President Donald Trump said he has shifted from being the “hunted” to becoming the “hunter” during an interview at the White House with NewsNation host Katie Pavlich that aired Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, marking the first anniversary of his second inauguration.
The interview covered topics including federal workforce reductions, immigration, and foreign policy.
The 79-year-old president delivered rambling responses about household fixtures when asked about his legislative agenda, discussing sinks and showerheads instead of policy priorities. Trump claimed he passed executive orders removing restrictions on water flow from faucets and shower fixtures.
The interview appeared on “Katie Pavlich Tonight,” which debuted Sunday, Jan. 19, 2026, at 10 p.m. ET. Pavlich, 37, left Fox News after 13 years to become the only female conservative hosting a weekday primetime cable news show.
Trump said his second term “is more pleasurable, there’s no question about it,” but added, “My first term was one of the most successful presidencies, but literally, I was hunted by these horrible people.”
The comments echoed his previous claims regarding a “witch hunt” during his first term and his allegations that the Justice Department was weaponized against him.
Trump said his administration has dismissed “hundreds of thousands of federal employees” as part of efforts to transition the economy from government subsidies to private sector growth.
“One of the things I’d like to do, we passed so many executive orders. I have great executive orders that are really commonsense and good,” Trump said during the White House interview. He discussed water restrictions and paper straws that “don’t have to melt in your mouth.”
Trump stated that approximately “35, 40 percent” of his legislative priorities have been codified into law. He expressed concern about potential impeachment if Democrats regain control.
When asked about Iranian threats, Trump told Pavlich, “Anything ever happens, the whole country is going to get blown up. I would absolutely hit them so hard.” The president also made reference to top-secret weapons, telling Pavlich, “We have weapons that nobody knows about.”
When asked about American hostage Dennis Coyle, held by the Taliban for nearly a year, Trump appeared unfamiliar with the case but promised action, saying that if given information, he would take care of that.
Pavlich previously worked as a contributor at Fox News, where she appeared on programs including “The Five” and filled in for primetime hosts. She also serves as editor of Townhall.com and has authored two books.
The administration has recently focused on Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D), both of whom have spoken out against the president’s intensified Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in their state.
Alongside his attacks on political rivals, the president has frequently challenged free expression and criticized reporters whose coverage doesn’t align with his agenda, even singling out individual journalists in public.
Trump has repeated this “hunter” remark in the past. In June of the previous year, he told reporters that he delayed starting a White House construction project until his second term because, during his first term, the media had been pursuing him. He said that he had previously been “the hunted,” but now considered himself “the hunter,” emphasizing what he viewed as a significant shift.