Why didn't the reporter ask the obvious questions? About loyalty, why not ask 45 if he rewards loyalty? We know he doesn't, but it might be interesting about what he would say. Or ask about his understanding of the tax bill, as he claims to be an expert. Where are his taxes? Sometimes I think reporters get tongue tied around 45 and forget to ask the follow-ups available to all of us, thanks to twitter. Reporters are reporting outright lies as if that is their job. It is not enough with this man. Respect is earned, not due in this case. Reporters almost never ask the questions I would ask, as small as Obama's golfing to as big as his foreign policy mis-steps. Make him look like the liar he is. What is he going to do - not to interviews? He already doesn't so when the odd one comes around, be ready.
54
How much more proof does one need to accept that the president of the United States needs to be placed in a safe, quiet, white room with no handles on the inside of the door and no windows. It is not the Russia investigation that makes America look bad. It's Donald J Trump with his senseless tweets, monosyllabic vocabulary, high school bully antics and those oversized caps which he is charging his sucker 95% (ers) upwards of $35.00 each.
58
No. Trump makes America look bad.
55
How is it possible that Trump and his sycophant Republican lickpittles can't grasp that it is they who have destroyed the world's respect for the USA. It won't be restored in my lifetime.
49
It is not the inquiry that makes is look bad; It is you. Donald Trump, who makes look bad, or to use you favored syntax, very, very bad.
42
Well he should come clean! and probably leave office with his crew for the good of the Constitution he swore to protect!
47
Even those who are filling their pockets thanks to Trump know that he is an ignorant, unstable disaster flailing about in the Oval Office. Yet a thorough search in broad daylight, even with lantern in hand, of the Republican Congress and their wealthy controllers would not turn up one honest person who is willing to admit that Trump is a disgrace to our entire nation.
100
All forms of media will tank without him? I feel certain I'm not the only one looking forward to the day when he--and his entire family--fades away into the ash heap of history.
100
I am certain that #45 believes every word he uttered in that interview - that he knows more than any previous president about "the big bills," that he knows the details of taxes better than the greatest CPA, that he knows the details of health care better than most, that he has absolute power over the Justice Department, that Pres. Jinping treated him better than anybody's been treated in the history of China (which is close to 5000 years, a fact I am sure #45 is as knowledgable about as all the areas he claims knowledge). To get to the point, #45 is delusional.
97
Reading the transcript of the interview is truly a frightening experience - I can hardly conceive of a less coherent thought process than is shown by this president whenever he speaks.
100
I think Trump is right on this and he alone, well, with his "hires" can correct this and Make America Look Good Again.
He, Pence, and the rest of his "hires' should resign henceforth and let the "policy guru" Paul Ryan take over. Problem solved and we will look good again.
4
Correction: Russia Inquiry Makes TRUMP Look Very Bad. The degree of Trump's mental illness and fantasies are grounds for impeachment. He's lost track of reality. His illness alone makes him unfit. "Sad."
52
Embarrassing. And for those that think he is a great businessman, then I have a bridge to sell you. I really wonder who is telling Trump what to cut and what to add. After this interview and the one with the firefighters, I think he is off his meds or clueless. Scary that he holds our country in his hands.
53
“Another reason that I’m going to win another four years is because newspapers, television, all forms of media will tank if I’m not there because without me, their ratings are going down the tubes"
this is an utterly bizarre remark. how anybody could say this with a straight facde is beyond me.
63
He could have said: if only I had thought about it beforehand. Just a guess.
5
What makes us look bad is the President of the United States going against the conclusion of his own security agencies and perpetuating the lie that Russia and Putin did not try to influence the election.
Can you imagine the outrage that would be coming from Fox and the GOP if Obama had sided with a dictator like Putin over the United States.
50
He " insisted 16 times that there has been “no collusion” discovered by the inquiry" in a 30 minute interview? That's roughly once every 2 minutes. Me thinks the man is more than a little bit obsessed about this investigation. I wonder why?
As to his "absolute right to do what I want with the Justice Department." the two reporters should have held up a copy of The United States Constitution and asked him where, exactly, in our Constitution does it state that he has that right.
The man is delusional, narcissistic and incredibly ignorant and he's not going to get any better.
58
Of course, an inquiry finding that the American electorate voted for a President who colluded with Russians “looks bad.” It’s is one of the many, many, many many things about Trump that makes America look bad. But it’s one step toward America looking a little bit better. Until then, we look exactly as we deserve to.
17
The obvious is That Donald Trump continues to embarrass us and make the US look bad. He is a clear and present danger.
43
I do not think President Trump really believes Mueller will treat him fairly. I think he meant, "Treat me fairly, and I will not hold your smoke-and-mirrors showboating against you."
7
Actually, the Russia inquiry makes the US look good while the Trump administration is looking worse and worse. Most countries that respected the US no longer do and most foreign leaders that we have allied with are looking the other way for leadership.
24
Trump doesn't have the market cornered on making the USA look bad. The press has done equally as well. Look back at 2017 and the press has covered stories that are plain silly regarding Trump. They have had to make retractions, reprimand and even fire people for blatant negligence. The press has hurt their credibility greatly by making Trump bashing their number one priority. Even over far more important stories. Let's hope they can get it together in 2018 and stop the silly Trump bashing.
3
Mr. Trump:
You make the U.S. look very very very bad bad bad.
26
By engaging with the press about the Russian investigation, the Moore election etc. Trump stays in comfortable territory - areas where he can manipulate perception very effectively and portray himself as a victim to his supporters. Yet the press keeps attempting over and over and over to dwell on these issues and whatever offhand remarks Trump makes about them.
Trump clearly sees himself as a salesman of the Republican brand, and reporters play along with his conceit by asking him all kind of questions about perception as opposed to technical questions about things he claims to know about.
It's time the American people understood exactly how uninformed and ignorant this man is. Anybody who has engaged with him on actual issues -
whether foreign leaders or members of his own party - already knows this, but for some reason are reporters are unable to convey this. Yes, he rambles and digresses, but he did that all along.
Trump says he knows more about taxes and healthcare than most people. Time to find out what he knows.
31
Trump completes that triad of great minds with Chauncey (I like to watch) Gardner and Hans (don’t drop my brain) Delbrook anchoring him in the top spot.
15
No. The Russia inquiry makes Trump look bad and not the US. It is Trump who makes the US look bad.
31
My opinion: Mr.45 makes the country look very bad, and he puts the country in a very bad position, So the sooner he is worked out, the better it is for the country.
28
To read the verbatim transcript of this interview is to see into the confusion that is Donald Trump's mind.
Take a look at it and see if it doesn't give you great cause for concern.
Incredible.
41
No. It does make Trump look very bad. But then, he is.
21
The Russia story doesn't make the US look very bad. It makes Trump look very bad (even worse than he would otherwise look). Electing Trump, even though he didn't win a majority, does make the US look "very bad," though.
19
I don't agree with the President. The country would look worse if we did not investigate the possible meddling in the US election by Russia or any foreign government.
The other question brought on by the reporting of what we now know (Thanks to the NYT) is there is a possibility that the Trump "campaign" was complicit in the meddling.
What is not clear to me is: why would high ranking Russian government officials care who won the Presidency of the US? This is the big question to me because we need to know who benefitted in terms of personal pecuniary interests by a Trump win. I can only speculate but again from what I read in the papers, there were lots of private money tied up because of the sanctions imposed by related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Clearly, It would be in the interests of the President, if he is not guilty of being complicit in any of the promises made by his campaign officials, to urge that the Senate and Special Prosecutor's persist until we have uncovered all of the mysteries.
We need to know how the Russians did it, as well as why, so that we can assure the American people that our elections are fair.
12
No, it isn't the Mueller investigation that makes the U.S. look bad. It's several things related to the investigation: 1) that the American electorate is so fractured that it took minimal meddling from Russia to mess with our election. It was a bargain for Putin -- about 1/2 million "well spent"; 2) that enough of the American electorate will believe almost anything that's in line with their political views (e.g., PIzzagate); 3) that Trump is more willing to believe a former KGB agent than 17 of our American intelligence agencies; 4) that Trump hasn't taken any steps to stop future Russian meddling; and 5) that many of Trump's sycophants (plus some Dems) in Congress put their party and their agenda ahead of the common good. These are among the things which make the U.S. look unwitting and petty. Plus, Trump's claim that he's been "uninvolved with this particular matter" is just silly.
16
I really tried, but I just couldn’t finish reading the interview. Regardless of your political beliefs, this lacks logic and veracity. I would rather listen to a three year old scream at ten second intervals in a crowded and expensive restaurant than read this
63
How, how did his handlers let him speak on the record? Someone's head will roll for this enlightening bit of reportage. Thanks, NYT. I'll be waiting for the headline that we've wanted for 13 months...
35
he got away from his aides
4
Oh, dear LORD, NOTHING makes this country look worse than Trump...and the people who cravenly or ignorantly elected him.
50
Yes, Donald Trump, YOU are making the US look very bad, and YOU are looking bad. You should resign if you have any decency or shame--but of course you don't. You are neither qualified nor suited to be president of the United States. Make America Great Again, and resign.
45
Trump, show us your taxes since you claim to know so much more than the CPAs. We don't believe you.
41
"The investigation of my criminal actions makes the US look bad," says Trump. LOL I simply refuse to believe the guy comes up with these pearls without external professional comedic help.
30
Somehow Trump always seems to get exactly the coverage he wants, when he wants it. Hard to believe this was a spontaneous moment; he is just so good at playing the press. It would have been helpful if the reporter had asked even the most basic questions such as exactly what did he know about health care bill, or since Trump knows more than the smartest CPA a question about the impact of the bill on ordinary citizens, or even on charitable institutions would have been useful. I wonder what would happen if we had no coverage of Trump for several days? I do believe some of the press needs him a lot more than he needs them.
21
Great interview.
The President seems to be aware of his age. He also seems to have a personal delusion about the role that he is playing in U.S. economic strength and in his prowess in forming a new world order. His delusion seems to be particularly overblown in his importance to the financial success of the media. He has contributed to increased ratings, clicks, and readership of the US media and as I can best determine he also contributed to a new industry of alternative facts that has created a diversion from the realities of our time that may pose the largest threat to humankind. The real threat measured in years of human life lost is the unhealthy environment, fatalities and injuries on our overly congested road and air ways in and around our metro areas. This issue has been analyzed for decades but the government has done very little to reduce the tailpipe emissions, the russian roulette of commuting in our aging rail systems (e.g. the evident unsafe condition of the Amtrak rail routes). Mr Trump does not seem to be aware that the time has long passed when the US must mobilize our industrial and scientific base for global warming. The focus on restoring coal is misplaced. Our time should be spent on shifting these fossil fuels extraction industries to industries that will provide jobs for these dislocated workers. I and others have written the WH suggesting that we develop non-fossil technology so that we can EVOLVE our industries and energy sources.
19
Does Trump mean in the same way Nixon made the US look bad, because trumps perceived idea that Russia's meddling in our elections, and the fact that many of his top campaign people, including his son. Did in fact use a foreign power to try and get dirt on Clinton. But this Russia scandal, that's his and Flynn's and others doing not the people of this country.
Trump is a man who doesn't know right from wrong, he just knows what works. He has no sense of decency or decorum, that's a huge flaw in a person, a disaster in a president. We the people need to demand that congress pass laws that demand presidential candidates release tax documents and divest themselves of all holdings, that should be true of congressmen too.
If not they cannot run for office, as it is it will take decades if at all to restore the faith that we the people should have in our government. As it is we the people seem to have that "you can't beat city hall" attitude. Yet the constitution starts out, the biggest words on that document. We The People, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution. Notice the term general welfare, it doesn't mean a check, it means, that all citizens of this country should have equal opportunity to excel, get a good education, have access to healthcare.
17
Trump says a lot things, most of which are fantasy and/or fiction, so what else in new? I think it is good that the press is trying to separate the 99% fiction from 1% possible truth in Trump's ever-running mental musings. What is essential, however, is that Trump's core base begins to see the fiction too and the harm it is doing to them and country as a whole.
21
Superlatives and rhetoric, and neither very precise. And he is welcome to his self-delusion but I reject it for what it is ... manipulation. It doesn't work.
12
Donald Trump thinks that what is embarrassing is the investigation, not the crime being investigated. He thinks that he can do whatever he wants with the Justice Department. He says the North Korean dictator is short and fat. Well, we are on our way to having a dictator who is not short but is fat. Why have people stopped to ask him about his income tax returns? Maybe combat fatigue.
23
You can always tell what Trump's insecure about right away, because he'll accuse you of it without any basis or prompting whatsoever.
I guess its the adult version of covering your ears and shouting "I'm rubber, you're glue, Nya, nya, na".
17
Donald Trump makes the US look bad. He is the embarrassment. When the world looks at us, they must wonder what is wrong with the American people, that enough people voted for him and still support him.
However, I believe when the country and world look at Robert Mueller and the Russia probe, their faith in American ideals and the rule of law are rekindled.
Also, Trump's claim of "absolute authority" is disgusting and anti-American. No American President has 'Absolute authority". He is completely ignorant of our heritage and history, namely the English Civil War, the Glorious Revolution, the American Revolution and the US Constitution.
33
His usage of language reflects a lack of practice and intelligence...perhaps he did not write those papers in prep school. It is embarrassing since the use of the word "bad" is not acceptable in papers in English class.
18
Sorry Donald, what makes America look bad is YOU.
23
The climate change is not a hoax. What is a hoax is the short-term tax cut for the middle class and the permanent tax cut for the rich. Did the president read the bill he signed? Or was it that he didn't care? The latter I think. He is not our president and has not idea how the poor or middle class survive. We want him out of office.
22
That this country would elect someone like Trump to its highest office makes the country "look bad"!
That such a person obtained such an office is clear evidence that the system that put him there is fundamentally flawed.
The Founding Fathers could look only so far into the future based on their knowledge of the the past. Who but a madman could have envisaged Trump & Tweeter?
25
There will come a time before summer when Trump will defy the orders of the Supreme Court and we'll be in the fight of our lives to save our democracy.
24
If he wants to improve how the US looks around the world, he's missing out on a huge action he could take. Resign.
29
Trump could save himself a lot of money doing his own taxes since he knows more than the greatest CPA’s. Hmm.. Maybe that’s why we will never see his tax returns? Too many errors made by highly paid professionals?
14
I thought the movie "the Manchuria candidate" was scary enough. Trump is the Manchurian dictator: an autocratic Putin puppet.
Unfortunately, those within the U.S. who prop this man up know they've nothing to lose. If he wins, they win. If he looses, they win. Even if they're run out of office, they'll just walk right into the welcoming arms of their billionaire patrons and will create or join lobbying firms to influence and recruit future congressional peddlers.
The longer the Citizens United decision stays, the shorter lived our democracy/republic will be.
While some last longer than others, all empires are finite.
24
President will of course keep saying publicly that he has faith in Mueller while his allies are doing everything to undermine the investigation and preparing ground to fire Mueller.
16
"Trump Says Russia Inquiry Makes U.S. ‘Look Very Bad’"
Actually, it just makes Donald 'Look Very Bad.' The Russia Inquiry gives the rest of us hope of his expulsion.
14
Trump has a great deal to be justifiably insecure about. His election was achieved through illegal foreign intervention. He is hated by about two-thirds of the voters. He is the laughingstock of the world. And as soon as a new Congress is sworn he will be impeached and convicted and almost everything he and the Republican Congress have done will be reversed. He will then go down in history as the worst President ever.
25
Yes, but there is a flaw in your analysis - it's reality-based, whereas Trump is not.
4
The only thing making this country look bad is Trump himself! This is not a reality show. This job is not all about Donald, all of the time. It is about being the leader of the United States and we need him to BE PRESIDENTIAL. He is alienating our allies, and embarrassing us on the world stage. Donald is a needy, insecure man, over his head in a job he is unqualified to perform.
13
"No collusion." Sixteen times he said that? He protests too much, methinks.
19
"L'Etat, c'est moi" gets old very fast. We can't cut Trump any more slack. He's just about used up our national strategic slack reserves.
8
The interviewer may have been grateful for the unexpected opportunity to speak with the interviewee and was afraid to ask logical follow up questions lest he corner the interviewee, who might walk away in a huff, or start calling him names, or otherwise harass him; all things bullies do. The interviewer perhaps knows that this interviewee is his own worst interviewer. Let him talk and he'll cover all bases and make a complete fool of himself (and, unfortunately, the USA, too).
18
The only thing making America look bad is its President.
16
Putting one’s hopes that RussiaGate will get rid of Trump is a fool’s errand. 100 to 1, I give it. Better , elect a Dem Congress and get out on the Street and demonstrate . The crowd has to be worked.
17
Trump makes U.S. "look very bad", fixed his typo.
11
Sorry - it's Donald Trump that makes the US 'look very bad.'
12
Trump's buffoonery knows no bounds. He is accidentally and unintentionally funny for fleeting moments. The few laughs his arrogant incompetence provide fall immeasurably short of compensating all Americans for the damage he is inflicting upon our nation.
12
Where is the interview? Where is the full text?
6
There is one truth of which our President speaks. The media will be hurt ($$$) when he is not around. The media put him into the White House by their over-the-top coverage of Trump throughout the primaries. More eyeballs watching cable news and more people subscribing to the NYT and Washington Post.
8
Besides all of the outrageously self-serving statements in the interview, the biggest thing that jumps out is the incoherence of his speech. He is barely able to complete a sentence or thought without going off on tangents (all of which seem to be either self-congratulatory or grievances). His understanding of the topic - any topic - is minimal. He creates chaos because that is what is going on in his brain.
24
Undelivered speech of John F. Kennedy Nov. 22, 1963
"This country is moving and it must not stop. It cannot stop. For this is a time for courage and a time for challenge.
Neither conformity nor complacency will do." Let us all start doing.
11
I hope the President gets his wish and Mueller treats him fairly, and he gets everything he deserves.
25
(1) If that's a photo of the most fit person ever to be president, then I'm the Queen of England.
(2) If you haven't or haven't recently, please watch or re-watch All The President's Men. Uncannily similar play of events as with those of today. At some times, sounds verbatim. History may not repeat itself but it does rhyme.
12
Trump's nonsensical word salads would be funny in the way Sarah Palin's were if not for the dreadful import his words have by virtue of his office. Her blatherings have already been forgotten. His will become part of our historical record. Talk about sad.
