Transcript - Interview: Sean Hannity Interviews Donald Trump in Hanoi, Vietnam - February 28, 2019 | Factba.se

Sean Hannity

00:00:00 - 00:00:01 (2 sec)

Mr. President, great to see you.

Donald Trump

00:00:01 - 00:00:02 (1 sec)

Thank you very much.

Sean Hannity

00:00:02 - 00:00:20 (18 sec)

Summit number two, when I heard Kim Jong-un say, you know, was that a question, are you ready to denuclearize? His answer was, I wouldn't be here -- otherwise, I wouldn't be here. And then he goes on, and you said, that might be the best answer you've ever heard.

Donald Trump

00:00:20 - 00:00:37 (17 sec)

Well, and we're working toward something, but we didn't sign anything today. It didn't quite work out. I would say that I wasn't satisfied, and perhaps he wasn't satisfied. Good relationship, but I decided that this wasn't the right time to sign something. So, we'll see what happens over a period of time.

Sean Hannity

00:00:37 - 00:00:41 (4 sec)

It's funny -- it came up on the radio show -- we've known each other well over two decades.

Donald Trump

00:00:41 - 00:00:41 (1 sec)

Sean Hannity

00:00:41 - 00:00:50 (8 sec)

The Art of a Deal, one of the key components on that book is you say, you always got to be able to walk, up to the last second.

Donald Trump

00:00:50 - 00:00:50 (1 sec)

Sean Hannity

00:00:50 - 00:00:52 (2 sec)

Reagan Reykjavik.

Donald Trump

00:00:52 - 00:01:12 (19 sec)

Well, whether it's Reagan, whether it's anybody, I mean, you have to be prepared to walk, and this just wouldn't have been good for our country. And, frankly, he could look at it the same way. Maybe he can look at it the same way. But we get along really well. He's a different kind of a guy, and I just said, look, this isn't going to be working.

Donald Trump

00:01:12 - 00:01:17 (6 sec)

So, I have feeling something down the line will happen. And it will happen, it will be good. But this just wasn't going to --

Sean Hannity

00:01:17 - 00:01:19 (2 sec)

That was your choice. You said this isn't a deal --

Donald Trump

00:01:19 - 00:01:31 (12 sec)

Well, let's call it both, let's call it both. I don't want to say it was my choice. It was something that he wanted to do and I didn't want to do it, and I just don't think it would have been good maybe for either of us. But we'll get something work out eventually.

Sean Hannity

00:01:31 - 00:01:36 (6 sec)

Give us any insight into where maybe the sticking point was?

Donald Trump

00:01:36 - 00:01:58 (22 sec)

Well, they wanted to denuke certain areas and I wanted everything. And the sanctions are there and I didn't want to give up the sanctions unless we had a real program. And they're not ready for that and I understand that fully, I really do. I mean, they spent a lot of time building it and that doesn't mean the world has to be happy.

Donald Trump

00:01:58 - 00:02:10 (12 sec)

But I wanted them to denuke, and they wouldn't do the full. They wanted to just some, and I guess a lot of people would have said, that's a great start. But I just didn't feel it was right.

Sean Hannity

00:02:10 - 00:02:20 (10 sec)

Let me ask you about, last night, you said -- you said something at dinner, and I won't say it, I let him say it. Can you bring us into that dinner?

Donald Trump

00:02:20 - 00:02:26 (6 sec)

Well, no, I just think he's -- first of all, he's a character.

Sean Hannity

00:02:26 - 00:02:26 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:02:26 - 00:02:52 (26 sec)

And he's a real personality and he's very smart. He's sharp as you can be, and he's a real leader, and he's pretty mercurial. I don't say that necessarily in a bad way, but he's a pretty mercurial guy. But he was talking to the press a little bit, and, you know, he's not big to talking to the press, but the press came in. Look, bottom line, I think he wants to get something done but this wasn't the right time.

