The president's first sit-down interview in a long time came with a televangelist
During the interview, which will air in its entirety on Thursday, Trump attempted to distance himself from Russian President Vladimir Putin without disparaging the dictator.
Well he wants whats good for Russia, and I want whats good for the United States, Trump told Robertson. And I think in a case like Syria where we can get together, do a cease fire, and there are many other cases where getting along can be a very positive thing, but always Putin is going to want Russia and Trump is going to want the United States and thats the way it is.
Trump also insisted several times that he had a good meeting or great meeting with Putin, citing his ceasefire with Russia in Syria and the general importance of establishing a dialogue with a nuclear power.
Trump also tried to spin that Putin actually would have preferred Hillary Clinton to have won, despite the presidents son implicitly acknowledging in a June 2016 email that he realized the Russian government was pulling for his father.
http://www.salon.com/2017/07/13/donald-trump-defends-himself-to-pat-robertson/