Priebus avoided clarifying Trump's position on deporting undocumented immigrants, saying Trump would give prepared remarks on the subject soon. | Getty Priebus: 'I don't speak for Donald Trump'

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus on Sunday distanced himself from his party nominee's positions and campaign strategy, declining to answer tough questions about Donald Trump's recent controversies.

But he also said he knows Trump's thinking and heart from frequent conversations.


"I go with the flow based on what the campaign wants to do," Priebus said in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," when host Chuck Todd asked him about Trump's choice of Steve Bannon as his new campaign executive, in light of news reports about an allegation of domestic violence. Bannon was charged with misdemeanor domestic violence, battery and dissuading a witness following an incident in 1996. The case was ultimately dismissed, according to a police report and court documents.

Priebus similarly avoided clarifying Trump's position on deporting undocumented immigrants, saying Trump would give prepared remarks on the subject soon. "I don't speak for Donald Trump," he said.

And asked about whether Trump should support birthright citizenship, Priebus cautioned that even though he personally supports it, "a nominee doesn’t have to adopt every single position and platform position of the Republican Party."

Even so, Priebus said he could vouch for Trump's judgment and compassion.

"I know what he's thinking about a lot of these issues, and this is a good and decent man," Priebus said. Later, he added, "I know where his heart's at."

Priebus did hazard to salvage Trump's tweet that the Friday shooting of basketball start Dwyane Wade's cousin in Chicago would lead African-Americans to vote for him. He said Trump was channeling a frustration that "Democrats, I think, have been taking advantage of this vote and providing very little leadership to get things done in urban areas across America."