Trump takes questions on Comey, Russia

THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
I'M SHOCKED.
JOHN, GO AHEAD.
>> Reporter: MR. PRESIDENT,
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Reporter: I WOULD LIKE TO --
MR. PRESIDENT, I WOULD LIKE TO
GET YOUR REACTION TO DEPUTY
ATTORNEY GENERAL ROD
ROSENSTEIN'S DECISION TO APPOINT
A SPECIAL COUNSEL TO INVESTIGATE
THE RUSSIA -- RUSSIAN
INTERFERENCE IN THE CAMPAIGN.
WAS THIS THE RIGHT MOVE OR IS
THIS PART OF A WITCH HUNT?
>> WELL, I RESPECT THE MOVE, BUT
THE ENTIRE THING HAS BEEN A
WITCH HUNT AND THERE IS NO
COLLUSION BETWEEN CERTAINLY
MYSELF AND MY CAMPAIGN, BUT I
CAN ALWAYS SPEAK FOR MYSELF, AND
THE RUSSIANS, ZERO.
I THINK IT DIVIDES THE COUNTRY.
I THINK WE HAVE A VERY DIVIDED
COUNTRY BECAUSE OF THAT, AND
MANY OTHER THINGS.
SO I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE WANT
TO BRING THIS GREAT COUNTRY OF
OURS TOGETHER, JOHN.
I WILL ALSO SAY VERY STRONGLY,
WE'VE HAD TREMENDOUS SUCCESS.
YOU LOOK AT OUR JOB NUMBERS.
YOU LOOK AT WHAT IS GOING ON AT
THE BORDER, AS WE DISCUSSED
BEFORE.
YOU LOOK AT WHAT WILL BE
HAPPENING, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE
SOME INCREDIBLE NUMBERS WITH
RESPECT TO THE SUCCESS OF
GENERAL MATTIS AND OTHERS WITH
THE ISIS SITUATION.
THE NUMBERS ARE STAGGERING, HOW
SUCCESSFUL THEY'VE BEEN, THE
MILITARY HAS BEEN.
TOMORROW, AS YOU KNOW, I'M GOING
TO SAUDI ARABIA, I'M GOING TO
ISRAEL, I'M GOING TO ROME AND WE
HAVE THE G7.
WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS
GOING ON.
SO I HATE TO SEE ANYTHING THAT
DIE
DIVIDES -- I'M FINE WITH
WHATEVER PEOPLE WANT TO DO, BUT
WE HAVE TO GET BACK TROUNING
T --
TO RUNNING THIS COUNTRY REALLY
WELL.
WE HAVE MADE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS
IN THE LAST 100 AND SOME OLD
DAYS, TREMENDOUS PROGRESS.
YOU SEE JOB NUMBERS.
YOU SEE ALL OF THE PRODUCTION
THAT'S STARTING, PLANTS STARTING
TO OPEN AGAIN THAT HAVEN'T BEEN
OPENED IN YEARS.
I'M VERY PROUD OF IT.
THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO BE FOCUSED
ON BECAUSE, BELIEVE ME, THERE'S
NO COLLUSION.
RUSSIA IS FINE, BUT WHETHER IT
IS RUSSIA OR ANYBODY ELSE, MY
TOTAL PRIORITY, BELIEVE ME, IS
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> Translator: PRESIDENT TRUMP,
PRESIDENT SANTOS.
CAN WE SAY THAT TODAY WE ARE
SETTING A NEW ROAD MAP IN THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COLOMBIA
AND THE UNITED STATES, WHICH ARE
THE CONCRETE COMMITMENTS?
YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE
POST-CONFLICT TIME.
MANY FUNDS ARE NEEDED FOR THAT.
ON THE ISSUE OF VENEZUELA,
PRESIDENT TRUMP, MANY DEATHS,
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS.
THERE'S PLENTY TO BE DONE.
>> AS WELL AS A VERY, VERY
SERIOUS PROBLEM, WE HAVEN'T
REALLY SEEN A PROBLEM LIKE THAT
I WOULD SAY, MR. PRESIDENT, IN
DECADES, IN TERMS OF THE KIND OF
VIOLENCE THAT WE'RE WITNESSING.
THE PRESIDENT WAS TELLING ME,
AND I KNEW, THAT VENEZUELA WAS A
VERY, VERY WEALTHY COUNTRY, JUST
ABOUT THE WEALTHIEST IN YOUR
NECK OF THE WOODS AND HAD
TREMENDOUS STRENGTHS IN SO MANY
DIFFERENT WAYS, AND NOW IT IS --
IT IS POVERTY STRICKEN.
