But when you're under audit - and I'm on under very continuous audit because there are so many companies, and it is a very big company - far bigger than you would even understand. But it's a great company, but it's big and it's complex. And it's probably feet high. It's a very complex instrument.
And I think that people wouldn't understand it. But if I were finished with the audit, I would have an open mind to it. I would say that. But I don't want to do it during the audit. And, really, no lawyer - even from the other side, they say often - not always - but when you're under audit, you don't have - you don't subject it to that. You get it done, and then you release it.
So when that happens, if that happens, I would certainly have an open mind to it.
Q So that means that if the audit is still on, you will not turn over the tax returns, or you'll fight to block it?
THE PRESIDENT: When it's under audit - no, nobody would. Nobody turns over a return when it's under audit, okay?
Yeah, go ahead. Please.
Q One, I was tempted to ask you why you like Oprah so much, but I think I'll go on to the question that -
THE PRESIDENT: Why do I like Oprah?
Q (Laughs.)
THE PRESIDENT: What kind of a question is that?
Q I'm just asking. Just curious. But the real question -
THE PRESIDENT: He's a comedian here.
Q The real question is -
THE PRESIDENT: I do like Oprah, by the way. I do. She was a person I knew well. Came to my place in Palm Beach often. And I have a lot of respect for her. Unfortunately, she didn't do the trick.
Q The real question is, you just said up here, and said from this podium, that it's - are you offering a my-way-or-highway scenario to the Democrats? You're saying -
THE PRESIDENT: No. Negotiation. Not at all.
Q - that if - if they start investigating you, that you can play that game and investigate them.
THE PRESIDENT: Oh, yeah. Better than them.
Q Can you compartmentalize that -
THE PRESIDENT: And I think I know more - and I think I know more than they know.
Q Can you compartmentalize that and still continue to work with them for the benefit of the rest of the country? Or are you -
THE PRESIDENT: No.
Q Are all bets off?
THE PRESIDENT: No. If they do that, then it's just - all it is, is a warlike posture.
Yeah, go ahead.
Q And so then the - wait a minute, then the follow-up then -
THE PRESIDENT: You heard my answer. Go ahead.
Q Well, since it's Jim, I'll let it go.
Q Okay. Thank you, Mr. President. I wanted to challenge you on one of the statements that you made in the tail end of the campaign in the midterms, that this -
THE PRESIDENT: Here we go.
Q Well, if you don't mind, Mr. President -
THE PRESIDENT: Let's go. Let's go. Come on.
Q That this caravan was an "invasion." As you know, Mr. President -
THE PRESIDENT: I consider it to be an invasion.
Q As you know, Mr. President, the caravan was not an invasion. It's a group of migrants moving up from Central America towards the border with the U.S.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you for telling me that. I appreciate it.
Q Why did you characterize it as such? And -
THE PRESIDENT: Because I consider it an invasion. You and I have a difference of opinion.
Q But do you think that you demonized immigrants in this election -
THE PRESIDENT: Not at all. No, not at all.
Q - to try to keep -
THE PRESIDENT: I want them - I want them to come into the country, but they have to come in legally. You know, they have to come in, Jim, through a process. I want it to be a process.
And I want people to come in. And we need the people.
Q Right. But your campaign had - your campaign -
THE PRESIDENT: Wait. Wait. Wait. You know why we need the people, don't you? Because we have hundreds of companies moving in. We need the people.
Q Right. But your campaign had an ad showing migrants climbing over walls and so on.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, that's true. They weren't actors. They weren't actors.
Q They're not going to be doing that.
THE PRESIDENT: They weren't actors. Well, no, it was true. Do you think they were actors? They weren't actors. They didn't come from Hollywood. These were - these were people - this was an actual - you know, it happened a few days ago. And -
Q They're hundreds of miles of way though. They're hundreds and hundreds of miles away.
THE PRESIDENT: You know what?
Q That's not an invasion.
THE PRESIDENT: I think you should - honestly, I think you should let me run the country, you run CNN -
Q All right.
THE PRESIDENT: - and if you did it well, your ratings would be much better.
Q But let me ask, if I - if I may ask one other question -
THE PRESIDENT: Okay, that's enough.
Q Mr. President, if I may - if I may ask one other question.
THE PRESIDENT: Okay, Peter, go ahead.
Q Are you worried -
THE PRESIDENT: That's enough. That's enough. That's enough.
Q Mr. President, I didn't - well, I was going to ask one other. The other folks that had -
THE PRESIDENT: That's enough. That's enough.
Q Pardon me, ma'am, I'm - Mr. President -
THE PRESIDENT: Excuse me, that's enough.
Q Mr. President, I had one other question if -
THE PRESIDENT: Peter. Let's go.
Q - I may ask on the Russia investigation. Are you concerned that you may have indictments -
THE PRESIDENT: I'm not concerned about anything with the Russia investigation because it's a hoax.
Q - that you may indictments coming down? Are you -
THE PRESIDENT: That's enough. Put down the mic.
Q Mr. President, are you worried about indictments coming down in this investigation?
Q Mr. President -
THE PRESIDENT: I'll tell you what: CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them. You are a rude, terrible person. You shouldn't be working for CNN.
Go ahead.
Q I think that's unfair.
THE PRESIDENT: You're a very rude person. The way you treat Sarah Huckabee is horrible. And the way you treat other people are horrible. You shouldn't treat people that way.
Go ahead. Go ahead, Peter. Go ahead.
Q In Jim's defense, I've traveled with him and watched him. He's a diligent reporter who busts his butt like the rest of us.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I'm not a big fan of yours either. So, you know.
(Laughter.)
Q I understand.
THE PRESIDENT: To be honest with you.
Q So let me - so let me ask you a question if I can -
