How Trump woke me up for surprise interview - and the key takeaways

July 15, 2025

Former President Donald Trump participated in an unexpected phone interview where he reflected on the assassination attempt against him in Butler, Pennsylvania, and discussed various international relations issues. Trump expressed vulnerability when discussing the assassination attempt, saying he tries not to dwell on it to prevent it from becoming "life-changing. " The conversation covered his frustrations with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the Ukraine war, his evolving positive view of NATO, and his warm feelings toward the UK and Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Who is affected

Former President Donald Trump
Russian President Vladimir Putin
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
NATO allies and NATO Chief Mark Rutte
The United Kingdom and Prime Minister Keir Starmer
King Charles
Migrants being deported from the United States
Criminal migrants specifically targeted for deportation

What action is being taken

Trump is threatening secondary sanctions against Russia's economy if a Ukraine peace deal isn't reached within 50 days
The US is selling weapons to NATO which will then be passed to Ukraine
Trump's administration is deporting migrants, particularly focusing on criminals, including to countries like El Salvador
NATO members have pledged to increase defense spending to 5% of each country's economic output
The UK and US have signed an agreement to remove some trade barriers

Why it matters

Trump's reflections on the assassination attempt reveal a rarely seen vulnerability from a leader known for speaking without a filter
His frustration with Putin highlights challenges in his promise to quickly end the Ukraine war
Trump's evolving positive view of NATO represents a significant shift from his previous stance that the alliance was "obsolete"
The deportation policies are affecting migration patterns, with Trump citing a decrease in migrants crossing from Mexico
The relationship between the US and UK remains "special" according to Trump, maintaining an important international alliance

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC