ALL THE MORE VALUABLE TO HIM.
>> ALI, THANKS SO MUCH.
>>> CHUCK TODD IS NBCS
POLITICAL DIRECTOR AND MODERATOR
OF "MEET THE PRESS."
THIS SPEECH FROM FORMER
PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS ABOUT 2022,
GETTING PEOPLE OUT TO VOTE IN
THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS.
THE QUESTION ON EVERYONES MIND
IN THAT ROOM AND ACROSS THE
COUNTRY IS WHETHER HE WILL RUN
AGAIN IN 2024.
WHATS YOUR ASSESSMENT THERE?
>> I THINK HE AMPS ALL OF THE
TALK ABOUT 2024 AS THE
INVESTIGATION AMPS UP IN
MANHATTAN AND IN THE STATE
ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE IN NEW
YORK.
I THINK A LOT OF THIS IS TIED
THERE.
THE MORE HE IS UNDER LEGAL
THREAT, THE MORE HE WANTS TO
LOOK LIKE A POLITICAL CANDIDATE
AND PUT HIMSELF OUT THERE.
HE WANTS IT TO BE SEEN THROUGH
THE LENS OF POLITICS, PURE AND
SIMPLE.
WHETHER HE IS AN ALMOST ACTIVE
CANDIDATE THINKING ABOUT BEING A
CANDIDATE THAT GIVES HIM IN HIS
MIND A BIT OF A SHIELD, AT LEAST
SOMETHING TO USE TO TRY TO PUSH
BACK ON WHAT ARE SERIOUS LEGAL
THREATS.
I THINK A LOT -- IF HE DIDNT
HAVE THESE LEGAL THREATS, I
DONT KNOW IF HE WOULD BE AS
ASSESS RECEIVE
AGGRESSIVE.
>> LETS TALK ABOUT THE SITTING
PRESIDENT, JOE BIDEN, HEADED TO
THE UK ON WEDNESDAY FOR A BIG
COUPLE OF WEEKS, THE G7, NATO
SUMMIT AND DOWN THE ROAD IN
GENEVA TALKING WITH RUSSIAN
PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN.
WHAT JUMPS OUT TO YOU ABOUT THIS
TRIP?
OBVIOUSLY, THE DATE WITH PUTIN
IS CIRCLED.
>> ITS ALL THINGS PUTIN.
THE RE-ESTABLISHING BETTER
RELATIONS WITH OUR NORMAL
EUROPEAN ALLIES IS A BIG DEAL.
THE NATO MEETING, TRYING TO
RE-ESTABLISH THERE.
I THINK TURKEY IS A HUGE PROBLEM
FOR NATO, A HUGE THORN.
CERTAINLY, THATS CERTAINLY ON
THE AGENDA.
ITS PUTIN BECAUSE HE IS
PROVIDING THE SAFE HAVEN TO
CYBER TERRORISTS THAT ARE
PUTTING US UNDER INCREASING
ATTACK HERE.
PUTIN IS THROWING -- KEEPING
THROWS HIGH HARD ONES BACK AT
THE UNITED STATES IN HIS
ECONOMIC SPEECH THAT HE GAVE AT
HIS OWN ECONOMIC FORUM THAT HE
THREW OVER THE WEEKEND, HE TOOK
THE SIDE OF THE JANUARY 6
INSURRECTIONISTS, BASICALLY.
HE IS TRYING TO STOKE THINGS
HERE.
JOE BIDEN WANTS TO CALM THINGS
DOWN.
CAN YOU CALM THINGS DOWN AND
WORK WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN, OR IS
HE A GUY THAT CLEARLY NO MATTER
WHAT YOU DO TO TRY TO CURTAIL
HIS BEHAVEIORBEHAVIOR, HE IS GOI
CONTINUE?
I THINK THATS THE MEETING
CIRCLED ON THE CALENDAR MUCH THE
TRICKIEST THING FOR JOE BIDEN
AND THE BIGGEST TEST ON THE
INTERNATIONAL STAGE.
>> THE FIRST MEETING BETWEEN THE
TWO SINCE HE CALLED PUTIN A
KILLER.
SHOULD BE INTERESTING.
BEFORE YOU GO, WHILE THE
PRESIDENT IS OVERSEAS,
NEGOTIATIONS WILL CONTINUE OVER
INFRASTRUCTURE.
I FEEL LIKE YOU AND I HAVE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR MONTHS.
HOW IS IT GOING TO END UP?
>> I THINK THE OFFICIAL
NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE LARGER
CHUNK OF REPUBLICANS THAT CLAIM
THEY WANTED A DEAL, THATS ABOUT
TO END.
THIS IS WITH SHELLEY
MOORE-CAPITO.
THEY ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
HOW TO GET MANCHIN.
MANCHIN WILL PUT HIMSELF IN A
CAUCUS
CAUCUS.
WHEN HE SAYS HE WANTS BIPARTISAN
SUPPORT, THATS WHAT HE LIKELY
MEANS.
AT SOME POINT, THATS WHERE THE
NEGOTIATIONS HEAD.
WE ARE NOT THERE YET.
>> HE IS STANDING FIRM ON THE
FACT HE DOESNT WANT TO BLOW
THROUGH THE FILIBUSTER.
CHUCK TODD, THANK YOU.
WE WILL LOOK FOR MORE ON "MEET