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U.S. NEWS Monday 24 June 2019

Trump: 'Surprise' question about Pence led him to hesitate

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE ney general. for cause.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- For his part, Pence glossed The interview was airing lo-
dent Donald Trump says he over the flap Trump's com- cally Sunday as Trump ar-
hesitated to back a possi- ments caused, telling CNN's rived at his golf club in Ster-
ble 2024 presidential run by "State of the Union" on Sun- ling, Virginia, by helicopter
Vice President Mike Pence day that Trump's comment from the Camp David pres-
because he was caught reflected "the fact that the idential retreat in Maryland,
off-guard by the question. only election he and I are where he spent part of the
Given a chance at a do- focused on is 2020." Trump weekend.
over, however, Trump still formally announced his Trump also returned to the
did not endorse his loyal 2020 reelection bid last White House on the heli-
lieutenant. week with Pence at his side. copter instead of by mo-
"You can't put me in that In the NBC interview, Trump torcade, his usual means of
position," Trump said June lashed out at Powell over travel to and from the club.
14 when a host of Fox News past interest rate hikes and White House officials did President Donald Trump, with first lady Melania Trump, and Vice
Channel's "Fox and Friends" denied threatening to de- not respond to requests for President Mike Pence and his wife Karen, speaks from the Tru-
asked him about endors- mote him to the Fed's No. comment on the change man Balcony of the White House during the annual Congres-
ing Pence should the vice 2 job. in the president's mode of sional Picnic on the South Lawn, Friday June 21, 2019, in Wash-
president seek to succeed The Federal Reserve voted travel.q ington.
Trump in 2024. Pence hasn't last week to leave its key in- Associated Press
explicitly said he'll run in terest rate unchanged, but
2024, but is widely expect- the independent agency
ed to. also signaled that it is pre-
Offered a chance to ex- pared to begin cutting
plain, Trump told NBC News rates to protect the U.S.
he hesitated "because it economy from trade con-
was a surprise question." flicts and other threats.
"I'm not even thinking of it. Trump did not answer di-
It's so far out. I mean, It's so rectly last week when he
far out," Trump told "Meet was questioned about
the Press" in a wide-ranging news reports that the White
interview taped Friday and House in February had ex-
broadcast Sunday. "Now plored whether Trump had
what happens in 2024? the authority to demote
I don't know that Mike is Powell. Trump denied to
going to run. I don't know NBC that such a threat has
who's running or anything been issued.
else." "I have the right to do that.
Also in the interview, Trump But I haven't said that," the
criticized Fed chairman Je- president said.
rome Powell and said his Trump has previously ex-
biggest mistake was choos- plored firing Powell, who,
ing Jeff Sessions to be attor- by law, can only be fired