Donald Trump's feud with Fox News' Megyn Kelly seemed to come to a close Tuesday night with what was less of an apology and more of a let bygones be bygones moment between the two.
Noting that Kelly was the one who called him to set up the olive branch meeting, Trump said, "I have great respect for you that you were able to call me and say, 'Let's get together, let's talk.'"
"I would not have done that," Trump told Kelly in the pre-taped interview that aired on Fox News Tuesday. Trump noted it was "a negative" that he couldn't reach out in a similar way.
s far as controversial retweets calling Kelly a "bimbo" Trump sheepishly said "excuse me" before offering that it's probably "not the most horrible thing" Kelly has had said about her over the course of her life.
"You've been called a lot worse," Trump said with a smile.
Earlier in the interview, the Twitter-loving Republican presumptive nominee acknowledged that it's the retweets that tend to get him in trouble, calling retweets "more of a killer than the tweets."
Trump attacked Kelly after the first Republican debate when Kelly questioned his derogatory statements about the appearance of women.
He came under fire for saying Kelly had "blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever" when referring to the way in which she questioned him during the debate. He has lashed out at her on Twitter since then, including in March.
In the interview Tuesday, Trump called Twitter — on which he has more than 8 million followers — a "modern day form of fighting back." Something he's done no shortage of during the course of this campaign.
Trump said his reaction to Kelly after the first debate, and his sharp attacks against rivals that have been characterized as bullying, could be partly responsible for his success.
Trump has in the past acknowledged that he shouldn't have retweeted an unflattering photo of Ted Cruz' wife, Heidi, which ignited a bizarre public fight between Trump and Cruz.
However, Trump still insisted that "mistake" isn't the right word for the Heidi Cruz incident — or for anything else he may regret doing over the course of his candidacy.
Instead, Trump said that when you make a mistake you have to move forward. Of dwelling on past errors or correcting mistakes, Trump says he doesn't do that. "I don't think that's healthy," he said.
"Absolutely I could have done certain things differently. I could have maybe used different language in a couple of instances," Trump said. "But overall I have to be very happy with the outcome."
"If I would not have fought back the way I fought back, I don't think I would have been successful," Trump said.
The presumptive Republican nominee also said that if he doesn't make it to the White House he will consider his campaign a failure.
"If I don't go all the way and if I don't win, I will consider it to be a total and complete waste of time, energy and money," Trump said
The History of the Donald Trump–Megyn Kelly Feud
In the Fox News special “Megyn Kelly Presents,” set to air tonight, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump talks about his nearly eight-month back-and-forth dispute with the anchor.
In a clip that aired last week before the full interview, Trump told Kelly, “I have great respect for you, that you were able to call me and say, ‘Let’s get together, and let’s talk.’ To me, I would not have done that.”
Here’s a look at what Kelly once described as the “bizarre” relationship between the two, from the beginning:
Aug. 6, 2015
First Republican Presidential Debate
In a question directed at Trump, Kelly said the GOP hopeful “called women you don't like fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting animals.”
Trump fired back on Twitter after the debate.
Aug. 7–9, 2015
“Blood Coming Out of Her Wherever”
Trump continued to criticize the Fox News host the day after the debate, telling CNN, “There was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever.”
“I just don't respect her as a journalist,” he continued. “I have no respect for her. I don’t think she’s very good. I think she’s highly overrated.”
In an Aug. 9 interview on ABC News’ “This Week With George Stephanopoulos,” Trump said that he meant Kelly’s nose when he said “wherever,” and he did not apologize for the comments.
Nov. 4, 2015
While Kelly insisted she wouldn’t engage in a feud with Trump, she was quick to respond on social media after a series of attacks from the Republican front-runner.
Isn't it terrible that @megynkelly used a poll not used before (I.B.D.) when I was down, but refuses to use it now when I am up?
Jan. 28, 2016
Trump Skips Fox News Debate
Trump skipped a Fox News–hosted debate before the Iowa caucuses, instead holding an event to benefit veterans’ groups, after a battle of statements with Kelly.
Trump’s campaign manager Corey Lewandowski said Trump’s decision had nothing to do with Kelly.
Shortly after that, Trump took to Twitter to call Kelly a “lightweight reporter.”
Trump argued that he wouldn't be treated fairly at the debate.
Feb. 5, 2016
Kelly Addresses Tiff With Trump
Kelly called the spat she and her network had with Trump “bizarre” but added that she hoped he would be at the next debate.
“It was bizarre because I became the story. He was so very focused on me that I became the story, and, you know, you never want to be the story when you’re a news person,” Kelly told ABC News.
She added, “I stand by every question I asked him, and he was not the only one who had tough questions. He was the only one, however, who complained.”
March 3, 2016
GOP Debate in Detroit
Republican presidential candidates went head to head in a debate hosted by Fox News in Detroit.
As the hopefuls offered their final pitches to the people of Michigan before the state’s primary, they welcomed Trump back to the stage and Kelly as a moderator.
It was the first exchange the two had in person since the first Republican debate.
“Mr. Trump, hi. How are you doing?" Kelly asked.
“Hello. Nice to be with you, Megyn,” Trump replied. “You’re looking well. You’re looking well.”
April 13, 2016
Brokered Peace
Trump and Kelly cleared the air during an hourlong meeting in Trump’s office in Trump Tower in New York, putting an end to the public tension between them.
That meeting evidently paved the way for the interview airing tonight.