PEOPLE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.
PEOPLE HAVE NO FOOD.
THERE'S GREAT VIOLENCE.
AND WE WILL DO WHATEVER IS
NECESSARY AND WE WILL WORK
TOGETHER TO DO WHATEVER IS
NECESSARY TO HELP WITH FIXING
THAT.
AND I'M REALLY TALKING ON A
HUMANITARIAN LEVEL.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE OIL
RESERVES THAT THEY HAVE, WHEN
YOU LOOK AT THE POTENTIAL WEALTH
THAT VENEZUELA HAS, YOU SORT OF
HAVE TO WONDER WHY IS THAT
HAPPENING, HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?
BUT IT HAS BEEN UNBELIEVABLY
POORLY RUN FOR A LONG PERIOD OF
TIME, AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL
CHANGE AND THEY COULD USE THOSE
ASSETS FOR THE GOOD AND TO TAKE
CARE OF THEIR PEOPLE, BECAUSE
RIGHT NOW WHAT IS HAPPENING IS
REALLY A DISGRACE TO HUMANITY.
JOHN, I THINK YOU ALSO HAD A
QUESTION FOR THE PRESIDENT, IF
YOU WOULD LIKE TO.
>> DOES HE HAVE ANOTHER ONE?
>> YEAH.
>> Translator: THE COMMITMENT ON
PRESIDENT TRUMP'S SIDE AND HIS
ADMINISTRATION WAS SHOWN THROUGH
THE APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET THAT
FOR COLOMBIA MEANS AN INCREASE
IN THE SUPPORT TO FUND THE
POST-CONFLICT ERA.
LAST NIGHT WE RECEIVED FROM A
VERY IMPORTANT ORGANIZATION, THE
ATLANTIC COUNCIL, A REPORT WHICH
INCLUDES BOTH PARTIES, PRESIDE
WILLED BY A REPUBLICAN SENATOR
AND A DEMOCRAT SENATOR, WITH THE
ROAD MAP RECOMMENDING THE
GOVERNMENTS OF THE UNITED STATES
AND COLOMBIA TO FOLLOW.
THIS MORNING WE ESTABLISHED T
ENTREPRENEURIAL COUNCIL OF THE
UNITED STATES AND COLOMBIA SO
CAN HAVE A VOICE IN THAT ROAD
MAP.
THIS MEANS WE ARE WORKING
TOGETHER ON EVERY FRONT THAT CAN
BE CONVENIENT FOR BOTH
COUNTRIES.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK
TOGETHER.
WE HAVE RATIFIED THAT COMMITMENT
D
TODAY DURING OUR CONVERSATION.
AS I SAID BEFORE, WE HAVE THE
BEST OF RELATIONS WITH THE
UNITED STATES.
WE ARE STRATEGIC ALLIES IN THE
REGION, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO
BE SO.
>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
>> Reporter: PRESIDENT SANTOS,
TO YOU, YOU HEARD PRESIDENT
TRUMP SAY THAT IT IS CRITICAL TO
STOPPING THE FLOW OF DRUGS INTO
THE UNITED STATES WILL BE THE
WALL THAT HE WANTS TO BUILD ON
THE MEXICAN BORDER.
DO YOU AGREE WITH HIM?
WOULD THAT WALL BE A STEP, A
POSITIVE STEP AND A STEP TOWARDS
REDUCING THE FLOW OF DRUGS
ACROSS THE BORDER?
>> I BELIEVE THAT THE BEST WAY
TO FIGHT THE DRUG TRAFFICKING IS
BY COLLABORATING.
THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM OF
COLOMBIA ONLY OR A PROBLEM OF
THE UNITED STATES ONLY.
IT IS A WORLD PROBLEM.
AND WE HAVE TO ALL WORK
TOGETHER.
WE DECLARED THE WAR ON DRUG 40
YEARS AGO.
THE WORLD DECLARED A WAR ON
DRUGS, AND IT IS A WAR THAT HAS
NOT BEEN RUN.
SO WE MUST BE MORE EFFECTIVE AND
MORE EFFICIENT.
NOW, WE ARE DOING VERY BIG
EFFORT BECAUSE OF THE PEACE
PROCESS TO HAVE A NEW STRATEGY,
CARROT AND STICK.
STICK BY FORCE THE RATIFICATION,
WE HAVE ALREADY ERADICATED THIS
YEAR ONLY 15,000 HECTARES, WHICH
IS THE WHOLE VOLUME THAT WE
ERADICATED LAST YEAR, AND WE ARE
STARTING TO ERADICATE -- TO
SUBSTITUTE VOLUNTARILY THROUGH A
PROGRAM WHERE THE PEASANTS --
AND WE HAVE 80,000 FAMILIES
ALREADY IN THE PROGRAM, THAT
THEY ARE GOING TO SUBSTITUTE FOR
LEGAL CROPS.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS
COULD BE DONE BECAUSE OF THE
PEACE.
