Trump Thinks You Shouldn’t Hold Him Accountable For His Own 100-Day Plan ‘Somebody Put Out’

“There Has To Be Flexibility,” He Said

The Associated Press today released the transcript of their recent and lengthy Oval Office interview with Donald Trump. The president, often contradicting himself, covered a range of topics that included his first 100 days in office.

His 100th day, quickly approaching and falling on April 29th, has clearly been on the president’s mind, arguably because his administration has accomplished little of the plan he released for what would be his first 100 days:

“As a candidate, you put out a 100-day plan,” AP White House Correspondent Julie Pace began, asking directly, “do you feel like you should be held accountable to that plan?”

“Somebody, yeah, somebody put out the concept of a hundred-day plan,” Trump responded. “But yeah. Well, I’m mostly there on most items. Go over the items, and I’ll talk to you…”

The transcript cites crosstalk, Trump continuing, “but things change. There has to be flexibility.” He then turned to the time he’d spent with Chinese President Xi, saying he has “a, like, a really great relationship” with the leader. (His 100-day plan advised that on his first day in office he would “direct [his] Secretary of the Treasury to label China a currency manipulator.” He did not.)

“What am I going to do, say, ‘By the way, would you help us with North Korea?’” Trump said.  “And also, you’re a currency manipulator.’ It doesn’t work that way.” Below, a compilation of him saying exactly that:

He then turned to his continued assault on the media, stating that some of them may be “very stupid people,” before the AP directed him back to his first 100 days. An excerpt:

 AP: So in terms of the 100-day plan that you did put out during the campaign, do you feel, though, that people should hold you accountable to this in terms of judging success?

TRUMP: No, because much of the foundation’s been laid. Things came up. I’ll give you an example. I didn’t put Supreme Court judge on the 100 (day) plan, and I got a Supreme Court judge.

AP: I think it’s on there.

TRUMP: I don’t know. …

AP: “Begin the process of selecting.” You actually exceeded on this one. This says, “Begin the process of selecting a replacement.”

TRUMP: That’s the biggest thing I’ve done.

The self-described “biggest thing” in question referred to Senate Republicans confirming Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, following Senate Majority Mitch McConnell’s decision to block President Obama’s nominee for nearly a year and then changing the rules of the Senate to confirm Gorsuch.

As ThinkProgress pointed out, Gorsuch cast his first consequential vote on Thursday—to let a man be killed.

“I’ve done a lot,” Donald Trump insisted. “I’ve done more than any other president in the first 100 days and I think the first 100 days is an artificial barrier. And I’m scheduled… the foundations have been set to do some great things. With foreign countries.”

The full transcript, which includes hot topics like immigration, deportation, France’s election, tax reform, his relationship with Angela Merkel and why the president doesn’t watch CNN can be read here.

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