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AT THIS HOUR WITH BERMAN AND MICHAELA

Trump Press Conference; Trump Rants about Press. Aired 11:30a- 12p ET

Aired May 31, 2016 - 11:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


[11:30:00] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're all focused on the way he's raising money and you're not looking at the 22 veterans that are killing each other every day. You're not concern, about the on wait lists. Look at his plan on Trump's website. He talks about medical cards. He talks about fixing the V.A. He talks about competition.

I think the liberal media -- and I have been dealing with you a long time -- need to get your head out of your butt, focus on the real issues.

Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: What I did is I didn't ask Al -- I have gotten to know Al a little bit, primarily through New Hampshire where we have great victories. But he showed up this morning because he was upset. And many of the other groups are very upset. They received $100,000 in the mail. They didn't even know what it was for. It was from me. Other groups received 200, 250, $250,000. They didn't know what it was for and I have, again, upstairs, I have received phone calls with people crying. I have received heartfelt letters. And, you know, it's -- it really -- the bad part about the dishonesty of the media is that people like me will be inclined not to do it anymore because why should you raise $5.6 million, and I think I'll go over $6 million pretty easily, nobody said that we started this out as a small little project where it was less than $1 million because it just kept mushrooming and building and building. Nobody talks about that. So we raised $5.6 million. We have so many happy groups, so many happy veterans. And then I see these guys, these Hillary Clinton people outside -- now, of course, they don't know the extent. They probably figured, based on reading the press, that Trump didn't make, you know, didn't raise this kind of money. But we raised a lot and I'll be raising more and we'll be sending it to other people as we get along.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: -- the verification process and how you want to make sure these groups are what they say they are and you want to make sure that you're giving the money --

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: It's a complicated process, right.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Does that process involve reviewing those groups' tax returns and, if so -- doesn't.

TRUMP: No, It really -- you know, the government sort of approves different groups for a lotof reasons, and so it really -- and more than anything else, it's also speaking to other veterans. We have a circle of veterans and who is good -- I don't want to send $250,000 check to a group that doesn't do good work. So it's called vetting. We vet the vets. But it's called vetting.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. Trump you seem particularly bothered by criticism on this. Why? Do you need a thicker skin to run for this office?

TRUMP: No. I think it's bothersome because I love the vets and I have worked hard for the vets. And, as you can see, I have given a lot of money and raised a lot of money for the vets. And I think when the press portrays it differently, the press is being very dishonest, so I don't like that. I don't like dishonesty.

Not you.

Go ahead.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. Trump, a change of gears here. Jeff Sessions --

TRUMP: Jeff Sessions.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: He's expressed an openness to be your running mate. Have you had any conservation with him?

TRUMP: Jeff Sessions is a fantastic man. Jeff Sessions is one of the most highly respected people in the United States Senate. Jeff Sessions is a person that I believe that Ted Cruz has the most respect for and I think Ted thought he would get an endorsement. You know, Jeff Sessions has never endorsed a presidential candidate before, as many years as he's been in the Senate. So, you know, Jeff Sessions certainly is somebody that I would consider, absolutely. He's a fantastic person.

Yeah, go ahead.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Policy question --

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: -- the situation at the Cincinnati Zoo and animal activists are outraged that they killed this gorilla who was holding the 4-year-old boy. How do you feel about it?

TRUMP: I think it's a very tough call. It was amazing because there were moments with the gorilla, the way he held that child, it was almost like a mother holding a baby. Looked so beautiful and calm. And there were moments where it looked pretty dangerous. I don't think they had a choice. I mean, probably they didn't have a choice. You have a child, a young child who is at stake, and, you know, it's too bad there wasn't another way. I thought it was so beautiful to watch that, you know, powerful almost 500-pound gorilla, the way he dealt with that little boy. But it just takes one second. It's one second. It's not like it takes place over, well, he's going to do it in 30 seconds from now. It just takes one little flick of his finger. And I will tell you they probably had no choice.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. Trump, policy question. Policy question on veterans.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION)

TRUMP: I'm in favor of fixing the V.A. health care. It's a catastrophe in this country, what's going on. You look at what's happening in Phoenix and different places throughout the country where they're catching people stealing and they don't even fire them, where people are waiting five days, six days, seven days online. They're dying while they wait online. And I am in favor of if they can't get to a doctor within a reasonable period of time, they're going to go see a doctor and the country is going to pay for it. They're going to go to a private doctor or a public hospital, some place that can take care of them immediately. We're losing thousands of people waiting in line. And the Veterans Administration is run by Obama just as incompetently as he's running our country. You look at the TSA. You look at what's going on at the airports, and you look at that. OK? Just take a look at that. That's like the Veterans Administration. Nothing in our country works anymore. It's a mess. And maybe that's why I'm doing so well in the polls.

