President Donald Trump said in a new interview that he was joking when he promised to end the Russian-Ukraine war in the first 24 hours of his second term.
Trump also said Chinese President Xi Jinping called him about tariffs and addressed a Supreme Court order that his administration was working to promote Maryland’s Man Kilmer Abrego Garcia’s release from El Salvador prison.
These were just a few of the regions the president mentioned in his extensive interview with Time Magazine. This documented his first 100 days of inauguration, consumed by efforts to rebuild the federal government, push the limits of the president’s power and bring about economical ocean change through sweeping fees. The transcript for the interview was published on Friday.
End the war in Ukraine
Trump said he was speaking “figuratively” when he promised to end the Ukraine-Russian War on the first day of his second term.
“Well, I said it figuratively, and I said it as an exaggeration, because to make a point,” Trump said.
“Obviously, when I said it, I know it was said as a joke, but it was said it was over,” he added.
Trump repeatedly said on the campaign path, saying he would end the war within the first 24 hours. However, the promise never came to fruition, so he informed that negotiations were more difficult than expected.
“The war has been raging for three years,” he told time. “I’ve just arrived here and you say, what took so long?”
The president also said he believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin will “go and take everything away,” but he said on Thursday he admitted that Russia cannot do so.
“Crimea will remain in Russia, and Zelensky understands that, and everyone understands it has been with them for a long time,” Trump said in an interview with Time on Tuesday.
But speaking with reporters on Thursday, Trump said that Russia would continue to control Crimea and that it would be “very difficult” for Ukraine to regain the peninsula. Russia took control of Crimea during the Obama administration, but Trump falsely claimed that President Barack Obama gave it to Russia.
Trump also said he didn’t believe Ukraine would not be able to join NATO and did not believe there was a government desire to join Russia, which was spurred by the alliance. “I think it was when they started talking about joining NATO, and if it grew up, it’s much more likely that it wasn’t started.”
Phone with xi
Trump said in an interview that Chinese Xi nearby people called him about tariffs, but he did not provide details about when their conversation took place. NBC News reached the White House for comment.
“He’s called,” Trump said.
Asked what XI said to him, Trump said, “We all want to do business. But I’m this huge store. It’s a huge and beautiful store, and everyone wants to go shopping there. And on behalf of the American people, I own the store.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C. declined on Friday, commenting on the call between XI and Trump.
As part of his new tariff policy, Trump has placed a 145% obligation on Chinese imports. Earlier this week, Trump said the US was “actively” talking to China about the trade war, but Beijing denied that there had been a meeting on Thursday. “China and the US are not engaged in any discussions or negotiations on tariffs, but of course we have reached an agreement,” a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry said.
Trade deal?
In a time interview, Trump claimed that he had “conducted 200 deals” on tariffs, but there is no evidence that an agreement has been presented so far. His goal is to have a broker trade agreement with 75 countries in less than 90 days.
Trump was asked to clarify his comment that he had made 200 deals. The President was then asked to share with those who had these transactions, and gave a lengthy answer about his tariff plans without naming the country.
Trump said the deal was “announced over the next three to four weeks and we’ve ended, by the way.”
“I’m done,” the president added when asked again to clarify what he meant. “Now, some countries may come back and ask for adjustments. I’ll consider that. We are department stores, huge department stores, the biggest department stores in history. Everyone wants to come from us and come from us.
The Abrego Garcia Incident
In an interview, Trump suggested that despite the Supreme Court’s order that the administration must “promote” a return to the United States, his administration is not involved in the case of Kilmer Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador.
“I’ll leave it to my lawyer,” Trump said when asked if he was helping Abrego Garcia release. “I don’t give them instructions. They feel that the order has said something very different to what you’re saying. But I’ll leave it to my lawyers. If they want – that’s the US Attorney General and those representing the country. I won’t make that decision.”
Trump said he has not asked El Salvador President Naive Buquere to return Abrego Garcia to the United States.
The White House said Abrego Garcia would never “never” return to the United States, and officials claimed he was a member of the MS-13 gang, which his lawyers and family denied.
When asked if Trump is violating his oath by failing to comply with the Supreme Court order, he said, “I am not ignoring the Supreme Court. I will not ignor the Supreme Court. I will not ignor him. I am not ignoring him. I am a great believer in the Supreme Court and I respect the judge.”
Third term as president
In an interview on Time, Trump discussed the idea of serving in his third term as president again.
When asked about his past comments that he might be seeking another term, Trump insisted that he had not “even seeing the possibility.” But when asked about the possible ways he could make it possible, he said, “I’m not arguing about it now, but as you know, there are some well-known loopholes. But I don’t believe in loopholes. I don’t believe in using loopholes.”
Meanwhile, Trump’s organization has begun selling red hats embroidered with white block lettering in “Trump 2028.”