GERALDO RIVERA: You know what, he's been very professional which is hard to believe. You know Corey Lewandowski, your campaign manager over there, you could have dumped him like a hot potato after the allegation that he pushed that lady reporter and you stuck by. Why did you stick by? You could have dumped him.

DONALD TRUMP: I was ready to fire Corey. I didn’t want to fire Corey, he’s a good man, and great family, wife , kids, I was ready to fire Corey when I heard about it. But I’m a rich guy who has cameras in ceilings. It was in my club. And I have security cameras. And I saw the camera.

Now, her police report said thrown to the ground and I said, man, what happened? Why did you do such a thing? But I was in the group, and I said, wait a minute, that was the one that was grabbing me. Maybe I should file a report, she was grabbing me, like that. That's when I was looking down and pulling up my --  she was a slightly -- she was terrible I think. She filed a report that she was essentially almost thrown to the ground and then thrown to the ground. So when I got the camera, I looked. I said he didn't do anything wrong. Once the police saw the camera and everybody saw the camera and I stuck with him. Now Cruz said he should be fired immediately. I said how do you fire a person before you know what happened? But I will tell you, I was going to fire him based on the reports. Fortunately we had a camera that was a great camera in the ceiling. In fact I asked my guys, I said don't we have a good camera system here? They said, the best, Mr. Trump. I said well let's take the cameras out and let me see. And he didn't actually even hit her. He just sort of ran interference. She was grabbing me. She broke through the Secret Service. She wasn't supposed to be there and the press conference was over. And then he walked because she shouldn't have been doing that. She was grabbing my arm.

When it’s all said and done, and do you know what she put in her police report, I believe? Weapon. I believe she put teeth, fists and feet. He didn't do anything. Now, it would have been very easy for me to do the politically correct thing. This guy Cruz said she should be fired immediately. That's a lack of loyalty. And just like I was loyal to him and I was right and now I'm getting credit for it. But I was right -- I’ll be loyal to the American people. I’ll defend the American people.

Previously:

Trump Denies Evidence, Says Breitbart Reporter “Made Up” Story Of Assault By Campaign Manager

Fox Spins Trump Into The Victim Of His Campaign Manager's Battery Charge

“Textbook Victim-Blaming”: Media Criticize Trump's Defense Of His Campaign Manager