Transcript for Trump says he's finished answering Mueller's questions in Russia probe

And Good Friday to use. Join us here in the briefing here at ABC news on Devin Dwyer great to have Catherine folders with us White House correspondent term Palmieri. I'm oddities to get to the president making some headlines this morning announcing for the first time that he has now officially answered. Questions from special counsel Robert Mueller that is a very significant development of course the president. Has kept if you're Bob Mahler sort of waiting for several months is this team is negotiated the terms of those are questions we understand though that he has answered a number of them in writing. Here's what he had to say just a little while ago when asked why what his answer said Nicholas. As I write answers. I was asked a series of questions have been answered the very easily. Worth so much. I'm sure they're tricked up because you know they like to get people he's beautiful weather sunny it was a rainy. Instead it may have been a good day it was ready therefore he told a lie he perjured himself. OK so again have to always be careful what you answer questions with people that probably have bad intentions to questions were very. Routinely antibodies. That it. I haven't submitted and you know we just I just finished. All right so cattle haulers you've been tracking this very closely the president has not submitted the answers. But he's taken a very big step today after quote equipment dating for months in this could be a sign that we're headed toward some sort of resolution potentially. They yeah and I think we have to watch when exactly he. Will submit those letters he set a pretty carefully said he was finished answering the questions but. On the netting more than himself far reporting is three days out of this week Monday Tuesday and Wednesday he had sessions with his attorneys carefully. Going over these questions as lawyers are helping him write the answers. To these questions so. The question now is winning we don't know about the questions so but we know that there's five different pockets of these questions they center around alleged Russian meddling during the 2016 campaign and there's about. Two dozen of them and police are reporting is as we saw he was tweeting the other morning just lashing out completely and dollars investigation haven't seen an an awhile there seems to be some questions. A handful of them that he's frustrated wet so be interesting to see if he really house finished answering those of you left some of them blank. How formerly Diddy answer that we still don't know can't. So big step terror but we're not out of the woods yet and a potential subpoena fight here. Rain it depends on when he. Cans over advancers is that enough for Moe Larry do they go into more negotiations does he need more questioning. Just because the answers it doesn't mean the process is over although it does in making them soon we'll see a report from Robert Mueller. Which would then I just hope in the floodgates for investigations from the house. So they're mirror under a lot of pressure right now but the one thing we know about president harvest he does not. Light to seem like he needs help from anybody and I think that's right you heard him say aren't the questions I want to decide any thinks that there trick question. And you grant close contact with Rudy Giuliani the president's. His chief lawyer in this matter what's your sense on his willingness at this stage. To sit down with Bob Mueller face to face they've agreed to answer some of these questions are writing still sort of seems to be an open question have they ruled it out that the president will. Absolutely not speak under oath. Little birdie Giuliani from the beginning has advised against this this is something that he says he is advising against the president. From the beginning has had he's happy to sit down with smaller although he's wavered back and forth on that it's obviously a risky scenario to put the president especially when he veers so often meaning in just press interviews. And it if this is a not. That they're hoping that answering these questions sufficiently will be enough to move on from this phase of the investigation. Right now the attic that's exactly where and the president we ask him. Have you will let out a sit down them. He he says he hasn't happened then of course goes into the fact there's nothing for him to hide there's a collision upsets and why should be up to sit down and his whole thing is perjury keeping that he will be perjured because he'll be tricked or trapped in many experts we've talked to say there is no outs after the president in this but we shall see if this does come to a subpoena fight and if those. Written answers are turned over they could happen as soon as this afternoon thank you all for that. I'm meanwhile the administration is moving forward speaking of rules writing some new rules I'm two different fronts. Both with respect two the department of education and also. To the press corps want packed both of those but wanted to bring in and clarity our agency's reporter for a little more on what's going on over at the Education Department that's he'd Abbas the education secretary. Making some waves this morning rewriting federal regulations. Over a sexual harassment and sexual assault investigations on college campuses. And at many schools so and joins us now and I give us the have mine out of the Education Department on what they are requiring now. Hi DeVon what they've they put out this morning hired these guidelines. For colleges that have to respond to sexual abuse solved. These are any college's that take title nine money. They're going to have to responded sexually known cases than a certain way and Betsy to Abbas has put up those guidelines this morning. And those guidelines is a very controversial element they have changed the requirement for wind colleges under federal law must investigate. He's harassment claims and assault claims on college campuses and in the sense and they've really raised the bar here. And that's right what that one of the big things that they've done is to narrow the definition of sexual assault. So it have to be so pervasive that. Person who is alleging sexual assault. They don't have access to education or an activity. And that's a much higher bar and then the Obama administration had. The other thing that they want to do is to ensure that somebody who is accused of sexual assault. Has the opportunity to cross examine their accuser they would do this not directly but they would do it through a lawyer or an advisor. That's that's going to be a big. Chains and it was much broader under the Obama administration any conduct that was deemed. Unwanted of the sexual nature. What's required under federal law to be investigated so schools. Now. Being being allowed to sort of much more selective in that terror one turned you on this because the president has. He made this whole idea presumed innocent until proven guilty due process we've seen it. With so many figures for Kavanagh being one of them of late this seems to be continuation of that of that a promotion on college campuses. The sword swinging pendulum back in in defense of the accused. Exactly this is a very trump he and that decision it's. In line with his administration and and his idea about her back hurt protecting the accused because the president himself identifies as someone who has been wrongly accused and he is only he's never hesitant to point that out send Abbas who has been consistent in following his direction is is really. Aligned with what the president want it's interesting to see. That missed the first step is in the schools that that they would I change harassment laws there are obviously there are other. Arenas to be changing harassment want especially when during the Obama administration. So many student. Member of the woman who carry the mattress around Columbia because she didn't think her rape case was being taken seriously enough. It was an entire movement that there reversing what this new lock in can happen. They had the time of the need to movement as well wouldn't when these issues are so much in the public consciousness when interacting and and you can also tracking the fallout. From this decision today among wild women's rights groups sexual assault. Advocates what are you hearing from them and is there any recourse she managed to challenge this new policy. I think they're certainly you're gonna see a big push these regulations go they don't go into effect right away. They're going to be put on the federal register and a clock starts taking it sixty days for the nation to. Provide their comments about the device in and she gets to decide whether or not she makes these rules final. I think that even if you don't see the public respond which they certainly well I think you're gonna see congress respond I think there's several house Democrats are gonna have subpoena thing and they're gonna have control of congress. And we know you'll track got all the way and clarity thank you so much much more of ends reporting. ID abcnews.com. And on the ABC news app a big story on college campuses right now. Well speaking of rewriting regulations in changing rules the White House also. Faced with. Legal decision today in federal court here in Washington regarding press access in the rules. Which govern who gets to go into White House grounds this is the case involving CNN correspondent Jim Acosta who's pass was revoked after contentious press conference last week when this morning. A federal judge to decide that a Costa needed to get his past back he is on the job right now. And let's bring in our chief legal correspondent Terry Moran who has helped us break down what this means for press freedoms in covering this administration Terry. The White House trumpeting this as a win for the First Amendment but as you know the judge didn't quite go that far. As I did judge explicitly said that he would not base his ruling on the First Amendment CNN was arguing that. By stripping Jim Acosta of his White House credentials. Kostis first amendment rights were being violated and White House was saying well he did that was not for First Amendment viewpoint. Is not because he was asking tough questions is because he put his hands on an intern and that press conference they said. The judge appointed by president trump judge Timothy Kelly. Said let's not get to the First Amendment issue because what's really the problem here is no way the White House went about doing this. It's up Fifth Amendment case you've got a right to due process of law if the government wants to take something. That is given to you take away is security clearance to quit dairy subsidy or a position