Yes?

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: -- the veterans can use a card now and --

(CROSSTALK)

[11:35:44] TRUMP: It doesn't have to be privatization. No, it doesn't have to be privatization. What it has to be is, when somebody is online and they say it's a seven-day wait, that person is going to walk across the street to a private doctor, be taken care of, we're going to pay the bill. And by the way, that will be a lot less expensive. And we'll check it out and be careful but it's going to be a lot less expensive than what are going on. These people are living in hell. And Hillary Clinton said the Veterans Administration is working just fine. And the head of it, McDonald, said last week that waiting in line is not bad. Look at Disneyworld, OK? These are the kind of people we have running things. It's ridiculous.

Dave?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: There's a Rasmussen poll out that today that says half of Americans think Hillary Clinton should stay in the race even if she's charged with a felony. Does this suggest that you're continuing to pound her, gee, I don't know if she can even run, I don't know if she should run, are you a little out of sync?

TRUMP: That's their choice. You have a party called the Democrats and they're going to have to make that choice. You know, I think it's probably going to be her because it's rigged. And I think if you people will say I'm the one that came up with the term rigged, I used it for myself, except I won by such big margins that the fact that -- the whole system is rigged on both sides. Same with the Republicans, just less obvious. The Democrats with the super -- with the whole super delegate thing, it's ridiculous.

So I think that they're going to have to make that determination. If you're asking me who I'd prefer running against --

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: No. Do you think she committed a felony?

TRUMP: I think what she did was very bad. And I think a lot of people have done a lot less than her and their lives have been destroyed.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: You know the press exposed the V.A. issue so shouldn't the press get some credit for that? And if I may ask --

TRUMP: I think that's fine. And I think that's fine.

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: Go ahead. Go ahead.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Can I ask you about Trump University, though, sir? There have been a lot of questions about that, and you also challenged the credibility of the judge handling that case.

TRUMP: The judge has been very unfair, has not done a good job. He's been a very bad judge. He' been very unfair. And I will win the Trump University case. I already am as far as some are concerned. But I will win the Trump University case

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Why antagonize the judge in that case?

TRUMP: Because I don't care.

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: Why antagonize? Because I don't care. I have a judge who is very, very unfair.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Why?

TRUMP: You'll see it in court documents. But I have a judge who is very, very unfair. He knows he's unfair. And I'll win the Trump University case. I could settle that case. I could have settled it. I just choose not to. They said, why don't you settle up that case? I don't want to settle the case.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Why mention the judge is Mexican?

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: Because you know what? Because I'm a man of principle and most of the people who took those courses have letters saying they thought it was great essentially. It was good, it was great, and when they're on the stand and you say, how come you signed a letter saying Trump University was so good, how come you signed a letter? The woman that was the original plaintiff in the case, they went to the court and the judge allowed her to get out of the case. The case should have been dropped. The whole case should have been dropped. They wanted her dismissed from the case. You know why? Because she was deposed. She was such a bad witness, that we win the case easily. She signed a letter and she's on film, she's on tape, like these cameras, saying unbelievably good things about Trump University. So they didn't want her anymore because she's a disaster for them. So they went to the judge and they said, your honor, we'd like to have her not be a participant, not be the plaintiff in the case, and he said, oh, that's OK. She's the one that started the case. Now they don't even want her to testify. They don't want her to testify because she's a disaster. She has all sorts of beautiful statements about it. And importantly, she's on tape saying how great it is. They don't want her. I wouldn't want her either.

Now, I could have settled that case. I could settle that case. I can settle that case. I don't want to. I'll go through the process.

Yeah, go ahead.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: You yourself recently reacted against what you called a spoiler Indy candidate in this race. Yet earlier, in the primaries, you didn't rule out an Independent run. So why are you so worried now about an Independent candidate?

TRUMP: Because we're down the line. The fact is you can't win as an Independent. For the most part, you can't even get on Texas and various other states now, it's too late, but Texas is out. So here is what happens. What happens is you will not have -- and very importantly you will not have Supreme Court justices. You're going to lose. You could have as many as four or five. That's over.

