Transcript for Trump holds impromptu press conference with Senate majority leader

Hi there are welcome to the reeking of after for an extraordinary. Forty million. Lost its force from president the a whole three pitches including the point one election we might blunt force them. It was an apology affronts that we're ready yet to along with John probably my colleague in the political unit they're resisting congressional correspondent. Will be joined intermittently Martinez over the Pentagon and John coral over the White House while Clinton and Harry. What just tap. Happened out there. And it romped to freeze for all I mean it was a very last minute lead announcement the president is gonna come out speak side by side with with leader McConnell after this. Lunch that. Let's pianist is probably a little tense given the way that their relationship has been going recently and then everything but all the present he talks. Goes on and on and on I think now we are just doing a Mac he's talked to can't receiver more than an hour. This is not I have to tell you how things operate abroad it is that at half avenue on the real leader McConnell usually talks to us it's one president Louis he digs. Three Macs more questions than it out of there. This was you know what Donald Trump loves most he really three wielding press conference the fresh coating reaching over each other sort of clamoring to get questioned the borders their back got to three getting just got Carlton the end got to get many responses but. It's the way that this presidency or hammer and lakes to engage with the press in this sort of. Freewheeling prop. He seemed to be habitable let me delete any I'm surprised. Yeah by the column there at the and he wanted to come back maybe one last question is can't resist it seems to me a lot of this is just telegraphing though this is a reset. They're getting serious about policy that real questions about who he's gonna side with him as the Republican civil importance in my mind that powerful image of him that's Mitch McConnell a lot or that. It does it definitely does. We're gonna we're gonna we're gonna we're gonna go over to Jon Karl right now over the over the White House and John. It's good to get your questions and what was good what the president Gary it would happen but it wasn't just as a whole interview today. It's only about 45 questions today hey Rick I gotta tell you this was. How many times we have to say it is something we've just never seen before it went up. So AAA meeting between the president and the majority leader. A launch meeting right after the president basically came out and came close to endorsing. What his former top strategist called a war on Mitch McConnell the Republican establishment police said he fully understands why Steve Bennett is doing what he's doing. There they had a large. And you know help help this joint press conference here it's really it it's really incredibly extraordinary we have entered a new era here at the White House. And who knows eras the White House handle last about 48 hours or so these days. But we ventured. A new era where this president he's constantly taking questions I mean I can tell you. That I have personally been able to put more questions to the president over the past. Week. The and I did during probably. The entire last four years of the Obama administration covering on. Covering the Obama White House a relentless technically significant. It's such. Since Saddam I want to ask you about the the but the president said rightly what he comes out because I've never been closer with mr. Arnold out. You could check the video they were really close ever very close that rhetoric rhetoric yet very close. Is it true that they really is that we're just we're just read the wrong stories that they're actually restaurants. No not quite polite. Nobody even if you if you heard him while McConnell was there army when he went in the riff about how he doesn't care about receiving money from some pharmaceutical companies. The be the implication being those that do were basically on the taken doing what the drug companies want any. They shot receive it you know what pitch maybe you do in constant. Does that mean he has. But but I thought that actually moreover. Revealing was what he said before he came out here Whitman Mitch McConnell during the cabinet meeting. In the cabinet room just before he waited to launch would McConnell. Where I asked him directly if he was okay with with Steve candid campaigning against Republicans running for re election. And for declaring this war against Mitch McConnell. And that he did not say. No one we didn't he didn't quite endorsed it didn't quite. Explicitly give a green light. But he went on at length about how he understands that being his frustration called band and a friend of his and he said Bain and is very committed to getting things passed. And and then you heard Mitch McConnell asked that very similar question what he thinks about Steve Bannon who of course just over the weekend compared him to Julius Caesar asking who's gonna mergers Brutus to take him down. And I got a lot of very pretty not so subtle message for being in and saying he's looking for winners that they need candidates that can appeal. To a broad swath of voters not just those who may necessarily you know states Steve Dan and little checklist there. But John I'm curious you know and so much of today was about sort of a reset right the president Mitch McConnell putting their differences aside trying to come together. And chart a path forward and then as you mentioned the president is going off talking about a lot of things awarding Madonna. The very lengthy to do list for congress he's mentioning pharmaceuticals welfare reform. Where does this go from here in terms of the White House trying to hone some of this messaging. Well we haven't improvisation or president. Who is very much making calls went by the minute. Without a long deliberative process I mean before. We get to exit to that long to do list of the things he added today just