The interview took place on Monday, with TIME editor-in-chief Sam Jacobs and senior political correspondent Eric Cortellessa questioning the president. It covered a lot of ground, including the conflict with Iran, the administration's approach to the press, and the growing role of artificial intelligence. For most of the hour, the conversation appeared to move along. It was only toward the end that the mood shifted sharply.
The turning point came when the reporters asked about pardons and about McConnell's health. Trump responded by turning the question around, pointing out that former President Joe Biden, whom he called "Sleepy Joe," had handed out pardons to many people, Anthony Fauci among them. In Trump's view, it made little sense that he would be criticized for considering the same thing. He then told the reporters that the story wouldn't amount to much and complained that none of their questions had been positive.
"Give Me Credit"
Trump didn't stop there. He said he ought to be given credit for repairing the White House, which he described as having been in poor shape. He also said the war was going very well, in what appeared to be a reference to Iran, and accused the journalists of ignoring Venezuela.
That claim drew a quick correction. The TIME reporters said they had asked him about Venezuela earlier in the conversation. Trump's reply was brief: he said he'd simply been thinking "fake news." The remark echoed his comments about the situation in Venezuela, where US forces removed President Nicolas Maduro in January. Trump has described it as another war already won.
Polls Under Fire
The sharpest words were saved for the questions about his approval rating, which the reporters described as having never been lower. Trump rejected the figures outright, calling them fake and saying he would beat any rival running today by 20 points. He went on to label the pollsters corrupt, adding they were almost as corrupt as the writers.
An Ongoing Fight With the Press
The exchange is the latest chapter in a long and often bitter relationship between Trump and the media. Throughout both of his terms, he has accused individual reporters and entire outlets of spreading "fake news." The tension has sharpened in recent weeks. Last month, his administration barred reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House. Those journalists were allowed back last week, after a federal judge found the ban was likely unconstitutional.
Against that backdrop, the TIME interview offers a glimpse of how fraught the president's dealings with the press remain, even in a sit-down he agreed to himself.
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