>>> TO HAVE PEOPLE THERE THAT ARE LEAKING INFORMATION, THAT
ARE TALKING TO EACH OF YOU TO TRY TO HAVE THEIR PUBLIC POLICY
IMPLEMENTED BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING YOU TO ARGUE ON THEIR
BEHALF AND WE KNOW IT'S HAPPENING, THESE PEOPLE SHOULD
BE FIRED. THEY SHOULD BE OUT OF
GOVERNMENT, THEY'RE DISLOYAL TO OUR GOVERNMENT AND I HOPE THAT'S
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. >> THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE
FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE IS SOUNDING OFF ON GOVERNMENT LEAKS
BASED ON THIS NEXT STORY. "THE WASHINGTON POST" HAS ON IT
AND AND PRINTED THE TRANSCRIPTS OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S PHONE CALLS
WITH AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER MALCOLM TURNBULL AND MEXICAN
PRESIDENT ENRIQUE PENA NIETO. PRESIDENT TRUMP PUSHED HIS
PROMISE OF A BORDER WALL SAYING IT PUT BOTH MAN IN A, QUOTE,
POLITICAL BIND, HE URGED HIM TO DROP HIS PUBLIC RESISTANCE AND
INSTEAD SAY THAT THE TWO LEADERS WILL, QUOTE, WORK IT OUT.
HE ADDED IF YOU'RE GOING TO SAY MEXICO IS NOT GOING TO PAY FOR
THE WALL, THEN I DO NOT WANT TO MEET WITH YOU GUYS ANYMORE
BECAUSE I CANNOT LIVE WITH THAT. THE PRESIDENT ALSO SAID THIS IS
THE LEASTEAST IMPORTANT THING T TALK ABOUT BUT POLITICALLY IT
MIGHT BE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO TALK ABOUT.
AND YOU MIGHT RECALL THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID THAT HIS
CALL WITH THE AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER WAS FAKE NEWS AND THAT
THE MEDIA LIED. HE SAID "I'VE HAD IT, I'VE BEEN
MAKING CALLS ALL DAY, THIS WAS THE MOST UNPLEASANT CALL ALL
DAY, PUTIN WAS A PLEASANT CALL." >> I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
THE PRESIDENT WAS UNDERMINING THE TRUTH ANDS THAT KIND OF SORT
OF HIS THING THAT HE DOES, WHICH IS TO UNDERMINE THE TRUTH.
>> WHEN HE WAS REFERRING TO THE WALL, HE SAID THIS IS REALLY NOT
AN IMPORTANT THIS EVENING BUT POLITICALLY IT'S THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING BECAUSE HE KNOWS EXACTLY.
>> HE'S NOT BUILDING A WALL. BEFORE WE GO TO A REPORTER, VERY
INTERESTING YESTERDAY, YOU HAD PEOPLE LIKE JOHN FEDORWIZ,
SAYING I LOVE THIS LIKE EATING A SUNDAE BUT IT SHOULD NEVER
HAPPEN. I HEARD THIS FROM THE OBAMA
PEOPLE WHO SAID THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS, I CAN'T IMAGINE, I'D
BE GOING CRAZY. >> FIRST SIX MONTHS AS
PRESIDENT. >> I WOULD BE GOING CRAZY IF
SOMEBODY WERE LACKING TRANSCRIPTS OF PRESIDENT OBAMA'S
CALLS WITH FOREIGN LEADERS, HOW DANGEROUS IS THAT?
>> DAVID AXELROD SAID THE SAME THING.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE BIPARTISAN CALLS FOR -- IT'S
GOING TO COME DOWN TO THEY'RE WORRIED OTHER LEAKS COULD
UNDERMINE THE MUELLER INVESTIGATION.
IF YOU LOOKIN SIDE THE WHITE HOUSE, KELLEY HAS MOVED IN,
McMASTER HAS TALKED ABOUT THIS, THE LEAKS INSIDE THE WHITE
HOUSE. THERE HAS TO BE A LOCK DOWN
BECAUSE IT AFFECTS FOREIGN POLICY.
