Aboard Air Force One, President Donald Trump shared reflections on the early achievements of his administration, defending what he called “the greatest 100 days in American presidential history.” The conversation, marked by candid moments and a sharp critique of the media, offered a glimpse into the president’s perception of progress, priorities, and political challenges.

Trump spoke with confidence about his administration’s performance, highlighting issues from military enlistment to energy costs. “Just six months ago, we had the lowest numbers ever for military sign-ups,” he said. “Now, we’ve turned that around completely. The best numbers we’ve ever had.”

He linked this revival to a broader rejection of what he described as “woke culture,” suggesting that a renewed focus on traditional values has reignited enthusiasm across the armed forces. According to Trump, this turnaround is part of a larger wave of recovery across the economy, noting that “inflation’s down, energy is down, and gas is down — far ahead of schedule.”

While expressing optimism about consumer costs, the president acknowledged one outlier with a touch of humor. “Everything’s down except, apparently, the thing you carry babies around in. That’s up 3%,” he quipped.

He also addressed interest rates, suggesting improvement despite friction with the Federal Reserve. “Interest and mortgage rates are coming down. It’s been pretty amazing, even with a stubborn Fed,” he said, before momentarily confusing the name “Fitch,” a credit rating agency, for an official, correcting himself mid-sentence.

Turning to polls, Trump was critical of what he described as biased methodology. “We have a lot of fake polls out there. They oversample Democrats. But when we look at the real numbers — from people like John McLaughlin — we’re doing great. We’re leading even among Democrats in some polls,” he claimed.

His remarks culminated in a pointed critique of the media. “The media is dishonest, and frankly, they’re bad for the country. Corrupt. Totally unfair,” Trump concluded before wrapping up the airborne press interaction.

Later, during a separate interview, Trump was asked about the future of the Republican Party and possible successors. While avoiding a definitive answer, he offered praise for current Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, calling both “fantastic people” and “brilliant minds.”

“JD’s doing a great job. Marco’s great. There are a lot of strong Republicans out there,” he said, hinting at optimism for the party’s future leadership without endorsing any individual for 2028.

The president also brushed aside speculation about seeking a third term. “That’s not something I’m looking to do. People ask — and I’ve never had so many people ask me that — but to the best of my knowledge, it’s not allowed. I’ll be a two-term president,” he said firmly. “I want four strong years and then to hand things off to a great Republican.”

Commenting on the state of the economy, Trump separated its trajectory into two phases: one he credits to his administration, and the other he attributes to the policies of his predecessor. “The good parts are the Trump economy. The rough spots — those are the Biden economy,” he remarked, adding that recovery from previous missteps would take time.

He referenced recent headlines involving former President Biden, including controversies around the use of an autopen to sign off on documents. “I doubt he even knew what he was signing. That’s the kind of leadership we’ve had to clean up after,” he said, suggesting a contrast in executive oversight.

Through it all, Trump’s message was consistent — a blend of self-assurance, forward-looking ambition, and combative rhetoric against those he sees as adversaries, whether political or institutional.

The first 100 days, as Trump frames them, are a foundation for a term he hopes will be marked by restoration, resilience, and results. Whether the public and historical record will agree remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the president believes he’s taken off — and plans to keep climbing.