Transcript for Trump makes joint remarks with Romanian president

This is an ABC news special report. George Stephanopoulos. Good afternoon we're coming on the air right now because president trump is in the Rose Garden of the Romanian president class Johannes preparing to take questions for the first time. Since that blockbuster testimony of James combing the fired former FBI director yesterday. On Capitol Hill of course James coming call the present. A liar basically. In that testimony yesterday said that he felt he was directed. To drop the investigation into general Michael Flynn. At the time said that he leaked. Information the New York Times about those means in order to spur Iran. The appointment of a special counsel present likely face questions about that today already he is fighting back on Twitter on bringing our senior just correspondent. Pierre Thomas for this early this morning Pierre the president on Twitter saying despite so many false statements and lies total and complete vindication and while. Call me is a leak or the president's lawyers followed up on that. I think they want to refer combing to the Justice Department inspector general after being investigated for leaking that information. About his meetings with the president say going anywhere. Well it's hard to say Colleen already face an inspector general investigation regard to his handling of the announcement whether to file charged it charges against Hillary Clinton. Now this whole issue whether you can pursue a complaint against calling who's now no longer. A government employee is an open question. I imagine that the inspector general's office will considerate he's also thinking about filing something with the Senate Judiciary Committee so it's really unclear what standing he has to file it given the fact it. James Kobe is no longer a government and the present. Towards the war between these two man is fully. These two minutes fully engage. You have. Combing extending those memos which he documented his conversations with the president of the United States to special counsel Muller. To review. Of those those memos and clearly. Kobe wants an investigation launched into whether there was some sort of obstruction of justice. We have yet to hear how Muller's going to handle it but this war is fully and do it right the vindication the president says he sees of the fact that. James can be did say did corroborate the president saying that he did tell the president. He was not facing investigation is counterintelligence S investigation. Related to Russia. Literally Coley was clear on that there at the time. He left office or was fired there was no investigation is presently an honest about the vulnerability for the president's team right there's are saying that they believe. Call me on those those areas but he's not telling the truth about everything else about his per is meetings with the president where he says the president asked for a pledge of loyalty. About that encounter about general Flint. George there's no way around it. Somebody's lying under the circumstance. The president of the United States is saying he did not tell Coley did he won it loyalty he's saying that he did not. Make the comment about a Flynn in terms of going easy on Flynn so. Coley went to Capitol Hill your state and under both said that happened. So that is going to have to be resolved in some fat and presumably at some point the special counsel Robert Mueller. We'll get to the bottom it will take you material he's been given by James coming in that could lead. To the president being deposed under oath as well in fact one senator I mean times can be said today thought that was gonna happen. Well it's going to be interest thing Muller again it has not signaled what he's going to do. He possibly could review these documents and decide not to take actually. But a lot of people have been talking to who know Muller and how he operates. Is that he tends to want to gather all the information before making. A conclusion I don't know how you do that without doing some level of investigation compare thanks for myself for who were there chief global affairs anchor Martha Raddatz in the president Martha in his opening statement. Just there seem to make some news as well. Taking on that Middle East nation of Carter whose severed relationship Saudi Arabia. The sever relationships with them the president seemed to take Saudi Arabia side in the dispute even though he's asked for Rex Tillerson to mediate. Actually want to hold on the president let's take questions now let's go there. If. I think. Reminded thank Hester president. Apologies that's Erica. Mr. President this morning on Twitter. Were referring to the testimony if James Cummings indicating you. But I wondered if you could tell us in person served why you feel that his testimony vindicated you when it's really. It boils down to his word against your word and if you could also tell assert aren't due tapes exist of your conversations with him. Well I'll tell you about that may be sometime in the very near future but in the meantime no collision. No obstruction. He's a leaker. But we want to get back to. Running our great country. Jobs trade deficits we want them to disappear fast. North Korea big problem. Middle East a big problem. So that's what I am focused on that's what I have been focused on but yesterday a showed no collision no obstruction. We are. Doing really well that was an excuse by the Democrats who lost an election that some people think they shouldn't have lost. Because it's almost impossible for the Democrats to lose the Electoral College as you know. You have to run up the whole East Coast are yet to win everything is a Republican and that's just what we did. So was a just an excuse. But we were very very. Happy and frankly. James call me confirmed a lot of what I said. And some of the things that he said just weren't true thank you very much. Do you have a question. Thank you. And Mr. President. If you could tell us. A couple weeks ago president trump was in Brussels at the NATO meeting and not only was he encouraging NATO members to pay up the 2% required of GDP for national defense. But he also was saying that. Countries even including yours who had not paid 2% in the past. Should make up for that that difference do you think that's fair. I was in Brussels. And I met president from and I listen these speeds. And I liked it. Because you see Nate though. Is based. On values by did these ultimately. Military alliance. And you know military spending us. Are complicated. And you need a lot of money. Because Nate though is the strong us allied hands. The virus ever saw and we want to keep it that way so