WGNO

Trump walks back Giuliani: ‘He’ll get his facts straight’

President Donald Trump said Friday his new lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, is “a great guy” and “he’ll get his facts straight.”

Giuliani gave a series of interviews this week, including claiming Trump had paid back his lawyer Michael Cohen for the $130,000 hush money payment made to porn actress Stormy Daniels. Trump previously said he wasn’t aware of the payment. Daniels has alleged she had sex with Trump in 2006, something Trump denies.

Giuliani also said three US prisoners would be freed from North Korea on Thursday, but as of Friday morning no administration officials were confirming that.

“He’s learning the subject matter. He’s going to be issuing a statement, too,” Trump said of the former New York City mayor, on the White House South Lawn. “He started yesterday. He’ll get his facts straight.”

Once he arrived at Joint Base Andrews, Trump again defended Giuliani to reporters, saying he’s a “special guy” who is just beginning on the job.

“When Rudy made the statements — Rudy is great — but Rudy had just started, and he wasn’t totally familiar with everything,” Trump said.

“We love Rudy, a special guy, he really understands that this is a witch hunt. He understands that probably better than anybody,” Trump said on the tarmac ahead of a trip to Dallas to speak at the National Rifle Association convention.

Trump said again he was willing to speak with special counsel investigators but wanted to ensure he would be given fair treatment.

“Bottom line is I want to talk to the people in charge, if they can prove that it is a fair situation,” he said.