Interview With Jim Gray of Westwood One Sports Radio Network

Mr. Gray. We're very pleased to be joined by the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump. This is an interview about the Super Bowl and issues important to sports fans. We will get to the news of the day shortly. Mr. President, how are you today?

The President. I'm very good, thank you, Jim.

New England Patriots/Atlanta Falcons/Super Bowl LI

Mr. Gray. Mr. President, you sit with Bob Kraft, you communicate with Bill Belichick, Tom Brady is a friend. Can we take that, from your personal relationships, that you're rooting for the Patriots today?

The President. Well, I guess you have to say that. They've been great friends of mine for a long period of time, and they're terrific people. And I have to tell you, the Falcons have terrific people also. But I've known them a long time, so I guess we're allowed to do that every once in a while. They are really wonderful. I think it's going to be a wonderful game, actually.

Mr. Gray. Have you communicated with Tom Brady or Bill Belichick this week? And if so, what advice have you given them?

The President. Well, I don't have to give them advice. These are champions. These are winners; they know how to win. And I speak to them on occasion, but I don't have to really speak very much about winning. They know how to do it. And it's a lot of pressure on them, but probably less so because they've been there and they've done it before. So more pressure always on the ones that haven't done it.

Mr. Gray. Mr. President, how do you feel about the abuse that's being directed to Tom Brady because he's a friend of yours?

The President. Well, I haven't seen it. I mean, honestly, I've been so busy doing other things I haven't seen that. I haven't noticed it. But I can tell you that, generally speaking, that's a two-way street. There may be some people that aren't liking the fact that he may feel good about me, but there are a lot of other people that like him a lot better because of it.

So that really has proven to be a two-way street. There have been many instances of that, where people have sort of said—a little bit negative about whatever it may be, even a store or a chain, and the chain's business goes through the roof. I mean, we've had cases like that too. So it really is a two-way street, Jim.

New England Patriots Quarterback Thomas E.P. Brady, Jr.

Mr. Gray. Mr. President, what are your thoughts on Deflategate and the way that Tom Brady was treated?

The President. Well, I think Tom Brady is a great guy. And it's over with, and we don't have to discuss it, but it was a rough period of time, and it was very sad. I thought it was very sad. And look at the season he's had—missing four games, and look at the great season he's had. So I just think it was an unfortunate experience, and I think it was bad for probably everybody involved. And that's all behind us, so that's a good thing.

National Football League Commissioner Roger S. Goodell Mr. Gray. You've had some very strong negative opinions about Roger Goodell in the aftermath of his decisions on domestic violence and Deflategate. You're now President; he's obviously the commissioner of the NFL. If you were to see him and your paths were to cross, what would you say to him?

The President. Well, I'd just say good luck, just do a good job with the NFL. I mean, he handled the various situations—this was prior to me running for office—and he handled the various situations in his way, and I hope he's happy with it. I think it's good if he is. But people can disagree on everything. I may not have disagreed—I may really have looked upon the way he handled it a little bit differently than others, but you know what, it's the NFL. It's going to do well. The game is going to be very interesting. We'll see what happens.

New England Patriots Quarterback Thomas E.P. Brady, Jr.

Mr. Gray. You plan to pardon Tom Brady? [Laughter]

The President. Well, Tom is always pardoned, you know that. Tom doesn't need a pardon. Tom—his game pardons him, and his talent. He's a great champion. So I think his game really pardons him. And frankly, I don't think he's somebody that has to be pardoned.

Safety and Injury Risk in Football

Mr. Gray. With all the head injuries and concussions, a big concern now with football, would you allow your grandchildren and Barron to play if they wanted?

The President. If they wanted, I would allow them to play, but I will say that they have to be very careful, because that would be the big risk to the NFL if it gets to a point where people are afraid to let their children play. That would not be a good thing for the NFL, certainly. But it depends on the level. I mean, I know—I played football at a certain level, and I will tell you, it's a rough game, it's a tough game. And there's something really good about that in terms of competition and learning how to compete and win. But it's a rough game, and a lot of people are deciding the other way.

But regardless, I would also leave it up to the young person in the family. I think I would have to do that.

Medical Marijuana

Mr. Gray. Mr. President, the NFL Players Association is fighting to legalize the use of medicinal marijuana for its players. These guys take a physical beating. Would you support them in this fight?

The President. Well, I have no opinion on it. They're going to have to take a look at that. They're going to talk with the league; they're going to be talking to, obviously, government officials wherever it may be. And when it comes up to the level of the Presidency, I'll have an opinion.

Sports Gambling Legalization

Mr. Gray. You know quite a bit, as a former casino owner, and you have a particular insight: Today an estimated $5 billion will be wagered, 4.8 billion, unregulated and untaxed illegally. What is your position and thoughts on making sports gambling legal nationwide?

The President. Well, what I'd do is I'd sit down with the commissioners. I would be talking to them, and we'll see how they feel about it. Some would not want it, and probably others—and I've read where others maybe do. But I would certainly want to get their input and get the input from the various leagues, and we'll see how they feel about it. I'd also get the input from lots of law enforcement officials, because obviously, that's a big step. So we wouldn't do it lightly, I can tell you. It will be studied very carefully. But I would want to have a lot of input from a lot of different people.

2024 Summer Olympics

Mr. Gray. Jim Gray with President Trump. This interview was recorded just prior to kickoff. Mr. President, Los Angeles will bid for the 2024 Olympics in the fall. Do you support that bid, and would it be a good thing for Los Angeles and our country?

The President. Well, I've been asked to support it, and I've actually spoken to the Olympic Committee in Europe. And they are—I think, were very happy when they spoke to me. They wanted to have an endorsement from me, and I gave it to them very loud and clear. I would love to see the Olympics go to Los Angeles. I think that it will be terrific. The United States Committee's members have asked me to speak up about it, and I have. And I think I've helped them. And let's see what happens.

