President-elect Donald Trump said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that once in office he would not appoint a special prosecutor to “go after” former President Joe Biden.
Partial transcript as follows:
KRISTEN WELKER: Ok. Let’s talk about some of your picks to fill out your administration. You named Kash Patel to be the next FBI director.
TRUMP: Yeah.
WELKER: He has a list in his book of 60 people that he calls members of the so-called “deep state.” It includes Democrats like Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton. It includes former members of your cabinet, from Bill Barr to Christopher Wray. You campaigned on destroying the deep state. Do you want Kash Patel to launch investigations into people on that list?
TRUMP: No. I mean, he’s going to do what he thinks is right. And I will —
WELKER: Well, do you think that’s right?
TRUMP: — and I will —
WELKER: Do you think that’s right, sir?
TRUMP: If they think that somebody was dishonest or crooked or a corrupt politician, I think he probably has an obligation to do it, but —
WELKER: Are you going to direct him to do it?
TRUMP: No. Not at all. Not at all. We have two great people that – we have him, and we have Pam. And Pam Bondi has been like a rocket ship. She’s very popular and very good and very fair. And Kash Patel is very fair. I’ll tell you. I thought Kash may be difficult because he’s, you know, a strong conservative voice, and I don’t know of anybody that’s not singing his praises. The other day, I was watching, and Trey Gowdy, who’s a moderate person and very smart and very respected in the party, he’s Kash’s biggest fan. He said, “This is the most misunderstood man in politics. He’s great.” I guess they worked together on the Russia hoax or something, and Trey Gowdy became a fan. Trey, you know, Trey Gowdy. Everybody respects him, and, you know, just like him, others also, I don’t know of one negative vote – I don’t think he’s going to have any negative votes.
WELKER: Is it your expectation, though, that Kash Patel will pursue investigations against your political enemies?
TRUMP: No, I don’t think so.
WELKER: Do you want to see that happen?
TRUMP: If they were crooked, if they did something wrong, if they have broken the law, probably. They went after me. You know, they went after me and I did nothing wrong.
WELKER: Well, let me ask you this. You said, President Biden, quote, that you’re going to appoint a real special prosecutor to go after Joe Biden. You said that during –
TRUMP: Where did I say that?
WELKER: — the campaign
TRUMP: Where?
WELKER: You said that on Truth Social, June 12, 2023: “I will appoint a real special prosecutor to go after the most corrupt president in the history of the United States, Joe Biden –
TRUMP: Well, that part is true.
WELKER: — and the entire Biden crime family.” Are you going to do that? Are you going to go after Joe Biden?
TRUMP: I’m really looking to make our country successful. I’m not looking to go back into the past. I’m looking to make our country successful. Retribution will be through success. If we can make our success – this country successful, that would be my greatest, that would be such a great achievement. Bring it back. We have a country now that’s overridden with crime, that has millions of people that shouldn’t be here, that should be in prisons in other countries, that should be in mental institutions. We have drug lords being dropped into our country and told never go back to their country. I’m looking to make our country great. I’m looking to get – bring prices down. Because, you know, I won on two things, the border and more than immigration. You know, they like to say immigration, I break it down more to the border, but I won on the border, and I won on groceries. Very simple word, groceries. Like almost – you know, who uses the word? I started using the word – the groceries. When you buy apples, when you buy bacon, when you buy eggs, they would double and triple the price over a short period of time, and I won an election based on that. We’re going to bring those prices way down.
Follow Pam Key on X @pamkeyNEN
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.