Trump says he's surprised by how hard it is to be president


As he approaches his 100th day in office, President Trump is feeling nostalgic, fondly remembering his days before having the nuclear codes, when he spent his time firing people on television and eating well done steaks in Manhattan restaurants.
"I loved my previous life," he told Reuters in an interview Thursday. "This is more work than in my previous life. I thought it would be easier." When he was just a New York businessman with a penchant for gold furnishings, he was used to not having any privacy, but he told Reuters he still isn't quite used to having Secret Service agents with him at all times. "You're really into your own little cocoon," he said, "because you have such massive protection that you really can't go anywhere." That includes getting behind the wheel. "I like to drive," he said. "I can't drive any more." There are a few things from his past life he still gets to do — play golf, tweet at all hours of the day, and visit his private club in Palm Beach, Mar-a-Lago, where he has spent half of his weekends as president.
Although Trump did take some time during the interview to rehash the election results — passing out a map to Reuters reporters that showed the areas he won in red — he also looked ahead. He's not going to attend the White House Correspondents' Dinner this weekend because he thinks the media has been treating him unfairly, but that won't stop him from attending it in 2018. "I would come next year," he said. "Absolutely."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'
Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
President diagnosed with 'chronic venous insufficiency'
Speed Read The vein disorder has given Trump swollen ankles and visible bruising on his hands
-
'Bawdy' Trump letter supercharges Epstein scandal
Speed Read The Wall Street Journal published details of Trump's alleged birthday letter to Epstein
-
President diagnosed with 'chronic venous insufficiency'
Speed Read The vein disorder has given Trump swollen ankles and visible bruising on his hands
-
'Bawdy' Trump letter supercharges Epstein scandal
Speed Read The Wall Street Journal published details of Trump's alleged birthday letter to Epstein
-
Fed chair Powell in Trump's firing line
Speed Read The president considers removing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell
-
Trump trashes supporters over Epstein files
speed read The president lashed out on social media following criticism of his administration's Jeffrey Epstein investigation
-
Judge nixes wiping medical debt from credit checks
Speed Read Medical debt can now be included in credit reports
-
Grijalva wins Democratic special primary for Arizona
Speed Read She will go up against Republican nominee Daniel Butierez to fill the US House seat her father held until his death earlier this year
-
US inflation jumps as Trump tariffs 'bite'
Speed Read Consumer prices are climbing and the inflation rate rose to its highest level in four months
-
SCOTUS greenlights mass DOE firings
Speed Read The Supreme Court will allow the Trump administration to further shrink the Education Department