President Trump, in a "60 Minutes" interview with Lesley Stahl, still would not acknowledge that Russia alone interfered in the 2016 election.
From the show transcript:
Lesley Stahl: --do you believe that the Russians interfered in the 2016 campaign election? Our election-
President Donald Trump: They-- they meddled. But I think China meddled too.
Lesley Stahl: But why do you--
President Donald Trump: And I think other countries--
Lesley Stahl: --say China meddled too?
President Donald Trump: And you wanna know something?
Lesley Stahl: Why do you say Chi-- why don't you just say--
President Donald Trump: Well, let me ask you--
Lesley Stahl: --the Russians meddled?
President Donald Trump: Because I think China meddled also. And I think, frankly, China--
Lesley Stahl: This is amazing.https://investigaterussia.org/node/add
President Donald Trump: --is a bigger problem.
Lesley Stahl: You are diverting the whole Russia thing.
President Donald Trump: I'm not doing anything.
Lesley Stahl: You are, you are
President Donald Trump: I'm saying Russia, but I'm also saying China.
The Intelligencer's Jonathan Chait explains why Trump, when asked about Russia, dragged China into the spotlight.
The administration is very openly stoking tension with China and centering China as America’s primary global rival. Last week, Mike Pence delivered a high-profile speech challenging China across multiple fronts. The Wall Street Journal today has a lengthy report on what it calls the administration’s “new Cold War.” Several weeks ago, an anonymous administration official told reporters China employs “a whole of government approach using political, economic, commercial, military and informational tools” to manipulate American politics, but failed to specify these nefarious tools other than highlighting a paid newspaper insert in the Des Moines Register. (Paid advertising by foreign governments in American newspapers is a longstanding practice.)
The United States does have legitimate economic and geopolitical grievances with China. It is also entirely possible that the administration will produce some evidence of Chinese interference that goes beyond paying for ad space in an Iowa newspaper. But Trump’s comments signal plainly that the “new Cold War” is intended in large part to distract from the Russia scandal.
After all, last year Trump invited Xi Jinping to his Florida resort, where the two leaders bonded over beautiful chocolate cake and missile strikes, and then gushed over his lavish treatment at a state visit later in the fall. All those things occurred well after the long-standing patterns of Chinese behavior that have supposedly provoked the new Cold War.
During his interview, Trump also dodged questions about his obvious refusal to say anything negative about Vladimir Putin.
Lesley Stahl: Putin.
President Donald Trump: Yeah.
Lesley Stahl: Okay, people don't understand why you never have a harsh word for Vladimir Putin.
President Donald Trump: Okay, you ready?
Lesley Stahl: I don't understand it.
President Donald Trump: I have been-- you don't know what I talked about with Putin in the meeting prior to the press conference--
Lesley Stahl: No, I mean publicly. You never say anything harsh about him--
President Donald Trump: Excuse me.
Lesley Stahl: --publicly.
President Donald Trump: I didn't? I'm the one that gave Ukraine offensive weapons and tank killers. Obama didn't. You know what he sent? He sent pillows and blankets. I'm the one-- and he's the one that gave away a part of Ukraine where Russia now has this--
Lesley Stahl: Well, I mean him personally Vladimir Putin--
President Donald Trump: I think I'm very tough with him personally. I had a meeting with him. The two of us. It was a very tough meeting and it was a very good meeting.
Lesley Stahl: Do you agree that Vladimir Putin is involved in assassinations? In poisonings?
President Donald Trump: Probably he is, yeah. Probably. I mean, I don't--
Lesley Stahl: Probably?
President Donald Trump: But I rely on them, it's not in our country.
Lesley Stahl: Why not-- they shouldn't do it. This is a terrible thing.
President Donald Trump: Of course they shouldn't do it-
Lesley Stahl: Instead do you believe--
President Donald Trump: That's your (UNINTEL)--
And while the president said he does not intend to shut down the Russia investigation, he did not offer much in the way of reassurance.
Lesley Stahl: What about the attorney general, Jeff Sessions?
President Donald Trump: Well, we'll see what happens come midterms. But--
Lesley Stahl: But everybody thinks, given the things you've said--
President Donald Trump: I was disappointed that he recused himself and many people think I was right on that. I was very disappointed. Why should he have recused himself? So I was very--
Lesley Stahl: So--
President Donald Trump: --disappointed but--
Lesley Stahl: So can I assume--
President Donald Trump: --we'll see what happens.
Lesley Stahl: Can I assume he's gone?
President Donald Trump: No. No. You can't assume that.
Lesley Stahl: Will you. Will you pledge-- pledge that you will not shut down the Mueller investigation?
President Donald Trump: Well, I-- I don't pledge anything. But I will tell you, I have no intention of doing that. I think it's a very unfair investigation because there was no collusion of any kind.
Lesley Stahl: But you won't pledge--
President Donald Trump: There is no collusion. I don't wanna pledge. Why should I pledge to you? If I pledge, I'll pledge. I don't have to pledge to you. But I have-
Lesley Stahl: Well--
President Donald Trump: I have no intention of doing that.
To date, 32 people have been charged or pled guilty in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. President Trump's campaign chairman, top campaign aide, former national security advisor and longtime personal attorney are all cooperating in the inquiry the president calls a witch hunt.
President Donald Trump: Do you really think I'd call Russia to help me with an election? Give me a break. They wouldn't be able to help me at all. Call Russia. It's so ridiculous.
President Trump on Christine Blasey Ford, his relationships with Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un and more (60 Minutes)
Trump Is Starting a Cold War With China to Distract From the Russia Scandal (The Intelligencer)