we have to spend money for defense purposes. And spending money means he fury no lions. Everybody has to spend money this is called Barden sharing. And I fully agree. If their president to that. So of course some people liked this bet there and some. Didn't like it so much but it's a simple fact that we have to do this. Not. As the purpose in itself. We have to do this the space throng to be strong. And to defend our nation's. 100% correct and you know one of the things I was referring to during that speech was the fact that yes they haven't paid what they should be paying now. But for many years they haven't been tanks I said do we ever go back and say how about. Paying the money from. Many many years past. There are no no president has ever asked that question. But I do. And we're gonna make NATO very strong. You need the money to make it strong you can't just. Do what we've been doing in the past so I did say yes you haven't paid this year. What about the past years the many past years we haven't paid. Perhaps you should pay some or all of that money back. You have a question. On the shut out on a school for. Think it. I feel Grisham four president trump. On the map toss all securities serie you own. Many of day countries on the sir frank of NATO including Romania to see if Russia as a threats to their security. Do you share his vision and do you things that. The United States should act on there apt to go five if any of this kind to you will be under military mission thank you name. Well I'm committing the United States and have committed but I'm committing the United States to article five. And certainly we are there to protect. And that's one of the reasons that I want people to make sure we have a very very strong force by. Paying the kind of money necessary to have that forced but yes absolutely I'd be committed. Article five. Oh. Thank you Mr. President where there any discussion about the visa waiver program for Romania. Is our time frame for including our country in dispersant. I'm can. We did yes discuss it we didn't discuss it but there would be certainly it would be something we will discuss Mr. President. I mentioned this issue. And a also mentioned it during other meetings I had because this is important for us it's important for a maintenance. One to come to the United States and you see. More and more people come president from from Romania. To the United States. Some comments there is some come for business and those who come for business should be encouraged so. Then matter of visa waiver would be probably. Important to discuss and we all hope that. We will advance on this but. Look at those hands of their present you have this in Romania to I don't know. I got the microphone boy if you allow me but could only if I could only sell that and I can only sell it. Who would like to ask should I take one of the killer networks that treat me so badly as fake news should attend. Go ahead John. You've heard John are obsolete and brown eyes she used to be before I ran. Such a nice man always fair. Mr. President armed with a back to teams comb his testimony he suggested he didn't tell the truth in everything he said. He did say under oath that you told him to let the flame you use it you hopes the Flynn investigation you can like he I didn't say that. So he lied about that well I didn't say that I mean I will tell you I didn't say. And and did he ask you to pledge and did nothing wrong if I did say it according to everybody that I've read today but I did not say that. And did he ask for a pledge of loyalty from you let's north and he said no he did not. So he said those things under oath would you be willing to speak under oath to elected your version of one's about a 100%. And it who say under oath. I hardly know the man I'm not gonna say I want you to pledge allegiance who would do that who would ask a man to pledge allegiance under oath. I mean think of it I hardly know the man. It doesn't make sense. No I didn't say that and I didn't say the so if Robert Moeller wanted to speak with you about that I would be glad to tell him exactly the largest deluged him and he seemed to be hinting that there are recordings of those converse I'm not his -- anything I'll tell you battered over very short period of can. OK you have a question. Way to win when we to tell us about the rover fairly short period of time. Are you gonna be very disappointed when you hear the answer to war. Judge you have a question for the president this thank you end up president Johannes. You are no stranger Russian aggression Vladimir Putin recently. Suggested that Romania could be in Russia's cross hairs. Or you. How concerned should the world be about Russian aggression in your region and how concerned should we be here in the United States about what Russia tried to do in our election sort. Everybody's concern but you seem. Being concerned. Should lead you to being prepared its. So I am in my. Very clear there is seem Paul and various rates for work if we talk. About Russia and with Russia. My have been then we need to dialogue. Box. On the other hand we need. What we all together decided the NATO a strong get parents. That this combinations. Strongest errands. And dialogue oak. Should this leads to words. The solution which is feasible. For every part. On the bond does. Hello mister president some humans soon. Emerson the and intricate and they corruption fighting Romania. It is methadone high importance in in our country. But we see you know that the infant anti corruption fight than they're forced to possibly date promotional or sometimes undermine. My somebody. Arthel what we can call on the duke artists warm. He's sort of mini station going to support the and to put up some fight in Romania and hope can we think of. Well we support very strongly Romania. And therefore obviously we do support that fight on anti corruption we will always support that. And we support your president we think he's done and as standing job. Very popular. Very solid. Working very hard we know everything that's going on. And Yahoo! each and he's gonna win that fight he's gonna win that battle but he has our support. And. As a problem. Third the US as the main yup partnership and for the American investor as a tread because we still have corruption in Romania despite these aren't. Anti corruption fight. What you do but I can tell you that there are many American investors right now going to Romania and investing. Fact I was given a charges before a meeting and we have people going over to Romania and investing and they weren't doing that a number of years ago so that shows. Very very big progress and they're really are a lot of congratulations. And