Trump sat down with Josh Pate at The Varsity restaurant in Rome, Georgia, on February 19, when he visited it. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
The interview was released on Sunday night.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Asked about changes in football, Trump said he was unhappy with the new kickoff rule.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"It's too bad. I, I hate to see it, and I hate to see a lot of things in football,\" he added. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"When I look at the kickoff, I hate to see this new kickoff rule they have. It's, uh, you know, it takes the glamour, the glory that it takes everything outta the game.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Calling the kickoff \"the opening of a game\" and \"an important thing\", the US President added: \"I think it's very bad for the NFL and I hope college football doesn't do that.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
On how he chooses which games to attend, Trump said he follows players and teams he likes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"I like Georgia. I like this Georgia team. I like your quarterback, by the way. I like Gunner. He's gonna be a great quarterback,\" he added. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"I'm gonna be watching him very closely this year.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He also spoke about his interactions with leading college football figures, including coaches Nick Saban and Urban Meyer.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"For the most part, we're talking politics,\" Trump said of such meetings. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"They want to know what's happening with Iran, what's happening, what, how do you do that with Venezuela?\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Turning to leadership, Trump said experience shaped his approach between his first and later terms in office.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"I would say first term, I had never done it before,\" he added. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"I had some very good people, but I had some people that I wouldn't have chosen had I had a little more experience.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He added: \"Once I got all that experience, now we have an unbelievable Cabinet.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
On decision-making, he stressed instinct.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"You never know, that's what instinct's all about. You never know. You just go with your gut,\" Trump said. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"You have to put a lot of things into the equation and that equals what you could call instinct.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Asked what he learned from his first term as the Us President, Trump replied: \"It's about people. You know, you have to get the right people. If you don't get the right people, you can be really good but it's never gonna be the same.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Trump also reflected on his first moments inside the White House in 2016.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"I'm standing right outside of the Lincoln bedroom and I'm looking, and it's so historic,\" he said. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"But the White House is a special place.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
On dealing with critics, Trump struck a candid note.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"I have a lot of people I don't like, and I have a lot of people I like a lot,\" he said. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"I want to just do what's right for the country.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"I have a lot of people I don't like, and I have a lot of people I like a lot,\" he said. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
His remarks come as he remains a dominant figure in Republican politics and continues to frame leadership in terms of loyalty, instinct and experience gained across multiple terms in office.<\/p>\r\n\r\n