in the civil service in the military. And any government. Official can't just stripped you of that. By whim or prejudice against say we don't like a costly because his middle name is a B Leo whatever we're gonna take aways white house press credentials. They have to show you do in the process of law that say here are the standards by which once granted a press white house press pass you can keep it. We will put you on notice that you have to abide by those standards and if you don't abide by them then would then we're gonna you're gonna lose it. And that is that's an important. Way of protecting press freedom without reaching the First Amendment however response White House says OK now we're gonna write the rules and the first person Nevada violates them. Will kick out so we may be back in court on this matter at some point you can. Your question Terry did you think covering the White House he covered White House is before. When you see the decorum in the White House right now between the president and the Pratt's what do you think what's your impression. Well look every that the great question. That is a great questions or because. Every president complaints. About press coverage and there are times in every administration when he gets nasty. When it gets really uncomfortable I first got to the White House right after the Clinton impeachment. And I'm there was bad blood between the clintons and and the press. It does seem that from the get go in the trump administration partly because he's such a rule breaker himself easily or break precious thing. There has been a section of the press which fights with the more than covers with him and he loves a good fight a fight right back. He wins those fights he's president he's elected. There's a not so I think it's. It's hard edged right now. It's been hard edged before and where in such a divisive time. With the president who is completely unafraid to cross lines that other presidents wouldn't have. That it does put press freedom in the relations between reporters in the White House in in some in some apparel. Had never seen a reporter though in a press conference with the president. Had his micro front taken from him like that. Not that confrontational and no I do remember I don't remember but I've seen the clips of all White House reporter some forty some years ago Dan rather standing. Asking. President Nixon a question and Nixon saying. Yeah he was that question is like and so president nexus and are you running for something and rather shot back no sir are you. And a really cannot I'm Bradley tone. Which was the controversy of that era I've never seen that kind of physical altercation though and I guess that's where we are. All right Terry before that you're going to want to get your response to the president on this that you alluded to it earlier the president. Is drafting some new regulations the judge mentioned they didn't have an established process by which to limit. Reporter strip Gemma Constance press batches of the president and disable what he's gonna do him response to today's ruling. We want. Total fleet of fashion expert report more importantly than anybody would believe. But you have to act with respect to the White House what I see the waves about what people get treated it. Press conferences it's terrible so what do setting up a certain standards which is what the court is requesting. And always go to the press always First Amendment. About that's the way it is and we always have the option of just leave it. It's a Terry the next step in this battle. If you will between the press corps and this president. Could very well be testing when the president or the press decide to test those new rules for it. Read that they're creation of those rules is going to be problematic is this madam to pump the doors rules of decorum in the White House you know. Dress code busy you know can is there some language that's out of bounds who decides that. But what they will try to do is come up with a series of rules that that relates to a respectful. Behavior in the White House that doesn't. I they can't be manipulated to say. It's really because we don't like the way this person is asking the kinds of questions this person is asking the view point from which those questions com. Because that's of you do have a First Amendment problem there. On the other hand I think the whole situation. Whether it was the way Costa decided. Two to go about his business that day or and the way the White House said the response just shows that. So much of of our government. I has carried on. In almost unspoken. Mutually respectful ways that once you shine a light thinking where's the bright line here between you know aloud and disallowed. You kind of destroyed it's it's like you die it's dissecting a frog you got a killer Ted to look at. And that's sort of what's happening here for decades presidents and reporters often very contentious Lee have managed to live together in probe. Professional sense and do their jobs. But did these two. People here these two institutions are now at loggerheads and by defining the court to going to be asked to define where the lines are. We'll probably end up with a less access to the president and the white. All right Terry Moran always colorful with the analysis we'll have you back when that frog gets dissected tape. Get around bricks ticket and very much. Terry