[11:40:10] Now, Kristol is the one -- he's the last one. Don't forget, he said Trump will never run. The guy is not a smart person. He said Donald Trump will never run. Remember? Do you remember? I actually blame you. Why do you put this guy on television? I see him on the different shows. He's got no credibility. Said I won't run. If I run I won't do well. If I do well, this and that. He looks like such a fool. I saw him on one show, he's practically crying because he can't justify it. Now he comes out with a tweet over the weekend, over Memorial Day weekend. It sounds like he's going to put somebody up. Even I thought it. I thought they're going to find some Indy. Now he comes out with something saying he was almost, almost kidding. OK? Let me tell you, these people are losers. He's trying to make you --

he's trying to drive you guys a little bit nuts. If they do an Indy, assuming it's decent -- which I don't think anybody with a reputation would do it because they'd look like fools. But what you're doing to do is you lose the election for the Republicans, and, therefore, you lose the Supreme Court. Therefore, you will have a group of people put on the Supreme Court where this country will never, ever recover. It will never, ever be the same.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. Trump, when you talk about conservatives --

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: A follow up --

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: When you refer to some Republicans and conservatives as losers --

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: I didn't say that. I said Bill Kristol is a loser.

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: And I'll tell you why, Carl. He has called every single -- take a look on me. He's going to lose this state. I win in a landslide.

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: Wait a minute, Carl. I didn't say everybody. Many. But I didn't say everybody.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: So --

TRUMP: Wait, wait. Bill Kristol is a loser. His magazine is failing, as you know. I don't think it even survives. He's getting some free publicity. But Bill Kristol, I have been watching this for two years. Trump isn't going to run. Then I go into a race, we go into New Hampshire. He's not going to win New Hampshire. Win in a landslide. Every place I went, I was not going to win, but I win in a landslide. Do you think maybe he doesn't like me?

OK, how about one or two more.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Sir, there's a question directly related to this. Today Fred, Nixon administration official, long time big financier in Republican politics who said you have to stop beating up on Republicans and goes on to say you essentially got some 30 percent of the Republican vote, there's a lot --

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: He's wrong.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Let me finish the question and then you can have at it.

TRUMP: My last one was 78 percent. I didn't get 38 percent.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Is it going to make it more difficult for you to unite the criticizing your critics from within it?

TRUMP: Here is the way I look at it. When I have somebody that's not on my side, OK, you know -- by the way, I've gotten great applause from the press and, you know, in terms of as an achievement because the Republican party is really well unified. We have people that you would have never thought possible are now saying, I support Trump. So remember that. We don't talk about that too much, but actually last week, the big story is how fast the Republican Party is healing because it is a healing process. It was a rough -- that was a rough campaign.

I don't know Fred Malik (ph). I can say this. The real story is how fast we're getting together.

Now, if I have a Republican that's not on my side, I'm not going -- why should I be particularly nice to that person? I'm not going to go after it like I would Hillary or Crazy Bernie. But you know what? Why should I be nice to that person? If I have a person that's not going to support me, I have no obligation.

Politically, I may be right, I may be wrong, but that's who I am. I'm a very honest person, Carl. If somebody is going to say a little bit negative or a lot negative about me, and if they happen to be a Republican, I may choose to hit them back. Not always, not always, but I may choose to hit them back.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: What was the motivation --

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: Right.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: In the last week, you have said that the former Republican nominee walks like a penguin. You criticized Susana Martinez --

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: Mitt Romney lost an election he should have won. And if you read the front page of the "Wall Street Journal," he, Mitt Romney, he looks like a fool.

Look, I'm not a fan of Mitt Romney.

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: Just so you understand.

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: I raised a lot of money for Mitt Romney. I made robocalls for him, made speeches. He let us down. If you read the front page of the "Wall Street Journal" this weekend, Mitt Romney looks like a fool. Now, why would I say good about Mitt Romney?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: You said you're committed to party unity.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: The governor of New Mexico. Why take that fight on?

TRUMP: She was not nice. And I was fine. Just a little bit of a jab. But she wasn't nice. You think I'm going to change? I'm not changing, including with her.

Go ahead. One more.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: How do you unify the party?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Bob Dole said you should apologize to Senator McCain.

TRUMP: Bob Dole is a fan of mine. Bob Dole endorsed me so don't tell me about Bob Dole.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: What about Gary Johnson?

