© 2026 ABC News

“The president has recognized that this is a major problem, and a lot of people, even in California, want to see the issue of sanctuary cities addressed and the president is doing what he can to do that,” Sanders explained.

But a reporter noted that the term “breeding” evokes animals procreating -- a notion that Sanders appeared to reject.

“I'm not going to begin to think what you think,” she said, adding that while the word “breeding” can mean “a lot of things,” the president was talking about what she called a growing problem in California and other states with so-called sanctuary cities.

“I don't have anything else to add,” Sanders said.

\"PHOTO:
Mary Altaffer/AP Photo
PHOTO: In this April 16, 2018, photo, Michael Cohen, center, leaves federal court in New York.
>

'HARD TO CLOSE THE DOOR' ON POTENTIAL PARDON FOR MICHAEL COHEN

Sanders gave a less-than-categorical response when asked whether or not President Trump would pardon his longtime adviser Michael Cohen as a way potentially to block him from cooperating with federal officials investigating him.

“It’s hard to close a door on something that hasn't taken place,” she said during the briefing.

Earlier Monday, Sanders was asked about the president’s weekend tweet dismissing the notion that Cohen might “flip” on him.

The New York Times and a third rate reporter named Maggie Haberman, known as a Crooked H flunkie who I don’t speak to and have nothing to do with, are going out of their way to destroy Michael Cohen and his relationship with me in the hope that he will “flip.” They use....

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 21, 2018

Sanders denied the president was suggesting that there might be wrongdoing on the president’s part that Cohen could actually reveal if he were to cooperate with federal investigators.

“No, I don't think the president has anything to hide,” Sanders said. “I think he’s been quite clear on that.”

\"PHOTO:
AFP/Getty Images
PHOTO: This picture taken on April 9, 2018 and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on April 10 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang.
>

NO SANCTIONS RELIEF FOR NORTH KOREA WITHOUT 'ACTIONS' TO DENUCLEARIZE

ABC’s Jonathan Karl pressed Sanders over whether the president, ahead of his potential sit-down with Kim Jong Un, would accept anything short of “complete denuclearization” before the lifting of any sanctions against North Korea.

“Certainly no sanctions lifted until we see concrete actions taken by North Korea to denuclearize,” Sanders said.

Sanders also sought to explain the president’s tweet over the weekend claiming North Korea “agreed to denuclearization” while the U.S. has given up nothing. She referred to a recent statement from South Korean President Moon who spoke of North Korea recently expressing “a will for complete denuclearization.”

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/Politics/wh-press-secretary-fields-questions-trump-meant-breeding/story?id=54663650","legacySlug":"/news/story/wh-press-secretary-fields-questions-trump-meant-breeding-54663650","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"06:37","publishDate":"04-24-2018","updatedTime":"06:35","updatedDate":"04-24-2018","socialImage":{"alt":"White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders talks to reporters during the daily press briefing in the Brady press briefing room at the White House, in Washington, April 23, 2018.","credit":"Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/Politics/sarah-sanders-ap-1-thg-180423_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"4/24/2018 06:37:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":54663650,"headline":"Sanders tries to explain Trump 'breeding' tweet","mediaAssetTitle":"WH press briefing","description":"Sanders tried to explain a head-scratching presidential tweet about immigration.","duration":"1:19","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2018/04/180423_vod_orig_trump_breeding_MIX_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["132055565","131830882","130993584"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"April 15, 2026","headline":"American influencer found dead in Tanzania","section":"News","slug":"/video/132055565","id":"132055565","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 8, 2026","headline":"Ceasefire analysis, unanswered questions ahead","section":"News","slug":"/video/131830882","id":"131830882","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Ceasefire analysis, unanswered questions ahead","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Ceasefire analysis, unanswered questions ahead","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"March 12, 2026","headline":"Winter whiplash plunges temperatures along the East Coast","section":"News","slug":"/video/130993584","id":"130993584","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Winter whiplash plunges temperatures along the East Coast","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Winter whiplash plunges temperatures along the East Coast","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Sanders tries to explain Trump 'breeding' tweet","description":"Sanders tried to explain a head-scratching presidential tweet about immigration.","duration":"1:19","uploadDate":"04-24-2018","publication":"04-24-2018","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2018/04/180423_vod_orig_trump_breeding_MIX_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2018/04/180423_vod_orig_trump_breeding_MIX_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/wh-press-secretary-fields-questions-trump-meant-breeding-54663650"}},"playlist":[{"id":"132054443","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054798","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132033010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131912713","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131830583","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131834976","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554765","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554815","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131543053","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131432442","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131121474","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131247079","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131228784","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131178806","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131142257","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131046664","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131048076","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131033212","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"130999943","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"130971027","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:news:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"news","title":"Sanders tries to explain Trump 'breeding' tweet","pubTime":"02:37","pubDate":"04-24-2018","modTime":"02:35","modDate":"04-24-2018","taxonomyTags":"none","id":54663650,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Sanders tries to explain Trump 'breeding' tweet","mediaAssetTitle":"WH press briefing","videoId":54663650,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/news/story/wh-press-secretary-fields-questions-trump-meant-breeding-54663650"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/54663650","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/54663650","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};