Trump Camp Claims It Was Tricked By Larry King Into Russian TV Interview

Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Oh, Larry King, you trickster you.

The Donald Trump campaign is scrambling to explain how the GOP nominee ended up on Russia-backed TV Thursday night, and they’re trying to get Larry King to take the fall.

A Trump spokeswoman told Bloomberg News’ Kevin Cirilli that the Republican nominee agreed to a phone interview for King’s podcast, and that he was unaware the interview would appear on Russian Television.

Trump spokesman Jason Miller gave a similar explanation that Trump thought the interview was for a podcast to CNN.

“Mr. Trump was never told it would be shared anywhere else,” Miller said.

Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway echoed Miller during a Friday morning interview on CNN.

“A former CNN superstar, Larry King, has a podcast, and Mr. Trump went on his podcast. Nobody said it would be on Russian TV,” Conway said on CNN’s “New Day.”

The RT appearance comes after Trump has showered Russian President Vladimir Putin with praise throughout the election. During the phone interview, King asked Trump about reports that American officials are looking into whether Russia is trying to influence U.S. elections.

“I think it’s probably unlikely. Maybe the Democrats are putting that out — who knows,” Trump replied. “If they are doing something, I hope that somebody’s going to be able to find out so they can end it. Because that would not be appropriate at all.”

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. Putin: What is the difference whether it’s RT or Trump-TV?

  2. That is some seriously bad Campaign Management, if true…

  3. HO claims to be a brilliant negotiator, yet he is tricked by a walking, talking corpse?

  4. If you can so easily be tricked by Larry King should you be running for potus? Of course the media is going to accept this excuse as trump continue to give you the middle finger and yet they keep asking for more

  5. Ooh, calling Larry King dishonest. That’s gonna play well with the masses.
    I can’t wait for LK’s response.

    … it occurs to me that Trump’s staff may not know what RT is. Perhaps King DID say, but they didn’t understand.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

207 more replies

Participants

Avatar for innerchild Avatar for ajaykalra Avatar for jcs Avatar for srfromgr Avatar for littlegirlblue Avatar for marby Avatar for mikem42 Avatar for steviedee111 Avatar for bradbennett Avatar for inversion Avatar for mantan Avatar for buckyor Avatar for tao Avatar for barblzz Avatar for tena Avatar for antisachetdethe Avatar for vladomatic Avatar for rurritable Avatar for pmaroneyb Avatar for ncgirl741 Avatar for oceanica Avatar for maximus Avatar for overthefall96 Avatar for Pazuzu

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: