Photo: Alamy
President Donald Trump shared his first interview in the Oval Office on Wednesday, addressing many issues facing the nation as he begins his second term.
Trump’s interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity discussed his Jan. 6 pardons, the assassination attempts against him and the ongoing TikTok controversy.
“They were in there for three and a half years…treated like nobody’s ever been treated. So badly. Treated like the worst criminals in history,” Trump said of his decision to pardon approximately 1,500 people involved in the events of Jan. 6, 2021.
“The other thing is this. Some of those people with the police, true. But they were very minor incidents. They get built up by a couple of fake guys who are on CNN all the time,” Trump said.
Hannity also addressed Trump’s thoughts on the Butler, Pennsylvania, assassination attempt against him last summer now that he is back in the White House. Trump said he believes he was “saved by God to make America great again.”
“I turned…if I didn’t turn you know when the turn was like split second, perfect timing. So something happened, and I don’t think you can call it just luck,” Trump added.
Trump also addressed the ongoing TikTok controversy. He signed an order giving ByteDance 75 days to make a deal after the Supreme Court recently ruled in favor of a ban against the company due to national security concerns.
“But you can say that about everything made in China. Look, we have our telephones made in China, for the most part. We have so many things made in China. So why don’t they mention that?” Trump asked. “You know, the interesting thing with TikTok, is you’re dealing with a lot of young people, so they love–Is it that important for China to be spying on young people, on young kids watching crazy videos?”
Trump also attacked FEMA over its response to recent natural disasters in North Carolina and California.
“FEMA has not done their job for the last four years. You know, I had FEMA working really well. We had hurricanes in Florida. We had Alabama tornadoes. But unless you have certain types of leadership, it’s really, it gets in the way. And FEMA is going to be a whole big discussion very shortly, because I’d rather see the states take care of their own problems,” Trump said.
