Former President repeatedly declined in an interview aired Sunday to answer questions about whether he watched the Capitol riot unfold on television, saying he would 害羞草研究所渢ell people later at an appropriate time.害羞草研究所�

Trump, the current front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, refused to say on NBC害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淢eet the Press害羞草研究所� how he spent Jan. 6, 2021, once the insurrection began and whether he made phone calls as his supporters stormed the seat of American democracy.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 not going to tell you. I害羞草研究所檒l tell people later at an appropriate time,害羞草研究所� Trump told moderator Kristen Welker after she asked if he spent that afternoon watching the attack on television in a dining room at the White House.

Trump害羞草研究所檚 former aides in the room off the Oval Office to watch, at times even rewinding and rewatching some parts.

In the interview, taped Thursday at Trump害羞草研究所檚 golf club in New Jersey, Trump refused to say who he called as the violence unfolded. 害羞草研究所淲hy would I tell you that?害羞草研究所� he said.

Trump said in response to Welker害羞草研究所檚 pressing him about his public silence during the violence that he had made 害羞草研究所渂eautiful statements害羞草研究所� on the day of the attack.

Trump害羞草研究所檚 supporters, fueled by his lies about the 2020 presidential election, stormed the building as Congress prepare to certify the victory of Democrat Joe Biden. Trump is facing federal criminal charges for his efforts to overturn his loss in that election but he is not facing charges related to the insurrection.

Trump said he might consider pardoning some of the rioters charged for their actions that day.

with federal crimes related to the Jan. 6 riot and more than 600 have pleaded guilty or been convicted.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 going to look at them, and I certainly might if I think it害羞草研究所檚 appropriate害羞草研究所� to pardon them, the former president said.

Trump also said he would consider pardoning former Proud Boys leader , who was sentenced to 22 years in prison orchestrating a failed plot to keep Trump in power. Trump said Tarrio was treated 害羞草研究所渉orribly,害羞草研究所� according to a full transcript of the NBC interview, which included parts that were not aired.

Trump is facing 91 criminal charges across four cases in federal and state courts related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, the mishandling of classified documents and charges related to allegations of hush-money paid to cover up extramarital affairs. He has denied wrongdoing.

Trump was asked if he fears going to jail.

害羞草研究所淣o, I don害羞草研究所檛 really. I don害羞草研究所檛 even think about it. I害羞草研究所檓 built a little differently I guess,害羞草研究所� he said.

As he pushed to overturn the election, Trump relied on a band of outside allies who undertook what federal prosecutors have called a 害羞草研究所渃riminal scheme害羞草研究所� to fraudulently overturn the 2020 results who urged him to accept his loss to Biden.

Trump was asked in the interview why he didn害羞草研究所檛 listen to those lawyers.

害羞草研究所淚 didn害羞草研究所檛 respect them,害羞草研究所� Trump said.

害羞草研究所淚n many cases, I didn害羞草研究所檛 respect them. But I did respect others. I respected many others that said the election was rigged.害羞草研究所�

Trump said he was listening both to his instincts and 害羞草研究所渄ifferent people害羞草研究所� to guide his actions around the election害羞草研究所檚 results.

The NBC appearance was Trump害羞草研究所檚 first broadcast network interview since leaving office and marked Welker害羞草研究所檚 debut show as host.

Trump also said he was pleased to hear Russian President Vladimir Putin害羞草研究所檚 recent remarks praising Trump for suggesting that he were elected to the White House again, he would negotiate an end to Russia害羞草研究所檚 war in Ukraine.

害羞草研究所淲ell, I like that he said that. Because that means what I害羞草研究所檓 saying is right,害羞草研究所� Trump said on NBC.

Trump said he had had a good relationship with Putin, something he has said several times before, and denied that any deal he would seek in Ukraine would be a win for Russia and allow it to keep territory it has seized.

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 something that could have been negotiated,害羞草研究所� Trump said. He went on and said, 害羞草研究所淭hey could have made a deal where there害羞草研究所檚 lesser territory right now than Russia害羞草研究所檚 already taken, to be honest.害羞草研究所�

Trump repeatedly declined to say whether he would support a federal ban on abortion and he criticized a ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy that was signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, one of Trump害羞草研究所檚 top rivals in the presidential primary.

害羞草研究所淚 think what he did is a terrible thing and a terrible mistake,害羞草研究所� Trump said.

Trump said he did not care whether abortion was ultimately banned at a federal level or settled by laws in each state. The U.S. Supreme Court, with the support of three justices appointed by Trump, last year overturned the federal right to an abortion.

害羞草研究所淔rom a pure standpoint, from a legal standpoint, I think it害羞草研究所檚 probably better害羞草研究所� to be handled at the state level, Trump said.

害羞草研究所淏ut I can live with it either way. It害羞草研究所檚 much more important, the number of weeks is much more important.害羞草研究所�

Michelle L. Price, The Associated Press