Trump Downplays Stone Relationship Again

News  |  Feb 5, 2019

Face the Nation's Margaret Brennan interviewed President Trump for a segment that aired Sunday.

The following are the two Russia investigation-related segments of that interview:

On the personnel turnover in his administration:

MARGARET BRENNAN: You've had a lot of change up in you administration recently too. Are you satisfied with the cabinet and the staff you have now?

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: So we have a great cabinet. I have great people. I think now we have a really great cabinet. I think Bill Barr will be a fantastic attorney general, and I think that we have- Mike Pompeo's been doing a fantastic job. We have--

MARGARET BRENNAN: He's not leaving?

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: No, I don't- I mean he tells me he wouldn't want to leave. I think that was--

MARGARET BRENNAN: Because McConnell was talking to him--

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: That was fake news.

MARGARET BRENNAN: --about running for the Senate. He said McConnell had spoken to him about running for the Senate.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well, he may have spoken to him, but I think he loves being secretary of state. He's doing a fantastic job. And I asked him the question the other day, he says he's absolutely not leaving. I don't think he'd do that. And he doesn't want to be lame duck. And he's doing a fantastic job as our secretary of state. Great energy and great- a great, smart gentleman.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Cause you have an acting AG until you get Barr confirmed--

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Yes.

MARGARET BRENNAN: An acting defense secretary. An acting chief of staff. An acting interior secretary.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP. It's OK. It's easier to make moves when they're acting.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So you are going to shake up--

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Some, and some not.

MARGARET BRENNAN: --positions.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Some are doing a fantastic job. Really- I like acting because I can move so quickly. It gives me more flexibility. But- but actually, some of the names you mentioned, they're doing a fantastic job.

MARGARET BRENNAN: How do you know when to fire someone?

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: When it's not happening. When--

MARGARET BRENNAN: What do you mean? 

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: When it doesn't get done. Like with General Mattis, I wasn't happy with his service. I told him give me a letter.

MARGARET BRENNAN: He resigned.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: He resigned because I asked him to resign

On the Mueller investigation:

MARGARET BRENNAN: What surprised you about some of the questions that Robert Mueller asked you?

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well, look the Russia thing is a hoax. I have been tougher on Russia than any president, maybe ever. But than any president.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But when it comes to the investigation that the special counsel's conducting- I mean 34 people have been charged here. Seven guilty pleas --

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Excuse me. Ok, you ready? Ok, you ready? Of the 34 people, many of them were bloggers from Moscow or they were people that had nothing to do with me, had nothing to do with what they're talking about or there were people that got caught telling a fib or telling a lie. I think it's a terrible thing that's happened to this country because this investigation is a witch hunt. It's a terrible witch hunt and it's a disgrace--

MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you think it should be made public?

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: --when you look at General Flynn where the FBI said he wasn't lying, but Robert Mueller said he was, and they took a man and destroyed his life. When you look at so many of the things that have happened- why didn't they go after Hillary Clinton for her emails? She had thirty three thousand emails that were deleted after receiving a subpoena from Congress--

MARGARET BRENNAN: And according to the special counsel--

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Excuse me, but Margaret, why--

MARGARET BRENNAN: --they were posted on WikiLeaks and your friend Roger Stone was just indicted for his involvement there and for lying.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: First of all, Roger Stone didn't work on the campaign, except way way at the beginning long before we're talking about. Roger is somebody that I've always liked, but a lot of people like Roger some people probably don't like Roger, but Roger Stone's somebody I've always liked. I mean Roger's a character but Roger was not- I don't know if you know this or not- Roger wasn't on my campaign except way at the beginning--

MARGARET BRENNAN: Right.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: So, it's all- and- and yet you will ask me a question like that, wasn't involved in my campaign.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Would you pardon him?

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I have not thought about it. It looks like he's defending himself very well. But you have to get rid of the Russia witch hunt because it is indeed. And remember--

MARGARET BRENNAN: Because you think--

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Remember this. Remember this. There's been no president that has been tougher on Russia than Donald Trump.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Would you make the Mueller report public because you say there's nothing in there? Congress can subpoena it anyway, though.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Totally up to to the Attorney General.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But what do you want them to do?

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Even the Mueller report said it had nothing to do with the campaign. When you look at some of the people and the events it had nothing to do--

MARGARET  BRENNAN: You wouldn't have a problem--

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Excuse me.

MARGARET BRENNAN: --if it became public?

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Excuse me. That's up to the attorney general. I don't know. It depends. I have no idea what it's going to say.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: So far this thing's been a total witch hunt. And it doesn't implicate me in any way. There was no collusion. There was no obstruction. There was no nothing. Doesn't implicate me in any way but I think it's a disgrace.

Transcript: President Trump on "Face the Nation," February 3, 2019 (CBS News)