BOMBSHELLS from Trump's TIME interview: From construction projects to the insurrection act

[0:00] Joining us now, senior political correspondent for Time, Eric Cordalessa, his new interview of President Trump just posted online moments ago. [0:07] Eric, good morning. What's your headline out of the conversation? [0:11] Well, you know, it was a fascinating conversation with President Trump where, you know, it really struck me sort of on a larger sort of thematic note that, you know, he spoke so much about particularly the construction projects, the ballroom, the new helipad, the cosmetic changes he's making to the White House. [0:29] And it seems like he's spending a lot of his time and energy focusing on things that he can control, you know, marble, granite, ballrooms, you know, the kind of doorknobs that he installs on the White House as all of these major factors around his presidency, these forces of the war in Iran, the economy, the midterms that are looming are increasingly spinning beyond his control. [0:56] And he's in, you know, perhaps the most precarious position of his presidency to date. [1:02] Eric, what was his mood when you asked him about the midterms specifically? [1:05] Because it's kind of hard to get a read sometimes. [1:08] Does he not care? Does he care? [1:10] But he doesn't want to spend his own money enough or travel around the country. [1:13] What did you think he's really thinking about the midterms and the implications of the Democrats taking either or both houses? [1:20] He didn't seem too worried about the midterms. [1:21] I can tell you he is planning a last-minute sort of sprint around the country over the next four to five weeks. [1:28] He's going to be visiting 32 of what, you know, his political team regards as competitive House districts, where he hosts MAGA-style rallies to try and lure turnout among his most fervent supporters. [1:41] He's planning to spend tens of millions out of his political operation, MAGA Inc. [1:45] You know, he has a $400 million war chest that he's been reluctant to spend a lot of money out of to date. [1:51] He recently committed to and gave some money to Ken Paxson and others who are in trouble. [1:56] But, you know, my understanding of people close to him is that he does want to preserve some of those funds to keep his sort of financial arsenal in place for when he's no longer president as a way to continue to exert control over the GOP in the years to come. [2:08] So, Eric, perhaps some of the president's lack of apparent concern over the midterms is because he has an October surprise up his sleeve. [2:16] Tell us what he told you, please, about not ruling out, declaring a national emergency or potentially trying to invoke the Insurrection Act around the midterms. [2:25] Well, you know, I asked, you know, whether he was going to do that. [2:27] There was, of course, been speculation around that. [2:29] Some of his allies had been encouraging him to do that. [2:32] And he said he might and that he wasn't going to rule it out. [2:35] He did say, interestingly enough, that he did not have plans to deploy ICE agents to polling places, which is another idea that some MAGA hardliners have been pushing, which, you know, many people, of course, worry would intimidate voters going into the election. [2:50] But, you know, over and over again, President Trump wouldn't rule out various exercises of executive power, whether it's around the election on declaring a national emergency, invoking the Insurrection Act. [3:03] He also would not rule out the possibility of bringing in wrecking balls to Washington to demolish the Kennedy Center if he's not able to get his way and try and approvals to remake it to his his liking. [3:19] And he believes that, you know, if he's going to pour money and time and resources into it, he should be able to get the recognition that he wants, which is to have his name on it and to have the sort of physical evidence of his presidency outlast policies that may not. [3:32] Eric, did he speak at all about the issue of this ongoing war with Iran and the negotiators, Witkoff and Kushner, and the fact that nothing seems to ever get done here? [3:46] He did. [3:47] He you know, he said that the the only reason it is still going on past his initial timeline, which was six to eight weeks, because he wanted to go further. [3:56] You know, speaking to both President Trump and others close around him, you know, they're putting a lot of weight on what they're calling economic strangulation of the Iranians that they believe will be the kind of the last step to bring them to the table to make some kind of deal. [4:13] But he also said that he was not in any rush. [4:17] He also acknowledged the possibility that he might ramp up bombing after the midterms in the interview. [4:25] You know, I know talking to people who work with him behind the scenes that there's a sense of urgency. [4:30] They recognize and they say that he recognizes in ending the war, particularly because of the domestic political ramifications that it has caused to him and the fact that it was sort of a huge galvanizing impetus for the coalition fraying in various ways. [4:47] You're seeing candidates distance themselves from the war in Iran, Republican candidates. [4:51] So, you know, they're they're eager to come to a deal and get it to come to an end. [4:56] But as of now, there there's nothing in hand. [4:59] The exclusive new interview is available to read online now and in the new issue hitting shelves on October 16th. [5:08] Senior political correspondent for time, Eric Cordalessa, thank you very much. [5:15] Hey, it's Rachel. 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