PART OF IT IS PROMPTED BY TWO THINGS, THE CHAOS INSIDE THE
WHITE HOUSE BUT WHEN TRUMP GOES OUT PUBLICLY AND BASHES THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY AND THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY, THAT
INCITES THIS. >> AND WHEN HE LIES ABOUT
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS, SOMEBODY INSIDE THE
GOVERNMENT MAY SAY, WAIT A SECOND, THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED
AT ALL, HE IS LYING TO 300 MILLION AMERICAN PEOPLE AND ALSO
TO THE WORLD AND THERE ARE -- YOU KNOW, THE MORE HE LIES ABOUT
WHAT'S GOING ON, THE MORE WHISTLEBLOWERS ARE GOING TO FEEL
THE NEED, GENE. >> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
THERE ARE WAYS TO ISSUE STATEMENTS ABOUT CONVERSATIONS
LIKE THAT THAT ARE NOT LIES, BUT THAT AREN'T FLAT-OUT LIES.
AND HE JUST TOLD FLAT-OUT LIES ABOUT WHAT WAS SAID OR NOT SAID.
>> YOU HAVE TO WONDER. >> IN ALL MY YEARS IN
JOURNALISM, I DON'T THINK I'VE
EVER SEEN THIS. I DON'T THINK I'VE SEEN PRIVATE
CONVERSATIONS BY THE PRESIDENT AND OTHER WORLD LEADERS LEAKED
IN THEIR FULLNESS. >> AND, WILLIE, WE CONSERVATIVES
AND I PUT MYSELF AT THE TOP OF THE LIST, I WAS ENRAGED IN 2006
PRINTED THE LOCATION OF BLACK SITES FROM ACROSS EUROPE FROM
ALLIES THAT HAD MADE A REALLY TOUGH POLITICAL DECISION TO HELP
THE UNITED STATES IN WHAT WE CALL THE WAR AGAINST TERROR.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS SO RECKLESS. WHO IS GOING TO HELP US NOW IN
THE FUTURE? THIS TAKES IT TO AN EVEN HIGHER
LEVEL, WHERE NOW IF YOU'RE A FOREIGN LEADER, YOU CAN'T EVEN
CALL THE WHITE HOUSE WITHOUT BEING AFRAID THAT EVERY WORD YOU
SAY IS GOING TO SPILL OUT IN THE FRONT PAGES OF THE PAPER IN YOUR
HOME COUNTRY. >> WELL, THE TRANSCRIPTS DON'T
MAKE DONALD TRUMP LOOK GOOD BUT THEY ALSO DON'T MAKE THE
PRESIDENTS OF MEXICO AND THE PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA LOOK
GREAT EITHER. THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT I HAVE TO
SAY THIS PUBLICLY BECAUSE THIS IS HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES.
IF THE FOREIGN LEADER DOESN'T HAVE THE CONFIDENCE OF WHAT HE'S
DISCUSSING WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, THEY'RE JUST
NOT GOING TO TALK TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
BECAUSE IT HURTS THEM AT HOME. LET'S GO RIGHT TO THE REPORTER
WHO BROKE THE STORY, WHO GOT SOME OF THE TRANSCRIPTS OF
PRESIDENT TRUMP'S PHONE CALLS, NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT
FOR "THE WASHINGTON POST" GREG MILLER.
GREG, GOOD MORNING. ALWAYS GOOD TO TALK TO YOU.
I SUSPECT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO REVEAL YOUR SOURCES TO US ON
NATIONAL TELEVISION BUT CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW
THESE TRANSCRIPTS FELL INTO YOUR HANDS?
>> YEAH, NOT SO MUCH. >> DONALD TRUMP CALLED YOU AND
SAID I GOT SOME TRANSCRIPTS. >> STRANGER THINGS HAVE
HAPPENED. >> I THINK GENE IS RIGHT AND YOU
GUYS ARE ALL RIGHT THAT THIS IS EXTRAORDINARY AND WE RECOGNIZE
THAT WHEN WE OBTAINED THESE TRANSCRIPTS.
THIS ISN'T THE KIND OF THING WE'RE ACCUSTOMED TO SEEING.
