President Trump told CBS’s “60 Minutes” on Sunday night that he doesn’t trust some of his White House staff and that he considers Defense Secretary James N. Mattis “sort of a Democrat” who could leave the administration relatively soon.
In a wide-ranging interview with Lesley Stahl, Mr. Trump was asked about first lady Melania Trump’s recent comments that she doesn’t trust some of the president’s aides.
“I feel the same way,” the president replied. “I don’t trust everybody in the White House, I’ll be honest with you.”
The president didn’t name names. But he added, “I’m usually guarded. I’m not saying I trust everybody in the White House; I’m not a baby. It’s a tough business. This is a vicious place. Washington, D.C., is a vicious, vicious place. The attacks, the badmouthing, the speaking behind your back.”
The administration has had a relatively high rate of turnover in senior positions in Mr. Trump’s first two years, including White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson and strategist Steve Bannon. Asked whether Mr. Mattis could leave his post soon, Mr. Trump said he doesn’t know.
“It could be that he is,” the president said. “I think he’s sort of a Democrat, if you want to know the truth. He may leave. I mean, at some point, everybody leaves. People leave. That’s Washington.”
But the president said Mr. Mattis, a former Marine Corps general, hasn’t indicated that he wants to leave his post yet.
“I have a very good relationship with him,” Mr. Trump said. “Gen. Mattis is a good guy. We get along very well.”
Friction between the president and Mr. Mattis has been reported over issues including Mr. Trump’s proposal to ban transgender troops. A book about the administration by journalist Bob Woodward has an account claiming that Mr. Mattis referred to the president as having the understanding of “a fifth-or sixth-grader” after a meeting about North Korea.
Asked whether it was true that Mr. Mattis explained to him in exasperation that the NATO alliance exists to prevent World War III, the president replied, “It’s not true. I like Gen. Mattis. I think I know more about it than he does. I will always be there with NATO, but they have to pay their way.”
A Pentagon spokesperson recently said Mr. Mattis supports the president and follows his directives.
In the “60 Minutes” interview, Mr. Trump defended the relatively high rate of turnover in his administration, calling it “fake news.”
“I’m changing things around, and I’m entitled to,” he said. “There are some people [in the Cabinet] I’m not happy with. I have some people that I’m not thrilled with. I have other people that I’m beyond thrilled with.”
Mr. Trump refused to say whether he will fire Attorney General Jeff Sessions after the midterm elections.
“We’ll see what happens come midterms,” the president said. “I was disappointed that he recused himself” from overseeing the Russia investigation.
Ms. Stahl asked, “Can I assume he’s gone?”
“No, you can’t assume that,” Mr. Trump said.
Asked whether he intends to shut down special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation after the election, Mr. Trump said, “I have no intention of doing that.”
He added his oft-repeated assertion that there was no collusion between his campaign and Russia during the 2016 election season.
“Do you really think I would call Russia to help me with an election? Give me a break,” he said.
The high-profile interview aired three weeks before midterm elections that will decide whether Republicans retain control of the House and Senate. Mr. Trump said he believes the strong economy is “bringing people together.”
Ms. Stahl questioned the president over his criticism of Senate Democrats’ handling of the confirmation hearing of Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, who was accused of sexual assault dating back to the early 1980s, when he was a teen.
“I bashed their attitude,” Mr. Trump said. “It was so unfair to Judge Kavanaugh. I don’t think [Democrats] want to heal yet, to be honest.”
The journalist also accused the president of “mimicking” Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford at a campaign speech when Mr. Trump raised questions about gaps in her memory.
“You mimicked her,” she told Mr. Trump.
“Had I not made that speech, we would not have won” the confirmation vote, Mr. Trump replied.
“Why did you have to make fun of her?” she asked. “Thousands of people were laughing at her.”
“I didn’t really make fun of her,” the president said. “The way Justice Kavanaugh was treated has become a big factor in the midterms. Have you seen the polls?”
He concluded, “It doesn’t matter. We won.”
Asked whether he has learned any lessons or has regrets from his first two years in office, Mr. Trump said the media “got worse instead of better.”
“I regret that the press treats me so badly,” he said. “I never knew how dishonest the media was.”
He said of Washington, “This is the most deceptive, vicious world. You make a deal with somebody, and it’s like making a deal with that table.”
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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