration compromise, Mr. President?

Donald Trump

00:13:28 - 00:13:37 (9 sec)

Wait. That and because we have the strongest economy in the history of our nation. We have the best jobs numbers in the last 44 years. Top of Drudge: "The best job numbers in 44 years."

Question

00:13:37 - 00:13:44 (7 sec)

But then, Mr. President -- but then why did Jeff Sessions announce a zero-tolerance policy at the border on May 7th? Is that not a Republican --

Donald Trump

00:13:44 - 00:13:44 (1 sec)

Because he's following the law.

Question

00:13:44 - 00:13:45 (1 sec)

Is that not a Republican policy?

Donald Trump

00:13:45 - 00:13:45 (0 sec)

Question

00:13:45 - 00:13:47 (1 sec)

Is that not a Republican policy?

Donald Trump

00:13:47 - 00:13:50 (4 sec)

No. He's following laws. He following a law that --

Question

00:13:50 - 00:13:52 (1 sec)

But that was a direct order to --

Donald Trump

00:13:52 - 00:13:53 (2 sec)

Can I answer your question, please?

Question

00:13:53 - 00:13:54 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:13:54 - 00:14:01 (7 sec)

Okay? You're just asking me the same question over and over. He's following laws, very simply, that were given to us and forced upon us by the Democrats.

Question

00:14:01 - 00:14:02 (1 sec)

That's not true, sir. That's not true.

Question

00:14:02 - 00:14:06 (4 sec)

But there's no law that says families have to separated at the border. There's another way to go about it, Mr. President.

Donald Trump

00:14:06 - 00:14:21 (15 sec)

The Democrats gave us the laws. Now, I want the laws to be beautiful, humane, but strong. I don't want bad people coming in. I don't want drugs coming in. And we can solve that problem in one meeting. Tell the Democrats, your friends, to call me.

Question

00:14:21 - 00:14:31 (9 sec)

Mr. President, at the end of the "Fox & Friends" interview, you said that you were going to spend Father's Day weekend doing work, and you said that you were going to have a call with North Korea. Who are you going to talk to in North Korea?

Donald Trump

00:14:31 - 00:14:36 (5 sec)

Well, I'm going to speak to people in North Korea, and I'm going to speak to my people who are over in North Korea. A lot of things are happening.

Donald Trump

00:14:36 - 00:14:58 (22 sec)

And I will tell you this: We now have a very good relationship with North Korea. When I came into this job, it looked like war -- not because of me, but because -- if you remember the sit-down with Barack Obama, I think you will admit this, he said the biggest problem that the United States has, and by far the most dangerous problem -- and he said to me -- that we've ever had, because of nuclear, is North Korea.

Donald Trump

00:14:58 - 00:15:21 (23 sec)

Now, that was shortly before I entered office. I have solved that problem. Now, we're getting it memorialized and all, but that problem is largely solved, and part of the reason is we signed, number one, a very good document. But you know what? More importantly than the document -- more importantly than the document, I have a good relationship with Kim Jong Un. That's a very important thing.

Donald Trump

00:15:21 - 00:15:21 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:15:21 - 00:15:31 (10 sec)

People are shocked that this is the kind of -- you know, they thought Trump was going to get in and he was going to start throwing bombs all over the place. It's actually the opposite.

Donald Trump

00:15:31 - 00:15:43 (12 sec)

But we're building a military so strong -- $716 billion next year; $700 [billion] this year. We're building a military so strong, nobody is going to mess with us. But you know what? I never want to have to use it.

Question

00:15:43 - 00:15:43 (0 sec)

Question

00:15:43 - 00:15:45 (2 sec)

What's the verification process?

Donald Trump

00:15:45 - 00:15:45 (0 sec)

Question

00:15:45 - 00:15:50 (5 sec)

You told Americans that they can sleep well at night, and you declared there's no more nuclear threat.

Question

00:15:50 - 00:15:52 (2 sec)

What's verification process going to look like?

Donald Trump

00:15:52 - 00:15:55 (2 sec)

We're going to have a very strong verification process.

Question

00:15:55 - 00:15:56 (1 sec)

What's it's going to look like?