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: Gary Johnson got 1 percent of the vote last time. I watched that whole situation. It was really pretty disgraceful. I think it's a total fringe deal. I think he's a fringe candidate, you want to know the truth. I look at him and I watch him and I watch his motions and I watch what he says. I think that he's a fringe candidate. And your second, Weld, when you a little research on that, I think it's not going to be a factor, OK?

[11:45:26] UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: I think you have set a new bar today for being contentious with the press corps, calling us losers to our faces and all that.

TRUMP: No, not all of you. Just many of you.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Enough of us.

TRUMP: Not you, David.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Is this what it's going to be like covering you if you're president?

TRUMP: Yeah, it is. Let me --

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Are we're going to have this kind of confrontation in the press room.

TRUMP: It is going to be like this, David. If the press writes false stories like they did with this, because, you know, half of you were amazed I raised all of this money. If the press writes false stories like they did where I wanted to keep a low profile -- I didn't want the credit for raising all this money for the vets. I wasn't looking for the credit. And by the way, more money is coming in. I wasn't looking for the credit. But I had no choice but to do this because the press was saying I didn't raise any money for them. Not only did I raise it, much of it was given a long time ago, and there is a vetting process and I think you understand that. But when I raise almost $6 million -- and probably in the end will raise more than $6 million because more is going to come in and is coming in. But when I raise $5.6 million as of today, more is coming in -- and this is going to phenomenal groups and I have many of these people vetting the people that are getting the money and working hard and then we have to read probably libelous stories or certainly close in the newspapers and the people know the stories are false, I'm going to continue to attack the press.

Look, I find the press to be extremely dishonest. I find the political press to be unbelievably dishonest. I will say that.

OK. Thank you all very much. Thank you. Thank you very much.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: So that happened. Welcome back. We've been watching Donald Trump. He's been holding a press conference that started about a half an hour ago, 40 minutes ago actually, to talk about his fund-raiser when he raised money in Iowa in lieu of going to a debate. He was raising money for veterans' causes and then we saw this all play out.

To recap what we've learned in the last 40 minutes, the number, the final number that Donald Trump raised for veterans' causes, $5.6 million going to at least 41 charities. Then from there it became an unloading on the media calling reporters sleazes to their faces and also don't worry, he took a question about the gorilla being shot in the Cincinnati Zoo. He said they didn't have a choice.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: I think the headline wasn't the money he raised or how many groups got it, but it was just how petulant a peevish he was, saying the press should be ashamed of themselves for asking questions, like how much did you raise and where did it go? I want --

(CROSSTALK)

BOLDUAN: On a factual basis, those are pretty simple questions you should answer when you're raising money, when you're raising money for charity if doling that out.

BERMAN: CNN political correspondent, Dana Bash, joins us right now. He attacked our reporter, Jim Acosta. Dana, he attacked Tom Llamas,

of ABC News, calling him sleazy, again, for asking questions like how much did you raise and where did it go.

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, I'm -- I pride myself, as we all do, on being dispassionate, but this is a situation where I don't think we should be dispassionate, and the reason is because let's just take a step back to where we were and where you guys were in New York leading into this press conference. It was Drew Griffin who was one of the people who not only asked the questions about where this money was going or how much was raised by Donald Trump, but go back a year-plus, he was the one who exposed the problems in the V.A. in the first place. A member of the press corps. That was going to be, we all thought the story, of the day. A good news story for Donald Trump. As Drew Griffin said, it was bumpy, it wasn't necessarily the cleanest way to do it, but at the end of the day, he raised almost $6 million for veterans groups.

Instead, what did he do? He attacked the press, as you said, as sleazy, as dishonest, multiple times. And, you know, not to get too corny about it, but it is the press. Number one, it is our job to ask questions, particularly of public figures, especially somebody who wants to be the leader of the free world. When they make a promise and they do it in a very public way, like he did with this big rally for veterans, to say -- it is our job to say where is the money, where did it go, how much did you raise. It is a fundamental requirement and responsibility of a free press. It's what makes us different than North Korea or other places.

And he hasn't had to answer questions like this in his prior life. He's been a public figure for decades and he hasn't had to answer questions because he's been a public figure in the press, if you will, but he's been a private citizen. It's a different ball game now. And so it is up to us to ask the questions.

And I think it's because people like Drew Griffin and others were asking questions about where this money is going that these veterans groups were able to get this money, and he was able to of these big dollar amounts to all of these fabulous organizations. So I think we should just be clear here that the press is a very easy target. We all understand why. And it's understandable why he's doing that. But in this particular case, he was got to be ready to take questions and, on this particular issue, the press did its job, and did it well.

[11:50:55] BOLDUAN: Let's bring in Barry Bennett, senior advisor to the Trump campaign.

One of the reasons he said over and over again, Barry, during the press conference is why he was upset he was going to be answering these questions is he said, I don't want the credit for it but I shouldn't be lambasted for it. I'm totally accountable but I didn't want credit for it. I'm not looking for credit. You really don't think he was looking for credit when he held this televised public fundraiser to compete with a televised presidential debate? He didn't want credit for raising money here? BARRY BENNETT, SENIOR ADVISOR, DONALD TRUMP PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN:

That wasn't the purpose of this press conference. This press conference came because there was a media frenzy going on started by some --

(CROSSTALK)

BERMAN: Barry, Barry, asking how much you raised, asking how much you raised and who got it, isn't a frenzy. Those --

(CROSSTALK)

BENNETT: Yeah, but, unfortunately, the questions went way beyond that. They went to statements of fact. But he didn't raise the money. He's not giving it to groups. Only $2 million he's given away. None were factual by the press.

(CROSSTALK)

BERMAN: Because he was not accounting for the money, Barry.

BENNETT: They were incorrect stories.

(CROSSTALK)

BOLDUAN: Not on our part, Barry.

(CROSSTALK)

BENNETT: No, no, no. There were stories out there. There were some journalists who wrote things that were factually incorrect that were dishonest. You can't dispute that.

BERMAN: Drew Griffin is here with us, Barry to weigh in on this.

Again, Barry, it is your job as an investigative reporter to hold the powerful to account, to ask powerful people questions. And again, these were simple ones raised where you went. And part of the reason it took so long to find the answers because the answers were not fast and coming.

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: Quite frankly, I thought it would be handled in an e-mail from a staffer and we'd get the numbers after it happened and we'd report it out. And by the way, I don't know who that is on the TV but--

(CROSSTALK)

BOLDUAN: Barry is the senior advisor of the Trump campaign.

GRIFFIN: Barry? Ok, so you ought to tell Donald Trump that communication is how this is all buttoned up. We've been asking for this. We've been getting partial information. And if you go look back at our trail of reporting, every piece of information we got from the Trump campaign we put out there accurately, factually. And we didn't have any of these stories he's talking about. I really don't know where these stories he's talking about came from.

BOLDUAN: Barry? Do you like the way Donald Trump handled this?

BENNETT: Do I like the fact he raised $5.6 million for veterans? Do I like --

(CROSSTALK)

BOLDUAN: No, Barry. You know exactly what I'm talking about. You are a rational human being. You know I'm not talking about the fact he raised $5.6 million. Every time we talk about this -- Drew said it maybe four times already this hour, it is great that he raised money. It's great anyone raises money. That is not what it is about. The media's job is to hold powerful people accountable. That's what Drew Griffin was asking and what other reporters were asking. Don't twist the words. You like the way he handled his press conference? Taking on the media like this?

BENNETT: No. He said this himself. He didn't have a problem with being held accountable. What he the problem was, some of these people wrote --

(CROSSTALK)

BOLDUAN: He does seem to have a problem.

BENNETT: Well, that's your interpretation of it. But still, some of these people were saying he didn't raise the money. He didn't give the money. He's not going to giving the money. There were people coming on your air and other people saying these things and they weren't true.

BERMAN: I think for the most part, all the stories were trying to account for the money, asking questions, again, like how much did you raise and where did it go? You said out loud he raised more than $6 million. And today, we learned $5.6 million, which is great. $5.6 million is great for veterans to get. That is a wonderful thing. It's not the $6 million he said, but there could be very good reasons why it did not equal $6 million in the end. Again, those are only basic questions that were being asked.

I want to go back to that room right now. Jim Acosta, our senior White House correspondent, covering the Trump campaign.

Jim Acosta, Donald Trump called you a real beauty and said he has seen your work.

BOLDUAN: You were gorgeous.

BERMAN: So there's that.

No --

(CROSSTALK)

I have not seen Donald Trump this aggressive with the press, despite the fact he talks about the press at every event. This was as petulant as I've ever seen him.

ACOSTA: You know, I tried and tweet it every time he says this to the news media, because I think it should be recorded. Not that anybody cares about my Twitter account, but he calls the new media the disgusting media, the dishonest media, liars, and so on. He does on a regular basis on the campaign trail and he did it in the press conference. And he was asked, at one point, is this what a White House press conference would be like with Donald Trump? And he said yes. This is exactly what a White House press conference would be like with Donald Trump. If anyone is wondering how he would treat the press as president of the United States, you just saw it here in the last hour, here in the lobby of Trump Tower.

