Trump appears to backtrack on Obamacare in 60 Minutes interview
President-elect says he'll keep parts of U.S. health plan in first TV interview since election
In his first televised interview since winning the U.S. election, president-elect Donald Trump tells 60 Minutes there are parts of Obamacare worth keeping.
In a clip promoting the CBS current affairs show to air Sunday, journalist Lesley Stahl asked Trump about his platform to repeal and replace America's Affordable Care Act.
"When you replace it, are you going to make sure that people with pre-conditions are still covered?" Stahl asked.
"Yes," Donald Trump said. "Because it happens to be one of the strongest assets."
"You're going to keep it?" Stahl asks.
Trump responds: "Also, with the children living with their parents for an extended period, we're going to very much try and keep that. It adds cost, but it's very much something we're going to try and keep."
The revelation throws into question Trump's plan to "completely repeal" the legislation "on day one of the Trump administration," as his website says.
When pushed on the matter by Stahl, Trump said he will repeal and replace the act "simultaneously."
The interview will air amid ongoing anti-Trump protests across U.S. cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles and New York. One person was shot at a demonstration in Portland, Oregon, overnight.
Trump was also asked about the phone call he received from Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, following his Nov. 8 election win.
"It was a lovely call," he said in the interview. "And it was a tough call for her, I mean, I can imagine. Tougher for her than it would have been for me. I mean, for me, it would have been very, very difficult. She couldn't have been nicer. She just said, 'Congratulations, Donald, well done.'"
He added: "She is very strong and very smart."
Trump said he wouldn't rule out calling former president and Hillary's husband, Bill Clinton, for advice.
"I would certainly think about that," Trump said.
Trump has already said he might call Barack Obama for advice. He met with the President at the White House in Washington, D.C., earlier this week.
Landing the coveted first interview has become somewhat of a recent tradition for the venerable broadcast newsmagazine. Barack Obama also sat down with 60 Minutes for the coveted first interview after being elected president and again following his re-election.
With files from the Associated Press