25
Trump keeps repeating "no collusion" like the puppet he said he wasn't during the presidential debates. It's as if he thinks the more he says "no collusion" the more people will believe there was none. Sorry, not sorry, Trump. No thinking American for one minute is buying your big lie. Mueller's investigation will determine whether there was collusion, not you. The investigation is far from over. I'm guessing we might know more right around the midterm elections. Oh, boy, can't wait...
20
On the one hand, there are reports like this one in which Trump asserts that he has no issue with the Mueller investigation. On the other hand, I get emails from other sources that are gearing up for the day on which Trump fires Mueller.
With a man as erratic and petulant as Mr. Trump, it is very difficult to discern what he is covering up and why/when, for me, an average American. But for Mueller it's a different story, as his team has access to much that is not public, such as emails from Trump, Kushner and other members of the Trump team.
We already know there was a lot of lying going on by most of the senior campaign officials, including Trump. I suspect in time we'll know the whole story, no matter what Trump says.
18
No need for 999 comments when there is only one reasonable response: "No trump, you are the one that makes this country look bad." I know he favors reality show government but this has become the theater of the absurd.
19
This one is too easy. Trump just lobbed it over the plate. He's making fun of us all and having a grand time doing it.
6
Trump says it makes U.S. look bad...duh, ya' think?!
3
Typical Trump passive-aggressive control ploy to attempt to manipulate Robert Mueller. Trump seems to do this with members of Congress, etc. too. He makes claims about what someone else will say or do, i.e. "Mueller will treat him fairly". So if Mueller actually finds problems, well then poor Trump wasn't treated fairly, and the poor country was made to look bad. Victims of Mueller. Then Mueller becomes the bad guy, while Trump points the finger at him and walks away.
13
NYReader: trump may not be able to just walk away when all is said and done. Let us hope, and hope fervently, that justice will be done.
8
Did any of the commenters here have their minds changed as to who to vote for in November 2016 by the alleged "Russian collusion"? Yes it does make some Americans look very bad, those Americans that can't accept the fact that an election was won by someone other than their candidate. Or that after "the fix was in" the person fixing the race didn't win.
2
"It makes the country look very bad, and it puts the country . . . . .
Correction - "It makes ME look very bad, and it puts ME in a very bad position, so the sooner it's worked out, the better it is for ME !!!"
The man-baby president is blissfully unaware, delusional, or in denial that what looks bad isn't the country. And he's forgotten how he claimed he'd be so consumed with work, he'd rarely have time to golf. The only thing he might do more than golf is tweet, which is a blessing to us all. Donald should stay at Mar-a-Lago and work on his game, 36 holes a day, minimum. Better that than have him manage the affairs of state.
15
He would would resign if he really cared. Vote them out.
12
News Flash: Mr. Trump himself makes the U.S. look very bad. He needs no help in this effort; he's a one-man, walking, talking, tweeting public-relations DISASTER!
20
Actually, this entire affair makes Russia look bad - like the international thugs they are. It is Trump's refusal to acknowledge even a hint of attempted Russian interference that makes HIM look just as bad, if not worse, by appearance of approval of Russian tactics. It has gone beyond Trumps personal insecurities and now threatens the security of America.
13
Why does it never seem to occur to any reporter to ask Trump: If 'no collusion,' why did Trump find it necessary to craft a false statement on behalf of his son? Why was it vital to attempt to hide Jr.'s 'I love it' meeting with Russians who promised dirt on HRC?
21
"Trump believes Mueller will treat him fairly in the Russia Probe. " He is already talking like a convicted criminal awaiting sentencing and pleading for mercy.
13
Just checked Jim Herman's career winnings at the Official PGA Tour site. Nearly 6.3 million dollars. Double the amount stated by Mr. Herman. I wonder if he and his host use the same tax software?
8
This is Trumps Captain Queeg moment.
10
The Times does all of us a disservice with this kind of interview. Not challenging his numerous untruths just further locks him into his delusions and belief that he alone is the arbiter of truth. While the interview does provide clinical evidence of some kind of mental derangement, you should henceforth take the attitude that he needs you more than you need him.
27
On the contrary, Mr.Hall, The NYT is doing the public a great service by publishing the interview with very little comment and allowing it to speak for itself.
3
We need to stop entertaining intellectual curiosity items about this guy and hold him to account for doing everything from obstructing investigations to enriching himself by refusing to divest interests. His henchmen keep trying to normalize the abnormality of his behavior. Nothing about his time in office has been normal and nothing about him has changed. He is grossly incompetent and proves it daily. He is using the office to enrich himself and his spawn, and proves it daily.
20
Shouldn't it be, "Trump Says U.S. Inquiry Makes Russia Look Bad."?
Oh, that's right. For Trump, Russia = Good and the U.S. = Bad.
3
Read the transcript. If your 71-year old father (whose father died with Alzheimer's) rambled like this, repeating himself, saying things that weren't true, what would you do?
21
Here's the rub: Trump is DELUSIONAL! Whether he really believes the lies and
"alternative facts" he constantly spouts, or whether he knows he's just putting people on, it doesn't matter. He acts as if he believes his own lies, and he acts as if he expects others to believe them, as well.
Therein lies his delusion. It's a very dangerous way to run a country. How long will Congress continue to enable his delusions? Will it talk an actual international catastrophe before Congress decides that enough is enough?
12
Trump seems to lean more on the political views of Louis XIV (l'etat c'est moi!) than anything that Thomas Jefferson spoke or wrote.
14
The only thing making the "U.S. 'Look Very Bad'" is that we elected Donald Trump president. Shame, shame, shame on us.
14
Manafort the money launderer makes America look very bad.
Flynn, the text-sender to Russia during Trump’s inaugural address, texting — we can tear up the sanctions against you, the Russians, now— lying to the FBI about his contact, makes America look bad.
Trump, who refuses to release his own tax returns, while signing a tax bill that raises taxes on millions of blue state residents but gives his own family a billion dollar tax cut, makes America look bad.
Putting the corporate wolves in charge of regulatory agencies that are supposed to protect citizens makes America look bad.
And waving your fat, short sleeve tanned arm out of the Air Force 1 helicopter that I paid for, ( not you, as you have not paid taxes in 20 years), while most of the country is freezing in sub zero disasters, with some lame quip on global warming, makes America look bad.
Trump and the GOP not only make America look bad, they make America smell bad too.
23
I wold bet that as of this writing 1110 of the 1117 comments say -nope, Mr President , you make us look bad Everyday. Let this be the 1111th comment to agree. You are a daily embarrassment to our country Mr Trump
19
The only thing that makes America look bad is him.
10
He's wrong again! In fact, the inquiry is making us a stronger nation of laws not being ruled by someone who behaves like a bullying dictator!
11
The man (trump) is twisted in his morals, words, ethics, social, rudiments of diplomacy and a host of other failings. He is our President and a train wreck waiting to happen. And believe me it will come in the shape of a nuclear bomb when his back is up against the wall and there is no way out.
His Republican "good ole boys" will back him to the very bloody end!
7
Whenever trump opens his mouth a lie comes out.
So when he says "there was no collusion with Russia" -- that means there was collusion with Russia.
17
Having just read excerpts from the interview, I am struck by how few complete questions were asked by the reporter. Is it necessary for us to be subjected to every delusional remark that comes out of Trump's mouth unhampered by a probing follow-up question or even an attempt at a pushback when the rants are so error filled (read: lies)?
17
Is anyone else totally confused as to why Trump endlessly insults the New York Times as a failing, deceitful institution yet continues to allow their reporters to get him on the record for conversations that make him look bad?
I've pondered why he might think these meetings are beneficial to him, but as an adult I am far removed from the thought processes of adolescents. My best guess is that he believes reaching out to liberals through the NYT will convey his message of innocence in a medium that Democrats will find credible. Unfortunately for the president, the only credible thing about this interview is the sincerity of his delusions.
13
So if he denies ‘collusion’ every two minutes does he grow a longer nose ?
9
Democracy crisis of Capitalism (1)
What you are facing could be called the “Democracy Crisis of Capitalism”
Let me explain why:
- Capitalism has eroded your education system which has given you this current cognitively incapable president.
- Capitalism has eroded your public health system, ranging from lead contamined water to understaffed hospitals, who are incapable of providing basic treatments.
- Capitalism has eroded your social security system with more homeless people on the streets, than in any other high income country, and poverty numbers for some segments of the society, which are at the level of third world countries.
- Capitalism has eroded your labor protection and wage laws, wich requires many people to have more than one job to survive.
- Capitalism has corrupted your policy makers, with probably only a few left (I.e. Sen. Warren, Sanders) who are really interested in improving the situation for the society as a whole.
- Capitalism has corrupted journalism, by forcing journalists to timely produce “bestsellers”(I.e Melania’s shoes) , instead of focusing on in-depth continuous analysis of important topics.
...the list goes on and on. However if you earn more than 100k, then none of this applies to you.
Capitalism is a concept which only works well in designated well defined areas. Most modern economists know about this. Education and public health are definitely areas where we know that it doesn’t work.
7
He makes the U.S. look very bad along with his minions.
10
Where is the side-bar with the fact-checking?
With Trump, I think it's irresponsible to publish any of his assertions without the accompanying fact-check
22
He lives in an alternative universe. Help us someone !
10
"all forms of media will tank if I'm not thee because without me, their ratings are going down the tubes."
Actually, it's to the point with me that I am cutting back on "media" consumption as I can no longer subject myself to the daily barrage of outrage this malevolent imbecile provokes. His inescapable image, getting uglier every day, is in our faces 24/7 - his bellowing, whining voice is beyond grating. His lies are never ending.
So no, media without trump would be kind of like being given your freedom after two yrs. of sheer torture and misery.
18
No Donald, YOU make the U.S. Look bad.
13
So much unreasoned, infantile hatred expressed here for President Trump. Out and out, complete and absolute hatred. Your preferred candidate loses the election and all you hear from Democrats is despicable hatred. It is off the charts. So many need to grow up a bit.
Yes. I hate lying, bigotry, greed, misogyny and treason. Why don't you?
23
Speaking of unreasoning hatred, any reason you kids spend a whale of a lot more time sneering at liberals than you do explaining anything?
4
I don't hate Trump, but I will not support a racist liar. I don't feel fighting against a "president " who started by questioning, without any proof, that our President, Obama wasn't a citizen, then devolved to calling our Mexican brethren rapists. If you think this is infantile, Trump is your man. I will never respect or support such a man.
6
Gee DT, I think you're right, maybe you and your cronies, and the rest of the GOP, should resign so it will go away.
7
Just once I wish someone would ask Trump why he lies all of the time. Is there no one in the media who has the courage to call this man to his face what he is....A LIAR.
20
“I have absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department”--Donald J. Trump
That statement terrifies me. I wish Mr. Mueller godspeed.
30
"I have absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department." Trump as autocrat, plain and simple. Trump vs. the United States.
How much can we allow him to say and do, before we as concerned citizens, from every walk of life and every political party, call for the opening of a formal inquiry on impeachment in the House? Maybe it won't actually happen for another year, but we should raise the alarm and ask all of our rep's (Democrat or Republican) to call for this, now. It's our duty now as American citizens who love our country.
16
The Republican mantra that Government is essentially the root of all evil has been ruinous for the American people.
In other countries, strong governments have implemented Universal Health care systems, strong post secondary educational programs (that don't break the bank), diverse public transit networks (including high speed rail, and large, multi-line subway systems), regulations in industries that desperately need it (finance, food production/safety, pharmaceuticals).....I might add I've never understood the anti-regulatory belief in American politics given how much damage deregulation has bestowed on people in the past.....
Governments can be wasteful, slow, and bureaucratic absolutely - no one refutes that. But a good government can be the ultimate visionary for incredible countries, and America has had GREAT governments in the past.
I look at JFKs speech about sending a man to the moon. Incredible to watch even today (especially knowing the success of the Apollo program after those speeches). I then compare it to literally any Trump interview today ..... and if that's the measuring stick between Good Government (JFK) and less Government (Trump/Tea Party), well then I pray to god we all shoot for Good Governance again next.
15
Is it possible to read this and not conclude that we are dealing with a man badly in need of medical help? It makes no sense to try to refute his lies, absurd assertions, or vile accusations because you can't argue with a medical condition. Trump belongs in a mental hospital, not in prison--but it's up to us to make sure he gets the help he needs, as soon as possible, before he does more serious harm to us and the world. There should, however, be serious political/legal consequences for those who knew or should have known of his condition and yet aided and abetted him in becoming president of the most powerful--and most dangerous--country on the planet. Here's looking at you, Mike Pence, Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan, et al. You've sold the country for power and position, along with Neal Gorsuch and the loathsome hangers on. I hope I live long enough to see you pay.
20
HE makes us look bad
22
timbo, exactly!
10
L'État c'est moi, n'est pas?
19
The Republicans stole the election to place the crown on Trump an unstable, extreme narcissist. Republicans: Trump c'est nous. But what they tell us to eat is not cake.
12
Vanine, he certainly thinks so, and each day he creeps another inch to 'il en est ainsi.'
I wake up every morning and turn on MSNBC or CNN to learn what fear he's tossed at me for the day.
8
I am very disappointed that the Times would publish a story that is this thin. Are the writers of this story so eager to get a scoop that they will let this ignorant man blather on without being challenged on any of his preposterous remarks? The Times should really take a look at their methodology for dealing with this man, starting with not providing him another platform for him to use to spread his ignorant lies.
33
I was kind of sickened at the sycophant-like tone of the interview. (I read the transcript in the Times).
this gem is indicative of the tone;
"SCHMIDT: Do you think I’m wrong to think next year could be the year of you being a real deal maker, in a way you maybe weren’t in the past year?"
Schmidt is asking for Trump's approval. He agreed with Trump when Trump said Obamacare was dead. It was far beyond passively allowing Trump to claim he's the world's greatest human, I
Honestly, if I had read the transcript and didn't know the source, I would have thought Fox News, maybe maybe WSJ, but the Times?
9
I'm still trying to figure out why Eric Schmidt did not challenge or even ask for basic clarifications once from Trump during that interview.
It's a tissue of misstatements. The Toronto Star has identified 25 false claims Trump made (https://www.thestar.com/news/world/analysis/2017/12/29/donald-trump-made... in that interview.
Would it have been so hard for Mr. Schmidt just to follow up politely or gently with clarifications or corrections instead of egging Trump on? And we're not talking about Drudge or Breitbart, or FoxNews, for that matter. What is going on with the New York Times here?
36
It seems like the same thing happened with the Steve Bannon interview a few months ago.
6
@sleater your wonderful link included the close parenthesis so was not accessible, here it is again, for those who may want to see: https://www.thestar.com/news/world/analysis/2017/12/29/donald-trump-made...
6
The "Russia investigation" makes Donald Trump and his family and his cronies look very bad. It makes the United States look stronger than it has for a year.
17
The Trump Show is no longer a comedy, it is a tragedy for which all American are paying a heavy price. The question asked most often when traveling abroad: "How could the US elect someone like Trump as president? " The answer: Trump lost the popular vote but the American electoral system was captured by Republican corrupt practices paid for by their wealthy owners and assisted by treasonous collusion with the Russians.
Sound like Austria and Germany of the 1930's? Yes, history is being repeated. Only a massive voter turnout to reject this GOP/Trumpian disaster can possibly restore our democracy.
24
@ Jefflz San Francisco
Amen.
1
How can Trump's base swallow the outrageous nonsense he spouts ? He brazenly boasts he knows more about taxes & health insurance but then says folks with insurance were forced to pay the mandate. He focuses on one item in the chaotic tax bill and promises pie in the sky growth.
Why didn't Schmidt ever correct him on the mandate or on the problem giving away $1.5T on tax cuts then promising $1T for infrastructure? Schmidt could have asked:"How high a deficit are you OK with?"
For most of us this transcript reveals an incoherent Flubber-in-Chief (he apparently believes his insisting he is the greatest POTUS of all time makes it so) but surely a responsible journalist should add gentle factual challenge to such a load of hot air. Leaving so much to be discerned by the reader is not responsible interviewing.
19
Trump's remarks read like dialogue from "The Godfather" and he appears to believe that he is living in some sort of Reality TV series in which ratings are everything. Sad.
21
An interview would call out President Trump on his lies. This isn't an interview.
17
He is delusional, but yes, an incredible news magnet. That's "incredible," as in "not credible" and as in, "what incredible self-promoting distortion will he come up with next?" We can't turn our eyes away.
7
Mr. Trump fails to realize many things and because of that he is not doing his job as president.
There are things we know and things we have inklings of. There are many things still not known, or at least not revealed.
Such is the nature of investigations.
My take-away from this interview is that Trump is scared and hoping that while his henchmen are doing the impugning on Mueller that he will stand above it all.
He is still looking for others to blame as the hammer comes down.
He is making veiled assertions about his powers.
He is not acknowledging what was done by the Russians.
His lawyers are feeding him fairy tales to keep him in line.
The American people are patient. We will wait till the investigation is complete and this unreality show comes to an end.
Since Trump considers himself the star of his show, when it gets cancelled he may be in for a surprise.
In the meantime, he continues to degrade into self fantasy.
That's fine. He will be gone. That is justice.
11
Know what makes us look bad? When the US president and Congress denies it and does nothing to prevent it fro. happening again.
11
There is ongoing argument as to whether Trump is clueless and ignorant or consciously manipulative in making outrageous statements. How about both? He seems to promote his own uninformed view of everything from his powers as president to climate change knowing that his base will believe it and is likely too intellectually lazy or wedded to their tribal views to fact check or educate themselves about the issues. After all, he hasn't, so why should they? At the same time, he has a canny understanding of how to insinuate doubt and undermine fact-based discussion as well as bully and intimidate, with the occasional disarming comment thrown in to keep his "good guy" image in his own mind intact. It's a dangerous combination for anyone in a position of power, but terrifying to behold in the person commanding the US nuclear arsenal.
10
It’s really not the investigation that makes the country look bad - Trump and the Republican Party have made our nation a global laughingstock. They have proven that the image of the Ugly American being motivated by arrogance, greed and hatred is an accurate portrayal of Americans. Our nation can no longer claim moral authority and my countrymen can no longer pretend that we are a nation of decent and honorable people. The curtain has been pulled aside and our values (or lack thereof) have been bared for the world to see - we are the nation of Trump forevermore.
7
The inquiry isn’t the problem.
Trump makes America look bad.