BUT THESE ARE EXTRAORDINARY CONVERSATIONS THAT A PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES IS HAVING. THESE ARE CONVERSATIONS IN WHICH
HE'S REFERRING TO ONE OF THE STATES HE GOVERNS, NEW
HAMPSHIRE, AS A DRUG-INFESTED DEN AND THAT IS WHY HE WON THAT
STATE, SUBJECTING A VERY, VERY CLOSE ALLY, A COUNTRY THAT HAS
FOUGHT ALONGSIDE THE UNITED STATES FOR A CENTURY IN EVERY
CONFLICT TO A STREAM OF INVECTIVE ABUSE REALLY.
SO THESE ARE EXTRAORDINARY CONVERSATIONS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF A PRIOR PRESIDENT
HAD TREATED AN ALLY OR A LEADER OF A CLOSE NEIGHBOR THIS WAY.
PERHAPS WE WE WOULD HAVE SEEN TRANSCRIPTS LIKE THAT IN THOSE
CASES. >> QUESTION ABOUT YOUR SOURCE.
WERE YOU SURPRISED TO GET THESE TRANSCRIPTS?
HOW HARD WAS IT TO GET THESE TRANSCRIPTS?
ARE YOU CONCERNED THAT YOU'RE BEING PLAYED?
>> I'LL ANSWER THE LAST QUESTION.
OF COURSE WE'RE MINDFUL OF THAT. WE'RE VERY MINDFUL OF THE
ENVIRONMENT RIGHT NOW IN WASHINGTON, THE HOSTILITY
TOWARDS NEWS ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OURS.
I MEAN, THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF HAS DESCRIBED JOURNALISM AS AN
ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE, AND SO OF COURSE WE ARE VERY MINDFUL OF
THE RISKS OUT THERE AND TAKE EXTRAORDINARY PRECAUTIONS AND DO
A LOT OF CHECKING AND EVALUATION OF ANY MATERIAL WE GET.
THIS IS AN UNUSUAL MOMENT IN OUR COUNTRY'S HISTORY, AN UNUSUAL
MOMENT IN JOURNALISM. >> IT'S SO UNUSUAL THAT YOU HAVE
TO WONDER. >> WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT.
LET'S GET GREG OFF AND THEN WE CAN SPECULATE.
DO YOU WANT TO SPECULATE IF DONALD TRUMP OVEROVER THERE AND
HANDED IT TO HIM. I DIDN'T HEAR ANYBODY CRITICIZE
"THE WASHINGTON POST" YESTERDAY FOR MAKING THIS DECISION, THESE
WOULD HAVE GOTTEN OUT ANYWAY. THAT BEING SAID, I'M SURE YOU
ALL FELT A HEAVY BURDEN IN MAKING THE DECISION TO RELEASE
IT. CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN FOR OUR
VIEWERS THE PROCESS THAT YOU AND YOUR EDITORS WENT THROUGH BEFORE
DECIDING TO RELEASE THESE EXTRAORDINARY DOCUMENTS?
>> WELL, SURE. I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE
ABSOLUTELY WENT TO THE WHITE HOUSE BEFORE PUBLISHING ANY OF
THIS MATERIAL. WE TOLD THEM WHAT OUR INTENTION
WAS, WE TOLD THEM WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS SIGNIFICANT IN THESE
TRANSCRIPTS AND WHAT WE INTENDED TO EMPHASIZE IN OUR COVERAGE.
AND WE HAVE SOME COMMENT IN THE STORY FROM OFFICIALS FAMILIAR
WITH THESE CONVERSATIONS DEFENDING THE PRESIDENT'S
HANDLING OF THESE CALLS. THERE WAS NO REQUEST, THERE WAS
NO REQUEST AT ANY POINT IN THESE DISCUSSIONS FOR US TO WITHHOLD
ANY OF THIS INFORMATION. AND I SHOULD EMPHASIZE THAT THAT
HAPPENS FROM TIME TO TIME. CLINTON WILL KNOW.
WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS FREQUENTLY WITH THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT ABOUT PROGRAMS -- COVERT PROGRAMS AND THINGS LIKE
THAT. THE GOVERNMENT DOESN'T ALWAYS
PREVAIL WHEN IT COMES TO OUR NEWS ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHERS --
>> BUT YOU'RE SAYING THE GOVERNMENT DIDN'T EVEN ASK YOU
TO WITHHOLD THESE? >> DIDN'T EVEN ASK.
