Axios
President Trump abruptly ended a wide-ranging "Meet the Press" interview Sunday after defending potential payouts for people prosecuted over Jan. 6 and warning slow Iran talks could restart U.S. military action. Why it matters: The NBC interview captured two fights likely to follow Trump this week: the scope of his Iran operation, and whether taxpayer money should go to people he casts as victims of political prosecutions. Trump's conversation with Kristen Welker put the president on the record defending the idea of Jan. 6 payouts, even after his administration said it had dropped plans for the nearly $1.8 billion fund. 5 key moments from Trump's "Meet the Press" interview 1. Jan. 6 payouts Trump said many people prosecuted over Jan. 6 "should be compensated" on a case-by-case basis. The proposed nearly $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund grew from Trump's IRS settlement over the leak of his tax returns. The fund faced almost immediate bipartisan pushback. Trump first told NBC he wasn't "inclined" to support payments to anyone who attacked police officers — then he railed against those officers: "You had a lot of crooked cops. You had dirty cops. Comey was a dirty cop." He continued, "I don't know what's going to happen with the weaponization fund. I love the idea." 2. Iran red line Trump said his red line for renewed strikes would be if he thought a deal was not happening "fast enough." The answer sharpened a threat hanging over talks after U.S.–Iran clashes have popped up. The White House is trying to reach a memorandum of understanding with Iran to end the war and begin in-depth nuclear negotiations. Trump said U.S. forces could help remove and destroy highly enriched uranium under a deal. Without one, he said, "we're going to take them out militarily very harshly." 3. No to no-new-wars pledge Pressed on his campaign pledge to not start new wars , Trump said he "didn't promise anything" and argued the Iran operation was not an "endless war." "It costs us very little to keep" 50,000 U.S. troops in place, he said. "I think we'll keep them there until such time as we have a completion." Trump argued the Iran operation is different from wars in Vietnam and Iraq because this conflict has only lasted months, not years. 4. Praise for Khamenei Trump praised Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei's "certain bravery" for staying involved in talks while seriously injured. Khamenei is "part of the approval process" for a deal, Trump confirmed. He called the younger Khamenei "more rational" than his father, though Trump and the ayatollah have not spoken directly. Trump also said he was not demanding that Lebanon be part of a short-term Iran deal, though he said he wants a " more surgical attack on Hezbollah." 5. Farmers and costs When Welker cited farmers' struggles with fertilizer costs, Trump rejected the premise: "The farmers are doing very well." He insisted farmers trust him and would understand higher gasoline and fertilizer prices because he is trying to end Iran's nuclear program. Farmers are under pressure from Trump's trade war, a drought and higher energy and fertilizer costs . The intrigue: Trump called NBC a "one-sided crooked network" before ending the interview when Welker pressed him for evidence supporting his election fraud claims.
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