Trump Pauses Softball Interview With CNBC’s Kernen to Tell Aide to Give Him Extra Time: ‘He’s Been My Friend’

President Donald Trump briefly derailed a sit-down with Joe Kernen, telling an aide off-camera to let the interview run long because the CNBC host has “been my friend for a long time.”

Kernen, who co-hosts Squawk Box, recorded an interview that aired during Thursday’s Fast Money. The CNBC talking head began the interview by complimenting the president on the new Air Force One, which was given to Trump by the Qatari royal family. The president has said he will take the plane with him when he leaves office.

“Pretty nice plane,” Kernen told him.

Afterward, Trump noted that he and Kernen have known each other for some time, since before the president married First Lady Melania Trump:

TRUMP: You knew me a long time before I even thought of running. You knew me before I even thought about running for president.

KERNEN: I knew you before you were married to Melania, I think.

TRUMP: That’s right.

KERNEN: I was at the wedding.

Later on, when the president finished answering a question about AI, Kernen expressed concern about how much more time Trump had to converse:

KERNEN: We’re gonna try and do as much as we can.

TRUMP: You go ahead. You go ahead.

KERNEN: I hope that’s ok.

TRUMP [to aide]: If he needs a little more time, just relax.

AIDE: Yup.

TRUMP: I’m not Kamala. They give them four minutes and they start screaming at him.

KERNEN: That housing bill–

TRUMP: Don’t be nervous.

KERNEN: I’m only in the Oval Office with–

TRUMP: He’s been my friend for a long time and he’s a good man, too.

Watch above via CNBC.

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