Transcript for Trump says he didn’t direct Giuliani to work with Ukraine

There is also breaking news tonight involving president trump. The president just a short time ago in a new interview and what he's now saying about his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani. Here's ABC's chief white house correspondent Jonathan Karl. Reporter: President trump is now suggesting he didn't really know what his personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, was doing in Ukraine. What was Rudy Giuliani doing in Ukraine on your behalf? Well, you have to ask that to Rudy. But Rudy -- I don't even know -- I know he was going to go to Ukraine and I think he canceled the trip. But you know, Rudy has other clients other than me. Reporter: But in the transcript of the president's July 25th phone call with Ukrainian president zelensky, the president repeatedly told the Ukrainian leader to talk to Giuliani, saying, quote, "Mr. Giuliani is a highly respected man, and I would like him to call you. Rudy very much knows what's happening and he is a very capable guy. If you could speak to him, that would be great." And the president's pointman on Ukraine, ambassador Gordon Sandland, testified the president told him to work with Giuliani. I followed the dreshg directions of the president. We worked with Mr. Giuliani because the president directed us to do so. Reporter: But in the interview released today with Bill O'Reilly, the president distanced himself from his personal lawyer. So you didn't direct him to go there on your behalf? No, no, but you have to understand, Rudy is a great corruption fighter. Giuliani is your personal lawyer. Yeah. So you didn't direct him to go to Ukraine to do anything or put any heat on them? No, I didn't direct him, but -- he is a -- he is a warrior. Rudy's a warrior. Rudy went, he possibly saw something, but you have to understand, Rudy has other people that he represents. No, I know. Reporter: Giuliani recently dismissed suggestions that he'd be the fall guy for the president, taking blame for what happened in Ukraine. I've seen things written, like, he's going to throw me under the bus. Right. When they say that, I say, he isn't, but I have insurance. Reporter: Giuliani later said he was being sarcastic. So, let's get right to Jon Karl, live at the white house tonight, and Jon, the president still praising Rudy Giuliani in this interview, but it also appears he's putting some distance between the two of them. Reporter: No doubt about it. Bill O'Reilly repeatedly asked him about this and each time, the president suggested that he just didn't know what Rudy Giuliani was doing in Ukraine. David? Jon Karl, thank you. Next this evening, the

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