President Trump Thought The Job Would Be 'Easier': Reuters

WASHINGTON, DC — In a surprisingly frank interview with Reuters, President Trump discussed the personal aspects of his job in the Oval Office with three reporters, revealing some of the parts of his day that most trouble him.

In the most noted quote from the interview, Trump says he thought the presidency would be "easier." Many commentators guffawed at this idea, given the wide coverage of the presidency and the clear challenges it poses to even the most talented of White House occupants. But much of Trump's rhetoric on the campaign trail made it clear that he believed a great deal of the political problems in the country were a result of incompetence and corruption, rather than genuine struggles to get things done.

Here are five takeaways from the interview:

1. The presidency is a lot of work

"I loved my previous life. I had so many things going," Trump said. "This is more work than in my previous life. I thought it would be easier."

During the presidential campaign, Trump frequently said that if he lost the election he would go on a long vacation.

2. He misses the small things, like driving.

For security and other reasons, presidents cannot do many things that the general public might take for granted. One of things Trump misses most?

"I like to drive," he said. "I can't drive any more."

Many people might find little to complain about being driven around in a limousine, but there is a personal freedom in being behind the wheel that one might understandably long for.

3. He is still obsessed with the election.

During the interview, Trump pulled out a map of the United States showing his electoral college win.

"It’s pretty good, right?" he said. "The red is obviously us."

That Trump cares deeply about the election results has long been obvious. He frequently brings up his electoral vote win — though he once pretty grossly exaggerated his numbers at a press conference. He's attributed his defeat in the popular vote to massive fraud, though he has not provided any evidence for this claim. The White House said it was launching an investigation into 2016 voter fraud, but little action has been seen on this front.

4. He might go to next year's White House Correspondents' Association dinner.

Trump will be skipping this year's White House Correspondents' dinner, despite the fact that he has attended it in the past. But he said he would like to go in subsequent years.

Ostensibly, his skipping of the dinner this year is a jab at the press, which he has called the "enemy of the American people." However, as his exclusive interview with Reuters shows, he is actually quite happy to engage with the mainstream media, such as it is.

5. He warns of a conflict with North Korea.

"There is a chance that we could end up having a major, major conflict with North Korea," he said. "We'd love to solve things diplomatically but it's very difficult."

Given the troubling rise in tension between the United States and North Korea in recent months, these comments may be the most consequential of the entire interview.

Photo by Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty Images News/Getty Images