Donald Trump

00:15:56 - 00:16:30 (34 sec)

Now, if you read the agreement, which most of you didn't, point after point after point he gave, including getting back our -- the remains of our great heroes, okay? Of our great, great heroes. Which made -- some people are crying in the streets they're so happy. Nobody thought we were going to get that. Point after point.

Donald Trump

00:16:30 - 00:16:38 (8 sec)

All they said about me is, "You met. He met. It's terrible you met." Of course I met. Meeting is a good thing, not a bad thing. By the way, it was good for the United States; it was good for them.

Donald Trump

00:16:38 - 00:16:58 (20 sec)

I spoke with China. They are very happy. Actually, they were much happier. Now, they may not be as happy today because of what I'm doing with trade. You probably heard that. I assume it's been announced by now. But we're putting tariffs on 50 billion dollars' worth of technology and other things because we have to, because we've been treated very unfairly.

Donald Trump

00:16:58 - 00:17:05 (7 sec)

But China has been terrific. President Xi has been terrific. President Moon, everybody -- we're all working together because of me.

Question

00:17:05 - 00:17:10 (5 sec)

How long will you give Kim Jong Un to follow through on denuclearization before you --

Donald Trump

00:17:10 - 00:17:16 (6 sec)

Well, we're working it as fast as possible.

Question

00:17:16 - 00:17:18 (2 sec)

Is he coming to the White House soon?

Question

00:17:18 - 00:17:20 (2 sec)

-- before you put sanctions back on?

Donald Trump

00:17:20 - 00:17:22 (2 sec)

We're working it as fast as possible.

Question

00:17:22 - 00:17:25 (3 sec)

Is he visiting the White House, Mr. Trump?

Donald Trump

00:17:25 - 00:17:32 (7 sec)

We're working that. We're working denuclearization as fast as possible.

Question

00:17:32 - 00:17:35 (3 sec)

Are you planning to meet with Putin this summer?

Donald Trump

00:17:35 - 00:17:44 (9 sec)

It's possible that we'll meet, yeah. And I thought -- you know, this all started because somebody -- one of you -- asked, "Should Putin be in the G7?" I said, no, he should be in the G8.

Donald Trump

00:17:44 - 00:17:59 (16 sec)

A few years ago, Putin was in what was called the G8. I think it's better to have Russia in than to have Russia out, because just like North Korea, just like somebody else, it's much better if we get along with them than if we don't. So it's possible. Just so you understand --

Question

00:17:59 - 00:18:01 (1 sec)

Is Crimea part of Russia? Do you --

Donald Trump

00:18:01 - 00:18:11 (10 sec)

No, no. President Obama lost Crimea, just so you understand. This was long before I got there. Just -- I want to make it so the fake news prints it properly. President Obama lost Crimea.

Question

00:18:11 - 00:18:12 (1 sec)

So it's his fault?

Donald Trump

00:18:12 - 00:18:15 (3 sec)

Wait, wait. That's his fault. Yeah, yeah, it's his fault. Yeah, it's his fault.

Question

00:18:15 - 00:18:16 (1 sec)

How is it not Putin's fault, sir?

Donald Trump

00:18:16 - 00:18:18 (1 sec)

The President -- just so you understand --

Question

00:18:18 - 00:18:20 (2 sec)

How is it not Putin's fault, sir? How is it not Putin's fault? He invaded them.

Donald Trump

00:18:20 - 00:18:32 (12 sec)

Because -- because Putin didn't respect President Obama. President Obama lost Crimea because President Putin didn't respect President Obama, didn't respect our country, and didn't respect Ukraine.

Donald Trump

00:18:32 - 00:18:48 (17 sec)

But President Obama, not Trump -- when it's my fault, I'll tell you. But President Obama gave away that. Now, President Obama, by not going across the red line in the sand that he drew -- I went across it with the 59 missile hits.

Donald Trump

00:18:48 - 00:19:12 (23 sec)

But President Obama, when he didn't go across the red line, what he gave away, nobody even knows. But just to put it -- one more time, President Obama gave away Crimea. That should have never happened. Goodbye everybody.