He discredits by association everything he claims to stand for.
He makes the Chinese dictatorship looks like a competent levelheaded alternative to democracy.
Thise are your biggest accomplishments Mr. President.
Ending the inquiry by firing Mueller would reek of Banana Republic Politics.
7
Why take his statements on Mueller or anything seriously? He's a prevaricator and capable of changing positions at will. Out of his own mouth come delusions of grandure again and again. Still I'm glad Trump won because he'll drag down the whole Republican establishment with him. It took the shock of Trump to awaken a majority of the people.
7
Realist: " Still I'm glad Trump won because he'll drag down the whole Republican establishment with him. It took the shock of Trump to awaken a majority of the people."
There are saner ways to shake Republicans loose of their warped and obstructionist approach to governing. The death of our planet and perhaps all of us on it is the exorbitant price this man may extract from us.
4
I know it's stupid to say, because it's so blatantly obvious, but the thing that makes Trump look bad is Trump himself! Thank you!
8
It will be interesting to see if the media who are criticizing you now Mr. Trump, change their tune in their own self-interest, because of course, the world will cease to exist if you are no longer president, and there will be nothing to think or write about.
Interesting train of thought, that one.
6
Yes I couldn't agree more, the four indictments to people who worked hand-in-hand with Trump "looks very bad." I think there is more on the way and a mountain of evidence that his campaign welcomed to work with and colluded with Russian actors to win the election. It's buffoonish to keep saying there was 'no collusion' over and over when we have a plethora of hard proof saying otherwise. Yes, we have never looked worse in the eyes of the world.
12
This is the equivalent of an arsonist telling us that fires can be very damaging.
14
"It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men."
~ Frederick Douglass
18
Maybe some news outlets will lose ratings if Trump loses the next election, because people cannot stand a steady diet of bad news, hunger for the relief of good news even if they acknowledge that they need to remain informed even of the negative events. Fox and other right-wing outlets, for example, would no longer be able to offer Trump fans the Gospel of Trump that sustains them. The NY Times ratings, on the other hand, won't suffer from the opportunity to offer, along with hope and optimism, relief from the Trump news that's wearing me and probably many other readers down.
9
Some readers think the mini temporary tax reduction afforded to the middle class is wonderful and fair. Well these individuals simply do not understand that that tax cut is TEMPORARY and does not include important deduction. Nor do they realize that big business is receiving a 10% PERMANENT cut leaving the poor and middle class to support the rich financially. People who0 love the tax cut ought to actually read it instead of watching FOX news instead.
11
“I have absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department”
Well, every man has the absolute "right" (as defined by the laws of nature) to do anything he wants with any woman.
He just needs to be prepared to spend the rest of his life in prison for what he did, because society will have a different views about his "rights"...
10
Trump has declared he and his spawn won't benefit from this so-called tax reform bill. This is utter brazen lying. We have here the most massive transfer of wealth from the middle class to the weathy in US history! By 2027 those earning annually $40-50,000 collectively will pay a total of $5.3 trillion MORE in taxes. While those earning more than a million annually will collectively pay a total of $5.7 trillion LESS in taxes. These are numbers certified by both the CB and the Joint Committee on Taxation. This is so outrageous that people should be up in arms.
18
What the print and TV news media need to do is to see tRump through the filters of that he is mentally ill and has several personality disorders.
When you look at all he has said and done it all will make sense.
Comparing this adolescent in a man's body to any previous POTUS is like apples and oranges, no pun intended.
He is a very sick man and needs to GO!
10
DT is doing everything his boss Vladimir Putin wants him to do to bring the good ole U.S.A. Down to mother Russia’s level. Compromised cops, fraudulent cases, total untruths passed off as gospel by government officials, and no punishment for oligarchs disobeying their laws. Truly Trump’s dream is Putin’s reality.
Sad day for the country when White folks put this dangerously clever buffoon in charge of the greatest country on earth.
5
I'm curious. Was this interview recorded?
4
This interview was a journalistic disgrace. Trump spun lie after lie and one narcissistic fantasy after another without a single probing question or challenge from your reporters. He said on 16 occasions that there was no collusion and you asked 0 questions about General Flynn and his contact with the Russians. This is malpractice. If the NYT can't find the courage to bring truth to power, who will?
9
It seems that most of us that read the NYT understand how much trouble the US and the world are in because of this little Child man. How could America impeach Bill Clinton for lying about an affair but we have to put up with 45 as he lies about everything?
"I Know My Time Aint Long" but how can I die leaving America to my Grandchildren while this man and his cronies make a mockery of our Nation?
We need Everyone to Vote to Save our Country!
We need the Young, Old, Black, White, Rich, Poor,Theists and Atheists, All religions and ethnicities, To Vote to get our Country Back. STAND TOGETHER AMERICA! DEMOCRACY IS IN TROUBLE!
Bless Us All in the times ahead.
12
He can't even form a coherent sentence.
14
He is delusional, obsessive, narcissistic and the last person who should be entrusted with a country's welfare.
12
The unfaithful wife screams at her husband, "How dare you accuse me of cheating! YOUR conduct is bringing shame to our family!"
3
The one thing this corrupt billionaire got right is that the media will love him six months before the election. Of course, the media put him there with billions of free publicity. Every tweet, every stupid comment is big news. So, the media really loves him. He's right about that. He's a master manipulator. The revolution has to come from the depth of the people, otherwise this Fake president will be reelected.
6
Is there ANYONE out there who really CARES what Trump mumbles? Trump thinks he is EVERYTHING to EVERYONE - soon, he will try to convince us that he is GOD!! He should be checked for Parkinson's Disease (delusional and hallucinating).
5
INSIDE DONALD TRUMP, Part 1
Darkness. Disembodied voices.
: Where is he?
: There.
: Where?
: Nothing is here.
Spotlight on Donald Trump in a giant highchair.
: Is there nothing else?
: There is nothing else.
: Then we are nowhere to be found inside him.
: He has no archetypes
: Because he has no psyche.
: He is a completely hollow man.
: But for this one image.
Trump pounds the highchair.
: This is what it looks like?
: This is what it looks like.
: A man without a psychology.
: And in its place—raw appetite.
: From primitive humanity.
: Roaming the primordial savanna.
: Run amok in society.
: In constant pursuit of more.
: And still more.
: Or tantrum, when more is not enough.
: And it is never enough.
: When everything is not enough…
Trump pounds the highchair.
: He will swerve after every desire.
: Grab after every craving.
: Steal what he cannot take.
: Switch directions outside because he has no direction inside.
: Contradict himself without conscience.
: There is no conscience to contradict.
: He has no shape.
: He has no substance.
: He has no perspective.
: And so he has no psyche.
: All that is left is that appetite.
: When everything is not enough…
Trump pounds the highchair.
: Wants what is big because he is small.
: Wants what is strong because he is weak.
: The bigger, the smaller.
: The stronger, the weaker.
: Wants everything.
: To fill his nothing.
: And still it is not enough.
: When everything is not enough...
3
My god. I realize Trump must be difficult to interview, but this is the best you can do, NYtimes?! You didn't challenge him on anything. Yuh dint ask him any hard questions.
15
Everything that connects Lyin' Donald to the U.S. makes the U.S. look very bad.
12
He is truly delusional.
12
Having just read the excerpted portions of the interview, Trump may be right about the NYT failing, as the interviewer 'failed' to use an adequate recording device. What nuggets lie in the "inaudible"? Or perhaps clubhouse snack-munching was in play?
2
It must burn all of the commenters here to know that in about three years time Trump will be getting ready to be sworn in for his second term lol. No problem, it'll give you something to rant about through 2024.
No, he won’t. To paraphrase one truly great President, “You can fool some of the people some of the time...”
6
Can you imagine if Hillary Clinton were President and she said "I have absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department" - ?
Republicans are anti-American hypocrites & liars.
23
You Mr. Trump make us look bad, not the Russian.
Quit and go home.
17
Why not apply some obvious logical thinking to the "collusion" issue. It's quite evident that before Trump was declared the winner, and during the interim before he was sworn in, he and his team spent an inordinate amount of time, messaging, meetings and travel to and from Russia. Not much of the same with occurred with our long-standing allies such as England, France, Germany, Canada, Australia, etc. allowing us to logically think they were in some form of collusion with just one specific country that has subsequently been proven to have hacked data bases, and placed messages, bots, etc. on social media to assist Trump and undercut Clinton. Nothing of the same came from any other nation, as best we know at this time. Thus, cut to the chase and indict.
11
No, what makes the U.S. look bad is allowing foreign countries to hack into our election systems, infrastructure software, etc. The Trump Administration needs to recognize that cyber warfare is real and that it is a significant threat to our democracy and economy. As usual, it's Trump's ego first, and US last.
8
The Democratic Party needs to find someone with gravitas who can turn out the vote. Else we are fated to 4 more years of whatever Donald Trump is- or whatever it is people think he is.
11
Eleanor, perhaps not. Let Mueller finish the investigation, and we will see where Donald trump will be soon, much less where he will be in four years.
1
The investigation makes America look good.
But it sure makes Trump, his colleagues and GOP politicians look very bad.
I expect some of Trump's closest advisors to be charged with Federal crimes.
7
Sure does make "us" look bad, Mr. Trump, or at least it make the people who did these thoughtless things look bad. Maybe you should call the script writer and see if they can cut this episode?
5
I wish that Mr. Schmidt could be freed from his journalistic ethics and the restraints of objectivity to write a follow up piece on what exactly was coursing through his mind as Trump engaged in his narcissistic, incoherent, ill-informed stream of consciousness. Was he petrified listening to the nonsense streaming out of the mouth of the most powerful person in the world? Did he have the urge to tell this idiot that he was indeed an idiot? After the interview did he consider emigrating to Sweden? Oh, to have a beer, or several, with him and get the real "scoop"!
25
I understand the journalistic tactic of giving an interviewee enough rope to hang himself, but nonetheless is it too much to ask that Michael S. Schmidt might have posed a single tough question to Trump? Why is the Times reporter content to lie back and let Trump drive the narrative during an interview completely unchallenged? It's disgraceful, supine reporting. And perhaps Schmidt might have been called on to take a few notes that might have filled in the egregious number of inaudible gaps.
17
Trump looks like one of Gary Larson's Farside characters in that picture waving from his child's seat in the car.
18
He does. Thank you for the much needed laugh and the fond memories.
6
Is there no way the NYTimes can simply ignore Trump? Do we really need to hear about him every day?
7
INSIDE DONALD TRUMP, Part 2
Trump pounds the highchair even harder.
: Not a single self-reflection is inside him.
: It is hard not to create a psyche.
: It’s quite rare, really.
: A real challenge.
: An accomplishment.
: Even a broken psyche has a shape.
: But he is not even broken.
: He is the completely hollow man.
: Headpiece filled with straw.
: Alas.
: Stuffing itself in search of itself.
: And he will never find it.
: Making the world in his own image.
: We are nowhere to be found in here.
: There is nothing to be found in here.
: When everything is not enough…
Spotlight widens to reveal the highchair behind the White House desk in the Oval Office. Trump pounds the highchair harder and harder.
Trump: Mine!
A flash of light blinds the stage, and subsides. Trump pounds the highchair again and again.
Trump: Mine!
Another flash blinds the stage and subsides. Trump pounds the highchair harder and harder and again and again.
Trump: Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine!
Flashes strobe the stage until the stage is obliterated in light.
8
What is uniquely interesting about Trump's psychology is that major areas are missing. It's like a child's personality and character stopped developing at five years-old, leaving behind a two-dimensional person. This may be the result of a deep childhood trauma, an unusual biochemical configuration due to rare genetic polymorphisms (mutations), or the result of always being rich.
The ultra-rich often have dysfunctional personalities tied to missing character traits since their money and social circle reinforcement allows them to avoid the adaptation to reality (growing up) that healthy people undergo at around age 12.
Trump must also have rare mutations. The concern here is, since he did become President, that these psychopathic mutations may get selected for and take over the species.
In any case, Trump's brain needs to be immediately pulled so science can examine and map the anomalies.
So typical of our great liar and chief. No, the Russia inquiry makes Trump look bad, the republican party look bad, and all his enablers. His foreign policies if you can call them that make us look bad. Trump has made the US an international pariah. How shameful it is that the republican party is literally afraid of this bully. They have no spine or morals and make me sick to my stomach.
21
I just can’t restrain myself from commenting
- He simply cannot assemble a coherent sentence. But he is the leader of our country? Dumber than a stump.
- every day, more reflections of fascism. I liken him more to Mussolini than to Hitler, but regardless a fascist. At the same time, a congress that will do nothing. God help us.
30
Vern, both trump and the congress need to be impeached. Better yet, they must ALL be indicted for high crimes against The United States and her citizens. These crimes show proof that trump and the congress acted in the interests of themselves and the very wealthy, while ignoring or harming the interests of the majority of the people of The United States of America. And, guess what? They are supposed to put our interests before their own.
His annoying constant repeats of words......"no collusion"; "crooked Hillary" "collusion"...."collusion"...."crooked"...."crooked" has bugged me so much..!! But perhaps he has to constantly repeat them not only to impregnate them into the minds of the country in hopes of convincing them, but to convince himself....
12
And also, Carol, he only can remember so many words (not too many), so he repeats the same words over, and over, and over. Yes, he is trying to impregnate them into the minds of others, but he makes Poor Johnny One Note look like a prodigy.
“I have absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department,”
This is what's wrong with journalism today. NYT, you buried the lede. This is the fifth paragraph of your report. It should have been the headline. Every other quote or paraphrase is completely unsurprising. In other words, not news because it was not new. That the president of the United States believes he IS the law and is willing to state so publicly--that's news.
You ought to print a "corrected" version of this story--and I do mean print as well as the electronic version--with the lede in its proper position: at the top!
29
No, donald, you and your ilk are the ones making America look bad, and that is in addition to your intentional, systematic destruction of our nation.
May you get everything you deserve in the new year.
10
Horrifying. He's horrifying and so are the people who voted him in and still think he's a viable leader. In history, we will be looked at in the same way as the German population pre-Hitler: with part wonder, part horror, part confusion and utter contempt that we elected such a vile person who was so obviously unfit to run a marathon much less the most powerful nation in the world.
17
Donald Trump is the main thing that makes America "look very bad."
Putting an ignorant con artist in the White House who surrounds himself with greedy sycophants makes America "look very bad."
Putting someone in the White House who encourages and empowers the worst sexists and racists among the American population makes this country "look very bad."
13
Article after article, comments in the thousands, The man is a needy, entitled, petulant, amoral man-child who is illiterate and should not be President of the United States. Where is the movement to remove him from office or is it all just blather?
14
"Where is the movement to remove him from office or is it all just blather?"
Ralph, since congress is not only shirking its responsibility in this regard, and even worse than shirking its responsibility, the congress is propping up a dictator and a criminal, because they are complicit. However, we do have Robert Mueller, and we will see what his investigation yields. And if Mr. Mueller is immorally and illegally removed from his job, we will then have to address other means of removing both trump and the congress from positions in which they are doing continuing harm to the country and its people, and perpetrating highly criminal and treasonous acts against The United States and her citizenry. Both congress and the senate, as well as trump have not been serving the electorate in the capacities for which they were elected, and THAT is illegal. It is certainly also immoral, but it matters more that it is illegal. They do not represent the wishes of the majority of the people who elected them to their jobs. You know, during the French Revolution, since the "law" was not doing its job, (there was really no law--the aristocracy and the royals were in charge of the peasants and the lower classes) there were CITIZEN tribunals that decided the fates of those who were so entitled and greedy. I hope and pray that it does not come to that, but I suppose it depends how far trump/gop intend to go in illegally and immorally trying to disenfranchise the Mueller investigation.
This isn't about collusion, it is about whether the President has been compromised by our most dangerous adversary.
11
The primary purpose of Mr. Mueller’s investigation is not to take down Mr. Trump. It’s to protect America’s national security and the integrity of its elections by determining whether a presidential campaign conspired with a foreign adversary to influence the 2016 election — a proposition that grows more plausible every day.
15
"Sixteen times during the interview, Trump repeated 'no collusion' ... " It's his mantra, which he probably repeats all night while not being able to sleep. Reminds me of Macbeth and his guilty conscience.
11
Has this interview shed any new light on Trump's thinking? We already knew he was a malignant narcissist who believes the gov't works for him, who has a casual relationship with facts and who views himself as the ultimate deal maker who is helping the working class.
We've heard variations on these opinions and boasts so many times. Clearly his supporters don't care.
The man says he knows policy. How about asking him some nitty gritty about it? He says the mandate is awful - ask him if he thinks insurers should be able to exclude people with preexisting conditions, and if not, how you prevent an insurance death spiral without a mandate. See if he even knows what that is. Ask him about the tax bill and why he thought the estate tax needs to be eliminated. Ask him why he flipflopped on the SALT taxes - fighting for the deduction when he lived in NY but now going against it. Ask him why Republicans who claim to want things solved at the state level wanted to get rid of the SALT.
STOP asking about the collusion. He doesn't even know or care what they are. Russian intervention is a concern even without collusion. Ask him about fake twitter accounts and fake facebook posts. Ask him about the fake videos he himself tweeted and how he can then accuse the media of being fake.
The man is so incompetent he doesn't know how short he falls. SHOWCASE HIS IGNORANCE until his supporters cannot look away.
27
The Narcissistic-Sociopath speaks and says absolutely nothing. He is, as always, a colossal embarrassment who doesn't know how govt. works.
7
trump: "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing"
The midterm elections in 2018 can't come soon enough. I hope people reading this article save it to refresh their memories as to why it is mandatory to get out and vote in November 2018.
The Donald is delusional and unfit to serve as the President of the United States of America.
21
The Russian inquiry makes US look bad? By US, Trump doesn’t mean the United States, but the Trump Administration.
13
Makes you look bad. Okay, well, so what, right? Folks like you do not care what other people think - looking bad and knowing you look bad is exactly what you want. Divide and Conquer, Art of War. Lucky you, people don't understand that. Okay, not really lucky you because all that paranoia, sensation seeking and risk taking is just small minded and boy is it going to come back to bite you. Sorry bout that - good people can catch wrath too.
7
From this side of the Pacific the USA does not look bad. Sad and confused sure, but not bad. Your President though does look bad. Bad for the USA and bad for the world.
29
Thank you so much for drawing distinctions and offering context. Some of us don't mean to be bad, we just feel so betrayed and are so stressed, we can't think clearly. Same ting happened after WW! - the Germans felt so betrayed and angry, and were hungry and experiencing abject poverty, and also it was pretty rural, so education was about farming, not thinking. As a result, they were susceptible to falling for a con, otherwise known as Hitler. There is this teeny tiny book - the kind of book you could leave in your bathroom and read bits of hear and there that offers insight into the mindset of Germany in the 1930's. It's actually a bunch of pieces of writing - letters, essays, etc. from the writings of Carl Jung, put together by a Murray Stein. It's called Jung on Evil. My favorite part is where Jung describes his own black and white mistaken thinking of thinking Fascism was good, because it was against Stalin which was more clearly bad. It didn't take that long for him to realize he was falling for the con, and he is exhibiting a core world class leadership value - vulnerability, by owning up to how even he was trapped in his small minded black and white thinking pattern, so we could all see that in ourselves. Jung on Evil, edited by Murray Stein - some of the excerpts are from letters to Freud! Another great book from the time is Heidegger, a German Philosopher, who talks about thrown-ness. When we are thrown (boy are we thrown) we are more vulnerable to supporting cons.
2
Times Square is not the only clocking counting down . . .
11
Wow. This guy is extremely hard to take. He is living in a dream world, and quite out of touch with reality. How in the world could our country have chosen someone like him to lead us?
16
If comments are anything to go by (spoiler alert: probably not), fear of women had a lot to do with it.
2
It is Mr. Trump that makes us look bad - not the investigation.
14
Look, there have been some people criticizing the NYT
for not having the reporter asking harder questions
of Trump, but I thought it very smart of the reporter
to let Trump hang himself on the soft questions and
let the rest of us see what the President is really like.
Does anyone think they would get real answers from
him on the hard questions? And the poor reporter
would be thrown out and investigated by the Justice
Dept. Has anyone called Trump on his lies and delusions?
Some one commented here that they think it is an
act and he is very manipulative. Hmmm,.. Don't you
think it would be better to appear smarter and
more humane to manipulate? God knows it has
worked for centuries for religious and political figures.
Buffoonery and neediness and stupidity are new
manipulation tactics to me.
9
Wow. Trump won almost 63MM votes, yet I can't find one objective, positive comment out of the 1,016 left so far. Your readers need to get out of their cocoons.
1
The 'readers' are the majority who voted for the popular vote winner - Hillary Rodham Clinton -- and not the popular voter loser -- Donald J. Trump.
5
seriously what is there that is positive about Trump??
2
Fabulous interview, but not for any reason the NYT would understand. Trump "spoke truth to power," but in such a way that would cause a kerfuffle among the elite while resonating among anyone who loves America and earns an honest dime.
The President is keeping Mueller in and wants to avoid the appearance of partisanship. He also wants a conclusion to this investigation and he wants to be treated "fairly," which is what all of us want, especially if we're innocent. He says this investigation makes the country look bad, and indeed it does - the press claiming the President is a traitor and a patsy for international intrigue. President Trump wanted to revise our relationship with Russia, which has steered sharply away from the hope we once had for the relationship when the wall fell. The internet has made the world a smaller place since then, and the Russians we speak to are angry at us because of our own lack of self-awareness.
Trump is the only President in history who is an alumnus of the Wharton School of Business, the finest Ivy League business school in America, depending on the year. He is indeed one of the most successful businessmen to hold the office, and it would be rather foolish to assume that he does not understand the tax code better than most CPAs, especially in light of his complex business dealings. A CPA is a relatively easy professional designation, all things considered.
PS - noticed all the "NYT Pick" comments were echo chamber...
18
Congratulations on breaking through the "echo chamber." Why this post is a "Pick" is hard to say, however.
As Salon reported in 2011, "Trump did not go to Wharton's prestigious MBA program. Rather, he received an undergraduate degree offered by Wharton to University of Pennsylvania students. And Trump didn't attend Wharton for a full four years. Instead, he transferred there after spending his first two undergraduate years at Fordham, the Jesuit university in the Bronx."
Watch the PBS Frontline documentary on Trump and Clinton that was broadcast ahead of the election. Men who did business with Trump say on the record that he seemed to lack a basic understanding of business.
You watched too many episodes of "The Aporentice." The shrewd, decisive businessman portrayed there is much like a character in a feature film: an invention.
101
Monty, there are so many things that have made America look bad over the past year, but Mr. Mueller's investigation isn't among them. Pulling out of the Paris Accord comes to mind... You really need to expand your horizon a little. By the way, Trump's understanding of the tax code is actually quite simple, if not familiar: "Don't ask, don't tell."
I don't see the Times - and especially the remarkable Mr. Schmidt - "claiming" anything in what they publish. To paraphrase Truman Capote, that's not claiming, that's reporting.
34
If the Special Counsel were to seek indictment of Trump, or any of his close associates, due to the overwhelming evidence uncovered, how "fair" do you think Mueller would be considered by them now? In their alternative world, fairness is a relative term, that which coincides with exoneration. It is not the Special Counsels job to seek "fairness" in the treatment of POTUS...that responsibility falls to the courts and Congress. It IS there job to uncover the facts and only the facts, then prosecute those they believe have been complicit in breaking the law. Plain and simple!
24
So, was there any collusion between Trump and the Russians?
1
Trump's instincts to engage in the interview in that format were good and and Schmidt must have come away both appreciative and in some ways impressed.
Donald seems mildly manic with his constant flow of speech and repetitive themes concerning Hilary, collusion and media. Some of his insights are rather promising but they all fracture half way through the thought.
His trajectory towards allowing Mueller to finish out seems set but a few more announcements could of course change that. As flawed as he is,Trump has his own strengths, but remains unpredictably dangerous.
2
Obviously the Muller investigation looks GOOD for the US because it suggests that we have a working government that does not allow corruption anywhere, even at the top. That is HEALTHY. Mueller's investigation seems to be fair and objective- he will not bust Trump unless he finds something illegal. Trump usually makes no sense, and his current comment also makes no sense.
11
At this point we don’t need anything or anyone to
make us look bad. We are doing fine on our own thanks to our choice in President.
16
This president is unqualified, unhinged, and has no knowledge of the Government's infrastructure nor protocol. The Judicial System, CIA, FBI, Ethics Committee and other agencies do not run under his direct command. During his campaign he created his deception of "Fake News" to avoid his own transparency and then created his own "Fake Facts". Which we all are very aware were obvious Lies. However, why does he continue to lie? It's very visible during any speech he has that he tries to stay on a subject then he doesn't understand then finishes with a grand applaud to himself. When did his private Resort Mara Lago become a part of our Government? Why are our tax dollars going to this? We had no vote? The Republican party has become spineless. Afraid of a manchild? Trumps twitter acct should be suspended. No access to social media. While under investigation he should not be allowed to be making any decisions whatsoever. He is making our Great Nation into the Worlds Biggest laughing stock. We the People, are miserable due to this.
17
I read the transcript of the interview and this article doesn't mention another falsehood your president said in the interview about NAFTA and how Canada is somehow ripping the U.S. off and he will "terminate NAFTA in two seconds". (He can't, by the way.) Canada has a trade surplus with the U.S. of over $12 billion U.S. In other words, we buy billions of dollars more goods and services from the U.S. than the U.S. buys from us.
But why would his lack of understanding of NAFTA and trade be any different than his colossal ignorance of healthcare, taxes, infrastructure, electoral colleges, your own constitution, climate change - and common human decency?
27
This was a chance opportunity, brilliantly taken. And, although none of us can claim to be surprised by Trump's Caligulaesque views and delusional spin, what did surprise me was the criticism of it. Some people I otherwise respect went after Michael Schmidt for not asking tougher questions.
Defending Michael Schmidt as a journalist beyond reproach doesn't feel right either. Throughout this entire year, when the only winners were manufacturers of headache and stomach remedies, so, so many reporters at the Times have more than proven their worth and their integrity, Mr. Schmidt included.
7
Somebody cancel his "Show". Voters must serve as "viewers" and re-act accordingly.
8
As in all things against President Trump, the Russian inquiry is a waste of time and money. It is happening only as a divergence from the more important issues confronting America. One issue, the overtaxation of hard working American, has been solved. Others will be as well. And President Trump like no other president before him. Thank you.
1
Not really. Something like 83% of the tax cuts are only for the top 1%. That is not a group usually described as hard working Americans since many (like Trump and Kushner) inherited fortunes. The small tax cuts for the middle and lower classes are short term and time out. Most people don't feel another $15 or so in their paycheck when billionaires are getting millions are fair.
Nor do they think that 13 million Americans losing their healthcare so that billionaires can get richer is a good deal.
2018 is coming. Every deeply corrupt Republican needs to be voted out of office. The Trump types can keep posting ridiculous ads with 5-year-olds thanking Trump for letting them say Merry Christmas again. Absurd and frankly stupid.
5
Rural America, that says it all!
How does investigating Russia's interference with elections and our democracy make the US look bad? And, if there was indeed collaboration of any sort with Russia and the Trump group, how does this make us look bad?
What is Trump trying to hide? He has been quite effective in hiding his tax returns from us, and now he wants to hide any meddling by the Russians.
On whose side is Trump, ours or theirs?
7
Again , he never accepts responsibility.
Trump and his followers look bad.
Perhaps many of his followers should get a Passport and find out
8
We get the government we deserve. Millions upon millions of voters had the opportunity to make a difference and chose to throw away their votes or just stay home. We're living with the results. We get the government we deserve.
6
Trump is just always showing off that giant vocabulary of his, isn't he?
12
No more than he does!
4
Thought You'd Want To Know
Population of the U. S. = 325,445.173
Adult population (18 or older) = 247,773,709
Disenfranchised because of felonies = 6,100,000
Total of citizen-eligible voters = 241,673,709
Registered voters = 200,081,377
In 2016, the numbers who voted for ...
Clinton = 65,853,516
Trump = 62,984,825
Johnson = 4,489,221
Stine = 1,457,216
McMullin = 731,788
Others = 1,152,671
Total = 135,212,021
What actually "makes the 'United' States look very bad to the rest of the world" is that we have 62,984,825 citizens (I mean 25% of the adult population) who would vote for someone like Donald J. Trump for President.
You can count on that.
49
Donald Trump may not be lying when he says there was no collusion between Russia and Himself. The problem is that he has been played like a puppet by Putin and those foreign leaders smarter than Himself. Trump doesn't realize that he (and many of his followers) has been duped by Russian operatives. He is Putin's obedient lap dog. Trump is as dumb as he appears to be. He doesn't realize that he has been played. The Narcissistic Egotist in Chief doesn't realize that the Russia investigation is not about HIM, personally. It is supposed to investigate how Putin's operatives were able to influence the American electoral system to get Trump elected. If I were Putin I would rather have a clueless Donald Trump as my American adversary than a smart Hillary Clinton. How sad that Trump doesn't yet realize what Mueller has been assigned to investigate. All Trump sees is his own self image. He doesn't care at all about American values or American democracy. How sad. What a sad sack of blubber we have as our so-called President.
As for those Congressional Republicans who are trying to shut down Mueller's Russian investigation...They are guilty of either TREASON or gross STUPIDITY. Either way they should be ousted from the Congress in 2018 for their treasonous behaviour.
28
What looks bad is Trump's ignorance of geography, sociology, science and politics. For example, the president does not realize that he does not own the Justice Department and that it owes him no loyalty whatever. 8th grade civics.
He doesn't know much about the countries he visits, where they are and what are their mores. Does he know Arabs are Caucasian? Does he understand the Muslin faith?
Does he even know America and how the average American lives? If he did he would know we need health insurance and an honest tax reduction.
He is particularly ignorant of science. He thinks climate change is a hoax thus scientists are all hoaxers. Unbelievable that he does not realize that there is a big difference between climate and weather. High school
stuff. Without science the earth and its people cannot survive. Without scientific progress there will be disease without adequate treatment.
21
The Russia inquiry is nothing compared to how he makes the United States look
15
Many people think the only damning results from this investigation can be collusion with the Russians in the election or obstruction of justice. What is definitely going to come up through all this sifting through Donald Trump and his cohorts data is that Trump and Kushner have each been neck deep in foreign money laundering, racketeering, and mob related investments. If Mueller gets fired or somehow sidelined, NYS AG Eric Schneiderman has been provided with more than enough evidence to proceed in enough indictments to bury them both.
18
Russia Inquiry makes the US look very Good. The TRUTH will
prevail.
10
Trump doth protest too much. The more he says "there was no collusion" means that Mueller will find collusion.
8
Trump makes us look terribly bad.......look in the mirror once in a while pal!
9
No President Trump, YOU have succeeded in making us look bad. You have made us look foolish, ignorant, morally bankrupt. You have made a mockery of our Constitution, our Government and all our great Institutions. You threw away our Leadership in the world while the conniving foxes, Russia and China are on the rise to become Super Powers. We are threatened by teeny Rocket men like Kims and Jongs. Well I take back what I've just said. We Americans are at fault for voting in this tyrant. We are the fools, ignoramuses who allowed this conman to be our Leader.
9
It makes Trump look very bad and America on its way to greatness again.
7
As far as visibility is concerned...most in the international community nview Trump as a "buffoon" or as Tillerson remarked..a "moron". That said, many with any historical perspective recall the impeachment proceedings against Nixon, or the indictment and incarceration of Nixon's Vice President..Agnew..or perhaps the two advisers to Nixon who spent two years at Lompoc Federal Prison.
Those examples of democracy and balanced power remain..and many in the US and overseas know that somehow..someway the truth will prevail and the "bad guys" will eventually be jailed...and disgraced....like Trump.
7
Where to begin? The man is a total disgrace. Not my president, nor anyone else's who is not an oligarch. Sad!
20
I'm currently reading Luke Harding's book - Collusion, Secret Meetings, Dirty Money, and How Russia Helped Donald Trump Win...it does a great job of revealing the back story on Carter Page and Manafort's ties to the Ukraine & Russia. Trump's assertion that the Democrats invented the Russia allegations is amusing considering it was the Russians who first floated the conspiracy theory that Obama was wiretapping Trump Tower. It didn't take long for Fox & Friends and others to latch onto that fantasy. Our Democracy is in trouble & I wish Trump would see past his self-interest. It infuriates me when he tries to substantiate his actions as being for the "American People." He hasn't done anything for me.
13
He is right. The Democrats have allowed Putin to succeed beyond is wildest dreams.
There is an old Indian proverb (or there should be), that says; "Man who speaks in absolute terms is absolutely wrong."
9
I would say that's a nice picture. (You don't often see Comrade Trump break from his imitation of what he thinks Churchill looked like.) But it sickens me to think of that man riding around at the tax-payers' expense.
12
No, Mr. President, YOU make us look bad, making a Russian Inquiry necessary and imperative.
13
I read the "excerpts from Times interview" yesterday and granted
there were interruptions from guests and such, but honestly how
can anyone think that Trump is not either senile or deranged?
He just keeps saying the same things over and over again,
mainly there is NOTHING to the Russian investigation, In short
his limited rambling makes no sense, especially with his pathetic
and unfounded and very frequent self congratulatory remarks.
How do people around him not burst out laughing? Well I guess
there is nothing funny in a low brow inept sad emotionally mangled
man pretending to lead a nation. Woe is us. Are the Republicans
really afraid of Trumps ever diminishing base? The racists and
evangelicals? Are they still trying to please them? I know the
Republicans are grabbing up what they can for themselves but
are they all prepared never to be elected to any office again?
19
Wow. Dutch Shultz on his deathbed was more coherent than this guy.
17
With this man as president nothing less than danger lurks in the White House.
12
Trump thinks the Russian investigation makes the U.S. look bad? I beg to differ...Trump giving an interview to the NYT makes the U.S. look bad! If I were an American, I would feel so embarrassed and ashamed of him! Never mind the content of the interview, what's worse is he can barely put together a sentence! Talk about incoherent. What does comes shining through; however, are the lies, propaganda, and narcissism. Once again, one must feel sorry for what gerrymandering, voter suppression, and the archaic Electoral College has wrought on not only the U.S.but also the entire world: An arrogant, ignorant wannabe dictator.
21
No, sir, YOU are what makes the United States "look very bad."
13
President Trump makes the U.S. look bad
10
This interview reads like an extended SNL cold open.
12
No, Mr. President, it's you who make America look bad.
22
You took the words right out of my mouth, SC.
3
Did the NYT interviewee ever reach a point of mental revulsion sitting and listening next to this disgusting individual? How anyone can tolerate his incoherent ramblings and not question him personally the absurdity of his remarks. Not that a response would make sense, but this man has to be challenged most vociferously every chance available.
We're talking about a serious, burgeoning threat to a democratic republic. Even at the risk of being thrown off his property by becoming to confrontational, dig deep with questions that expose the narcissistic tyrant he is.
19
Robert Mueller is in a spot that would test anyone's mettle. He has not done well. Not well at all.
A no-knock before-dawn raid on Paul Manafort to see how many suits he keeps in his closet evokes Gestapo tactics. As does the house arrest Paul Manafort and Rick Gates chafe under. All for charges that were long looked into and cleared already and never would have been brought except for this Red scare.
The guilty pleas of George Papadopoulos and Michael Flynn are even worse. The FBI had cleared Michael Flynn of any wrongdoing in both his actions and his interview answers. Now suddenly both people plea bargain their escape from a legal nightmare of continued prosecution (persecution is a better word) and back-breaking legal defense fees.
Making politics criminal is shameful. It hurts our country and, as Donald Trump says, makes it look bad. This is banana republic stuff, not what happens in a mature democracy. No evidence of any crime by Donald Trump or his campaign members relating to Russia has ever been shown. Why an investigation?
Meanwhile, the Russians get away with their election meddling. Why isn't Robert Mueller focusing on how the Democratic National Committee's server and John Podesta's emails got hacked? There are your crimes. Why no indictments of the Russians responsible? Why no indictment of Vladimir Putin?
When an investigation focuses not on crimes but on politics, that's shameful. Shame on you, Robert Mueller.
1
What was Abscam, Iran Contra, Watergate break in etc ?
