White House surprised, frustrated by Trump’s New York Times interview: report
December 30, 2017 by admin
Filed under Latest Lingerie News
Various White House officials were taken off guard and frustrated by President TrumpDonald John TrumpHouse Democrat slams Donald Trump Jr. for ‘serious case of amnesia’ after testimony Skier Lindsey Vonn: I don’t want to represent Trump at Olympics Poll: 4 in 10 Republicans think senior Trump advisers had improper dealings with Russia MORE‘s impromptu Florida interview with The New York Times, according to Friday report from The Washington Post.
The Post said that Times reporter Michael Schmidt gained access to the president at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday after club member Christopher Ruddy introduced the president and the reporter. No aides were present during the on-the-record session.
The newspaper quoted one official who was not aware of the interview, which was posted on Thursday evening, as asking, “What interview? Today?”
Another official was reportedly irked the sit-down took place and referred to it as “embarrassing.”
The wide-ranging Times interview with the president covered various areas such as his strained relationship with the news media and special counsel Robert MuellerRobert Swan MuellerSasse: US should applaud choice of Mueller to lead Russia probe MORE‘s Russia election meddling probe.
Trump told The Times he had the “absolute right” to do whatever he wanted in regards to the Department of Justice and that he believed Mueller would be fair to him in the probe.
The president also denied collusion between his campaign and Russia but said even if there was collusion, it would not be a crime.
White House communications director Hope HicksHope Charlotte HicksTrump campaign staffer: Hope Hicks ‘loves Trump like a father’ Mercedes Schlapp joins White House as senior communications adviser Hope Hicks named Trump’s third White House communications director MORE reportedly checked in on the interview “from afar” after word began to circulate that the president was speaking with the press.
The Post reported the president as being enthusiastic about the interview and that he was happy that it was largely covered on television Friday.