Donald Trump

00:02:52 - 00:03:00 (7 sec)

And Vietnam, Hanoi, where we are right now, they have treated us so fantastically, so good. They've done such a great job.

Sean Hannity

00:03:00 - 00:03:00 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:03:00 - 00:03:07 (7 sec)

They're very proud of the job they've done, and they've really treated us, I mean, it's been an incredible two and a half days.

Sean Hannity

00:03:07 - 00:03:23 (16 sec)

You kept saying -- and managing expectations. You said, I'm in no rush, I want the right deal, and the right deal for you is complete denuclearization that is verified and on-site inspection, on demand.

Donald Trump

00:03:23 - 00:03:42 (18 sec)

It's a much tougher deal to make, maybe it won't get made, but that's the deal that we should have. And you can't give up everything if you don't get that. Now, we could have done large portions, but you're not getting that. So, let's see what happens. Again, the relationship is very good. He likes me. I like him.

Donald Trump

00:03:42 - 00:03:48 (6 sec)

Some people say, oh, you shouldn't like him. I said, why shouldn't I like him? I like him. We get along great. We'll see what happens.

Sean Hannity

00:03:48 - 00:03:52 (4 sec)

Let me ask you about -- let's go back to Singapore, where I had an opportunity to see you there.

Donald Trump

00:03:52 - 00:03:53 (1 sec)

Sean Hannity

00:03:53 - 00:03:55 (2 sec)

And hostages were released.

Donald Trump

00:03:55 - 00:03:55 (0 sec)

Sean Hannity

00:03:55 - 00:03:56 (1 sec)

Remains have come home.

Donald Trump

00:03:56 - 00:03:57 (1 sec)

Sean Hannity

00:03:57 - 00:04:04 (7 sec)

And the interesting and most profound part of it was that no rockets have been fired over Japan, Guam is not threatened.

Donald Trump

00:04:04 - 00:04:04 (0 sec)

Sean Hannity

00:04:04 - 00:04:10 (5 sec)

And the Continental United States was being threatened. Progress in that area --

Donald Trump

00:04:10 - 00:04:29 (19 sec)

A lot of progress, and it's a lot of progress, not necessarily on paper, although we actually signed a very good agreement. It said no denuclearization, you know, we're going to have -- that we're going to have a complete denuke. I call it denuking, but it's denuclearization. And it was -- it was a document that was signed and it was very good document.

Donald Trump

00:04:29 - 00:04:45 (16 sec)

The fact is that he also said he's not going to do testing, and he said that recently, and he said it again to me just a little while ago. He doesn't want to do testing. He's not going to do that. That's a big thing. No rockets, no anything. And I believe, you know, when he tells me that. I will take him at his word.

Donald Trump

00:04:45 - 00:04:53 (8 sec)

But we'll see how it all goes. I think we had a very good two days, but I just don't think maybe either of us were ready. [Commercial Break]

Sean Hannity

00:04:53 - 00:05:07 (14 sec)

Two-part question. Number one, what do you have to say about things that he was saying? And number two, what about the Democrats? I thought -- I thought politics stopped at the water's edge of America, but not today.

Donald Trump

00:05:07 - 00:05:30 (23 sec)

Well, I think maybe more than anything else, the fact that they held it today were I'm working on something that is very, very important for the world, not only our country, for the world, was really inappropriate. The Democrats, the hatred is so incredible, and they couldn't help themselves, and that's the way it is. As far as Cohen is concerned, he's convicted.

Donald Trump

00:05:30 - 00:05:50 (20 sec)

He's a liar. He's defrauded at a high level. He's got a lot of problems. And, you know, it was very interesting because he lied so much. I watched some of it. I actually was able to watch some of it. He lied so much, and yet he said, when it came to collusion, the whole hoax with the Russia collusion --

Sean Hannity

00:05:50 - 00:05:50 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:05:50 - 00:05:58 (7 sec)

-- just a witch hunt hoax, and very -- by the way, very, very bad for our country, because it really stops you from doing what you're supposed to do.

