In a candid and wide-ranging phone interview with the BBC, President Donald Trump admitted he feels let down by Russian President Vladimir Putin but insisted he’s not ready to cut ties entirely. “I’m disappointed in him,” Trump said, “but I’m not done with him.”

The interview, which lasted 20 minutes and was conducted from the Oval Office, came just hours after Trump announced plans to provide weapons to Ukraine through NATO and threatened steep tariffs on Russia if a ceasefire isn’t reached within 50 days.

When asked directly whether he trusts Putin, Trump responded bluntly: “I trust almost nobody.”

On Russia and Ukraine

Trump revealed that he had believed on four different occasions that a peace deal with Russia over Ukraine was within reach—only for those hopes to be dashed. “We’d be close,” Trump said, “and then he [Putin] would knock down a building in Kyiv.”

Russia has recently stepped up its missile and drone strikes on Ukraine, causing a sharp rise in civilian casualties. While Putin has claimed he wants peace, he maintains that NATO and Western threats to Russia’s security must be addressed first.

Trump, when pressed on how he would stop the bloodshed, replied vaguely: “We’re working at it, Gary.”

Revisiting NATO

Despite once calling NATO “obsolete,” Trump now says the alliance is heading in the right direction. “NATO is now becoming the opposite of that,” he said, citing the bloc’s recent commitment to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP.

“It’s amazing. Nobody thought that was possible,” Trump said, adding that smaller nations need the collective defense principle to protect themselves.

He credited his leadership for encouraging NATO to take more financial responsibility and claimed his influence earned him respect among European leaders, including those from Germany, France, and Spain. “They see there’s talent in being elected twice,” Trump said. “That’s a big thing.”

Surviving an Assassination Attempt

The interview was partly arranged to mark one year since the assassination attempt on Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. When asked whether the experience had changed him, Trump replied, “I don’t like to think about if it did change me. Dwelling on it could be life-changing.”

On the UK and Brexit

Trump expressed warm feelings for the United Kingdom, calling it a “great place” and reminding listeners that he owns property there. However, he said the country had not fully capitalized on Brexit. “It’s been on the sloppy side,” he said, “but I think it’s getting straightened out.”

He had kind words for new UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, saying: “I really like the prime minister a lot, even though he is a liberal.”

Trump confirmed he will make a second state visit to the UK in September and said he’s looking forward to spending time with King Charles, whom he called “a great gentleman.” He dismissed the idea of giving a speech to the UK Parliament during the visit, noting that it won’t be in session: “Let them go and have a good time.”

Asked about Charles’s earlier speech affirming Canada’s sovereignty after Trump made controversial comments suggesting the U.S. could annex the country, Trump brushed it off. “He had no choice,” Trump said. “I thought he was very respectful.”

Domestic Focus: Border and Taxes

Turning to domestic issues, Trump highlighted what he sees as significant progress on curbing illegal immigration. He claimed border crossings are now at record lows, and that his administration is focusing on identifying and deporting undocumented migrants already inside the U.S.

“We’re getting the criminals out quickly, and we’re doing that,” Trump said. He confirmed that deportations include sending people to countries like El Salvador under a controversial agreement targeting gang members.

He also dismissed legal challenges to his immigration policies: “We’ve won all these cases in appeal. Some judges are radical left lunatics, but every case has been overturned.”

On economic policy, Trump celebrated his sweeping tax and spending legislation, which builds on his 2017 tax cuts. The bill includes new tax breaks for service workers and major reductions in Medicaid funding. “We have the largest tax cuts in history,” he said.

Looking Ahead

Asked how he would like his presidency to be remembered, Trump replied simply: “Saving America.”

“I think America is now a great country,” he added. “And it was a dead country one year ago.”