PRESIENT Donald Trump is insisting he has evidence that China is attempting to meddle in the US midterm elections — but that it ‘respected’ his ‘very, very large brain’.

For more than an hour and 20 minutes Trump held court with reporters in a sweltering hotel ballroom in New York City, where he’s been attending the annual United Nations General Assembly. Trump was in his element, sparring and joking with reporters as he addressed a host of issues, including the growing list of sexual misconduct allegations against his Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, and the threat of war with North Korea.

Despite damage control efforts by his administration, Trump repeated his claims that China is trying to meddle in the upcoming midterm elections because they oppose his tough trade policies.

“They do not want me or us to win, because I am the first president to challenge China on trade,” Trump said. “And we are winning on trade. We are winning at every level.

“They would like to see me lose an election because they’ve never been challenged like this.”

Trump addressed a roomful of hundreds of reporters from US and international media organisations this morning in a sweltering hotel ballroom following his participation in UN talks.

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He was particularly vocal on China and President Xi Jinping.

“He’s a friend of mine,” President Trump said of China’s president-for-life. “He may not be a friend of mine anymore”.

Nevertheless, Trump insisted he maintained a strong influence over the rapidly emerging world power.

The president added that China “has total respect for Donald Trump and for Donald Trump’s very, very large brain”.

LAUGHING MATTERS

Trump rejected the notion that the UN General Assembly had laughed at his opening statement that his government had been an incomparable ‘success’.

“People had a good time with me. We were doing it together, we had a good time.”

“We had fun,” Trump said. “That was not laughing at me. So the fake news said ‘people laughed at President Trump.’ They didn’t laugh at me, people had a good time with me. We were doing it together, we had a good time.”

Trump opened Tuesday’s speech by boasting about an American economy that he says is “booming like never before.” He also claimed his administration had accomplished more in the less than two years he’s held office than any other administration at the same point.

His boast elicited laughter from the audience.

PRESSER HIGHLIGHTS

KAVANAUGH:

Trump told reporters it was possible he could withdraw Kavanaugh’s nomination if he believes her. “If I thought he was guilty of something like this,” he told reporters, “yeah, sure.” He added: “I could be convinced of anything.” But Trump, who has repeatedly defended men accused of sexual misconduct, also said his thinking on such allegations had been colored by the numerous accusations of sexual assault that have been leveled against him - falsely, he insists.

“It’s happened to me many times,” he said, citing “four or five women” who “got paid a lot of money” to make those allegations. In fact, more than a dozen women came forward during the 2016 presidential campaign, claiming they had been assaulted, groped or kissed without consent by Trump.

Trump also continued to describe the allegations Kavanaugh is facing as “a big fat con job” and defended his nominee as “one of the highest quality people that I’ve ever met.”

THE #METOO MOVEMENT:

Trump acknowledged: “This is a very big moment for our country” - but not because women feel empowered to speak out. Instead, Trump said: “This is a very big moment for our country because you have a man who’s very outstanding, but he’s got very strong charges against him, probably charges that nobody’s going to be able to prove.” Trump went on to describe “a very dangerous period in our country” that he said was being “perpetuated by some very evil people - some of them are Democrats.” And he warned that the country was adopting a new, “dangerous standard” of justice, in which “you are guilty until proven innocent.”

WAR WITH NORTH KOREA:

Trump claimed that President Barack Obama was ready to go to war with North Korea and that millions of people would be dead if he hadn’t been elected. “If I wasn’t elected, you would have had a war,” he said, adding, “You know how close he was to pressing the trigger for war?” Ned Price, Obama’s former national security spokesman, disputes that the Obama administration was ever on the verge of war. Trump also talked fondly of the inflammatory words he and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had exchanged before their summit, saying the two “both smile at now and we laugh at” what he dubbed “rhetorical contests.”

CANADIAN DIS:

Trump said he rejected a one-on-one meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the sidelines of the UN because he’s annoyed by the country’s trade negotiations.

“His tariffs are too high, he doesn’t seem to want to move and I’ve told him forget about it,” Trump complained, adding: “We’re very unhappy with the negotiations and the negotiating style of Canada.” But Trudeau spokeswoman Eleanore Catenaro said that never happened. “No meeting was requested,” she said.

I COULD GO ON ALL DAY:

Trump, who has long loved sparring with the media, seemed especially engaged, bashing the “fake news” with one breath and praising reporters with another. He peppered his questioners with commentary, addressing one reporter he assumed to be Kurdish as “Mr. Kurd.” “I could be doing this all day long,” Trump remarked, polling the crowd and asking whether he should continue taking questions. “It doesn’t matter to me. A couple more, I don’t care.” After delivering an answer he seemed especially pleased with, Trump paid tribute to one of his favorite artists and some advice he’d taken to heart. “I always like to finish with a good one,” he said. “Elton John said when you hit that last tune and it’s good, don’t go back.”

DAMAGE CONTROL UNDONE

At the news conference in New York, a reporter asked Trump what evidence he has to back up the accusation of election interference, which China has denied.

President Trump simply asserted that “we have evidence” but “I can’t tell you now.”

He says his allegation did not come “out of nowhere.”

The Trump administration says China is stepping up covert and overt activities to stifle free speech, punish those who support the president’s tough trade stance against China and interfere in the US political system. The administration says China is hurting farmers and workers in pro-Trump states and districts.

According to Trump, China has “actually admitted that they’re going after farmers.”

“I don’t like it when they attack our farmers and I don’t like it when they put out false messages. But beside that, we learned that they are trying to meddle in our elections and we’re not going to let that happen just as we’re not going to let that happen with Russia.”

Earlier, at the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said he thinks the current tensions with China will be overcome because both countries value the relationship.

He said he is not sure what to make of China’s rejection of a Hong Kong port visit by a US Navy ship. China also cancelled plans for its navy chief to meet with his American counterpart at the Pentagon this week. Mattis said this and other problems with China are being “sorted out.” Mattis told reporters he does not believe the current tensions amount to a fundamental shift in the relationship.

His comments came after President Donald Trump earlier accused the Chinese of “attempting to interfere” in the November elections. China denied this.

FROSTY CANADA RELATIONS

President Donald Trump says he has rejected a one-on-one meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over the tariff dispute involving the two countries.

He’s also threatening to place tariffs on cars imported from Canada as trade talks between the two neighbours drag on.

Trump says during a news conference in New York that Canada has treated the US “very badly” during the trade talks.

Canada was left out when the United States and Mexico reached an agreement last month to revamp the North American Free Trade Agreement.

The US and Canada are under pressure to reach a deal by September 30. Trump is suggesting he may go forward with a revamped NAFTA without Canada. The president says it would be called “USM,” for the US and Mexico, instead of “USMC.”