BEFORE THE CONFLICT DID NOT
ALLOW US TO BUILD ROADS AND TO
GIVE THESE PEASANTS AN
ALTERNATIVE.
NOW WE HAVE.
NOW WE HAVE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
THIS OPPORTUNITY AND CONTINUE
REDUCING THE PRODUCTION OF
COCOA.
IN THE MEAN WHILE, WE WILL WORK
TOGETHER, THE U.S. AND COLOMBIA
WITH OTHER COUNTRIES, CENTRAL
AMERICA, TO FIGHT THE OTHER
LINKS IN THE CHAIN, THE
INTERMEDIARIES.
WE HAVE DESTROYED 22,000
LABORATORIES IN THE COLOMBIAN
JUNGLES, SEIZING THE COCOA IN
THE TRANSIT.
WE HAVE SEIZED RECORD AMOUNT OF
TONS LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR
WE'RE DOING EVEN BETTER THAN
LAST YEAR.
SO BY WORKING TOGETHER WE CAN BE
MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE, AND THAT IS
THE COMMITMENT WE JUST MADE OR
RATIFIED THIS AFTERNOON.
>> AND THAT WAS A LONG AND VERY
DIPLOMATIC ANSWER TO YOUR
QUESTION.
I WILL SAY IT A LITTLE BIT
SHORTER.
WALLS WORK.
JUST ASK ISRAEL.
THEY WORK.
BELIEVE ME, THEY WORK.
AND WE HAVE NO CHOICE.
PETER BAKER, YES.
>> Reporter: THANK YOU, MR.
PRESIDENT.
IN THE LIGHT OF A VERY BUSY NEWS
WEEK A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD LIKE
TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF A COUPLE
OF THINGS.
GIVEN YOU A CHANCE TO GO ON
RECORD HERE.
DID YOU AT ANY TIME URGE FORMER
FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY IN ANY
WAY SHAPE OR FORM TO CLOSE OR
BACK DOWN THE INVESTIGATION INTO
MICHAEL FLYNN?
>> NO.
>> Reporter: ALSO AS YOU LOOK
BACK --
>> NO.
NEXT QUESTION.
>> Reporter: NEXT QUESTION.
ALWAYS YOU LOOK BACK OVER THE
PAST SIX MONTHS OR A YEAR, HAVE
YOU HAD ANY RECOLLECTION WHERE
YOU HAVE WONDERED IF ANYTHING
YOU HAVE DONE HAS BEEN SOMETHING
THAT MIGHT BE WORTHY OF CRIMINAL
CHARGES IN THESE INVESTIGATIONS
OR IMPEACHMENT AS SOME ON THE
LEFT ARE IMPLYING?
>> I THINK IT IS TOTALLY
RIDICULOUS.
EVERYBODY THINKS SO.
AGAIN, WE HAVE TO GET BACK TO
WORKING OUR COUNTRY PROPERLY SO
THAT WE CAN TAKE CARE OF THE
PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE.
WE HAVE PLENTY OF PROBLEMS.
WE HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB.
WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS GROUP OF
PEOPLE.
MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
OUT THERE THAT ARE LOOKING AT
WHAT YOU HAVE JUST SAID AND
SAID, WHAT ARE THEY DOING?
DIRECTOR COMEY WAS VERY
UNPOPULAR WITH MOST PEOPLE.
I ACTUALLY THOUGHT WHEN I MADE
THAT DECISION -- AND I ALSO GOT
A VERY, VERY STRONG
RECOMMENDATION, AS YOU KNOW,
FROM THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY
GENERAL, ROD ROSENSTEIN.
BUT WHEN I MADE THAT DECISION, I
ACTUALLY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A
BIPARTISAN DECISION.
BECAUSE YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THE
PEOPLE ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE,
NOT ONLY THE REPUBLICAN SIDE,
THAT WERE SAYING SUCH TERRIBLE
THINGS ABOUT DIRECTOR COMEY.
THEN HE HAD THE VERY POOR
PERFORMANCE ON WEDNESDAY.
THAT WAS A POOR, POOR
PERFORMANCE.
SO POOR, IN FACT, THAT I
BELIEVE -- AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO
ASK HIM BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE TO
SPEAK FOR OTHER PEOPLE, BUT I
BELIEVE THAT'S WHY THE DEPUTY
ATTORNEY GENERAL WENT OUT AND
WROTE HIS VERY, VERY STRONG
LETTER.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, AFTER
THE WEDNESDAY PERFORMANCE BY
DIRECTOR COMEY YOU HAD A PERSON
COME AND HAVE TO READJUST THE
RECORD, WHICH MANY PEOPLE HAVE
NEVER SEEN BEFORE, BECAUSE THERE
WERE MISSTATEMENTS MADE.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS SOMETHING
THAT WAS TERRIBLE.
WE NEED A GREAT DIRECTOR OF THE
FBI.
I CHERISH THE FBI.
IT IS SPECIAL.
ALL OVER THE WORLD, NO MATTER
WHERE YOU GO, THE FBI IS
SPECIAL.
THE FBI HAS NOT HAD THAT SPECIAL
REPUTATION WITH WHAT HAPPEN IN
THE CAMPAIGN, WHAT HAPPEN WITH
RESPECT TO THE CLINTON CAMPAIGN,
AND EVEN YOU COULD SAY DIRECTLY
OR INDIRECTLY WITH RESPECT TO
THE MUCH MORE SUCCESSFUL TRUMP
CAMPAIGN.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A DIRECTOR
WHO IS GOING TO BE OUTSTANDING.
I WILL BE ANNOUNCING THAT
DIRECTOR VERY SOON, AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO DOING IT.
I THINK THE PEOPLE IN THE FBI
WILL BE VERY, VERY -- VERY, VERY
THRILL.
AND JUST IN CONCLUDING, WE LOOK
FORWARD TO GETTING THIS WHOLE
SITUATION BEHIND US SO THAT WHEN
WE GO FOR THE JOBS, WHEN WE GO
FOR THE STRONG MILITARY, WHEN WE
GO FOR ALL OF THE THINGS THAT
WE'VE BEEN PUSHING SO HARD AND
SO SUCCESSFULLY, INCLUDING
HEALTH CARE -- BECAUSE OBAMACARE
IS COLLAPSING.
IT IS DEAD.
IT IS GONE.
THERE'S NOTHING TO COMPARE
ANYTHING TO BECAUSE WE DON'T
HAVE HEALTH CARE IN THIS
COUNTRY.
YOU JUST LOOK AT WHAT IS
HAPPENING.
AETNA JUST PULLED OUT.
OTHER INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE
PULLING OUT.
WE DON'T HAVE HEALTH CARE.
OBAMACARE IS A FALLACY.
IT IS GONE.
WE NEED HEALTH CARE.
WE NEED TO CUT TAXES.
WE ARE GOING TO CUT TAXES.
FORGET
IF I GET WHAT I WANT, IT WILL BE
THE BIGGEST TAX CUT IN THE
HISTORY OF OUR NATION AND THAT'S
WHAT I WANT.
IT IS GOING TO BRING BACK
COMPANIES, IT IS GOING TO BRING
BACK JOBS.
WE LOST SO MANY JOBS AND
COMPANIES TO COUNTRIES KNOW SO
FAR TO YOU, MR. PRESIDENT,
THEY'RE VERY CLOSE TO YOU,
ACTUALLY, AND TO MANY OTHER
PLACES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE EXPANSION.
WE ALREADY DO.
YOU LOOK AT WHAT IS HAPPENING
WITH FORD AND GENERAL MOTORS IN
MICHIGAN AND OHIO, YOU LOOK AT
THE TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF JOBS
BEING ANNOUNCED IN SO MANY
DIFFERENT FIELDS.
THAT'S WHAT I'M PROUD OF AND
THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO FOCUS OUR
ENERGY ON.
THE OTHER IS SOMETHING I CAN
ONLY TELL YOU, THERE WAS NO
COLLUSION, AND EVERYBODY -- EVEN
MY ENEMIES HAVE SAID, THERE IS
NO COLLUSION.
SO WE WANT TO GET BACK AND KEEP
ON THE TRACK THAT WE'RE ON,
BECAUSE THE TRACK THAT WE'RE ON
IS RECORD-SETTING AND THAT'S
WHAT WE WANT TO DO, IS WE WANT
TO BREAK VERY POSITIVE RECORDS.
THANK YOU.
YOU COULD ASK A QUESTION.
>> SORRY.
YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION?
>> Reporter: YES, SIR, MR.
PRESIDENT.
MY QUESTION IS AS SOMEONE WHO
LED A NATION THAT'S DONE A LOT
OF REBUILDING AND HAD TO FIREBOD
OVER DRUGS OVER A NUMBER OF
YEARS, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF MR.
TRUMP'S POLICY OF AMERICA FIRST?
