Transcript for President Trump speaks out in new interview
We begin with the latest from president trump, continuing his midterm P.R. Blitz with a combative interview sounding off on his defense secretary, his relationship with Putin and his attacks on Christine blasey Ford during that contentious supreme court battle. Terry Moran starts us off from Washington. Reporter: All of a sudden, it seems Donald Trump is everywhere. Holding interview after interview, a torrent of words aimed at rallying the Republican troops before those midterm elections, but this interview with “60 minutes,” it was a doozy. With Donald Trump’s approval ratings on the rise, the president is taking a victory lap in a fiery new interview. There has been no administration in the history of our country, and I say this openly and proudly, that in its first two years — And modestly. It’s not even that. It’s a fact. Tax cuts, regulation cuts, the biggest regulation cuts in history. Nobody has been able to do what I have been able to do. Remember that. When you look at taxes, you look at regulations, you look at making deals with other countries. Nobody has been able to do anything like this. Actually, most people didn’t even try because they knew they didn’t have the ability to do it. But it’s a very deceptive world. The other thing I have really learned is I never knew how dishonest the media was. I really mean it. I’m not saying that as a sound bite. I never knew how dishonest — We’ll change the subject again. Even the way you ask me a question about separation. When I say Obama did it, you don’t want to talk about it. I don’t want to have that fight with you. That’s okay. In the meantime, I’m president trump’s approach on other issues has come at a cost, dividing the country. How did you get home? I don’t remember. How did you get there? I don’t remember. Reporter: Including his mocking of Christine blasey Ford just days before justice Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed. Had I not made that speech, we would not have won. I was just saying she didn’t seem to know anything. Do you think you treated her with great respect? I think so, yeah. I did. But you seem to be saying that she lied. You know what? I’m not going to get into it because we won. It doesn’t matter. We won. Reporter: The wide-ranging conversation turned to his lack of trust for some in his own administration, but his positive feels for world leaders like Kim Jong-un. I get along with him really well. I have a good energy with him. I have a good chemistry with him. Look at the horrible threats that were made. No more threats. No many threats. He presides over a cruel kingdom of oppression, he had his brother assassinated slave labor. I know all these things. I’m not a baby. I know those things. Why do you love that guy? Look. I like him. I get along with him, okay? Reporter: The president addressed his relationship with Vladimir Putin. I think I’m very tough with him personally. I had a meeting with him, the two of us. It was a very tough meeting and a very good meeting. Do you agree that Vladimir Putin is involved in assassinations, in poisonings? Probably he is. Yeah, probably. Probably? Probably, but I rely on them. It’s not in our country. Reporter: And as far as the Russian attack on the 2016 election — They meddled, but I think China meddled too. China is a bigger problem. This is amazing. You’re diverting the whole Russian thing. I’m not doing anything. You are. I’m saying Russia, but I’m also saying China. Reporter: And as the Mueller investigation grinds on, the president won’t say if he will shut down the probe. I don’t pledge anything, but I will tell you I have no intention of doing that. I think it’s very unfair investigation because there was no collusion of any kind. Reporter: Calling the investigation a witch hunt Do you really think I would call Russia to help me with an election? Give me a break. They wouldn’t be able to help me at all. Call Russia, so ridiculous. Reporter: And with reports of chaos in the west wing, president trump acknowledges he is not completely thrilled with his current cabinet lineup. As for defense secretary James Mattis, might be the next official to leave? I don’t know. It could be that he is. I think he is sort of a Democrat if you want to know the truth, but general Mattis is a good guy. We get along very well. He may leave. I mean, at some point, everybody leaves. Everybody — people leave. That’s Washington. Reporter: In trump’s Washington they leave with a little more frequency, but as you see there, this is a president right now in Washington, and out on the campaign trails, firing on all cylinders. He was ready for battle, and he was pressed on climate change in the wake of the dire U.N. Report last week. Reporter: He once called climate change a hoax. He now accepts that it’s happening, but he says he is not sure it’s caused by man-made emissions. He doesn’t want to do anything that might harm the U.S. Economy to bait it and he said it might reverse itself. He is not going to do anything about it. Thanks very much.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