But I'd be very happy and honored if they would choose Los Angeles, and we'd stand behind it.

The President's Executive Order on Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into The United States

Mr. Gray. Do you feel your immigration policy and the recent Executive order might hurt the bid and cost L.A. some IOC votes?

The President. Well, I don't know, but we have to have—regardless, we have to have security in our country. We have to know who's coming into our country. We have to have people that are coming in with good intentions, Jim. If people are coming in with bad intentions, I want to be able to find out before they get here.

You see what's happened in other countries, you see what's happened in our country. Take a look at so many different events, including the World Trade Center. So if people want to come into our country, they have to come in with good intentions. And we want to have strong borders. And we want to have extreme vetting, and we want to know what we're doing, frankly. And right now it's tied up in the courts. And I think it's a bad situation for the country. I think it's very, very bad. We have to know exactly who's coming into our country. And I think most people agree with me on that. And they may not express it, but you're seeing it more and more, people are agreeing with me. I want security for the United States.

International Olympic Committee Antidoping Actions Against Russia

Mr. Gray. Now, Mr. President, many Russian athletes were banned from competing in the Rio Olympics last summer due to the Russian state-sponsored doping program. Should that ban continue in 2018 in Korea and 2020 in Tokyo until the Russians can prove that they're clean, and are you willing to express that to President Putin?

The President. Well, I think that's going to be really up to the various Olympic committees. They've taken a very strong stand, and that's going to be up to them, much more so than me. So we'll see what they have to say, Jim.

President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin of Russia/Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan

Mr. Gray. Mr. President, leaving aside your desire to have a productive relationship with President Putin, your comments earlier today to Bill O'Reilly on Fox before the Super Bowl seemed to indicate an equivalency between the actions of our Government and the actions of the Russian Government. Can you kind of clarify that statement? The President. Well, I don't have to clarify it. The question was, do you respect him? He's the head of a major country. He's actually very popular in his country if you listen to various reports that are actually put out by polling agencies and various groups within our country, whether they like it or not. But they asked me whether or not I respect him. He's the leader of a major country, and you know what my answer was.

And frankly, there are a lot of bad things going on in a lot of places in this world, and if we got along with Russia—I don't know that we will. I don't know the gentleman, but I've had two conversations or three conversations with him. He called to congratulate me on the Inauguration recently and called to congratulate me previously on the election. And it was very nice, and I appreciated the call. But I've been called by virtually every leader of the world. And we've been called by just about everybody, so I don't put a lot of credence to that.

I will say this. If we got along with Russia and other countries—I mean, I want to get along with all countries—but if we got along with Russia, if we got along with China, if we got along with Japan—and the Prime Minister is coming next weekend. In fact, he's coming to the White House, and then he'd like to play golf, and we're going to come down to Florida, Palm Beach, and we're going to play golf. We're going to have a round of golf, which is a great thing. That's the one thing about golf: You get to know somebody better on a golf course than you will over lunch.

So if we are able to get along with other countries, that's a good thing, not a bad thing.

Mr. Gray. Will you have a bet? Is he a good golfer?

The President. I don't know. I think—I know he loves the game, and we're going to have a lot of fun. It won't matter. I'll just make sure he's my partner. [Laughter]

U.S. Political Division

Mr. Gray. Mr. President, people feel that divides are getting deeper in our country. The first couple of weeks in office, you see what's happening across the country. Today, in sports, right here on the field and in the military, we see people with different backgrounds come together for the common good. What concrete plans do you have to unite our country and bring our Nation together?

The President. Well, I think it's great that they come together. But I will say, we were a very divided country before I came along. And one of the reasons I won the election is because of the fact that we were such a divided country. And we had a tremendous group of people that—you look at issues and you look at what's going on, and there was such division in our country. And I think a lot of people think that I'm going to be able to bring it together, and I think I will be able to do that.

But we have been a very, very divided country for a very long period of time. And you know, I guess they consider me to be very much of an outsider, but it's an outsider that can bring us together. And I think I'll be able to do that.

Boxing

Mr. Gray. Is it tougher being a boxing promoter or President?

The President. Well, boxing is an interesting—I've had many, many fights, as you know. I've been involved with just about everybody in that business, and I really enjoy the boxing, and I enjoy what they've done with the UFC, Dana White and all of the folks, the families that have done such a great job with that. And I enjoy sports at any kind. I enjoy virtually every sport. And sports—nothing is easy. Sports isn't easy. And—but I have great respect for what they're doing and what they're doing with the—I think today's game is terrific, and I think it's going to be terrific.

The President's Early Accomplishments

Mr. Gray. You've now been in office a couple of weeks. Monday-morning-quarterback yourself, how would you assess how you've done?

The President. Well, I think I've done well. I think polls are showing that I've done well. It's been tough on a lot of people because we're breaking the glass a little bit. We're doing what has to be done. We're being strong on vetting; we're being strong on coming into the country. It's very easy if you just let it be the way it was, but the FBI has over a thousand investigations going on right now on terror and terrorism. They've never had anything like that before. And that's been reported all over the place.

And frankly, we have to have a safe country. But I think I've done very well. We have plants coming back and going into Michigan and Pennsylvania and Ohio; and the car companies are pouring back into our country. I've saved hundreds of millions of dollars in negotiation on the F-35 fighter jet and various military elements that I've gotten involved in the negotiation. I've saved hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars. That will end up being many, many billions of dollars.

I think I'm getting very high marks by a lot of people.

Mr. Gray. Mr. President, thank you so much for your time. I really appreciate it. It's an honor to have you join us and share your views. Enjoy the rest of Super Bowl Sunday.

The President. Thank you very much, Jim. Thank you.