President Donald Trump sat down with CBS’s John Dickerson for an interview about the first 100 days of his presidency, which aired on Sunday’s Face the Nation. In between talking about the serious topics, the President took shots at the media, including his host. “You know, it is very funny when the fake media goes out, which we call the mainstream media, which sometimes I must say is you,” he told Dickerson. “I love your show. I call it ‘Deface the Nation,’ but, you know, your show is sometimes not exactly correct.
The CBS’s moderator let it roll off his back and didn’t seem to mind the criticism. A short time later he asked Trump: “What do you know now on day 100 you wish you knew on day one of the presidency?” To which Trump replied, saying, “Well, one of the things that I have learned is how dishonest the media is, really.”
“I have done things that are, I think very good. I’ve done-- I have set great foundations with foreign leaders. We have, you know, NAFTA,” Trump argued trying to defend his record so far.
He also took issue with the way the media covered his handling of the North American Free Trade Agreement. “The media said: ‘Oh, I didn't terminate NAFTA.’ First of all, if you look at my statements I said: ‘If I’m not able to renegotiate NAFTA, I will terminate NAFTA,’” he explained.
He also attempted to set the recorded straight on why he put off on terminating NAFTA:
As you know, I was going to terminate it but I got a very nice call from a man I like, the president of Mexico. I got a very nice call there Justin Trudeau, the prime minister of Canada. And they said please, would you rather than terminating NAFTA-- I was all set to do it. In fact, I was going to do it today. I was going to do it as we’re sitting here I would have had to delay you, I was going to do it today, I was going to terminate NAFTA but they called up and they said: ”Would you negotiate?” And I said: “Yes, I will negotiate.”
“Every president comes into the job, it’s different than they expected, they must adapt,” Dickerson said, trying to change the subject. “Surely you’ve learned something else other than the media is dishonest.” He also recalled that Trump had known about the dishonest media because he talked so much about it during the campaign.
“No, no. It’s one of my disappointments,” Trump concluded. He finally answered Dickerson’s question by noting that he learned just how slow the legislative process actually goes. He blamed the sluggishness on the “very, very bureaucratic system.”
Transcript below:
CBS
Face the Nation
April 30, 2017
10:37:32 AM Eastern…
DONALD TRUMP: And I think actually I have been very consistent. You know, it is very funny when the fake media goes out, which we call the mainstream media, which sometimes I must say is you.
JOHN DICKERSON: You mean me personally or…?
TRUMP: Eh… your show. I love your show. I call it “Deface the Nation,” but, you know, your show is sometimes not exactly correct.
…
10:39:57 AM Eastern
DICKERSON: What do you know now on day 100 you wish you knew on day one of the presidency?
TRUMP: Well, one of the things that I have learned is how dishonest the media is, really. I have done things that are, I think very good. I’ve done-- I have set great foundations with foreign leaders. We have, you know, NAFTA. As you know, I was going to terminate it but I got a very nice call from a man I like, the president of Mexico. I got a very nice call there Justin Trudeau, the prime minister of Canada. And they said please, would you rather than terminating NAFTA-- I was all set to do it. In fact, I was going to do it today. I was going to do it as we’re sitting here I would have had to delay you, I was going to do it today, I was going to terminate NAFTA but they called up and they said: ”Would you negotiate?” And I said: “Yes, I will negotiate.”
DICKERSON: That's all you have learned about the media? You knew from the campaign about the media, you have said it all the time.
TRUMP: But the media didn't cover it that way, the media said: “Oh, I didn't terminate NAFTA.” First of all, if you look at my statements I said: “If I’m not able to renegotiate NAFTA, I will terminate NAFTA.” Well, I’ll make that statement right now: if I am not able to renegotiate NAFTA we will terminate NAFTA.
DICKERSON: Let’s step back a minute. Presidents have to learn how to adapt. Every president comes into the job, it’s different than they expected, they must adapt. Surely you’ve learned something else other than the media is dishonest.
TRUMP: No, no. It is one of my disappointments.
DICKERSON: Give me another thing you learned that you’re going to adapt and change because all presidents have to at this stage.
…
