Donald Trump says he’s ‘not prepared to lose’ 2020 election – and offers rare praise for ‘tough’ Hillary Clinton
CONFIDENT Donald Trump insisted he’s not prepared to lose the 2020 election – and even offered rare praise for old rival Hillary Clinton.
In an interview broadcast in the US on Sunday, President Trump said “probably not” when asked if he could foresee his reelection efforts ending in disaster.
He told Chuck Todd of NBC’s Meet The Press: “It would be much better, it would be much better if I said, ‘Yeah.’
“It would be much easier for me to say, ‘Oh yes.'”
But a pumped-up Trump added: “No, I’m probably not too prepared to lose.
“I don’t like losing. I haven’t lost very much in my life.”
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President Trump even went on to lavish compliments for his “tough” 2016 election foe Hillary Clinton.
He said: “I actually think that Hillary Clinton was a great candidate.
“She was very smart. She was very tough. She was ruthless and vicious.”
Asked if he’d rather face her again than current Democrat front-runner Joe Biden, Trump replied: “No. I would actually rather run against Biden.”
He added: “Sleepy Joe. He’s sleepy. She [Hillary] was not sleepy.”
It was an unexpected act of reconciliation after years of branding her “crooked” and whipping up his supporters with chants of “lock her up.”
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The wide-ranging interview – filmed on Friday and broadcast on Sunday – covered a huge span of hot topics in US politics and current affairs.
Elsewhere in the discussion – among President Trump’s most candid on-screen interviews – it emerged that:
- Trump’s “not looking for war” with Iran amid heightened tensions following the downing of a US drone
- If he could have one “do-over” it would be naming Jeff Sessions as his first US attorney general
- President Trump again refused to endorse Vice President Mike Pence for a potential 2024 White House run
- Trump brushed aside the grisly murder of columnist Jamal Khashoggi – insisting his death has already been investigated
The interview was airing locally on Sunday as Trump arrived at his golf club in Sterling, Virginia.
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He travelled via helicopter from the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland – where he spent part of the weekend.
Trump later returned to the White House on the helicopter instead of by motorcade – his usual means of transport to and from the club.
White House officials did not respond to requests for comment on the mysterious change in travel arrangements.
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