Donald Trump promised Wednesday that Newt Gingrich "is going to be involved in our government" — even if the former House speaker does not become his running mate.
"I like Newt," the presumptive nominee said amid supporters chanting "Newt, Newt!" in Cincinnati. "Newt has been my friend for a long time.
Gingrich, 73, who represented Georgia in the House for two decades, introduced Trump at the rally.
"I'm not saying anything — and I'm not telling even Newt anything, but I can tell you in one form or another, Newt Gingrich is going to be involved with our government," Trump said.
"That I can tell you. He's going to be involved.
"He's smart. He's tough. He gets it. Newt's going to be involved."
Trump also widely slammed CNN — even dubbing it "the Clinton News Network" at one point — over its weekend coverage of a Twitter post attacking Hillary Clinton that was attacked for being anti-Semitic.
"CNN's terrible to me," he said. "Terrible. No. They're dishonest.
"I don't watch it anymore. In life, when something is unpleasant, don't watch it. Turn to something else. That's what I do. I don't watch it anymore.
"When people treat you unfairly, turn your back or go someplace else," Trump said.
The billionaire came under heavy fire for his Saturday tweet that labeled Clinton as "the most corrupt candidate ever" and featured the Star of David and the former first lady's image against a backdrop of money.
"To me, it was just a star — but when I really looked, it looked like a sheriff's star," Trump said. "But CNN started this dialogue going it's the Star of David, and because it's the Star of David, Donald Trump is racist.
"These people are sick, folks. I'm telling you. They're sick. They're sick."
"Don't watch it. Don't watch it anymore."
The tweet was quickly reposted with a circle instead of the star, but Trump said it should have remained.
"You shouldn't have taken it down," he said. "They took the star down.
"I said, 'Too bad, you should have left it up.' I would have rather defended it.
"Just leave it up," Trump said. "That's just a star."