President Donald Trump Friday defended his comments that he'd listen to information from foreign sources about his political rivals, saying that if he didn't listen to what he was being offered, he wouldn't know that it needed to be reported to law enforcement officials.
"Of course you have to look at it...but, of course, you give it to the FBI or report it to the attorney general or somebody like that," Trump told Fox News' "Fox and Friends." "I thought it was made clear. I actually said at the beginning, I said I'd do both."
The president has come under fire, mainly from Democrats, after telling ABC News' George Stephanopoulos that "there's nothing wrong with listening" to foreign sources.
"If I thought anybody was incorrect or it was badly stated I'd report it to the attorney general, the FBI, I'd report it to law enforcement absolutely," Trump told Fox News.
He also pointed out that he's "constantly talking" to foreign leaders, and is in a "much different position" than anyone else because he is the president.
"I hear things that frankly, good, bad or indifferent that other people don't hear, just a normal conversation," said Trump. "But nobody is going to say bad things to me. They know I'm a straight player. They know one thing about me I love the country more than anything."
Further, Trump noted that Democrats spied on his candidacy, through the use of the intelligence community, and that is "probably the worst or certainly one of the worst political scandals in the history of our country."
He also rejected comments from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who said Thursday the president's comments show he does not know right from wrong and that he's been involved in a criminal cover-up.
"I call her nervous Nancy," said Trump. "She's a nervous wreck, for her to make a statement like that, it's outrageous. Her party got caught spying,"
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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