considered this event here I can tell you that when the president. During his cabinet meeting. Said that he would be coming out to the steps. We've McConnell after day after they had launch nobody in the White House Press Office had any idea of exactly what he was talking about there was no there was no. Previous plan to have this in fact. We had received guidance from. Though though the at the majority leader's office that they were unlikely to speak after after this and and and then the question of where are the steps what are you mean by the steps Walt hunter looked behind me there are steps back here that's like. What went you know we don't usually have like press of males in the rose garden and is usually a very well you know planned in choreographed event. The be that the White House operations people. You know frantically after the president said this came out here to set up. The little you know very small little set up we have here some risers for the camera the ropes in the and the podium this was not plan. All so when the president stands behind it next to Mitch McConnell and he says we're gonna do you know an economic stimulus bill. You know he's that I I've even told Mitch about yet which is right. I mean it's like. It's it's really not decades since it it's the way he operates now whether or not he's actually didn't get any points on the board in terms of getting bills passed. Operating outweighs Miller question he was quite candidly that they haven't succeeded in in and adding more. To the latest hearted known him in exactly be the way to get get a pass and if it. He asked its attorney expectancy are so obvious Sanders re this is supposed to around this time we've received word of the White House's cancel the project is just don't talk to commit jointly questions left and Leonid if everyone got somebody that this opening round. There today. Can take that kind of sit one more thing wreck on. So this that that that the questions he answered here. The questions that he answered in the cabinet room. Considerably longer than many of the Sean Spicer briefings side that we had so he's he's taking more questions than his previous press secretary of and it's really. It's really something else. It was longer but I do have a wanna hit job before we let you go back to this question of the agenda and in the area I want your take on this as well because. He seems like he's overloading the circuits right now the bits of the budget this week. Maybe they get that sounds like they're a good shot that they did that gets him toward taxes he wants free health care back he's the welfare reformers came out of nowhere is talking now about. Stimulus a married person and John what where we're what's the title and look like this doesn't exit of weeks left in the year. They're probably end up we laughed at it you're at I think is the Morton piles on the harder it is to get this done and all these things are also inner connected you know you hear him talking about tax reform still optimistic. The leader saying that they can get this done this year but of course mentioning. Well it took his predecessor a long time sort of leaving himself some wiggle room there but all of these things are linked together and can become. Even more messy look cute needs not just tax reform of course. Now you have health reform back on the front burner after the president's executive actions last week you also protections for dreamers the need to be passed they also have those. Big ticket items of you know needing to fund the government keeping the debt ceiling open. That sets the stage for some very brutal fights that could be coming early in the next few so called it think it's McConnell want it to you about the laundry list. And you know I think McConnell. Is a very cautious and methodical. A politician. They're probably no two people. Off on this in the same party that are quite as different as Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump so. It was quite actually to watch the that the body language there but let's don't forget the wrong action the president has asked for a wells the dreamers. I'm getting kicked out of the Rose Garden guys I mean what we don't usually get the hang out here. Catherine hicks would deal with a White House Press Office been very patient when it's ominous say goodbye thank god shall see you soon. I some going to be interview the president again about ten minutes we'll catch up but here again Bennett. Politically really get the Louis Martinez over at the Pentagon what second jumper over I want I want your take here because. Other another another headline out of this was around judge Roy Moore asked about that. The president supports it that it be meeting next week not a full throated endorsement but you when you have been Mitch McConnell come forward and talk about what kind of candidate that should be run include Wentworth on Alice. It was patsy me here McConnell go through that list of individual candidates back in previous cycles in O'Donnell. Tadic and as these examples of of candidates that just he in his mind aren't electable. And it would seem if you go back to lot of Roy Morris in a statement that his new stratosphere some theory controversial figure you know well known. An Alabama and all be very curious to see after the presents it is going to be with took more over the next couple weeks. Be very curious to see what comes out of that meeting I mean that there's some speculation that national Democrats think that's now winnable seat and you're reported today that some national Republican groups the chamber commerce among the chamber of commerce is there they're not gonna spend any money in Alabama there there. Very conscientious. Morse past statements and what not can actually went in general or whether or not dispute performance I'll side and sent. In some of those questioned thought the president write more if part of the concern here is his positions many controversial positions. That's a question for all Republicans apparently Hillis well of course remember