Trump: The Dems are out to get Bernie Sanders, not Russians; Praises Xi Jinping on COVID-19 Response; Comments on Taliban Deal

Feb. 24, 2020 (EIRNS)--Prior to departing for his trip to India Feb. 23, President Trump responded to reporters' questions on several issues, including to standard stupid questions about Russian "interference" in 2020 elections.

He pointedly noted that Bernie Sanders is getting the same treatment now as he did in 2016, when Hillary Clinton and the DNC sabotaged his campaign. Congratulating Sanders on his Nevada win, Trump debunked the report that Sanders is colluding with Russia.

"You know," he said, "the Democrats are treating Bernie Sanders very unfairly. And it sounds to me like a leak" [referring to the Shelby Piersen report of last week claiming that Russians were interfering in 2020 elections], "a leak from Adam Schiff, because they don't want Bernie Sanders to represent them. It sounds like it's 2016 all over again for Bernie Sanders." It looks as though Bernie will be the Democratic candidate, the President said, "unless they cheat him out of it."

On the Roger Stone case, he pointed to the biased forewoman, who "somehow wheedled her way onto the jury.... And I could say plenty more about the whole situation, but I'll hold it." He also questioned why Judge Amy Berman Jackson wouldn't rule on the case of the tainted forewoman first, and instead went right to sentencing Stone. "In theory, you should rule on that and then you see what happens."

When one reporter wanted to know whether President Xi Jinping should be

"doing something different" on the coronavirus response, Trump replied that "Xi is working very, very hard. I spoke to him. He's working very hard. I think he's doing a very good job. It's a big problem. But President Xi loves his country. He's working very hard to solve the problem and he will solve the problem. Okay?" The novel coronavirus, he added, is "big--it's a big situation going on throughout the world."

As for the possibility of a Taliban deal in Afghanistan, and whether they can be trusted to keep their word, Trump explained that the U.S. has been there for 19 years.

"We're like a law enforcement force. We think they want to make a deal, "and we want to make a deal. I think it's going to work out; we'll see." The current violence-reduction agreement seems to be holding so far, he said, but added that he wants to see how things work out. Asked if he'd put his name to a deal, he replied: "Yeah, assuming it works out over the next less than a week. I would put my name on it. Sure, it's time to come home. And they want to stop."