3
Rich stuff! Even funnier than Mr. Trump's free-associating. The notion that Putin wanted HILLARY to win -- never mind Don Jr's enthusiastic reply to the email about the Russian operative who was willing to share dirt on Clinton (he "loved" it, he said), plus his decision to meet with that operative, along with other senior members of the campaign. Yes, yes, obviously you're right -- any INVESTIGATION into the buddy-buddy relationship between the Trumps and Putin ("If the Russians are listening, please release those emails...") obviously is what might turn our democracy into a "banana republic." Clearly, we should all recognize that this is all Hillary's fault; she's to blame for the actions of Team Trump. Just hope that Mr. Trump does not read of your wanting Mueller to indict Putin (current dictator and former KGB agent), who surely would not show for his arraignment anyway. Remember: Putin is the one that Trump often admires and never, ever criticizes. (That fact was noted on page three of the talking points you were supposed to work from. Always be sure to read page three!). Thanks for the laughs!
8
Actual crimes were committed by these people. You don't lie to federal officers. You don't launder money for foreigners. You don't secretly represent autocratic governments including an agreement to kidnap someone, etc.
As for Trump, more than 30 contacts between his campaign officials and Russians took place, and they lied about EVERY SINGLE one of them including under oath and on security documents. Innocent people do not behave like this.
Have you actually read any of the crimes? Yes, I am certain that Mueller's office is looking into the hacking because they are investigating how and whether Trump people coordinated and conspired with Russia to target individuals. And yes, I would agree that the election interference is a major cyberattack that should have led to the creation of a bipartisan commission. Trump and the Republicans in Congress have been obstructing justice instead of helping defend the United States from future attacks.
7
No, this conspiracy with the Russians only looks bad for you, Mr. Trump. Bad. Bad. Bad.
11
Sad. Bad. And Mad.
12
Trump is the embarrassment of the country.
12
Trump’s success owes to his manipulation of the media. However, this article is not news. Regurgitation of the nonsense Trump spouts doesn’t qualify as news. It might have been so had the Times sourced a statement contradicting or at least qualifying Trump’s view that he owns the Justice Department.
4
it is Trump, and only Trump, that makes the US look bad!
12
The KKK and evangelists also rank high in making us laughingstocks of the world right now.
6
Dear NY Times, Thank you for NOT making this the lead article. I, for one, would have loved to see it buried "somewhere where the sun don't shine".
He is delusional, absolutely, but the one thing he is right about, he is "newsworthy". I truly hope the mainstream media does not fall into the same trap which was a contributing factor into trump's being elected (along with Russian interference). Please do not publish his inane tweets, please do not pander to his massive ego. Please, do not bring him back for another four years. One year has been more than enough.
9
Who cares what Trump has to say? The fact that the Times is interviewing him
gives him credibility. Everything he says should be ignored.
9
This is simply a criminal trying to cover his tracks. He is learning that berating the FBI and the Justice Dept won't work. Now he has decided to play footsie with these parties and gain some buddy ground. This child in the white house has no conception of how this government works. He doesn't realize that facts will bury him no matter what he lies about and says. I an sure he will be our first president to die in federal prison.
8
"...a very bad position"?
Dude, that horse was let out of the barn, the day you showed up.
12
trump, it is you, your family, and your ilk, who make america look and be bad. a pox on you all.
14
Contrary to Trump's assertions, Mueller's investigation is the only thing keeping the US from total ridicule by the world. Trump is what's making US "look very bad." He's turning the greatest democracy into a laughing stock, a butt of jokes,
12
No, the inquiry makes Trump look bad -- and he SHOULD look bad.
7
With all due respect Mr Trump, although you have done nothing to deserve it, it is YOU who makes the US "look very bad". Every utterance, every tweet, every swipe at the very fabric of our democratic republic, every breath you take as President is one that leads the US on a downward spiral with regard to it's place in the world.
9
Trump proves time and again what every psychologist has known for years: Narcissists always speak in extremes.
14
We have heard nothing from the Tweeter in Chief of the up coming election in Russia. Where a dictator is up for re-eleciton and will not allow an opposition. tRump could at least offer support for democracy on the world stage. That is what makes America great.
11
Mr. Trump disputed reports that suggested he does not have a detailed understanding of legislation, saying, “I know the details of taxes better than anybody. Better than the greatest C.P.A. I know the details of health care better than most, better than most.”
Later, he added that he knows more about “the big bills” debated in the Congress “than any president that’s ever been in office.”
I waver between disgust and pity for this man: he's obviously demented or a huge liar or ignorant - or all three...
26
(cough, gag) Trump is, (choke) correct (gag, cough) more or less. The wheeling and dealing by D Trump Sr. and clan justifying Robert Mueller's investigations of a possible Russian connection do make the "U.S. look very bad"...
...Of course, the patriarch with no morals could go a ways towards altering that perception with two simple expedients, abdication and resignation...
7
“I know the details of taxes better than anybody. Better than the greatest C.P.A. I know the details of health care better than most, better than most.”
Every sentence is a lie. That's a minimum of three obvious lies in 30 minutes.
The way this man lies so obviously, ridiculously and unnecessarily must be a sign of a mental disorder.
13
No mr. president, you make us look bad.
10
Trump's going threaten China? That's rich. If he takes trade actions that rub China the wrong way, that country will simply obliterate the US urban housing market, putting our president on skid row in no time, given that all of his fortune is in real estate and China owns more than $300 billion of that market, almost all of it in major metropolitan areas.
I would so love to see that....
9
By now Trump's tweets are just funny, like the daily political cartoon. Even his hair is dishonest. I hit the mute every time he comes on but tweets still get through. The SOTUS, would be painful, if I intended to listen to it. There's nothing new to learn from what will surely be a one man braggadocio bloviate. "Look what I did", like a 12 year old.
9
If Trump knows "the details of taxes better than anybody. Better than the greatest C.P.A." then why is he being perpetually audited? And if he thinks "ratings" are an indicator of "his self-imposed success," then his "show" needs to be cancelled. That I can tell you. Believe me.
22
“But for purposes of hopefully thinking I’m going to be treated fairly, I’ve stayed uninvolved with this particular matter.”
What does that even mean, in the English language? Is he hopeful? Is his thinking hopeful? Is he hoping to be able to think? Is the past tense "stayed uninvolved" happening at the same time as the future tense "going to be treated"? Is "this particular matter" something different than simply "this"? Are there other particular matters? Finding meaning in his garbled verbiage is like finding the beginning of an Escher drawing.
4
Amazing! What's even more amazing is how the Republican Party stands by this incredible mess of governing. And they are worried about their political future? Take a look in the mirror, people.
20
"[S]ome of the congressmen have been unbelievable in pointing out what a witch hunt the whole thing is. So, I think it’s been proven that there is no collusion."
First, it's clear that anyone claiming a "witch hunt" is, as Trump says, unbelievable. Second, why does Trump typically use the present tense when he talks about collusion? There "is" no collusion, meaning there is none going on at the moment? But that's not what Trump is under investigation for...
7
I will leave my comments to his claim that the Russian investigation "makes the country look bad." His statement is exactly what solidifies his lack of knowledge about the country he serves as POTUS. It is the very investigation that makes this country great. That in our democracy we will not allow tampering with our elections and have the fortitude to do so.
Trump doesn't understand he is not the CEO of the U.S., he is the President of the U.S., which means the nefarious business dealings he is known for is not tolerated in the government for the people and by the people.
9
Unless the text is fake, he may soon be out on medical leave.
7
Trump will deny any collusion with the Russians with his last breath. However, only the dimmest of wits cannot see the direct connection between Russia and Trump. The Russians bailed Trump out for years with laundered money and they own him. It is no accident that Trump has been surrounded by Russian operatives. The only way to know what is going on is to follow the money. Mueller must continue to investigate Trump's financial ties to the Russian's and Putin via the the money laundering Bank of Cyprus, Deutsche Bank, and Russian investors in his property. It is no coincidence that there are such strong links between Russia and Trump's cabinet members and associates including Wilbur Ross, Felix Sater, Roy Tillerson, Jeff Sessions, Mike Flynn, Carter Page, Paul Manafort, Roger Stone etc., etc..
We expect the Republicans to continue deny Trump's traitorous collusion with the Russians because they wanted the same outcome in order for their right wing coup d'etat of 2016 to succeed. In fact the Republican leadership is complicit in Trump's sellout to the Russians and they are traitors as well. They must all be thrown out for the security of our country. We must come to grips with reality: The 2016 election was a fraud perpetrated by the GOP with Russian aid. That is what truly makes America look bad!
10
That was an "interview?" (Webster) "An interview is a conversation where questions are asked and answers are given." (Wikipedia) "One can contrast an interview which involves bi-directional communication with a one-way flow of information, such as a speech or oration."
The cited questions and brief comments from the NYT "interviewer" seem quite clearly to have only been grease or grist for Trump's one-way flow.
4
I propose this solution to Twitter: Put an obstacle in the way of Tweeting. You have to solve a puzzle before you can Tweet. The puzzles get harder and harder each time you want to send a new tweet within a 24 hour period.
There seems to be an inverse relationship between how much smartz you have and the number of opinions you feel the need to express to the world. At the same time, if you can solve the level 10 puzzle to express your 10th opinion of the day, well then maybe you are a person of sufficient intellect such that it would be good for the world to hear what you have on your mind.
I suspect the POTUS tweet count would drop to two per day.
You're welcome.
10
"look very bad"?
He had the best words once.
Now they're gone.
Something needs to say it: He's not simply unfit; he's unwell.
15
Donald J. Trump says there was "no collusion" between him and the Russians that changed the election. From day one of the presidency, Trump is a walking disaster damaging the rich and poor of this country.
4
If Mueller has the goods then he has the goods. Treating Trump fairly is part of the job, but would Mueller even need to put his finger on the scale if he finds evidence?
Don’t expect this probe to be anything but fair—it may just take down a chunk of the entrenched shadow government in DC. Which you now have to believe in if you’ve been keeping up with this story—Gen. Flynn taking payments to “facilitate” the rendition of a Turkish political figure is the stuff of Clancy novels brought to life.
Every layer Mueller chips off certainly reveals more about the Trump Administration, but the amount of insight the probe has given into the accepted “business as usual” world behind the curtain is shocking.
6
The Russia investigations are actually the main thing that makes America look great to the rest of the world. It may be the ONLY thing that makes America look great right now
9
It's not the investigation that makes America look bad, it's America's president and its Congress, and that's very bad indeed.
10
No, Mr. President, the Mueller investigation doesn’t make “the country look very bad.” On the contrary, It sends out an important message: that this is a country governed by laws and that none in the country is above the law.
The next thing you said, that you “have absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department,” makes me tutor you on this basic civics lesson: You are the lawfully elected head of a democratic country. As such, you don’t have the “absolute right to do” what you want to do with any department.
You may dismiss the head of a department appointed by you. But you will be held accountable if that dismissal causes obstruction of justice. I hope you are aware that the punishment for causing obstruction of justice is impeachment.
Yes, the Constitution allows you a lot of latitude in the area of foreign policy. But that the Constitution also expects you to behave rationally and responsibly in that area. Your pronouncements on China readily come to mind in this context. Do point out when China goes back on the promise of cooperation given to you in resolving major world issues. The biggest threat to world peace today comes from North Korea. You can’t eliminate that threat without help from China. So, don’t keep on antagonizing China.
A few other things that you said during the interview -- “Without me, The New York Times will indeed be not the failing New York Times, but the failed New York Times,” etc. -- are just laughable.
8
The comment you mention about the New York Times is indeed laughable. It was a joke.
1
Try to imagine what the leaders of allied nations think when they read something like this. One of the first things they think is this: Who are the Americans who voted for and continue to support this pathological narcissist?
It is truly embarrassing.
10
Count how many times Trump says "collusion" and you know there was definitely "collusion".
Maybe he *forgot* the Russia mess started way before the election. Maybe Donald should tell us more under oath.
9
When the house and possibly the senate flips in 2018 so to will the Oval Office.
DJT is getting in his golf now, you know before he can’t play any more.
Others have shared my ongoing narrative but it bears repeating often- everyone must VOTE!
8
Just wondering... How do Mrs. Trump and her son live with a person who only see's himself and seems to not care for many others around him.
8
"Mrs.'' Trump has been well-paid for her services -- and not only by tiny-hands Donald, I'm sure -- and knew exactly what she signed on for. No sympathy here
3
Treason makes those who engage in it look very, very bad. An investigation of wrong doing regardless of the status of the perpetrators makes the USA look very, very good..
10
The descent into total fantasy that Trump engages in at the end of this story, it is just plain nuts. No it is very very very unlikely that the NYT will suddenly will go all in for Trump in 2020. He is completely discontented from reality. He is danger to himself and to every other person on the globe. Who is going to be held responsible? Since it looks like he working up a good insanity defense.
He added: “So they basically have to let me win. And eventually, probably six months before the election, they’ll be loving me because they’re saying, ‘Please, please, don’t lose Donald Trump.’ O.K.”
7
Like his previous interview with the president, Mr Schmidt does nothing more than let his subject ramble on incoherently. Next time, please challenge some of the president's ludicrous assertions. That would make for a much more incisive piece.
17
There is nothing in the U>S> or that it is doing that makes it look bad as Trump's performance as president!
2
NYT "Trump Says Russia Inquiry Makes U.S. ‘Look Very Bad."
No, Mr. Trump, you're wrong. As president of the USA, YOU make America look bad.
4
Trump makes the US look very bad.
2
Soon we’ll start seeing huge pictures of Trump out in front of all government buildings.
3
Looks bad to whom? The Russians?
1
As any other citizen of the USA, the POTUS is bound by the laws and the Constitution. Trumpster in his autocratic ideas doesn't understand decent people respect and abide by those limits.
The Russia inquiry only makes one person and his entourage of nefarious accomplishes look bad = Trumpster. If Trumpster has nothing to fear, why not cooperate and help Mueller and his team move forward and ferrate out and dispatch the offenders?
Why does he feel the need to deny, deny, deny...instead of opening up with the sunlight of truth?
Trumpster behaves as one who doesn't want his past behavior subject to the scrutiny of a wise and aggressive law enforcement officer.
I remind myself that Trumpster was not endorsed by a majority of voters but played the electoral college for a patsy.
I hope this is a temporary and dark time for the USA...until the voters dispatch Trumpster, so he may return to his former and disreputable ways. And, the USA and its majority of decent folks may again lead the world and progress confidently into the future.
5
The logic is a bit twisted.
If you didn't collude (which does look bad) there would be no investigation.
It isn't the investigation that looks bad.
That is akin to saying a murder investigation makes the accused look bad....
4
Uh, no. Making trump look even worse? Yep...
4
Trump: “Without me, The New York Times will indeed be not the failing New York Times, but the failed New York Times.” He added: “So they basically have to let me win."
These words prove to all of us the world as Donald J. Trump sees it. In his world there are no such things as honesty, integrity, patriotic duty, or selflessness — there's only greed, self-dealing, one-upmanship, and naked self-interest. As he interacts with the world with those latter personality traits in mind, it's only natural that his limited imagination assumes that all others do, as well.
As I click the "Submit" button, below, there will be exactly 1039 days, 19 hours, 18 minutes, and 52 seconds until the polls open on the East Coast, and we can begin the process of voting this stain on the American psyche out of office.
12
I was hopeful when driving thru eastern Colorado to have seen a trump/pence campaign poster with spray painted words at the bottom"For Russia." Somebody had to go to a lot of trouble to do that. It just made me laugh. Even the farmers think he's a crook.
13
What a SAD figure!
5
The Russia inquiry makes Trump look like an elected official instead of an absolute monarch, go figure. Putin expects a lot more of Trump.
1
Trump has it exactly wrong. Investigating him makes the country's judicial system demonstrate there is still some integrity, that it will not bow to the whims of a crooked wannabe despot. No wonder he is nervous! He does not represent this country's idea of democracy, nor will he ever.
4
"Ain't that great?"
2
Having a climate change denier in the White House makes the USA 'look very bad."
10
Oh for God’s sake, Donald is what makes America look very bad. Reading portions of his holiday “interview” was disorienting. It’s like being stuck in jail with a crazy cell mate just rambling along in a stream of consciousness that only makes sense to him. Alice in Wonderland makes more sense.
12
Based on this interview, Trump appears to know more about everything than anyone else. He is a smart man, a very smart man who knows a lot of really important info that is important to America. He’s also the best and better than anyone else and better than any other president, much better than anyone in history.
4
It only makes Trump, his son in law and his children look bad. He refuses to acknowledge the importance of it. He weakens our country with his ego.
5
“I have absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department,”
I feel this is the most disturbing statement in an interview of disturbing statement. Someone, please..........explain to him how a democracy works.
6
"We sat down with a serial liar who told us a bunch of obvious lies that contradicted his own previous statements. We did not fact check or question him."
4
Trump Airline: Fail
Trump Steak: Fail
Trump Vodka: Fail
Trump the Game: Fail
Trump Mortgage: Fail
Trump Fragrance: Gross Fail
Trump on Howard Stern: Gross and Amoral
Trump Casinos: Bankrupt
Trump University: Fraud
Trump Institute: Fraud
Trump Foundation: Charity Fraud
Trump Network: Pyramid Scheme
Trump Marriages: Divorce
Trump Presidency: A Failed, Gross, and Morally Bankrupt Scheme against the American public. We need a Divorce from this massive Fraud.
23
"President Trump said Thursday that he believes Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel in the Russia investigation, will treat him fairly, ..."
In my opinion this unfortunately means that Trump thinks he has found justification for firing Mueller. We will know in the following weeks as republican lap dogs like Nunes will be announcing "shocking" findings about this or that member of Mueller's team or maybe even Mueller himself. All of which will leave the president "no other choice" but to seek a replacement for Mueller. A replacement that will probably never happen.
You read it here first! :-)
BTW the President does not have the authority to start or end any investigation at Justice. If that were so it would eviscerate the basis of our Justice System. No serving politician has power. They only have the authority granted by the people to do their job. The grammatical difference is critical to being able to run our system honestly.
Bringing up the Podesta Group is an attempt to find out what the feds know so he can plan to defend on his exposure from that angle.
The Holder question is childish baiting. No employee is to be loyal to anything but the Constitution.
"They have to let me win" so he thinks the NYT gave him the election? Seems like a lot of power for a failing Press to have. If this is so what does his mention of 3M illegal votes mean? What point the Voter Fraud Election Commission?
7
#trump is not Louis XIV.
4
What makes the US look bad, let me count the waways:
We have a president that is a compulsive liar.
We have a president who is a bully.
We have a president that insults our allies.
We have a president who is a womanizer and predator.
We have a president who has spent a third of his first year in office playing golf.
We have a president who campaigned on helping the working class. LOL
We have a president who persists in personal attacks on Clinton and Obama.
We have a president who backs a sexual predator for the US Senate.
We have a president who pulls us out of the Paris Climate Accord.
We have a president who removes environmental protections.
We have a president with a revolving cabinet as dysfunctional as he is.
We have a president who supports racial/religious bigotry.
We have a president who enriches himself with the spoils of his office.
I could go on but you get the picture, so does the rest of the world. Could the US have stooped any lower.
21
Trump himself makes America look stupid, and his actions are tearing up all that we've tried to build in the world since 1945.
He represents what an Axis victory in 1942 would look like--some 75 years later.
For an idea of that, read Philip Roth's 2004 "science fiction" novel, "The Plot Against America," which posits what America would have looked like had America-firster Lindbergh run for president against FDR in 1940--and won--and passively collaborated with the Axis.
7
His rants on Twitter don't make the US look bad? Pulling out of the Paris agreement? His war on the environment? His complicity with neo-Nazis and the KKK? His war on the poor and the middle class? His lies? His sexual assaults? His attacks on his own intelligence community? Push-leeze. He singlehandedly has done more damage to the US' reputation than any foreign state or terrorist group has ever done. His priority has always been about himself, not the country, not Americans. The Russia inquiry is the only thing that is telling the rest of the world that the US is still a republic not an autocracy.
8
If Trump is right, then he should simply resign. Problem fixed.
8
Could someone explain why there is an issue with the private messages of F.B.I. agents? Aren't they also citizens demonstrating the responsibility to have political opinions?
12
Well, trump makes the US look very bad, too. So, where would he like to go with that one?
4
He thinks that making him look bad and making the US look bad are the same thing.
3
As an outside observer the United states has looked bad for quite some time. No President has had to pay for his misdeeds. Nixon committed treasonous acts by colluding with the North Vietnamese by stalling the peace talks. Nixon's Watergate activity is well documented. Reagan colluded with Iran and the contras and escaped any censure, as did Bush senior. GW got away with his fake war against WMD. GW and Condi approved torture. Trump is coated with teflon. As a nation you do not hold your Presidents to follow the rules of good conduct. Try taking a look at yourselves as the rest of the world sees you.
9
When Trump says, “There’s no collusion,” he thinks he is able to perform a Jedi mind trick (these aren’t the Droids you’re looking for). However, the public knows that “no collusion” is the equivalent of “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.” We know he is no wizard, and as Dorothy said, “You are a very bad man.”
Mr. Trump, if you want the public to ignore the man behind the curtain, show us:
1. your tax returns,
2. loan documentation with Deutsche Bank, and
3. all communications the Trump organization (Jared too) had with
Deutsche Bank.
9
Trump reminds me of Tony Soprano. He has spent 1/3 of his time away from the White House and government property to be at his private resorts. This makes me wonder whether he MUST do so in order to communicate privately, indirectly with those who can further his organized enterprises with the Russians. This is his expensive way of using burn phones so his actions cannot be tracked. Who does he talk with on the golf course? Who does he talk with in his private dinning rooms? Why does he always put up black screens or park large box trucks so we cannot see what he is doing?
Is it because he is like Tony Soprano and he does not want the public to know who he is communicating with?
6
Good ole right wing conservatives are also feeling blue about our nation’s institutions worrying about Russia when Hillary is not in chains and off to Guantanamo.
4
A few of you, yes. All of us, no! And, the beauty of it, it's going to get a whole lot worse...for you!
1
Russia investigation makes Trump look very bad.
4
Russia Inquiry Makes U.S. ‘Look Very Bad? Trump's precise existence makes U.S. look Very Bad, period!
4
quote from Trump,
“I have absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department,”
sounds like a dictator to me...
4
"After the interview Trump walked out of the Grill Room." - NYT
At the MUELLER COUNTRY CLUB in Southwest Washington, D.C. there is a windowless office. It's Mueller's version of the GRILL ROOM.
Trump- 'The sooner it's worked out, the better it is for the country."
I agree.
Because you were elected!
1
No! Once again tRump got it all wrong. What makes the U.S. look very, very, very bad is his clown antics, middle-school education, and endless compulsive lies of the so-called president.
1
Another example of Trump's ignorance. It is not the investigation that makes the U.S. look badly, it is Trump himself that embarrasses our country! ! !
3
Reading the interview, conducted without the crutches of his handlers, you realize how tangled and twisted this mind is. What rats and monkeys there must be scrambling up there, trying unsuccessfully to grab on to anything solid. It reminds me of a fire hose, turned on full blast, with the nozzle left off, so the hose is flying, flailing wildly this way and that. But instead of spraying water, its soreading toxic venim. This country is running amuck, it has no president, God help us. Truly the inmates have taken over the asylum. This is the legacy of the Republican party.
8
Just one word referring to Trump: megalomaniac.
5
Some of his statements quoted here just reinforce the opinion that he is getting more delusional every day. "The best CPA ..." ," The NYT will be the failed NYT. "
God help us.
8
All this time and you don't recognize Donald Trump's fondness for exaggeration and hyperbole? Like him or loathe him, it does no one a service to distort what he thinks and what he says into the deluded ravings of a madman.
Donald Trump makes more sense than Barack Obama ever did in unscripted remarks. Did you listen to Barack Obama's last press conference of his presidency? He took only a few questions because of his lengthy answers, which were rambling and disjointed and never answered the question at all. It was a yawner.
At least Donald Trump answers the questions asked, tells you what he thinks, and is entertaining.
1
John Smithson - No one is distorting anything. Trump's speech is garbled, nonsensical and incoherent as well as self-serving, deluded and mean spirited.
2
There is no limit to his baseness and ignorance! Sorry Mr. Trump , you and your followers may say and think as you will(wrongheaded) that you have the power and right to do anything you want with the Justice Dept , yes in the sense you can appoint your own sycophants of know nothings but you are not yet the boss of bosses as you may believe. Since you don't read and have memory lapses about what you have said before , relying on Fox , Newsmax etc to bring you up to speed on alternate facts , alternate reality, it is to be expected and your norm !
6
This was inevitable.
As we've seen with his in-fighting earlier this year with Bannon and Kushner, Trump will absolutely not allow members of his administration to overshadow him in any way.
2017 could not close until Trump finished his work, and gave an interview even more quotable than The Mooch's.
2
Trump always wanted to be a movie producer so he got his wish. In his mind he stars as the supreme dictator while he presides over the First Annual Dictator's Ball at Mar-a-Lago with a hole-in-one tournament at Trump International. I can see him now with all kinds of medals and stuff on his puffed up chest and an outfit matching his hair. If someone wins the tournament instead of Trump he will have their heads chopped off just like in the Isis videos.
And you think this is a stupid and ridiculous scenario? "I have absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department," -Donald Trump
6
The Trump/Russia at a minimum makes the Democrats look bad - like inept, effete plotters of a third world coup.
Oh brother.
Mueller is a Republican investigating election-tampering. Some folks do not serve Trump, they serve America. Big difference.
7
When DJT's money laundering for Russians is confirmed and he's hauled off in cuffs, we'll see who looks bad.
5
We all know Trump is unhinged and is a danger to the US. The real story is that this national nightmare could be over if the Republican party and its leaders had any integrity and real courage to impeach Trump. History will be more damning of the Republican Party than of Trump because they have let this go on now perhaps to the point of no return.
11
No, Trump, having a bloviating, boorish ignorant, arrogant fool as president makes the U.S. "look very bad." Investigating criminal activity and collusion makes us look like something anathema to you — a democracy.
7
He makes us look much worse!!!!!
3
trump really is delusional as he makes this nation looks bad. All of his lying, out of control tweets, mental instability, greed, kissing up to Putin,... The national disgrace and threat to our nation, if not the world, is sitting in the White house, or is it back on the golf course once again?.
8
"Democrats Leave Few Seats Unchallenged in Quest for House Control."
So what are they going to run on in the 2018 mid-terms, amnesty without conditions and impeachment of Prs. Trump. Good luck with that!
You know, dude, if you actually knew any Democrats, you could ask them.
But good luck with that!
2
Au Contraire! YOU make US look bad.
7
I’ve read the same interview for the last eight months. Wake me up when this egocentric and absurd version of “Groundhog Day” is over.
10
The FBI investigation does not make America look bad. What makes America looks bad is the corruption of the Trump Administration. But Trump, who obviously wants to be a fascist dedicator just like his best friend Vladimir Putin, would be much happier if he could destroy all of our institutions which stand in his way to a dictatorship.
5
What planet does this man live on? It seems that everything he says, or tweets?!, reflects a near total lack of knowledge across a range of important subjects.
Negligence and incompetence personified. And the bewildering thing is that here are millions of our fellow citizens who think he's doing a great job…..
5
It's Trump that makes Trump look really bad.
7
Trump is terrifying in his lethal mix of ignorance and delusion. But what's equally worrying is that by throwing their lot in with him, the GOP have boxed themselves into a situation in which they will be committed to take even more extreme and bizarre positions should the Democrats win in 2018.
All the barricades have fallen on the Right. I don't see how they find their way back to anything approaching a middle. Not one of them has stood up to Trump. Even Corker voted for this nasty tax bill.
What comes after this but more extreme polarization? No one in the GOP thought to leave a trail of breadcrumbs to find their way home.
7
And yet you call them a G(rand) O(ld) P(arty) not once but twice.
Is it just too much work to type out the word "Republican"?
1
There is no way one can read about this exchange with the little man and fail to understand the grave and worsening crisis overtaking our country. On behalf of Trump, reality has been stood on its head and this hapless fool speaks and behaves as if intelligent and rational citizens believe everything he utters. Election 2018 can't happen soon enough.
6
Mark in Iowa, I think you may be watching too much fox and friends.
“The way media portrays our President is shameful. Just shameful. I am embarrassed by the way the media and those in Washington are still trying to relive the election.”
Let me ask you Mark in Iowa, who constantly brings up how many MORE (imaginary) people attended his inauguration than his predecessor?
By the way I am embarrassed too, but it is his own portrayal of himself that is embarrassing.
“After the vote is over its time for both parties to shake hands and get busy. People are blaming Trump for dividing the nation. All he did was get elected. That is it. “
That is it, calling Mexicans rapist, mocking handicapped reporters, bragging about grabbing women’s genitals because he is famous, saying that when white supremacist rally in Charlottesville and kill an innocent woman, that “ there are good people on both sides”, this Mark in Iowa divides the nation.
13
My greatest fear regarding Trump is that he becomes relatively successful in some policy areas, thereby legitimizing his incoherent, ignorant and boorish presidency built upon the rock of fascist and racist attitudes. His ideas regarding how government should work are antithetical to a healthy representative democracy.
7
So reassuring to know that we have a delusional / narcissistic/ psychotic / sociopath as our president.
7
It’s astounding to me that the congressional investigations haven’t obtained Trump’s tax returns, since they would go a long way to give reasons why he has or hasn’t colluded with Russia.
5
We should all be concerned that a man claiming to know everything about everything really doesn’t know anything but the con. We are watching a train wreck while we are on that train desparate to penetrate a thick wall between us and a conductor too delusion to keep us on the tracks or apply the breaks.
3
This fool is the single most destabilizing factor in the world.
He must know Mueller will find Russian money-laundering evidence, as well as collusion between his campaign and the Russians on where to focus the latter's social media influence in the last election.
And it is a crime that the administration has not taken Russian election interference seriously as we approach 2018. That in itself is collusion, and it is ongoing.
10
The last thing any actual journalist should reply to anything a Trump ever says is "That's true."
Since the yes men of the right-wing propaganda echo chamber at Fox and Rush and friends accept all Trump lies readily, real reporters need to fact check everything first.
Signing off on Trump's grotesque lies as "true" to make conversation just plays to Don's Con.
3
tone deaf. clueless. unintelligent. self centered.
trust me sir... it is not the investigation that "makes the country look very bad."
6
TERRIFIC PRESIDENT!
America loves you Mr. President!
I'm trying to think of something that makes us all look very bad. Oh. Right.
3
What makes America look bad is an election where an infantile egomaniac was "elected" by approximately 70K voters in three swing states. The rest of us, including those who voted with the popular vote winner, are now suffering for the mistakes of those 70K misguided, gullible souls.
5
If this is an interview, why was there no attempt to clarify the inaudible elements? This appears to be yet another platform for Trump to prattle on in his own echo chamber. Surely there is no sane person who believes the democrats think there was no collusion, yet no attempt was made to have Trump give his sources/evidence for his views.
I suggest the American press take a lesson from the BBC about interviewing. The reporters for the BBC have no qualms about interrupting when an untruth is spoken and confronting it. By contrast, the American press passes this prattle as an interview. It's not.
We are well aware Trump is a shallow empty suit; wholly unseated for the office he assumes. We are also aware of his predictable, uneducated views.
4
Luke Harding’s book “Collusion: Secret Meetings, Dirty Money, and How Russia Helped Donald Trump Win” details Russia’s many intelligence agency efforts to cultivate prominent Westerners, including Trump. In 1984 the KGB drew up memos that contained advice for Soviet agents in their efforts to develop multiple streams of intelligence within the U.S. The effort was being made because the Soviets were having problems recruiting Americans as agents. One effort focused on identifying individuals who met certain criteria, including whether “pride, arrogance, egoism, ambition or vanity [is] among a subject’ natural characteristics?” The identification of “compromising information” was also of significant importance. The KGB opened a file on Trump. He was invited to Moscow on several occasions. In addition, when the new Soviet ambassador to the UN arrived in the U.S. in 1986, the first thing he did was to go to Trump tower to hopefully meet Trump. According to Harding, Trump “melted at once” when the new ambassador related to Trump that “the first thing I saw in the city was your tower.” The Soviet’s assessment of Trump was that he is very impulsive and that he craves attention and flattery, an assessment being borne out traits these 30 years later.
3
Lots of wasted effort and futility here. Every comment posted from this point forward until 11.18 should contain just one word:
VOTE
3
No, Mr. Trump! it is YOU that makes America look bad and the citizens embarrassed.
3
No, Mr. President, what makes the U.S. "look very bad" is you and your Party.
3
He makes a good point: he helps the ratings! We're all riveted to news of this man and everything he says, even though we know he's a hypocrite and keeps lying. In the end Donald Trump will never fail, for if he does, he just claims victory - and the NYTimes will publish the news!
1
Although he thinks so, our government is not being run by President Trump. It is being run by sycophants who know how to use him to their advantage. It is being rung by the Pence/Sessions right wing cabal.
What is worse than anything is the people who has his ear. President Trump is not interested in details. What would you expect from someone who watches Fox news every morning? And as the article writes "...a longtime supporter, Christopher Ruddy, the president and chief executive of the conservative website and TV company Newsmax — came by to speak with Mr. Trump..." The outcome of every Trump policy is a foregone conclusion. Unfortunately the policies of the Trump presidency will reflect those promoted by Fox and Newsmax ilk.
3
Gentlemen - After plowing through the transcript published last night, I'm amazed that you have taken that scattering of words and made sense of it. Of course, it was no different than what he has constantly iterated since becoming president. This version, however, is a running mess of words that seem not to connect. If we hadn't heard some before, we would have no idea what he was talking about. As I read, one word kept coming to mind, the old definition of a type of schizophrenia: hebephrenia. How much long will we have to tolerate an incompetent, seemingly mentally ill, ethically compromised, rude and disgusting man in the Oval Office?
5
“I have absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department,” he said, echoing the claim RICHARD MILHOUSE NIXON made when he said, “if the president does it means it’s not illegal”.
The media will have a field day with him as they did with Richard Nixon in 1972.
Mueller’s Russia investigation, hopefully will have the same affect the Watergate investigation did.
NOTHING about this self proclaimed sexual predator in the Whitehouse is ORIGINAL.
3
You, Donald, the so-called President who manufactures fake news 5 times a day, You make the US look bad. You, Donald.
2
Near the article's end, three paragraphs wherein Trump states his views on the media benefitting from his being president are statements to be kept in mind. Mr. Trump seems to have a firm grasp on this reality; if he had not so successfully become the media darling, the election would not have gone his way. As long as Donald Trump sells more papers than his rival, I believe the print and broadcast media, fighting for their survival, will again act in self interest and effectively further his cause. The Presidency can't be won without people's votes, however; thus, these are statements we must keep in mind come 2020, and act to further our own cause.
1
If Trump really cared about the US looking "very bad" to the rest of the world, he'd resign.
3
Unfortunately, the "bad look" is accurate.
2
Trump will do something historic and very good for the US
-- He will demostrate to the world that we (the people) put our might where our mouth is.
Even when elections have been subverted we have a process that involves all of the people and brings us back on track.
Ironically, democracy prevails amid highly publicized tweets and covert emails.
When you add in Snowden, black lives matter, and a host of other social, moral, ethical, and political issues, we've had an amazing few years!
To oppose structures of destruction and encourage structures of creativity that sustain and improve the cooperation among people and their well regardless of race, color, and creed. -- To do good.
1
In my opinion, Trump's statement that he thinks the Russia inquiry makes the US look bad starts out in Trump's brain as "The Russia inquiry undermines the validity of my election win" and then is rapidly spun into the form meant to obfuscate his insecurity.
All of the valid points as to why the US or any country should be concerned about another country trying to influence the attacked country's election outcomes have been made repeatedly in the legitimate press and here in the comments section. The fact that Trump ignores those reasons out of his own insecurity shows how everything is about him in his mind and that his allegiance to doing what is best for the country depends on that first.
1
You know what makes the USA ‘look very bad’ - it’s YOU, Mr President.
You are a stain on the history of out country. One year down, three to go (at most), I hope you learn to act like an adult. Isn’t the least we can expect from our President. Stop with the idiotic tweets.
Spend some time learning the job. It’s a real job - being President. And it’s more than undoing everything President Obama did (just makes us miss him more) and more than lining your own and your wealthy fat-cat donors. You’ve done that - mission accomplished. Now, maybe you could do something for the rest of us. The tax bill will hurt most of us - stop lying, you know that too.
2
He's right - America looks "very bad" because we allowed Russia to rig our election so a Russian agent got into the Presidency.
3
I think our commander-in-chief has the "makes the US look very bad" base already covered.
3
Clearly, the age of Trump is upon us. This man is exactly what our great country needed -- after years of ineffectual neglect, self-destructive liberalism, and the tyranny of the mainstream press. I love this man!
