Trump defends Stephanopolous interview | TheHill – The Hill

President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump defends Stephanopolous interview Trump defends Stephanopolous interview Buttigieg on offers of foreign intel: ‘Just call the FBI’ MORE on Saturday night defended his interview with ABC News in which he suggested he might accept offers of intelligence on political opponents from foreign governments. 

Trump accused the media of distorting his words in a series of tweets. He also suggested that he might do more network interviews in the future.

“I enjoyed my interview with @GStephanopoulos on @ABC. So funny to watch the Fake News Media try to dissect & distort every word in as negative a way as possible,” Trump tweeted. 

“Think I will do many more Network Interviews, as I did in 2016, in order to get the word out that no President has done what I have in…the first 2 1/2 years of his Presidency, including the fact that we have one of the best Economies in the history of our Country,” he continued. “It is called Earned Media. In any event, enjoy the show!”

I enjoyed my interview with @GStephanopoulos on @ABC. So funny to watch the Fake News Media try to dissect & distort every word in as negative a way as possible. It will be aired on Sunday night at 8:00 P.M., and is called, “President Trump: 30 Hours” (which is somewhat….

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 16, 2019

….misleading in that I personally spent only a small fraction of that time doing interviews. I do have a few other things to do, you know!). Think I will do many more Network Interviews, as I did in 2016, in order to get the word out that no President has done what I have in…

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 16, 2019

…..the first 2 1/2 years of his Presidency, including the fact that we have one of the best Economies in the history of our Country. It is called Earned Media. In any event, enjoy the show!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 16, 2019

Trump said in the interview on Wednesday that he might accept damaging information on a political opponent from a foreign government.  

“I think you might want to listen. There’s nothing wrong with listening,” he told ABC News. “It’s not an interference. They have information. I think I’d take it. If I thought there was something wrong, I’d go maybe to the FBI.”

Host George Stephanopoulos noted that Trump’s FBI director, Christopher Wray, has said campaigns should report such contact from foreign entities to the bureau.

“The FBI director is wrong,” Trump responded. 

Trump’s comments were criticized by several lawmakers.

Federal Election Commission Chairwoman Ellen Weintraub issued a statement in response on Thursday saying that it is “illegal for any person to solicit, accept, or receive anything of value from a foreign national in connection with a U.S. election.”

–This report was updated on June 16 at 6:25 a.m.