for that we'll streaking a judge's. And and courts we're very. Honored right now to have with us eight an esteemed judge a former judge from the Minnesota Supreme Court this is justice Alan page just awarded. The presidential medal of freedom the nation's highest civilian honor. Judge page it is it is a great honor to have you with us thanks so much for coming in a briefing room. Well it's my pleasure to be here thank you for having me. And as a fellow Minnesotan who has run past you many years in the Minnesota in the Twin Cities marathon plan that tube on the size of the room I won't say particularly. Excited to see you sir. But you've been honored by the president today not just for your success on the playing field you're of course. An NFL hall of Famer Notre Dame graduate. But but someone who's done a lot of incredible work. For children in this country with your foundation. Tell us a little bit about the work that you do it. And what this award means to you. Well. 31 years ago my wife Diane and I started the page education foundation. With the goal of encouraging motivating and assisting. Young men and women of color and the pursuit of education beyond high school. And we would we do that two ways one by providing financial assistance but more importantly and I think the most important thing. Is we require error. Grant recipients we call them paid scholars. To. Do service with children kindergarten through eighth grade. Specifically in the area of education has tutors mentors and role models. Sending the strong clear message to those young children that education to tool that they can use. To achieve whatever their hopes and dreams are. For far too long. We have. Gonna send a disservice. To our kids of color when it comes to academic a academic accomplishment. And I roll with the foundation has. Create hope and opportunity. And you certainly have done that by all accounts 7000 children have received scholarships. Three year program set thousand growing. And growing and indeed the page education foundation. He. You know I'm. This award you've written about and spoken about it being not just about you and your foundation but about all those who've helped you. Along the way and also. Some hesitation about coming to the trump White House in light of the values that you stand for it is as if what was it uncomfortable being there today did you have to speak to the president. Tell us a little bit about how you grappled with that. A motion today. You know in the end it isn't about me. And but it is about I think the things. Both my. A wife and I have sought to this to represent the values. That we believe in the end. Justice. Equal justice under the law in educational opportunity. In. Working to ensure that. People understand that the truth matters. That character is important. And so. In the final analysis it was pretty easy to be here. And than. In joined. The experience. Something that I would not have anticipated. It's as a said it's about those values that we. Have tried to represent. And it's also about those who shoulders. Had the opportunity to stand on. Ambulances. My ancestors who came to this country in the belly of the slave ships it's about those civil rights. People who. Gave the ultimate sacrifice. Schwerner Chaney and Goodman. A little weasel views so. Four little girls and Birmingham Baptist Church. There. Voices. What they stood for. Has. Place in this White House. It is the people's house and it was my opportunity. Represent them in accepting the award and in that respect. It was an honor and a privilege to be here to receive the award. Alan page it's certainly an honor and a privilege to have you here with us on ABC news live in the briefing room I congratulations to you and our condolences to you. On the loss of your wife just a month ago Diane sands page we know is a very integral part of your work. And the foundation and our thoughts are are certainly with you and your family thank you so much sir. Well thank you. All right a pretty incredible individual listed into the. It was not just Alan page today terra but. We saw babe Ruth's relatives being recognize we saw Justice Scalia even a little bit Elvis Presley was awarded the medal of freedom as well. Fun moment there Castro who is. It was after it and hatch has allowed Orrin hatch and aren't hatch. And that was before we leave today right here on this Friday we did spot someone's else notable in the crowd here in the east room for the medal of freedom ceremony there she was in the front row making her first. Public appearance after. Hospitalization. Just a week ago with Bader Ginsburg's Supreme Court justice. Looked to be in fine form in good spirits even chuckling with the Chief Justice there. She broke three whip ribs and a fall just three weeks ago you and is it sending shivers down the spine of a lot of Democrats a lot of liberals but she seems to be. And the president landing is gone this issue is doing great how how it worked for menial we can change just to taste as a credible which is in the hospital this current day. And and there she isn't following last opening. A decision justice backing great to have you with us on this Friday to close out the week I will be back here on Monday at 3:30 eastern time in a briefing room. Until then passed her father's chart Mary and I wish him great weekend.

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