2
Trump has sworn to protect our country. Russian interference in our democratic processes is a threat and you could call it an invasion. If Trump can't bring himself to find out what has happened and how to prevent it in the future, he should resign.
2
Collusion isn’t a crime, obstruction is.
1
working with a foreign government in an attempt to dismantle it, is a crime!!!!
3
We look fantastic. We are investigating a corrupt president. End of story.
3
some people might view the investigation and impeachment of Richard Nixon as a symbol of the failure of democracy. I view it as a success, and strength of our democracy.A sitting president of a country was removed from office after a investigation without a shot being fired or rioting by any political party. Donald Trump is a miserable failure not the investigation.
2
Trump's avoiding personal, full frontal assualts as others attack from the flanks. We've all been listening to his language and style for long enough to know he's up to something. He'll swoop back in on the slightest provocation, claiming impartiality / objectivity based on his weeks-long record of moderated behavior.
3
Yet another brilliant pronouncement from the tax-evader in chief. No, Donald, what makes our country look bad is threatening U.N. members who have the temerity to disagree with your decisions; withholding desperately needed funds from American citizens in Puerto Rico; attacking your own (amazingly unqualified) cabinet members; and your unceasing, unhinged tweeting. The list goes on and on and on.......
2
He 'wins' his own tournaments at his eponymous golf club?!? And then posts the results? And draws visitors' attention to said placques? Seriously?
When does he debut his presidential quasi-military uniform with medal-encrusted sash?
4
Mr. Con man: the Chinese treated you “better” than anyone because of your narcissism. They were throwing red meat to you as you do with your racist supporters. Same thing happened in India with your precious daughter Ivanka. There were billboards all over showing her and your picture in the city while she was visiting there. You should have known this if you had any clue bout governance. Running a country is not like running a real estate empire where you succeeded by bullying, declaring bankruptcies and other means.
4
Grossly ignorant.
Over-the-top self-congratulatory.
Mendacious to the nth degree.
Pathetically insecure.
4
Who cares what Trump thinks, he is a crook and soon to be impeached.
4
The only thing making America look very bad is the benighted narcissistic occupant in the White House.
5
Ugh!! Let's see, trump equating Neo Nazi with anti racism protesters, pushing aside a dignitary for a photo op, disparaging poor people, golfing every weekend.
3
Trumps statements sound idiotic - what an embarrassment he is to this country! He is so self obsessed. I wonder if he has any idea that the Russia investigation isn't what makes America look bad - it's Trump that makes America look bad to the world.
2
When Trump says he has the "absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department," that only shows how limited his lawyers' expertise really is. Trump cannot do whatever he pleases with the Justice Department, especially when the Justice Department is investigating him. What is he trying to prove with this kind of double talk? That he is above the laws of the U.S. Constitution?
Okay. So, let's take a hypothetical situation. Trump decides that he so hates the media interference that he decides to ignore the part of the First Amendment words "free press" and decides to get HIS Trump DOJ to start cracking down on any media who DARES to disagree with him.
Can he do this? You bet not. Trump is play acting again when he says that Mueller will exonerate him and that the Republicans who "love me" will make sure he stays in office. This is his Mommy Mary Ann's little boy doing his best "innocent as the driven snow" act. Not working with intelligent adults.
The real and present danger with a egotistical moron like Trump is how much he is using the office of president to increase his wealth. Just where in the US Constitution does it say ANY elected official is entitled to make big bucks from his job while he plays golf 2/3 of a year?
And by the way, that white truck Trump demanded to hide him and his "secret" golfing partners? Who paid for that? It better not have been taxpayer dollars. This guy has got to go with or without Republican help.
3
Mr. Dotard President Trump, It is you who sits in the WH acting as a president looks very bad for the country and NOT the Russia investigation.
You and disgrace to our nation and everyone around the world is laughing at us because of YOU because 70,000 people in MI, WI, and PA put in the position that you are incapable of.
2
Another projection of ho he looks onto others,
Treason is treason and the penalty is death
4
Sorry, big guy. You're the one making US look bad. And ugly. Really ugly. Tremendously ugly.
8
Thanks for the news services because now we and the world know the truth. Trump like Hitler will attempt to hide the truth by silencing the free press.
I believe Trump operates from being filled with pure hate for everything and everyone but what he really hates but doesnt know it-he hates himself, his family but particularly his father.
6
Its not Mueller but the racist, bigoted, know nothing inhabitant of the White House who makes the US a laughing stock!
6
Trump Says Russia Inquiry Makes U.S. ‘Look Very Bad’
No, Mr. so-called president. It's you that makes the US look very bad.
21
Collusion aside, the fact that this administration clearly doesn't care that Russia interfered in our national election makes the US "look very bad." America no longer has the moral standing to demand that other countries hold free and fair elections. That circumstance may well haunt this country long after Donald Trump has left the scene.
17
The problem with Trump is that he thinks the presidency is a monarchy and he has absolute power. He's got the entire concept of elected government upside down!
It doesn't help that his remarks clearly indicate that he is delusional.
"I have absolute right to do what I want with the Justice Department." No, he doesn't.
"I know the details of taxes better than anybody. Better than anybody. Better than the greatest C.P.A. I know the details of health care better than most, . . ." No, clearly he doesn't. If he does, then most of his public statements about taxes and health care are transparent lies.
I know more about "the big bills" debated in Congress "than any president that's ever been in office." Uh, no.
It just goes on, and on, and on. Trump is a one-trick pony, the trick has gotten tiresome, and he's going to be a one-term president - and that's if he doesn't get impeached after the midterms.
And what a mess he'll leave behind.
24
Trump is attacking the foundations of our democracy: our justice system and the free press. For that alone he must go. That a large cohort of Republicans are more than happy to help him discredit and dismantle our democracy is another level of awful. They also must go. This is not America.
14
Super wealthy libertarian businessmen have been pushing the dismantling of government for 50 years. They hooked up with the religious right not long after and have been pulling the strings now for awhile. That's how we get Republican presidents who lost the popular vote, such extreme gerrymandering the least popular control congress, and rolling back campaign financing rules so the government is bought. Then blame it on the actually humane side to create the cultural divide.
2
There is no investigation that could make us look as bad as we do around the world with Trump tweeting and blustering daily like a spoiled bully . Polls show we have the least respected president ever.
He is now trying to show the government is "his' to do what he wants. The Supreme court, Justice etc. all tools for him to use.
11
It’s ironic that the thing making this country look bad is the very person who shared that view. Is he at all capable of looking at his own behavior and seeing a need for improvement?
9
No the Russian investigation makes us look good, A people Bound by the rule of law and democracy. Trump's Behavior makes us look bad not the investigation into Trump's bad behavior
12
And, like an archetypal sociopath, Trump projects, deflects, and diverts his badness onto the inquiry saying it is THAT that makes "us" look bad.
Well, of course, that is not true.
This might make us look "bad" through an authoritarian lens, where the man with all the power is being investigated and there is little he can do about it.
But suspicions are warranted. And if Trump is against something, that is a sign that 1) he is trying to demean it, or 2) he is trying to direct attention elsewhere. Don't pay attention to this inquiry, it makes us look bad, so he claims. The thing is, it makes him look bad.
6
For SouthernBoy. That the majority of Americans will finally accept Trump as president is a pipe dream. Even if he didn't name call, humiliate his own people, or tweet things he makes up, or wasn't a racist, we would not accept him.
He is just plain incompetent. Americans need better health insurance and are tired of being ripped off by insurance and drug companies. The middle class needs a better tax reduction--not the temporary one we are getting.
America needs to hang on to our scientists, doctors and technologists. Climate change is real but because the president is uneducated he doesn't understand that climate and weather are not the same thing and that is high school stuff.
He does not understand government and the fact that the judiciary and Congress are not beholden to him. Neither is the FBI. 8th grade civics.
He has not read the Constitution and does not understand that "All men are created equal" and that freedom of the press is guaranteed. In fact, that last fact is why America is a democracy while North Korea is a dictatorship. That is also why you and I can write these comments and be free to disagree.
No we the 60% plus American majority will never accept this corrupt millionaire businessman as president, not because of Hillary or Obama. They are gone. We can't accept Trump because he just isn't up to the job.
22
I will state the obvious. The irony of the individual who has and will continue to represent the greatest embarrassment to our country perhaps in history calling the Russian investigation an embarrassment is epic.
10
We know Russia attempted to influence the election outcome. Do we need an investigation for that?
The best weapon against false news, from whatever source, is to have honest, reliable news that does its best to keep editorial content to the editorial page. A tough standard given that we are all human and all have our biases that include those of which we are aware and those of which we are ignorant.
Across the board Democrats and Republicans have said there is no evidence of collusion, and never has been. The fact that Russia and Trump were both working for the same goal does not make it collusion or a conspiracy.
We need to work on the fundamentals. Donald Trump tapped into something that neither party wants to admit. Neither party has represented the American people; each put its own self interest first. This is not to suggest that President Trump is, in fact, actually representing the interests of the American people, that remains to be seen.
In the meantime, the continued "investigation" of Russian influencing the election, is a waste, we already know that; and investigation of either collusion or a conspiracy, there has never been any evidence to mandate an investigation for this purpose -- however much some might wish it to be the case.
When is the media and the American public going to insist that our politicians answer follow-up questions? They work for us. You can't create an alternate reality if you are forced to reckon with actual reality. The Republicans totally control the media and the message, and it's time for the media to get some gumption and get back to ferreting out the people's business.
10
Just the idea that a con man real estate swindler could think he could be President of the US and not get investigated when he started his con on our country tells you how out to lunch the guy is. Business, legal and ethical norms are beyond him, plus he is not rational on any level. Listening to him makes my head want to explode. How much mediocrity and triteness must we endure?
19
What chutzpah. Saying the Russian investigation makes the US look bad is like saying that elderly dying in poverty because the GOP cut Social Security would make our society look bad. Subtle press intimidation is rarely the forte of would-be dictators.
What if he pledges to re-read the oath of office and stops engaging in unethical, if not yet proven criminal, acts that make us look bad?
6
May I also add that it is he who makes us look bad . Don't know whether he truly believes what he says or he gets off on creating confusion by baldly twisting the truth. Possible it's both and it is evident he doesn't care .
5
The *investigation* makes the U.S. look bad? Trump, YOU make the U.S. look bad - you can fix that only by resigning from office now.
13
So if Trump believes that he’s “treated fairly” he won’t pursue an investigation against Hillary Clinton. The clear implication is that if he feels persecuted, he will turn around and persecute his former political opponent. This, Mr. Trump, is what would make America “look bad.”
5
Trump made a statesman's statement about believing he would be treated fairly. It's probably the best statement he had ever made.
1
No, the Russia investigation does not make America look very bad. Quite the contrary, it makes us look GOOD. It proves that in America, no man (or in this case, a petulant man-child) is above the law.
10
The President is right about one thing. The United States does look bad. Where he is wrong is what causes it. Not the Russia investigation.... it's the President that causes the country to look bad.
9
If he were so concerned about the country "looking bad", he should have told his people to leave the Russians alone. If anything makes this country look bad, it's having a President that was selected by another country's dictator.
7
The blubbering child is oblivious to his cruelty. All who are not him are just chits in his game. He is the only person who exists. We have found the center of the universe.
8
Huh? When Trump looks in the mirror, (all the time, I suspect) he sees the image of whom/what "makes the U.S. 'Look Bad'"!
3
Mr. Trump repeated 15 or so times, "there's no proof of collusion", obviously a concern that dominates his thoughts. The question is, why? Two possibilities, first he's trying to direct the course of the investigation and the public perception towards the issue of collusion, about which he has either plausible or actual deniability. And second, he doesn't understand the importance of defending the U.S. against foreign attack and can only read the Mueller investigation in personal terms being unable to grasp the national security ramifications. Either possibility is scary, can anyone think of another?
5
Well too be fair, it is an accusation aimed at him every day, thousands of times from the Media. In that context, 16 seems like very little.
Doubt that. Examples?
1
I wish The NY Times would publish the entire transcript so that the nation could see just how incoherent, stream of consciousness, and rambling Trump really is.
53
The edited transcript made all of those things abundantly clear.
5
@Rita
Here you go! Rambling Trump!
“I know the details of taxes better than anybody. Better than the greatest C.P.A. I know the details of health care better than most, better than most.”
Later, he added that he knows more about “the big bills” debated in the Congress “than any president that’s ever been in office.”
The Times is quoting him here and in their main article. What MORE do you want?
2
Don't we all know this by now?
1
I have never known of a public figure who utilized the defense mechanism of projection as frequently as Trump. I first noted it when Trump, a habitual liar, referring to Senator Cruz as, "Lyin' Ted." Then, after having been accused of corruption many times during his business career, he started calling Secretary Clinton, "Crooked Hillary." When he says the Russian investigation makes America look bad, what he is really saying, perhaps without realizing it, is that he makes America look bad.
34
Of course this investigation looks very bad on the US. This makes Russia look strong enough to choose what US presidents get elected. This is a PR dream for Russia. Imagine how smaller countries that once looked to the US for protection guidance feel when they see members of our own government at the highest levels and the media are shouting the President is controlled by Russia. If it turns out to be true or not, the world has hears it. The way our media portrays our President is shameful. Just shameful. I am embarrassed by the way the media and those in Washington are still trying to relive the election. After the vote is over its time for both parties to shake hands and get busy. People are blaming Trump for dividing the nation. All he did was get elected. That is it. The media and the partisans are not letting things progress in this country. If this investigation leads to nothing, and TRUST me it will lead to nothing, who is to blame for the waste of time and the black eye the USA gave itself by its partisanship? Shame on us all. I have no love for a reality TV star, but I had no love for a Hollywood cowboy in 1980 either, but when Ronald Reagan said to the USSR "tear down this wall" it was not a republican or a conservative speaking. It was the President of the United States and the leader of the free world. Lets allow our reality TV show star to be that leader of the free world that we need right now. Its time America. We dont need another tragedy to unite us.
1
After the vote is over its time for both parties to shake hands and get busy.
Yea, sure. You and all the Republicans first.
3
This is the best satire I've read all year. Thanks for the belly laugh!
6
"If this investigation leads to nothing, and TRUST me it will lead to nothing". You claim the investigation has lead to nothing...this doesn't look like nothing to me.
Paul Manafort - indicted
Rick Gates - indicted
Michael Flynn - plead guilty
George Popadopoulus - plead guilty
If this investigation leads to nothing, and TRUST me it will lead to nothing
3
It makes the U.S. look bad makes sense when you consider he also blames the mirror for his appearance.
14
Trump has it wrong - the inquiry makes his leadership look bad not the United States.
14
As we end 2017 weary and exhausted but still fighting, this piece by Schmidt and Shear should serve as a reminder of the flawed character who has been suspiciously elected to the highest office in the land. One is hard pressed to analyze Mr. Trump as to whether he is the consummate showman or an individual whose life's paradigm has its roots in an alternate universe, bizarrely other worldly. (Ironically, he is an alien in the true sense of the word.) I would venture to say he is both, but sadly overtaken by the latter description.
One lie, spin, manipulation after another, blatant and shameful. My question going into this new year is when will his supporters, his GOP Congress, see through this man and recognize the damage he has done in not quite one year's time. I suspect that his congressmen do see through him, but, like him, are too self-serving and amoral to rein him in. So that leaves his electorate. My wish in 2018 is that they will become one with us and say, "Enough."
14
No, Mr. Trump. The Russia investigation doesn't make the US look bad. It's making you and your who corrupt misguided administration look bad. And if you know more about taxes than the greatest CPA's, prove it! Release your tax returns so we may learn from your vaunted wisdom. Can't do that because then we will learn with cold hard numbers how corrupt you have been for your whole stinking life. The sooner the Special Counsel takes down you and your cronies, the better, not just for the US, but for the world.
17
Donald Trump "makes the country look very bad and puts the country in a very bad position. So the sooner ...(HE'S out)..., the better it is for the country".
He is a nightmare for democracy, decency, and the world!
15
It isn't the inquiry that's making the US look bad.
It's Trump.
12
If we can't police ourselves, how can we expect the rest of the world to accept our guidance?
6
you apparently believe that the USA was seen as a paragon of virtue around the world, up until the exact moment trump took office.
"you think that's air you're breathing" - morpheus in 'The Matrix'
"Looks" goes back to reality TV. Actuality is another thing. No, Trump does not have absolute power over the Justice Department. He is saying, "L'État: c'est moi!" Narcissism and delusions of grandeur have a clinical name.
After the abomination of the tax cuts for the rich bill that will blow a trillion dollar plus hole in the deficit, often bankrupted Trump and morally bankrupt Republicans might want to reflect on the words of Martin Luther King. He spoke about America giving its black citizens a bad check: "a check that has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity in this Nation."
Justice is not Trump's to control. The Russian interference in the 2016 election should have resulted in a bipartisan independent commission as other major attacks such as 9/11 did. Mr. Mueller and his investigation have the larger burden of investigating the election hacking, propaganda, and any related conspiracies. Two of Trump's campaign people have been indicted, and two have pleaded guilty.
Justice will ultimately prevail. Any president and innocent person should be saying they welcome an investigation and will cooperate fully.
13
Who knew that we'd have our very own Sun King? Trump does indeed think that he is the state. It's 'his military, his generals, his DOJ.' Sessions acts more like Trump's personal attorney than an Attorney General. It should be terrifying to every American. Unfortunately, that core 25-30% that are true cultists are also authoritarians. The rest of the Republican voters need to wake up. The only thing saving our democracy at this point is Trump's profound stupidity and general ineptitude.
2
Read the interview.
Yikes, who thought stringing together a cohesive sentence could be so difficult.
20
Trump figures if you keep saying the same untruths over and over people will believe it. Can this man ever go through a statement without not distorting facts?
11
It was a fair concern when he saw an expensive building with a lot of glass after our experience with the World Trade Center and at a time when our government buildings are built with less expensive features because of the cost. As for disrupting the “piece process“ after 70 years It is obvious the Palestinians will never except aJewish state in the Middle East. A Culture that brings exile and death to its peoples because of a disagreement about their own heritage is not likely to change course. What is of interest but not noted the New York Times is the thought that trumps statement regarding Jerusalem perhaps is a signal to the Palestinian leaders that the train is leaving the station. It is time they get on board. The world’s interest is shifting to larger more threatening nations. trumps love affair with Putin Is dangerous, but can be explained by The possibility that Pupin has been in investor and trumps construction syndicates. It is less understandable why Obama knew of Putmans attempt in our election process and did nothing about it at the time.r
You think it's okay that Trump and Putin are business partners?
