Transcript for Trump cancels press conference at G20 as Michael Cohen asks for leniency

Mean time, president trump returned to Washington from the g20 summit earlier this morning after postponing a news conference out of respect for the bush family. Before leaving Argentina, the president reaching a deal with China's leader to hold off on new tariffs set for January. Jon Karl is in buenos aires where the summit wrapped up. Good morning, Jon. Reporter: Good morning. There are no details on what the Chinese have promised to do. It does appear that the two leaders have reached an understanding. On the brink of an all-out trade war, president trump and Chinese president XI reached a truce in their escalating fight over tariffs. The relationship is very special, the relationship that I have with president XI. And I think that is going to be a very primary reason why we'll probably end up ending up getting something that will be good for China and good for the United States. Reporter: The white house called the dinner an amazing and productive meeting. As trump agreed to hold off on tough new tariffs and China made an unspecified promise to buy more American goods. The death of president George H.W. Bush hanging over it all. Trump announcing at the dinner that he'll be sending his presidential plane to bring bush's casket to Washington. We'll be sending air force one. It's a special tribute he deserves very much. It's my honor. Reporter: Shortly after word of bush's death, the president abruptly called off his press conference. I was looking forward to having a press conference prior to leaving Argentina. Because we have had such great success. We'll wait until after the funeral. President says the decision was made out of respect for the bush family. A gesture that follows more than two years of relentless attacks. But calling off the press conference also allowed the president to avoid questions about his former personal lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, who we learned this week has spent 70 hours sharing information with special counsel Robert Mueller. Mr. Cohen, how are you feeling? Reporter: Considering his cooperation, Cohen late Friday asked a federal judge to spare him prison time for his crimes, which include campaign finance violations and lying to congress. With government funding running out this week, the pdent had been threatening a shutdown if he doesn't get money for his border wall with Mexico. But speaking to reporters overnight aboard air force one, the president said he is open to a two-week extension to government funding, a temporary extension that would avert a shutdown fight while Washington is recommending and celebrating the life of George H.W. Bush. Dan? Let's bring in chief anchor George Stephanopoulos. Who will be hosting "This week" later this morning. George, good morning. Good morning. It's interesting to hear the current president trump speak in glowing terms about George H.W. Bush. He seems to be taking a different tack here. And etch though he had a prickly relationship with the bush family. He also had a prickly relationship with the McCain family and was not so glowing when the former senator, John McCain, died. There's a change here. He wasn't invited to John McCain's funeral. He has been invited to the funeral of George H.W. Bush. You can say the president learned a bit from that experience. That was not good for him. You're exactly right. He's not had a good relationship with the bush family, particularly George W. And Jeb Bush. George H.W. Bush told his biographer he just doesn't like president trump. He said that back in 2016. But, I think this was an important moment. I remember around the inauguration, Jon Karl and I were discussing the fact that George H.W. Bush didn't vote for president trump. I guess president trump was watching that morning. He called both of us up right after that and said, but wait a second. I want to read you a letter that George H.W. Bush wrote me right after the election wishing him luck. Wishing him the best as president. I think that had an effect on president trump and it's clearly -- you know, in keeping with everything we know about George H.W. Bush, a lifetime letter-writer. A gracious man. Left a famous letter in the oval office for Bill Clinton. Who had just defeated him in the presidential election. On the show this morning, you're covering Russia. You'll talk to Roger stone. Adam Schiff. There have been a lot of developments of late. Including the plea deal with Michael Cohen. The former attorney for the president. Is there a sense that we're nearing or may be in the end game here? It feels like it. Robert Mueller has gotten the written answers from president trump. Didn't announce the plea deal with Michael Cohen until after that. It appears he is targeting one of our guests this morning, Roger stone. Who appears to be in line for an indictment as well. Over his possible connection to wikileaks. And what he said about it to congress. We also know there are several dozen sealed indictments in federal district court in Washington, D.C., right now. 14 filed between labor day and election day alone. We don't know that all are filed in connection with Robert Mueller. But it's an unusual number. It appears that Robert Mueller is getting closer to president trump. He has talked to all the major players. The exact timing, we don't know. Will we see the results before the end of the year? Will he wait until the new congress comes in? Those questions are still open. He's been intensely working in the last several days and weeks and I think we are at least at the beginning of the end game. Do we have a sense of how this is going over inside the white house and in the mind of the president? All you have to do is read the president's Twitter feed. He's been relatively quiet since the death of George H.W. Bush. But before that, all during this week, as we learned about Paul manafort's busted plea deal, as we learned about Michael Cohen's plea deal, we saw constant tweets from the president attacking Robert Mueller. The most intense yet. Calling it a witch hunt again and again and again. He's very transparent when it comes to the Mueller investigation. In some ways, it's worked. Driving down the poll numbers for Robert Mueller. As we have discussed before, I don't think Robert Mueller cares so much about his poll numbers. He's going to let his indictments, the reports, speak for itself. George, always great to see you. He has a big show this morning. A deep dive into the life of the former president, George H.W. Bush. He'll speak with James baker and Colin Powell. Both of whom served bush Sr. And the latest on the Russia probe. With Adam Schiff and longtime trump associate Roger stone. George, thank you again. Now to Alaska, facing a massive cleanup effort from the

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