still orbit lot of people are investing from our country skiers and people love from Romania. The United States. And they come here a lot and we're very proud of them take you all very much thank you thank you very much. President they're wrapping up his press covers the Romanian president taking questions for the first time on James Cummings testimony and doubling down. And Jon Karl the questions were asked by Jon Karl reported there in the rose starting job in a getting wired up now. For the questions let's go through this right now the president said basically again that he feels vindicated. By teams combing that it shows that there is no collusion no obstruction the call me is a leaker let's talk about that first one more time shall we see the president. Picking the parts of Coleman's testimony that support his case rejecting the winds were basically comb is calling him a liar. Precisely he also cited the fact a column you said that no votes were changed. Literally changed as a result of of Russian hacking other words the voting machines. Weren't violated it also that's what he's keying in on. That fact and the fact that there had been no investigation of the president. When Kobe was director of the FBI so he wants to claim vindication based on those statements by call me but for much else of what Colby said during that remarkable testimony yesterday. The president is calling him a liar. And I thought what was significant here George is that he said that she would be willing to answer questions about that under vote. Including willing to answer questions from the special counsel counsel of Robert Mueller to get his version of what happened in this conversely if. Certainly we'll have to do that the president went farther than the facts in some cases where he said that Coleman's testimony shows no collusion and no obstruction. He wouldn't reach the conclusion about obstruction self but clearly he seemed to have that concern by saying he wanted to special counsel to take that up and calling most he would not comment. On the underlying investigation when its reach any conclusions about collusion but also John on the key question. Of whether there are tapes you press the president very hard right there all he'll say is that you'll see whether or not I have tapes in the very near future and raw going to be disappointed. Yes so life seemed good at first be implying that their words there's always say you'll see in the very near future but when I pressed him on brand new branding whether I was tapes exist. He said we want to disappointed by the answers so did George who now. Who knows and who knows whether we're gonna get an answer right there but the president answering some questions are for the first time on other subjects want to bring back. Our chief global affairs anchor Martha Raddatz Martha want to get back to that first question as asking earlier but some news thereby the president also in his answers to the questions from the Romanian. Reporter asking who asked to present where the he feels that Russia is a threat. To those nations in Eastern Europe and his feelings about that mutual defense pact we have under Nader article five and nearly on the president's trip. Two European refuse to explicitly say he supported article five this time he did. He did he strongly said he was committed to article five. I remember a lots of disparaging comments during the campaign. About NATO and its importance he was truly the only leader on that trip overseas who didn't commit to article fight he did it strongly today. I'm sure at the urging of some on his staff interestingly though the president did not take the opportunity do say that he did believe that Russia was a threat. To those nations that win the remaining prison was asked about two by Jon Karl about where the Russian interference in our election as a concern he said yes this. Yeah I know he really didn't take the bait there. And as you know George she wanted to talk about the mid east and cut tar. And put the blame on cut our for some terrorism and funding terrorism this has been a big problem in the last. Week or so. Because nations have cut off have blockaded. Including Saudi Arabia of the UAE. Have blockaded cut our have cut off the flights have cut off diplomatic relations earlier today Rex Tillerson. I've seen to try to mediate that problem he too called on cut her. But he also called on Saudi Arabia the UAE Bahrain and Egypt to ease the blockade because they're unintended humanitarian consequences. And that the blockade is hindering the US military effort in the region we have eleven. Thousand troops in Qatar this is the central area where we are fighting against prices so if there's any problem with that base or cut our cuts and are. That is a real prop. OK I wanna bring Becker senior justice correspondent Pierre Thomas More on this as well it in answering his questions from Jon Karl appear the president said he would Billy willing to answer questions under oath. About his encounters when James Cummings said he barely knows the man. And then talked a little bit about their means denied those most explosive allegations. From James call me. We know the way Bob mower works he's methodical he's comprehensive. At some point now is probably more likely than ever that he we'll talk to the present the first fueling a lot of ground work. Again he's known for being meticulous asking agents to go out investigate and investigate again and again to get answers. I think there will be pressure under all on Mueller two very soon. Lay out in more detail the parameters of exactly what he's looking at and whether it will in fact include president of the United States. The president said today he's willing to take questions I think we're gonna have to get some answers from special counsel Muller says. James told me yesterday seemed pretty sure that Mueller would take this up. Yes he knows the man he knows typically. The witty FBI works if there are questions that are unanswered they try to go get the answers so but until you hear definitively for Mahler. We won't know but that is the expectations from everyone I talk. Okay Pierre Thomas Jon Karl mark threats thank you all very much present taking this question the first time doubling down on his response to re actually James the only thing. If he feels vindicated by the testimony yesterday that it proves his points. On what he's been saying about rush also attacked mr. Conley calling him a leaker we're gonna have much more tonight about this on world news now we're gonna go back to our regular programming. And I'll see later. This has been a special. From ABC.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.