[11:55:34] Now, I will say and I'll echo what you said a few moments ago, yes, it's a great that $5.6 million was raised for worthy causes. And by the way, it's on his web site right now. You can look at all the groups that received this money. But at the same time, to go after the news media for asking these questions over the last several months is sort of criticizing the news media for doing their job. You and I have covered this for a long time, John. You, as well, Kate. Since when have we ever had a presidential candidate break away from a debate and then raise money for an outside group or an association of various groups? You have never seen it before. It was only natural that the news media would go and ask these questions. And by the way, a few weeks ago, Corey Lewandowski, the campaign manager for Donald Trump, was giving a slightly different estimate, a million dollars off versus what his boss, the candidate said, and the candidate said a week later, two weeks later, no, it was closer to $6 million. So of course, the questions are going to be asked.

But really, this was vintage Donald Trump today. What you see is what you get. He is going to go after the press. He went after me. I don't think he meant the real beauty thing as a compliment. And he called my colleague, Tom Llamas, an anchor and correspondent for ABC News, slime or something like that.

(CROSSTALK)

BOLDUAN: Sleaze.

ACOSTA: Sleazy. I think that's totally objectionable, and he's a fine journalist, and I'm proud to call him a colleague.

So this is Donald Trump being Donald Trump. His GOP rivals, his vanquished rivals are used to this treatment and Hillary Clinton will get the same treatment during the campaign. Donald Trump feels like this is what works for him as a candidate and so it should be no surprise he's going to continue to do that, whether it's aimed at the press or other candidates.

BOLDUAN: Let's bring in right now CNN political commentator, Amanda Carpenter. She's a former communications director for Senator Ted Cruz.

This is vintage Donald Trump, Amanda. Why is today important? What do you make of what just happened? AMANDA CARPENTER, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: First of all, the media

was essential in holding Trump accountable on this matter. And that said, he doesn't mind creating a spectacle out of it. If we can take away the spectacle, the insults, Donald Trump needed to state and settle money questions. Not just the issues with veterans but the court case coming up where we'll get a document dump later today. Trump wants to resolve these questions, get information out there to preempt the Democrats from unloading him, because Hillary Clinton hasn't been able to make those attacks yet. I think he's trying to beat her to the punch, and that's what he's making today all about.

BERMAN: Steve Elmendorf is with us as well. He was deputy campaign manager for John Kerry in 2004. Steve, also supporting Hillary Clinton and raising money for her.

Steve, we hear a lot from Democrats. Hillary Clinton doesn't get half the attention Donald Trump does. Why don't you cover Hillary Clinton events? We covered this Donald Trump press conference right now. Do you feel it's helpful to get the press coverage he's getting?

STEVE ELMENDORF, DEPUTY CAMPAIGN MANAGER, JOHN KERRY 2004 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN: I don't think 45 minutes of that on live national television was helpful. I think it raises the questions people will ha about him and will have about him, does he have the temperament to lead the free world? And I think when we go from the Republican primary process to the general election and speak to 150 million people like that he's not going to get elect, president.

BOLDUAN: If you look at it from one angle -- and we do also point this out a lot -- this is the -- how many press conferences has Donald Trump held?

(CROSSTALK)

BOLDUAN: It's almost every day. A lot of folks can't remember the last time Hillary Clinton held a press conference. He does put himself out there and takes a lot of questions. That is something that you don't see coming from Hillary Clinton.

ELMENDORF: Unfiltered insults is not necessarily a good strategy. Attacking the press, attacking the Republican Hispanic governor, a woman, in New Mexico, attacking the federal judge in California. Again, I don't think that's a path to be president of the United States. I don't think that's what voters look for. Hillary Clinton talks to a lot of reporters. She does a lot of media. She'll be on CNN.

(CROSSTALK)

ELMENDORF: A lot of Sunday shows. I don't know that unfiltered access is necessarily the path to get elected president.

BERMAN: Let's bring in CNN politics editor, Mark Preston.

A few seconds left, Mark. Donald Trump doing this today, the document dumped second from now in Trump University. He'll be out in California the rest of the week. What does this campaign want to do right now?

MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICS EDITOR: Certainly, they want to deflect any questions regarding the Trump University case that we'll hear from in the next couple of hours.