California fires, J6 pardons, TikTok, sanctuary cities, J13, and declassifying JFK information all got here up throughout his dialog with Fox’s Sean Hannity.
President Donald J. Trump granted Fox Information host Sean Hannity the primary Oval Workplace interview of his second presidency.
The historic dialog ranged extensively, protecting his pardons for Jan. 6 defendants, the wildfires burning via Los Angeles, his quick motion on the border, and the declassification of information regarding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, amongst different matters.
Whereas discussing former President Joe Biden’s preemptive pardons, granted to Dr. Anthony Fauci and plenty of others, Trump famous they didn’t embody Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), nor the previous president himself.
Listed below are some takeaways from the primary half of the interview, which aired on Jan. 22. The second half can be aired on Jan. 23.
Trump Reiterates Pledge to Declassify JFK, RFK, and MLK Capturing Data
Talking simply two days after his inauguration, Trump advised Hannity he nonetheless plans to launch categorized authorities information in regards to the assassinations of President Kennedy; his brother, Robert F. Kennedy; and civil rights chief the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
“We’re taking a look at it proper now,” he mentioned, including, “We’re going to launch them instantly.”
In August 2024, a month after an murderer practically killed him in Butler, Pennsylvania, Trump mentioned he would create a presidential fee to supervise the discharge of the JFK information.
He mentioned that in his first time period, authorities officers together with then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo suggested him to not launch all the JFK information.
Pompeo “felt it was simply not a great time to launch them. You would possibly ask him why,” Trump advised Hannity.
Trump Says Funding for California Ought to Hinge on Water Administration
The president additionally addressed the current devastating fires in Southern California.
“It’s like a nuclear weapon went off, what’s occurred to Los Angeles,” he mentioned. “Some huge cash goes to be obligatory for Los Angeles.”
The president recommended that the wants of deep-red western North Carolina, nonetheless recovering from Hurricane Helene, may very well be balanced with these of bright-blue Los Angeles in extremely partisan congressional price range fights. Lawmakers have till March 14 to make a deal to proceed funding the federal authorities.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks with Fox Information host Sean Hannity shortly after the GOP debates on the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif., on Sept. 27, 2023. John Fredricks/The Epoch Occasions
The president advised Hannity that federal cash for the state ought to hinge on modifications to its water administration practices. He added that the media doesn’t like to focus on the outflow of serious volumes of water from the Rockies into the Pacific Ocean, a apply some environmental consultants defend as obligatory for the upkeep of the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta.
Trump Talks Border and Sanctuary Cities
Trump’s first days in workplace have been marked by rapid-fire modifications on the border, together with via day one govt orders. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids on his first full day in workplace led to the arrest of 308 unlawful aliens, and on Jan. 22, the president ordered 1,500 troops to deploy to the southern border.
“This was a gross miscarriage of widespread sense, to permit folks to return in,” Trump mentioned of the amount of unlawful border-crossings underneath Biden, who in 2020 ran in opposition to Trump’s insurance policies that encourage authorized immigration.
The president spoke about his border and immigration strikes with Hannity, describing how his administration would possibly deal with sanctuary jurisdictions, which don’t totally cooperate with federal immigration authorities. One such jurisdiction is the whole state of California, the place one neighborhood in Orange County, Huntington Seaside, has simply declared itself a “non-sanctuary metropolis.”
U.S. Border Patrol brokers monitor unlawful border crossings in Jacumba, Calif., on Jan. 10, 2024. John Fredricks/The Epoch Occasions
“Would you narrow off their cash?” Hannity requested of sanctuary cities and states.
“I may need to try this. Typically that’s the one factor you are able to do,” Trump replied.
He additionally mentioned it was straightforward to determine some unlawful immigrants who “may very well be bother.”
“There are folks coming in with tattoos throughout their face,” he mentioned. “Usually, you understand he’s not going to be the top of the native financial institution.”
Trump Thinks TikTok Will Be Bought
The president additionally spoke about TikTok.
“Folks wish to purchase it,” Trump advised Hannity.
The TikTok logos on screens in Hong Kong on Jan. 18, 2025. Anthony Kwan/Getty Pictures
He attributed his sturdy efficiency with many younger voters to his presence on the app. He launched his TikTok profile in June 2024 regardless of considerations from many Republicans and Democrats over the Chinese language Communist Occasion’s (CCP’s) affect over the app’s homeowners.
“Those that say they know say it’s a spying app for the Communist Chinese language,” Hannity mentioned.
“You may say that about the whole lot made in China,” Trump responded. “Is it that vital for China to be spying on younger folks, on younger children watching loopy movies?”
Trump Defends Massive-Scale J6 Pardons
Trump and Hannity additionally spoke about his roughly 1,500 pardons and 14 commutations for these convicted of offenses in reference to the U.S. Capitol breach on Jan. 6, 2021.
Whereas discussing Biden’s preemptive pardons, Trump mentioned he declined sweeping preemptive pardons on the time he left workplace.
“I mentioned, ‘I’m not going to pardon anyone. We didn’t do something improper,’” Trump advised the cable information host.
“We had those who suffered,” he continued, citing the imprisonment of Peter Navarro and Steve Bannon.
Steve Bannon speaks on night time one of many AmericaFest hosted by Turning Level USA in Phoenix, Ariz., on Dec. 19, 2024. John Fredricks/The Epoch Occasions
Trump cited the jail and jail time that many J6ers convicted of violence have already served.
“They had been handled just like the worst criminals in historical past,” he mentioned.
He additionally mentioned many encounters that led to convictions for violent offenses had been exaggerated, calling them “very minor incidents” amplified by unfriendly media.
Trump Says Butler Assassination Try Strengthened His Religion in God
Along with Jan. 6, Trump and Hannity coated July 13—the summer time day when an murderer’s bullet practically ended Trump’s life throughout a marketing campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
If his head had been tilted barely otherwise, the bullet “would’ve whacked,” Trump mentioned.
“I don’t suppose you possibly can name it simply luck,” he advised Hannity.
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump raises his fist shortly after the assassination try at a marketing campaign rally, in Butler, Pa., on July 13, 2024. Evan Vucci/AP Picture
The president mentioned he believed his unlikely survival left a mark on his sons, Don Jr. and Eric.
Trump agreed that it has strengthened his religion in God.
“I don’t suppose I’ve modified, however I feel that has taken place,” he mentioned.