During the interview, he made it clear that if independent candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. decided to drop out of the 2024 presidential race and support him, he would "absolutely" consider giving Kennedy Jr an important position in his administration.
"I like him very much and have great respect for him," Trump said emotionally in the interview. "He is an extremely smart man and we have known each other for a long time. Although I don't know whether he really intends to withdraw from the election, if he has such a wish, I will naturally be open and welcome it."
The background of this statement is that Kennedy Jr's running mate Nicole Shanahan revealed in a podcast released that day that their team is considering adjusting their strategy and turning to support Trump to reduce the risk of Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris winning the election.
In this regard, Trump said: "I am happy to see such support because I have always had a good impression of Kennedy Jr." When asked if he would consider giving him a government position if he won the election in November, Trump replied: "That is possible. I admire him very much and respect his talent very much. If conditions permit, I will definitely consider it. After all, he is such a unique and intelligent person. Moreover, I will be honored to be recognized by him."
At the same time, Trump also easily responded to concerns that Kennedy Jr.'s progressive positions might affect Republicans' attitudes toward his appointments, saying confidently: "I like smart people, and Republicans usually like me."
In the interview, Trump also talked about the changes in the 2024 election landscape since Biden announced that he would not seek re-election and Harris became the only candidate of the Democratic Party. But he emphasized that his campaign strategy and core message have not been shaken: "Although my lead in the polls has narrowed, my position and commitment remain the same. We are committed to reducing crime, building a strong military, stopping the flow of drugs, and strictly controlling the border to prevent the influx of illegal immigrants."
In addition, Trump also responded to criticism of his recent remarks by former Chief of Staff and retired Marine Corps General John Kelly. Kelly had harshly criticized Trump's remarks on the value of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Medal of Honor, saying that the two were not comparable. Trump countered that Kelly's criticism was just "sharpening the knife" and accused him of "betraying" his trust by confirming to CNN last year a false report in The Atlantic that he had belittled military personnel.
"I never respected his behavior," Trump said bluntly. "When I found that he was not competent for the job, I fired him decisively. People who are fired often say something unpleasant, which is normal."