Trump admits he paid hush money, ducks question on Manafort pardon

Bill Clark | CQ Roll Call | Getty Images

Donald Trump, Paul Manafort and Ivanka Trump check the podium at the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, July 21, 2016.

Speaking to “Fox & Friends,” Trump was asked whether he was considering pardoning his former campaign chairman. He didn’t rule out the possibility, but failed to give a direct answer.

“I have great respect for what he’s done in terms of what he’s gone through,” Trump said.

“You know, he worked for Ronald Reagan for years, he worked for Bob Dole, he worked — I guess his firm worked for (Sen. John) McCain,” the president added. “He worked for many, many people, many, many years.”

Manafort’s federal conviction was the first trial stemming from charges brought by special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign. The charges against Manafort did not relate to his work on Trump’s election campaign, however.

Trump cast the charges against Manafort as widespread in the lobbying industry: “Some of the charges they threw against him, every consultant, every lobbyist in Washington probably does.”

Trump also said the stock market would crash if he were to be impeached.

“I don’t know how you can impeach somebody who’s done a great job,” the president said.

—CNBC’s
Marty Steinberg
contributed to this story.