Bill Clinton defends foreign money donated to foundation

Bill Clinton defended donations from foreign governments to his family foundation and said he would continue giving paid speeches as his wife seeks the presidency.

"There is no doubt in my mind that we have never done anything knowingly inappropriate in terms of taking money to influence any kind of American government policy," Clinton told Cynthia McFadden of NBC News.

The Clinton Foundation recently acknowledged the global philanthropy made some mistakes in disclosing donors, amid reports about foreign governments donating to the organization while Hillary Clinton was secretary of State. Maura Pally, acting CEO of the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation, said the organization is "acting quickly to remedy" the errors.

In the interview that aired Monday on NBC's Today show, Bill Clinton also said he will continue to give speeches that have paid him upwards of $500,000 or more. "I gotta pay our bills," the former president said. "And I also give a lot of it to the foundation every year."

Clinton said "people like to hear me speak" and that he spends a couple of hours a day researching the groups and people behind his speaking opportunities.

"We do our best to vet them," he said. "And I have turned down a lot of them. If I think there's something wrong with it, I don't take it."

He said criticism of the foundation is "political" and part of a "very concerted effort to bring the foundation down." The organization does a variety of work around the world, such as providing money to African nations fighting HIV and AIDS and improving access to health care in poor communities.

As for whether he would step aside from the Clinton Foundation if Hillary Clinton wins the 2016 election, the former president left the door open.

"I might if I were asked to do something in the public interest that I had an obligation to do. Or I might take less of an executive role," Bill Clinton told NBC News. "But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."