Transcript for President defends daughter Ivanka Trump in personal email flap

the president's daughter, ivanka, who, it turns out, but using private e-mail for her work in her father's administration. Here's ABC's chief white house correspondent Jonathan Karl. Reporter: Tonight, president trump is defending his daughter, under fire for using her personal e-mail to conduct government business. During the campaign, the president made Hillary Clinton's use of private e-mail a central issue. I think she's pathetic. I think she should be a jail for what she did with her e-mails. Okay? Reporter: Now we are seeing e-mails Ivanka Trump sent white house aides and government officials, including cabinet secretaries from her personal account, using her married name, ivanka Kushner. In one e-mail, obtained by a liberal group through the freedom of information act, she writes "For future reference" and gives her government e-mail. Her lawyer issued a statement saying, "While transitioning into government, Ms. Trump sometimes used her private account, almost always for logistics and scheduling concerning her family." The president today says there's no comparison between Hillary Clinton's actions and his daughter's. Early on and for a little period of time, ivanka did some e-mails. They weren't classified like Hillary Clinton. They weren't deleted. It's all in the presidential records. Everything is there. Jon Karl live at the white house tonight, as well. The president there defending his daughter and her use of private e-mail, but tonight, Jon, as you know, "The New York Times" is breaking a story that president trump once wanted the justice department to prosecute his former opponent, Hillary Clinton, and James Comey, too, but he was advised not to? Reporter: "The New York Times" that white house counsel don mcgahn rebuffed the president's request and mcgahn had the white house legal team draft a memo, saying if the president ordered the prosecution of his political opponents, he could face a range of consequences, including impeachment. David, there is no comment from the white house tonight on this story, and don mcgahn's attorney said simply that he would not comment on what legal advice he off ored the president. All right, our chief white house correspondent Jonathan Karl.

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