>> IN MY TIME AT THE "WASHINGTON POST," I CAN THINK OF PROBABLY
IF I SAT HERE FOR A WHILE DOZENS OF INSTANCES WHERE WE CAME
ACROSS SENSITIVE INFORMATION, WENT TO U.S. OFFICIALS
BEFOREHAND AND HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT COULD BE PUBLIC, WHAT
COULDN'T BE PUBLIC, WHAT SHOULDN'T BE PUBLISHED.
THERE IS MUCH THAT HAS BEEN WITHHELD OVER THE YEARS FOR
NATIONAL SECURITY REASONS. IT IS -- BUT EVERYTHING'S
EXTRAORDINARY THESE DAYS. IT'S EXTRAORDINARY THEY DIDN'T
ASK. >> THEY DIDN'T EVEN ASK.
THAT IS EXTRAORDINARY. "THE WASHINGTON POST"'S BRAD
MILLER, THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.
SO, DONNIE, HERE'S THE OPERATING THEORY THAT WE HEARD PEOPLE TALK
ABOUT LAST NIGHT AND THAT -- >> SOME MIGHT SAY --
>> SOME MIGHT SAY YOU HAVE THIS EXTRAORDINARY LEAK DAMAGING
SUPPOSEDLY TO THE WHITE HOUSE AND DAMAGING TO THE ALLIES --
>> BUT REALLY IS DAMAGING TO THE PRESS --
>> BECAUSE EVERYBODY CAME OUT YESTERDAY GOING THIS IS A SHOCK,
YOU SAW IT ON TV, SUDDENLY PEOPLE LAST NIGHT STARTED SAYING
WAIT A SECOND, DID THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DO A NUNEZ WHERE
NUNEZ ANNOUNCES I'VE GOT THIS INFORMATION, I'M GOING TO THE
WHITE HOUSE, HE CAME OUT AND SAID "I'VE GOT THIS
INFORMATION." IT STARTING TO SMELL A LITTLE
BIT HERE. ESPECIALLY -- BY THE WAY, I WANT
SOMEBODY TO GIVE ME AN OPERATING THEORY OVER THE NEXT 2:20 AND
CLINT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THE FIRST WHACK AT THIS, WHY
WOULDN'T THE WHITE HOUSE SAY DON'T RERELEASE THOSE
TRANSCRIPTS? >> THE STUFF RELEASED, NOTHING
WAS HORRIBLY DAMAGED. IT WAS JUST ENOUGH FOR THE
PRESIDENT TO SAND UP AND GO LOOK AT THAT EVIL PRESS, LOOK AT THE
ENEMY OF THE STATE. LOOK AT WHAT IS GOING ON HERE,
I'M TRYING TO RUN THIS COUNTRY AND THE COSMOPOLITANS AND THE
ELITIST -- >> IT'S COSMOPOLITAN BIAS.
BY THE WAY, YOU CAN FOLLOW COSMOPOLITAN BIAS ON TWITTER.
>> COME O -- >> YOU SAW IT AND YOU WANT TO
KEEP REINFORCING THAT. IF ANYTHING, WHEN THEY SEE IT.
>> IT PLAYS INTO DONALD TRUMP'S HAND --
>> Kasey: THE ONE CAVEAT IS THE WHERE HE BASICALLY SAYS, YEAH,
YEAH, YEAH, THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PAY
FOR IT BUT YOU CAN'T SAY THAT. I'M NOT CONVINCED HE WOULD
ACTUALLY WANT THAT VERSION OF THE STORY OUT THERE.
>> YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE GREATEST HITS AT THE TOP OF THE
SHOW, LOCK LOCK SO SO HE SAID EFFECTIVELY IN THAT PHONE CALL
THAT WAS MADE PUBLIC, THAT WAS JUST POLITICS, IT ALL GOING TO
COME OUT IN THE WASH. >> AND NOW THE.
>> HE JUST GOTth THE HEADLINE THAT THE PRESS IS LEAKING
THEORETICALLY THAT SHOULD DAMAGE WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ELECTED HIM
PU IT WILL NOT. >> THE PEOPLE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
WILL REELECT IMHIM. >> HE LOST NEW HAMPSHIRE.
HE DOESN'T KNOW THAT HE NOW HE'S SAYING THEY'RE ALL COMING UP,
WE'LL TALKING NOR KROOT CYS AND COMING UP,