Sean Hannity

00:05:58 - 00:05:59 (1 sec)

He said no collusion.

Donald Trump

00:05:59 - 00:06:18 (20 sec)

He said no collusion. And I said, it's funny, he lied about so many things, and yet he could have said -- he might as well lie about that one, too. But he said no collusion. And everybody said no collusion. Richard Burr, Senator Burr said no collusion. Senate Intelligence, the House has come up, as you know, the committee, Devin Nunes and all, they said no collusion.

Donald Trump

00:06:18 - 00:06:21 (3 sec)

And yet, it goes on and on and --

Sean Hannity

00:06:21 - 00:06:22 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:06:22 - 00:06:23 (1 sec)

Two -- yes, I guess more than that.

Sean Hannity

00:06:23 - 00:06:24 (0 sec)

But there was collusion --

Donald Trump

00:06:24 - 00:06:39 (16 sec)

It really was -- look, when you think of it, it was really from the time I came down on the escalator with Melania. I came down on the escalator and I think it started just shortly after that. It is a terrible thing, and hopefully, people will get -- because no president should have to have that happened to them.

Donald Trump

00:06:39 - 00:06:49 (9 sec)

It's so bad for the country. It's a hoax. It's just a terrible witch hunt. And it shouldn't happen to another president. And yet, I think I've been the most successful --

Sean Hannity

00:06:49 - 00:06:49 (1 sec)

On a day like today.

Donald Trump

00:06:49 - 00:07:09 (20 sec)

I think I've been the most successful president in the first two years of office. If you look at the tax cuts and regulation cuts and all of the things that you say so nicely on many of your shows. But you look at what we've done for the vets and what we've done for the military, $716 billion, and all of the things that we've done.

Donald Trump

00:07:09 - 00:07:19 (10 sec)

I mean, it's been a tremendous administration. But we always have to -- we have to always fight this hoax that's going on. It's a shame. It's a very sad thing for our country.

Sean Hannity

00:07:19 - 00:07:24 (5 sec)

You know, I was kind of dragged in a little bit into the Michael Cohen issue. I interviewed him many times on radio and TV.

Donald Trump

00:07:24 - 00:07:26 (1 sec)

Sean Hannity

00:07:26 - 00:07:39 (14 sec)

He was never my attorney. He did apologize to me for his attorney saying that in court, and I can tell you personally, he said to me at least a dozen times, that he made the decision on the payments and he didn't tell you --

Donald Trump

00:07:39 - 00:07:39 (0 sec)

Sean Hannity

00:07:39 - 00:07:41 (1 sec)

-- told me, personally.

Donald Trump

00:07:41 - 00:08:00 (20 sec)

No, he did. And he made a decision. And remember this, he's an attorney. Whatever decision he makes, you're supposed to rely on an attorney to make a decision. Somebody said -- one of the very good Republican members today said that -- you know, he's supposed to be an attorney. He's out there doing all sorts of things.

Donald Trump

00:08:00 - 00:08:04 (4 sec)

When you're -- when you have an attorney, you're supposed to be able to rely on your attorney.

Sean Hannity

00:08:04 - 00:08:06 (2 sec)

Attorney-client privilege?

Donald Trump

00:08:06 - 00:08:21 (16 sec)

Well -- but it's also called reliance. He just was not much of an attorney, that I will tell you. But he went up today and a lot of people thought he was very bad. I watched some of it, I thought it was -- I thought it was a terrible display of dishonesty, actually.

Sean Hannity

00:08:21 - 00:08:27 (6 sec)

I actually thought, as I watched it, there's a criminal referral as a result of today, by Congressman Mark Meadows.

Donald Trump

00:08:27 - 00:08:28 (1 sec)

Yes, I heard that.

Sean Hannity

00:08:28 - 00:08:39 (11 sec)

And maybe some inconsistencies, and I think the Democrats in that sense didn't care at all about Michael Cohen, who they were calling a liar a long time ago. The Mueller report, next week we expect it.

Donald Trump

00:08:39 - 00:08:39 (0 sec)

Sean Hannity

00:08:39 - 00:08:40 (1 sec)

And based on Burr --

Donald Trump

00:08:40 - 00:08:42 (3 sec)

I mean, I don't know that for a fact but, right -- [Crosstalk]

Donald Trump

00:08:42 - 00:09:05 (22 sec)

Based on Senator Burr and Devin Nunes and everybody that's looked at it, including Michael Cohen -- no collusion. And, you know, this was all about collusion with Russia, the collusion delusion. And it's a shame, but it's just one of those things. You live with it, you win it. So, I hope it's going to be an honest report.

Donald Trump

00:09:05 - 00:09:15 (11 sec)

If it isn't, we fight it, very strongly, we fight it. Because when you look at what happened at the FBI at the top levels with McCabe, and the dishonesty, Comey and the dishonesty --

Sean Hannity

00:09:15 - 00:09:18 (3 sec)

James Baker had said he thought Hillary should be indicted.

Donald Trump

00:09:18 - 00:09:46 (29 sec)

That's right. James Baker, he was another one who was dismissed. You look at Strzok and his lover, Lisa Page, and you look at what went on with that whole deal with the insurance policy. The insurance policy just in case she loses. I will tell you, it's a very dishonest group of people and it's -- I've done -- I've done a great service for this country by exposing it. When you look at what happened there and at Justice, and they call it Justice, but it hasn't been justice.

Donald Trump

00:09:46 - 00:09:58 (12 sec)

When you take a look at what's gone on, I'm very proud of the fact that, you know, we've exposed a lot of people. It's like 12, somebody said much more than that now.

Sean Hannity

00:09:58 - 00:09:59 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:09:59 - 00:10:03 (4 sec)

And this is great dishonesty at a very high level. We can't let that happen to our country.

Sean Hannity

00:10:03 - 00:10:09 (6 sec)

We have equal justice under the law, equal application of our laws. And we had a Russian dossier --

Donald Trump

00:10:09 - 00:10:09 (0 sec)

Sean Hannity

00:10:09 - 00:10:10 (1 sec)

-- to influence the American people --

Donald Trump

00:10:10 - 00:10:10 (0 sec)

Sean Hannity

00:10:10 - 00:10:11 (1 sec)

-- against you.

Donald Trump

00:10:11 - 00:10:12 (0 sec)

Sean Hannity

00:10:12 - 00:10:14 (3 sec)

And then, it was used to spy on your campaign --

Donald Trump

00:10:14 - 00:10:14 (0 sec)

Sean Hannity

00:10:14 - 00:10:17 (3 sec)

through an associate, violating his constitutional rights.

Donald Trump

00:10:17 - 00:10:18 (0 sec)

Sean Hannity

00:10:18 - 00:10:20 (3 sec)

We have a new attorney general.

Donald Trump

00:10:20 - 00:10:38 (18 sec)

Well, I think we have a great attorney general. I hope and I think he's going to do a terrific job. He's smart, he's tough. He loves the country and he loves the Department of Justice. He loves the Department of Justice and the FBI. And Bill Barr is, I think, going to be exceptional and you need somebody exceptional, because it has to be cleaned out.

Donald Trump

00:10:38 - 00:10:57 (19 sec)

What's going on there for years has been terrible. You look at Ohr, and Ohr's wife who worked for GPS Fusion, and they're the ones who did this phony report, the fake dossier -- boy, it's a hornet's nest. And I think -- I think that Bill is going to do a great job.

Sean Hannity

00:10:57 - 00:11:04 (7 sec)

One last question. The immigration -- you saw the vote in the House. You might lose some Republicans, but it doesn't look like you will --

Donald Trump

00:11:04 - 00:11:05 (0 sec)

Oh, we'll be fighting --

Sean Hannity

00:11:05 - 00:11:07 (3 sec)

Veto -- you will veto it, it won't be overridden.