Good grief.
4
Having Trump in the White House makes America look bad.
11
Trump's statement that he has absolute power to do what he wants with the Justice Department should send chills up the spine of every American. These are the are the words of a wannabe dictator. The job of the Justice Department is to enforce the laws -- impartially, without fear or favor. The President does nominate individuals to a dozen high DOJ positions but they must be confirmed by the Senate. Yes, he may remove them, but, no, they have no duty of loyalty to him. Their only loyalty is to the Constitution and the law.
13
I the situation with Trump is far more serious than what appears as superficial lying. I think he really believes what he says as the truth, a far more seriously dangerous state of mind.
7
Wrong again, Mr. President. I know from experience that if the investigation is allowed to run to its natural conclusion (collusion or no collusion, it doesn't matter) it will make our country look very good,
During Watergate, I was the chief political officer and then acting Deputy US Representative to the OAS. During Watergate my priority, along with my bosses, was to keep OAS members from voting down the institution's economic sanctions against Cuba because our neighbors would be seen as taking advantage of supposed American weakness to do something the administration then opposed. "Stay out of our politics, please" was the message. In the course of Watergate, I and my colleagues argued that the investigation showed the strength of American democracy.
We had a bad moment with the Saturday Night Massacre, as would our diplomats abroad today if President Trump, his interview in the Times notwithstanding, shut down the Special Counsel. Last time, Nixon couldn't get away with it and the U.S. emerged from Watergate with renewed respect around the world. If the Special Counsel investigation runs its course, whatever the outcome, something similar will happen. If not, our position in the world will be seriously weakened.
460
I admire the due process that various Govt institutions are trying to adhere to in US, and as a Citizen of another democratic country I am hoping such due process to make way and enhance our Governance for the People.
It is quite sad that the President of US believes in process or method of acting, working that more likely fits a Mafia family or a Company with bad Governance (Loyalty, Looks bad to check our own work etc).
3
One thing to remember is that the Congress of Watergate had some modicum of integrity....not sure the same can be said about the current one.
5
... if Mueller is removed, only one person (well, himself and his Administration and his supporters) will lose respect, if there's any at all. And ... if Mueller is not removed, I believe you are correct
no mr president. the russia investigation does not make america look bad -it makes YOU look bad. and you know why? because you have betrayed our values and tried to destroy whatever moral high ground we had based on how we managed the post world war two economic miracle my father and his generation made possible. its impossible for america to be great when our president continues to show the world that we foolishly elected a pathological liar to manage our government. lets all hope and pray this nightmare ends soon - and you can crawl back under that gold plated rock from where you came - the one your daddy bought you.
get over yourself man - you're not even close to being as great as you think you are.
21
Trump and Russia makes him look bad
6
This is the first time I will express my agreement with his opinion. The media created him and continues to profit financially. No one in world history has ever had the amount of attention he is given. I wish that he would call it quits for having achieved the narcissist's dream.
If only...
11
The news of Pearl Harbor attack made Japan look very bad.
7
Keep swinging your golf clubs ... At the very least, our former presidents were able to multi-task their primary obligations to the people of this country while seated at the executive branch BEFORE teeing off. Delusional reality news ... go back to the boardroom. You're fired!
7
No, Trump makes the U.S. "look very bad". Trump is the pimple on the face of America.
9
Would it be possible to suggest an alternative anatomical form and location?
3
so resign!!!
28
Anytime Trump speaks, America looks bad. He is petulant man who is acting like a horrible cancer on the world.
7
This man is like someone out of a Woody Allen movie about a banana republic.
He is vain, ignorant and dnagerous.
19
In that case, confess now your treason and malfeasance.
13
For someone who never fails to trash the NYT, Trump sure cares a lot what they think of him.
19
Move over SNL writers. You need not write lines for Alec Baldwin. Just let him utter any or all of his quotes from this interview and the audience will be laughing their socks off. You can’t come up with any material funnier or more ridiculous.
39
No, sir, it's you and your cohorts that make the U.S. 'look bad.' Please just resign already, and disappear from public view. No one will mind. The only people who will miss you (besides Putin) are the Deplorables who are truly delusional.
16
Forget about Russia, Trump makes the US look bad in everything he does!
12
This interview with its ramblings, irrationality, fallacious logic, lies and grandiosity should raise red flags as to Trump's mental state. We need the midterm elections to take the power away from the Republicans in the House and Senate and the findings of Mueller's investigation to begin impeachment proceedings or force his resignation. Until then we will continue to be subjected to his gibberish and mood swings and the erosion of our world standing and our democracy. Democrats, Independents and establishment Republicans need to unite to stop the madness.
35
One thing's for sure - our President is a legend in his own mind.
30
It is Trump and his greedy gang of corruptors that make the USA look bad.
8
The trail goes further than the White House
GOP campaigns took $7.35 million from oligarch linked to Russia
https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2017/08/03/tangled-web-con...
11
What “makes us look very bad “ is a president playing golf in the Florida sunshine , at our expense, using the miserable weather to deny the danger of climate change, all in just one week.
It shows the world that we elected a president who’s at the same time ignorant and cruel, spoiled and vindictive, tone deaf and a loud mouth, and above all- cares about nothing and nobody but himself.
36
No, Trump makes America look very bad.
10
Very funny idea... the Russia Inquiery makes US "look very bad".
Reading it made me think and made me laugh- the last part as as usual whenever Trump snaps out of his neck sharing his intelligence with us...
From here, Europe, it is ultimately clear it's HIM - TRUMP (and absolutely no-one else!) that make US look very, very, very BAD.
Since taking office, no one really takes the babbling coming from White House seriously.
Serous work we deal with "lower" echelons. The "brainy" intelligent ones that the White House lacks...
11
Story after story about the incompetence of the president. When does the marching in the streets start? I am going to Party City today to buy my torches for the march.
10
@Mabel Watson Sacramento, Ca
Women's Marches are scheduled across the country for Jan 20 2018.
3
The man is totally incoherent. He thinks like a dictator and believes he has the rights to change justice. It's very scary.
12
CB below says it all. hopefully, don jon will retire soon. He is not used to working. And the increasing criticism of his incessant golfing may push him out. Strange that the GOP, who, mostly, dislike him have not figured out a way to move him on, in favor of
GOPers more respected.
1
It's not the investigation that makes the US look bad. It's YOU, POTUS!
8
Trump Says Russia Inquiry Makes U.S. ‘Look Very Bad’
Sorry, but you make us look very bad.
8
Of course it's not collusion. It's a conspiracy! He has nothing to hide - as he hides his tax returns, e-mails, obstructs, impedes, lies, detracts, covers up, ....
No Mr. know-it-all-trump. It is you that makes America and Americans 'look very bad.' The sooner you are impeached, indicted and locked up - along with the conspirators in Congress and those around you - "the better it is for the country."
Republicons also think they have the absolute right to do what they want to do with the Justice Department and to their political scapegoats and punching bags - like Hillary and Obama. Go figure.
Sorry trump, but Sessions won't protect you from the majority of Americans you have offended, embarrassed and ripped off. No way!
'I'll be honest." The last thing trump wants from Mueller is fairness. Believe me!
14
This coward should submit to a public grilling, as Hillary Clinton did on Benghazi. But in his case, a grilling on the basics of government as it's supposed to work in this country. Give him the third degree about all the lies he has told, with a PowerPoint presentation showing irrefutable statistics, like a video of him trashing Obama for playing golf and then the number of days on which Trump has played golf. If only that were his worst offense; it's not even in the Top 50.
12
Hillary was called in to testify as part of the Benghazi investigation. Word is, Muellar has not asked for his testimony at this point.
They could sell tickets to a Trump Congressional testimony. Would be the funniest thing in D.C. They could add a gong that rings with every verifiable lies he tells. He loves to entertain so let's give him the "Gong Show".
Once Trump leaves office -- whether by election, impeachment or Article 25 -- they will have to do an exorcism to get rid of his colossal ego before the next president can move in.
10
No, Donald; that's not how it works, m'k?
See, you work for us to the extent that we permit it, but - ultimately - why, we're gonna yank your ticket. Because it's you making the US look bad. You, under the bright lights of the Russia Inquiry.
The wheel grinds slow, but it grinds fine. Lookin' forward to the squirming to come...
9
I live in CT and applaud the citizens of Alabama who chose a sane Democratic candidate over Moore. I was also encouraged the other day when I drove by a local Trump sign that had been left hanging on somebodies porch post in a prominent position. Under Trumps name the word "NO" had been newly painted by the occupant. Times they are a changin' and lets hope the Dem's give these people something to be happy about. Then we can all have a happy new year and an America that would be Great Again.
5
A bumbling buffoon sitting in a bar and grill boasting and lying, enjoying being the center of attention? There’s thousands of them out there every day.
But that was the President of the United States yesterday. Making a complete fool of himself. But he wasn’t drinking.
A remarkable interview, Trump completely disconnected to reality. Direct quotes, right there on the front page of the New York Times. Astonishing, even kind of sad that he’d actually say all of what he said to the Times, knowing full well that he can’t rewrite this interview down the road as Fake News.
13
We must start teaching the Apprentice to stop equating himself and his kakistocracy with representing the US. He only represents himself as we see. The Russia investigation will eventually only make him look bad.
6
The only thing making the US look bad is Trump.
5
He's been a great president so far. Leftists promised us that he'd cause he global depression AND start a nuclear war as soon as he entered the White House. Remember your promises?
Great if one has no moral values or standards of decency.
4
Geeez, if ever there was a set up. What makes our country look *really* bad is a lying, corrupt president driven completely by self-interest. I pray for change, for intergrity, for compassion in 2018. Vote, vote, vote.
9
This president makes me wither in shame and embarrassment. Surely, surely, we will not have to endure another three years of the nightmare that is Trump! Never before have we had to be concerned that the most feared and hated man on the planet could be the president of the United States.
Trump relentlessly pursues admiration, respect, and dignity, and his ways of pursuing them insure they recede further and further from his grasp.
Mr. Sessions protects this man at his own peril. Trump's entire obsequious cabinet is a mystery. How is it possible a group of otherwise intelligent, successful folk have become such toadies to a fool?
8
I'll tell you what makes our country look 'very bad' - the venality of trump and his corrupt minions and the dirty work they've been up to since taking office. The xenophobia, the mismanagement, the constant lying, the abysmal ignorance, the pay-offs, the ugly brutality, the general and daily corruption of our values - THAT'S what's making our country look Very Bad. Oh, and did I forget to add: the treasonous behavior?
5
In the interview, Trump brings up the word "collusion" 23 times, the interviewer zero times. I wonder what he has on his mind.
6
Who is he kidding? Trump Makes U.S. 'Look Very Bad'
4
What!? HE makes the U.S. look very bad.
5
Trump saying the Russia inquiry makes the US look bad makes the US look bad.... Recursion.!
2
Trump makes the US look very bad. There Donald, I fixed it for you.
6
Trump knows nothing about everything but thinks he knows everything about everything. What a piece of work who is ruining the country.
6
No dude it makes look you very bad. Again, don't put your crimes on us it's all on you, you're the corrupt criminal. Step down, disappear.
8
25th Amendment, exhibit A.
10
You Mr .Trump make America look like a Joke. Together You and Russia have turned America into a Bad Joke.
6
The President obviously thinks he is a monarch. “L’etat c’est moi.”
I wish someone would ask Trump if he thinks the government exists just to serve the whims and desires of the President.
The Justice Department, the IRS, the Department of Homeland Security, etc. are not his. They belong to the American people.
The Constitution doesn’t give him the right to abuse his power. He can do what he wants with the Justice Department, but he will face legal and political consequences for impropriety.
Maybe Alan Dershowitz needs to explain that to him.
9
Correction: Donald Trump makes America look very bad.
7
I am really surprised the White House Communications team allowed the NYTimes to publish the picture of trump with this article. The man looks horrible from a health perspective. It will be interesting to see if any information from his upcoming medical exam is released.
7
"Officer, if you arrest me for this murder, my whole family, a pillar in this community, will look very bad; do you really want to make my family look bad?"
6
Sorry DJT. It makes us look good.
6
Very revealing interview with the egomaniac coward. Brings self centered, down, to an all new level.
The best part is that the clown has no clue how this really makes him look.
The interview should have been titled, 'Me, Myself and I."
6
There is an elephant in the White House and that is what is making us look bad in the world, sir. Please take your circus act back to Trump Tower in Manhattan. Apparently, it was perceived as both legal and entertaining there. Here in our nation's capital, it is decidedly neither!
6
No Trump, the inquiry doesn't make the U.S. look bad, it makes your illegitimate "election" look suspect. Your ongoing attempts to obstruct justice make you look guilty. Your unfitness for office and your inability to sound articulate makes you look foolish.
It does also, make the Republican Prty look very complicit in your anti-American behavior, something that the American people will deal with in November.
9
Ha. It makes Trump and his cohorts look bad. Very very bad.
6
No, not investigating this would make the U.S look bad. And Trump is NOT the law in America. The Justice Department is an agency in the government that he does not own. And to avoid any appearance of impropriety Sessions had to recuse himself from this inquiry. The president is part of the executive branch, Congress is the legislative branch, and the Supreme Court and lower courts are the Judicial branch. Our founders designed this so that there would be checks and balances on all branches of government.
Trump and the GOP are making America look bad. Trump's ignorance and the GOP sycophants are creating more problems for America in the country and internationally than they are solving. And if we lose Donald Trump, Mike Pence, Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, Jeff Sessions, Rex Tillerson, and the rest of the clown car passengers before the 2020 presidential elections it won't be too soon.
8
If someone tells me sixteen times in a short conversation that there is no collusion, you can pretty much bet your bottom dollar that there is collusion. These denials are so persistent that they have me starting to believe the dossier's claim of prostitutes in his Russian hotel room -- something I had always felt were too outlandish to be true.
13
Dear Mr. Figliozzi,
I totally agree "the lady doth protest too much" and the ridiculous dossier is looking less ridiculous.
A reason to think the dossier is true: why does Trump talk about women's bodily fluids? He made up that Mica B. was "bleeding" from a facelift when there were multiple witnesses saying that was false (regardless of its irrelevance). Then there was his complaining that Hillary was "disgusting" for taking a bathroom break and the Megan Kelly slur. Can you think of anyone else spending that much time thinking about women's bodily fluids?
4
You know what makes the U.S. look "Very bad?" : Donald Trump being the President.
6
The Russia investigation is what makes America great. It shows the world that we can investigate a potential crook like Trump, expose him to the country and the world and hopefully dispose of him. It shows that the Justice department does not have to worry about polonium poisoning, mysterious deaths, or intimidations. Thats what it will show.
4
Kudos to the NYT reporter who just let Trump ramble on and on. No one can now deny that this man is a full-blown malignant marcissist with a huge dollop of deliberate ignorance thrown in for good measure. I am reminded of a sentence coined by Maya Angelou "When people show you who they really are, believe them"-and this interview is the most "truthful" 45 has ever given. He is unfit and must be removed from office.
17
Oh my. It's not a legitimate inquiry into Russian meddling in a US election that makes the US 'Look Very Bad' - it's Donald Trump's cavalier, freewheeling, favor granting, crony appointing, reckless, nepotism, constitution wrecking, imperial ways that actually make the USA look very bad...aided and abetted by a fractured GOP dominated House and Senate without the courage to stand up and call him to order. That is not a good look sir.
10
No, Trump makes the U.S. look bad. The inquiry goes a little ways toward convincing the world that the U.S. might find a way out of electing an incompetent corrupt leader.
8
Him.
He means it makes him look very bad.
He always means him.
Except when something is wrong.
Then, it is always someone else.
7
No Mr. Trump, the Russia inquiry doesn't make the U.S. look bad. It makes us look like we are still a functioning democracy that is concerned with hostile foreign interference in our electoral process. You sir make the U.S. look bad.
10
Trump is exhibit A of something my philosophy instructor used to say: “In America, you can be whatever you want to be, no matter how unqualified you are.” Does anyone actually look at Trump’s rhetorical mangling of the English language? As has been pointed out ad nauseum, this clown is unfit for office in every imaginable way, including his inability to construct an intelligible, coherent sentence. Who in the world talks like this?
18
Poor Paul Krugman who said that the stock exchange would never recover from a Trump victory. Hmm.. up over 20% in 2017.
Unemployment by any measure, U1-or U6 much improved and hourly wages are rising. The borders actually mean something again.
I am not tired of winning yet.
2
gee I thought the labor dept cooked the books on unemployment figures ....did they change their methodology in the last 12 months? Market was sky high under Hoover so I guess when it crashes it will be Obama's fault
Douglas: There is a scientific experiment that you remind me of. Scientist put a frog on a beaker of cool water and then slowly raised the temperature. The frog never tied to get out of the beaker before it died in almost boiling water. I hope you feel the heat before it is too late. The statistics you credit to Trump are on the same rising curve that started during Obama's first Administration. At best, all that can be said is the Trump hasn't yet damaged the economy.
2
The limited information that has already come out about this investigation shows that the trump team colluded with Russians in the 2016 election.
Is trump the least self aware person ever ?
4
None of this will get better until we get rid of the Republican majority in congress.
5
This interview again shows us exactly who trump-lier is and defines why we should be afraid. The drip, drip, drip over the last year was starting to lull some into complacency but thankfully trump-lier just reminded us again.
3
Get me rewrite:
"Russia Inquiry Says Trump Makes U.S. 'Look Very Bad.' "
There. Now the headline makes sense.
11
You report that Trump said that "he has “been soft” on China on trade in the hopes that its leaders will pressure North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program."
Now can you report whether this is an original, personal claim or something he heard on his right-wing cable shows?
Because Trump doesn't willingly concede anything and this sounds exactly like the kind of cover his crony Murdoch provides through his Hannity meat puppet.
5
This seriously makes the United States look very, very bad. Russians all over the Soviet Union see this as a disgraceful act against their country. Mr. Putin can't believe, despite Trump's efforts, how Americans can put up with this inquiry of Russian meddling in American elections. Mr. Putin says it didn't happen; Trump says it didn't happen, so can we just leave the Russians alone, stop this investigation so that everyone can go about their business?
2
Don't forget need to extend Presidential term to 6 years, or temporarily suspend elections until MAGA.