FURTHER, YOU HAVE HAD A TOUGH
TIME WITH TALK RADIO AND YOU
HAVE BEEN CALLED A PUNCHING BACK
AND YOU HAVE HAD TO SEVERE.
DO YOU HAVE ADVICE FOR PRESIDENT
TRUMP ON HOW TO DO SO?
>> I DON'T THINK I'M IN POSITION
TO GIVE ADVICE TO PRESIDENT
TRUMP.
HE CAN TAKE CARE OF HIMSELF.
AND WHAT I -- WHAT WE DID IN
COLOMBIA, YOU QUITE RIGHTLY
MENTIONED IT, IS PERSEVERE.
WE -- WHEN YOU KNOW YOUR POOR OF
THIS NATION AND YOU KNOW THAT
YOU'RE DOING THE CORRECT THING,
YOU SIMPLY HAVE TO PERSEVERE.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE IN
COLOMBIA AND THAT'S WHY WE WERE
ON THE VERGE OF BEING A FAILED
STATE SOME YEARS AGO AND NOW
WE'RE ONE OF THE STARS OF THE
REGION.
AND THAT'S THROUGH HARD WORK,
PERSEVERANCE AND CLARITY OF YOUR
OBJECTIVES.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE DONE AND WE
HAVE TO CONTINUE, BECAUSE THE
TRIP IS NOT OVER.
>> Translator: MR. PRESIDENT, I
WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU ABOUT
TRADE.
YOU ARE ABOUT TO START THE
RENEGOTIATION OF NAFTA, AND
COLOMBIA AND LIKE OTHER
COUNTRIES IN THE MHEMISPHERE HA
A LARGE TRADE DEFICIT WITH THE
UNITED STATES.
ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT THE FACT
THAT THAT COULD CONTRIBUTE TO
INCREASING THAT TRADE DEFICIT?
>> DECISION ON THE PEACE PROCESS
IN COLOMBIA.
>> WELL, IT'S BEEN A LONG
PROCESS AND IT'S BEEN A GREAT
THING TO WATCH IN THE SENSE THAT
THE PRESIDENT DID A FANTASTIC
JOB.
THAT'S NOT EASY AFTER SO MANY
YEARS OF WAR.
SO I'M VERY, VERY PROUD TO GET
TO KNOW YOU, AND I REALLY
CONGRATULATE YOU.
THERE'S NOTHING TOUGHER THAN
PEACE, AND WE WANT TO MAKE PEACE
ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND YOU ARE
REALLY A GREAT EXAMPLE OF
SOMEBODY THAT STARTED IT.
I MEAN FARQ, THAT WAS A LONG,
TOUGH SITUATION, AS YOU KNOW
VERY WELCOMING FROM THE COUNTRY.
BUT I THINK THE PRESIDENT HAS
DONE A MAGNIFICENT JOB.
NOT EASY, BUT HE'S DONE A
MAGNIFICENT JOB.
>> Translator: CLEAR AND
POSSIBLE.
ON THE TRADE ISSUE, OUR DEFICIT
WITH THE UNITED STATES IS NOT SO
LARGE.
IT IS A MODERATE DEFICIT WHICH,
OF COURSE, BOTH COUNTRIES WILL
TRY TO INCREASE THE VOLUME OF
TRADE IN BOTH DIRECTIONS, AND
INVESTMENTS ALSO IN BOTH
DIRECTIONS.
COLOMBIA IS BECOMING AN
IMPORTANT INVESTOR HERE IN THE
UNITED STATES, AND THIS IS
SOMETHING NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW,
BUT WE HAVE CONSIDERABLE
INVESTMENTS IN THE UNITED
STATES.
WE HAVE ATTEMPTED TO GIVE -- TO
THESE FLOWS OF TRADE AND
INVESTMENT, GETTING TOGETHER
THOSE MAIN PLAYERS WHO ARE THE
INVESTORS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
I BELIEVE THE FOUNDATIONS HAVE
BEEN LAID.
WE HAVE THE TRADE AGREEMENT
WHICH IS WORKING WELL.
THE NUMBER OF COLOMBIAN
BUSINESSES THAT EXPORT INTO THE
UNITED STATES HAS GROWN, AND WE
BOTH BELIEVE THAT WE CAN TAKE
GREATER ADVANTAGE OF THOSE
AGREEMENTS IN ORDER TO INCREASE
FLOWS IN BOTH DIRECTIONS FOR THE
BENEFIT BOTH OF THE COLOMBIAN
AND AMERICAN PEOPLES.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
EVERYBODY.
THANK

Trump takes questions on Comey, Russia

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