Donald Trump

00:11:07 - 00:11:08 (1 sec)

Sean Hannity

00:11:08 - 00:11:15 (7 sec)

How much -- I understand that this about $23 million for all the other things that will be useful for border security.

Donald Trump

00:11:15 - 00:11:16 (1 sec)

That's right. We got a lot.

Sean Hannity

00:11:16 - 00:11:19 (3 sec)

And how much will you be able to have. You have the 1.375 --

Donald Trump

00:11:19 - 00:11:36 (17 sec)

Well, first of all, we're going to be building over 200 miles of wall. I'm going to call it a wall as supposed to barriers or slats. They said, could you call it slats or barriers? We played the game for a little while and then you just say, hey, look, this is -- we need border security. You can't have border security without a wall, and a strong wall.

Donald Trump

00:11:36 - 00:11:53 (17 sec)

If you didn't have it in Tijuana, you would have people coming across by the thousands and thousands. And I will say this, whether it's ICE or Border Patrol, or just law enforcement, they have done an incredible job at the border. Apprehensions, the greatest number we've ever done. You look at the number of people.

Donald Trump

00:11:53 - 00:12:02 (9 sec)

But if we had a wall, we wouldn't have to apprehend. People wouldn't come into our country. Drugs wouldn't come into our country. The human trafficking is incredible, the number of people brought into our country.

Sean Hannity

00:12:02 - 00:12:04 (2 sec)

Sex - you have girls -- sex trafficking.

Donald Trump

00:12:04 - 00:12:27 (22 sec)

And they don't come through the points of entry. They come through in the middle of the desert where you have open space. So, I think that really, it's a very dangerous thing for people to be voting against border security -- for anybody, including Republicans. I really think that Republicans that vote against border security and the wall, I think, you know, I've been okay at predicting things, I think they put themselves at great jeopardy.

Sean Hannity

00:12:27 - 00:12:32 (5 sec)

In 10 years, the next president won't have an airplane. We may not have cows. We won't have the combustion engine.

Donald Trump

00:12:32 - 00:12:34 (1 sec)

Sean Hannity

00:12:34 - 00:12:44 (10 sec)

Late, even during birth abortion, 70 percent tax rates, everything is free. I assume socialism will never be an America as you've been saying. What do you think of that crazy proposal?

Donald Trump

00:12:44 - 00:12:55 (12 sec)

Well, it's an incredible thing. I see senators that have been there for a long time, you know, well-known senators, named senators, and I look at them and they're endorsing it, and yet, what are they endorsing? Now that you look at it, you look at it --

Sean Hannity

00:12:55 - 00:12:57 (2 sec)

Well, late term abortions, during birth.

Donald Trump

00:12:57 - 00:13:01 (3 sec)

Yes. A hundred trillion dollars, and you couldn't do it for that.

Sean Hannity

00:13:01 - 00:13:01 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:13:01 - 00:13:15 (14 sec)

But it's -- and it's not even the money. It's so ridiculous. No planes, let's not fly anymore. It is crazy. But personally, they should go for it. I love it. It's one of the greatest plans I've ever seen as long -- [Laughter]

Donald Trump

00:13:15 - 00:13:19 (4 sec)

As long as they're the ones that have to sell it, not me. So, I'm --

Sean Hannity

00:13:19 - 00:13:21 (1 sec)

You're happy about it.

Donald Trump

00:13:21 - 00:13:25 (4 sec)

I'm really looking forward to seeing what the rest of them are going to do. But already, some have endorsed. It is incredible.

Sean Hannity

00:13:25 - 00:13:27 (2 sec)

Mr. President, we appreciate you being with us.

Donald Trump

00:13:27 - 00:13:28 (1 sec)

Sean Hannity

00:13:28 - 00:13:29 (1 sec)