CBS Evening News's Jeff Glor Interviews President Trump Following Helsinki Summit
(CBS Local)-- Tonight, President Donald J. Trump will sit down for his first interview since returning from Helsinki with CBS Evening News's Jeff Glor. This is part two of the interview after Glor and President Trump started prior to the summit. The hot topic: Russian meddling in the 2016 election and President Trump's reaction to it. The full interview will air tonight, July 18, at 6:30 p.m. ET on CBSN.
Prepping for POTUS interview in our new DC bureau pic.twitter.com/MlqYlu2r9t
— Jeff Glor (@jeffglor) July 18, 2018
Tonight's interview comes on the heels of President Trump's remarks about misspeaking in regards to his comments about Russia's interference in the 2016 election.
"Let me be totally clear in saying that, and I've said this many times, I accept our intelligence community's conclusion that Russia's meddling in the 2016 election took place," Trump said.
President Trump later denied that Russia is currently targeting the United States. Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said that the president's comments were misinterpreted.
.@jeffglor prepping for his interview with the President on the Acela to D.C. @CBSEveningNews tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/WOstT0yvfH
— Molly Kordares (@mollykord) July 18, 2018
The following is an exchange from the interview, where Glor asks President Trump about Vladimir Putin and Russian meddling.
GLOR: "You say you agree with U.S. intelligence that Russia meddled in the election in 2016."
TRUMP: "Yeah and I've said that before, Jeff. I have said that numerous times before, and I would say that is true, yeah."
GLOR: "But you haven't condemned Putin, specifically. Do you hold him personally responsible?"
TRUMP: "Well, I would, because he's in charge of the country. Just like I consider myself to be responsible for things that happen in this country. So certainly as the leader of a country you would have to hold him responsible, yes."
GLOR: "What did you say to him?"
TRUMP: "Very strong on the fact that we can't have meddling, we can't have any of that – now look. We're also living in a grown-up world. Will a strong statement – you know – President Obama supposedly made a strong statement – nobody heard it. What they did hear is a statement he made to Putin's very close friend. And that statement was not acceptable. Didn't get very much play relatively speaking. But that statement was not acceptable. But I let him know we can't have this, we're not going to have it, and that's the way it's going to be."