ABC's George Stephanopoulos questioned President Obama from the left on Tuesday's Good Morning America, as he interviewed Megyn Kelly. The Fox News host disclosed that "we're being told that Steve Bannon will really have the ear of Donald Trump." Stephanopoulos replied, "So that would suggest, perhaps, that President Obama was wrong in his judgment...when he said that he doesn't think Donald Trump is ideological — thinks he's pragmatic." The anchor also asked Kelly, "What do you say to those critics who say this is bringing a white supremacist into the White House?" [video below]
Stephanopoulos led the first segment of his interview of the Fox News anchor with Trump's picks of Reince Priebus and Steve Bannon as chief of staff and chief strategist: "He [Trump] says they are going to be equal partners, but what does that mean inside the White House? This could set up a, kind of, civil war." Kelly replied with her take on Bannon's role in the Trump administration, and added, "I don't know what that means for Reince Priebus. Maybe, Trump needs somebody — President-Elect Trump needs somebody who knows how to work the Hill and staffing decisions."
The ABC journalist followed up with his skepticism of President Obams's "judgment" about Trump. The guest retorted, "I think both are true — that he is — he's not ideological and that he is pragmatic. And I think Steve Bannon — though he is a controversial figure — has advised Donald Trump very well. You remember Trump's campaign was really flailing until Bannon came in." Stephanopoulos countered with the "white supremacist" term about Bannon, which sparked a brief exchange between the two over to what extent the Breitbart leader is "controversial."
Later in the segment, Kelly asserted that "there's no question that Donald Trump is thin-skinned; and he can be mean-spirited. He can be vindictive. But my own experience with him proves that he's able to let things go if he so chooses.... while I think Trump doesn't like it when he feels attacked; if he feels you're open-minded or at least neutral towards him, he becomes a bit more open-minded."
The full transcript of the first segment of George Stephanopoulos's interview of Megyn Kelly on the November 15, 2016 edition of ABC's Good Morning America:
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Joining me now: Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly — she's out with a new book ,'Settle For More.' We're going to talk about that in a little bit; but let's take a look at these appointments — these first appointments by Donald Trump right now — Steve Bannon; Reince Priebus; maybe, Rudy Giuliani — to the victors, go the spoils.
[ABC News Graphic: "Trump's Presidency Takes Shape: Megyn Kelly On President-Elect's Transition"]
MEGYN KELLY: Absolutely right — and Trump's entitled to surround himself with the people who he most trusts. Bannon's the really — really the only one, so far, who's caused a lot of controversy. I mean, it's sort of like 'A Tale of Two Cities' — where you've got Reince Priebus, who's more establishment — which Trump has been railing against — and then, Steve Bannon, who has spent his entire career railing against the establishment—
STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, that — that sets — and he — and he says they are going to be equal partners, but what does that mean inside the White House? This could set up a, kind of, civil war.
KELLY: I mean, it could be a little awkward; but what I'm hearing is Steve Bannon will really be in charge — that he's the one. He's the Trump whisperer—
[ABC News Graphic: "Megyn Kelly on Trump Transition: Can Priebus & Bannon Work Together?"]
STEPHANOPOULOS: Even though he's not the chief of staff?
KELLY: Yeah — that this is an unusual situation; because normally, the chief of staff would be the one who is. Well, we're being told that Steve Bannon will really have the ear of Donald Trump. And I don't know what that means for Reince Priebus. Maybe, Trump needs somebody — President-Elect Trump needs somebody who knows how to work the Hill and staffing decisions.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So that would suggest, perhaps, that President Obama was wrong in his judgment yesterday when he said that he doesn't think Donald Trump is ideological — thinks he's pragmatic.
KELLY: Well, I think — both are true. I mean, I think both are true — that he is — he's not ideological and that he is pragmatic. And I think Steve Bannon — though he is a controversial figure — has advised Donald Trump very well. You remember Trump's campaign was really flailing until Bannon came in — a guy who doesn't run political campaigns, but who completely understands these working-class Americans who have had it with Washington and the so-called establishment—
STEPHANOPOULOS: But what do you say to those critics who say this is bringing a white supremacist into the White House?
KELLY: I don't know that there's evidence of that — you know? I mean, I think people need to be—
STEPHANOPOULOS: The Breitbart headlines?
KELLY: The Breitbart headlines — his defenders — I mean, they're absolutely controversial — but what his defenders say is he's not responsible for every single headline that went up on Breitbart while he was the executive chairman; and that that website is known for being provocative — and so, they're looking for clicks. Now, it definitely appeals to a segment of the so-called alt-right — which includes some white supremacists — but I don't know that you could tar the entire team with that brush — or Steve Bannon with that brush — but having said that, there's no question this man is controversial.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So, you know, we're going to talk more about your book coming up in the next half hour. But you called 2016 your year of Trump; and it really details all of your encounters — the tough encounters. What does that tell you about what kind of president Donald Trump will be, and how can you put that all aside in covering him?
[ABC News Graphic: "What To Expect From President-Elect?"]
KELLY: Well, I mean, I have a year of doing it, so — I mean, now, it's easy to cover him, because we're out of that weird place that we were in. It — it definitely posed as challenges when he was coming after me so relentlessly, and causing security issues in my life and the life of my family. But I did it, and it was a test of me as a person and a professional; and I think my team and I at 'The Kelly File' managed to navigate it pretty well.
But what it tells me about what kind of president he would be — listen, there's no question that Donald Trump is thin-skinned; and he can be mean-spirited. He can be vindictive. But my own experience with him proves that he's able to let things go if he so chooses — right? He came after me like a dog with a bone for nine months. But finally, when I went to see him at Trump Tower — and believe me, I was not conciliatory toward him — we got past it. I think he has a magnanimous piece of him. He has a charming piece to him as well. And while I think Trump doesn't like it when he feels attacked; if he feels you're open-minded or at least neutral towards him, he becomes a bit more open-minded. The problem with him is, he often feels attacked, even when he's not. (laughs)
STEPHANOPOULOS: And we're going to find out more about that meeting in our next half hour. 'Settle For More' is out today.
