Donald Trump, the US President-elect claimed that he is "fine with" same-sex marriage but offered few specifics about his plans for the first 100 days of his administration during his first television interview since becoming the president-elect.
In an extensive interview with CBS's Leslie Stahl broadcast Sunday night on "60 Minutes," Trump sought to ease the anxieties of LGBTQ Americans that a new conservative Supreme Court majority might overturn last year's decision legalizing same-sex marriage.
Ducking a question about his personal view on the issue, which he dismissed as "irrelevant," Trump asserted, bluntly, "it's done."
"These cases have gone to the Supreme Court. They've been settled. And I'm-I'm fine with that," he said.
The answer came as Trump attempted to downplay the protests that his election has sparked and blamed any fears held by Muslims and African-Americans not on his own rhetoric or policy proposals but on a biased media.
"I think it's built up by the press, because, frankly, they'll take every single little incident that they can find in this country, which could've been there before," Trump said. "If I weren't even around doing this, and they'll make into an event because that's the way the press is."
Trump attempted to dismiss the huge crowds of protesters in several American cities as "professional protesters" and a "small amount" of people. When Stahl asked the president-elect about reports that his supporters are "harassing Latinos [and] Muslims," Trump did not dispute the reports. Rather, he asked his backers to stop.
"I am so saddened to hear that. And I say, 'Stop it.' If it - if it helps," Trump said, turning from Stahl to another camera positioned inside his Trump Tower apartment. "I will say this, and I will say right to the cameras: Stop it."
The interview, which aired Sunday night just hours after Trump's announcement that he is installing RNC Chairman Reince Priebus as his chief of staff and Breitbart executive Steve Bannon as his chief strategist, offered little clarity about the first 100 days of the president-elect's administration.
He listed immigration reform, healthcare and tax reform as his top three priorities, and took credit for giving Republicans control of the White House and Congress but offered little clarity about what he and new GOP majorities will focus on first. He promised to follow through and build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border-GOP leaders in Congress have already thrown cold water on the idea-but said he would accept "a fence" in places.
Trump told Stahl he is not intimidated or scared by the weight or gravity of the presidency, but he struggled to grapple with some of the likely consequences that would arise if he follows through on many of his campaign promises.
He acknowledged the possible reality of appointing a pro-life Supreme Court majority that could overturn Roe v. Wade. When pressed by Stahl, he agreed that some women will "perhaps have to go-they'll have to go to another state."
"And that's okay?" Stahl responded.
"Well, we'll see what happens," Trump said. "It's got a long way to go, just so you understand. That has a long, long way to go."
Trump was conciliatory toward Hillary Clinton, hinting that he'd prefer to focus on a policy agenda than pursuing an investigation of his former rival, but he made no firm promises either way. And he told Stahl he does not plan to take a salary or a vacation or to change his unconventional style and communication methods, confirming that he will continue, at least at times, to tweet from his personal account.
"I'll conduct myself-in a very good manner, but depends on what the situation is," Trump said. "Sometimes you have to be rougher."
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