the context here every slightly at lunch today with a little bit awkward and everything because Mitch McConnell urged of course the president to back Luther strange event boss. I want to get over Louis Martinez at the Pentagon another headline here the president asked his reaction to vote or don't no comment today but it would post its just its back on the campaign. That but figured into this plea created and to what bull or doll is saying here Louis what's what what what insights you have on this and in how unusual was to have this candidate for president. Calling bowl or doll a trader. And really caught it and conference execution. Yeah those kind of pretty extraordinary act and act regular brought up as part of the pretrial hearings. The defense team bringing up saying that the Bober could not get a fair trial based on those comments were talking about command influences that candidate eventually became the president United States. But the government's push back on that notion and ultimately they won in so they. The defense team had wanted the case dismissed based on president charmed comments that when he was a candidate and that didn't happen. So what we did see today though it is big news there in that case in that over now you're seeing there. In this interview from last year that he pled guilty to the charge of desertion. Now it's gonna happen is that next week they're going to be a whole new phase for the sentencing how much time is he gonna get is gonna get any time. Essentially we're gonna hear from a whole bunch of witnesses involved in the case and the presiding judge. Is going to determine whether Bober doll is going to face any prison time warp. The charges desertion and a misconduct before yen means and that he had been guilty plea today. And it can I just weigh in please I I've been sitting here. And just marveling at your comments and watching Jon and watching this briefing. This impromptu briefing think places well in it was extraordinary. To watch on it to you from here is well. To hear the indiscernible. The question being asked by the entire press corps I just don't recall anything like that. And you know I don't see that here depending but I'm clear that you guys like you were saying haven't seen that there is to stick Strider in another thing. I was waiting here waiting for did you know the briefing Sarah standard greeting to take place. Palestine is a folder and then all of a sudden the root everybody just got up and left. And a look at her out of Elizabeth my talent here and where did everybody go in and then we figured out how they got into that are those guys. So it's just meaning it is John Crowley started about just this whole improvisation only thing going on. Alienated allies really as we are singularly that it went on a few minutes later a woman had a great to go get dinner something. The government. The length everything about it is that this is what you picture press conference like it would be or Clinton and president at a satellite survival of the fittest really anywhere ever talked about it however. I kept going on the line is that in that's the first thing got the question in just pretty remarkable life. Pretty amazing all right Lou Martinez over the Pentagon keep an eye out for us on the over Al Soria much else that you Lily thanks. So some guys as we bring this in for a landing. What what did we learn today I feel like Scotland lot about the president's silent about what's on his mind right now I think we will everything's out of mind right now. Spoke with mirrors that for about an hour but the coach Johnny what's that what's your take away. I can't I'm just kind of fascinated by by how Mitch McConnell uses row this I mean you can tell he's. Very cautious about when he appears for the present but you know that yet he knows that he has to work with this president no matter. How you know difficult trip may make his life sometimes this is that this is as realities I think it's fascinating to see. McConnell always very tight lipped about a strategy and and where he's looking but you know something. Pat yeah. Not really the way he rolls yeah. Not currently operates an atlas and the lesson is that the rules out the window. Anything we thought even after last administration that way that the press interaction operates with the president. And look at that I will say on one of their point. You heard both the president Mitch McConnell coming out NC Wilmington progress and get these things done but really she went a lot of these things. Whether it's tax reform or health care is not the Democrats necessary but. Differences within the Republican Party the president as accountants it there on the same page but. There's still a lot of indeed very long probably daunting to do with the president is now punted to congress on these issues taxable as the one that Republicans on the hill will say. Is Stuart after they had got to finally get his. I think we we overuse that the term can it kind of a silly there's no game on that spiral right there. This though is a easy new strategic tack this has to be Donald Trump wants to make a deal. He is standing next to think guided holds the keys to his policy agenda over the United States and it and he still real politics for the moment. Citing very publicly with Mitch McConnell just two days after steep and a declares open war there on the Republican Party calls for his ouster quoted the presidential in the Rose Garden next to answer questions about all matters of the agenda. It is Mitch McConnell that as a signal to his allies on Capitol Hill signaled to his face as well. They are now engage any policy fight. God forbid policy and that's where president imagine that your president as has mine right now. All right guys that does it for this rather extraordinary vision. I'm pretty room. Please download the ABC news is that they'll be back what you the next time thank you John Robert. Aaron Bruce and Martinez the Pentagon dunk brought the White House pets attacks on.

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