'This Week' Transcript: Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders

— -- THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT FOR 'THIS WEEK' ON JANUARY 17, 2016 and it will be updated.

ANNOUNCER: Starting right now on a special election edition of ABC's THIS WEEK, sprint to the finish -- just two weeks before the voting starts, and we're face-to-face with Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.

As the GOP race tightens, can the brawling billionaire seal the deal?

And what's he saying now about his battle with Ted Cruz?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He's a nasty guy. Nobody likes him.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're on the trail in New Hampshire with Donald Trump.

Plus, Hillary feeling the heat.

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SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The Clinton campaign is getting very, very nervous.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Could this underdog shock the political world in an upset for the ages?

Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are both here, live.

Plus, insights and analysis from the powerhouse roundtable.

It's all only on THIS WEEK from ABC News, it's your voice, your vote.

Here now, chief anchor, George Stephanopoulos.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, ABC HOST: It is on. Just two weeks before the first votes, the bromance between the two Republican frontrunners is history. The clashes of this week's debate continued on the stump this weekend. After Cruz attacked Trump's New York values, Donald seemed to score with a powerful defense of his hometown.

But Cruz now countering with this video.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm very pro-choice. I hate the concept of abortion. I hate it. Still, I just believe in choice. And, again, it may be a little bit of a New York background, because there is some different attitude in different parts of the country and, you know, I was raised in New York and grew up and worked and everything else in New York City.

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STEPHANOPOULOS: And here was Cruz in South Carolina.

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SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I recognize that what Donald says on the campaign trail today is fairly conservative. But voters are far more discerning. They've learned over and over again politicians don't tell us the truth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHANOPOULOS: So Trump was loaded for bear when I met up with him in New Hampshire on Saturday.

And we began with the news breaking just as we sat down, the release of those American prisoners from Iran.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEPHANOPOULOS: So we have some news. We have four American hostages, including Jason Rezaian, and released by Iran. Now you said that was never going to happen. You blamed Obama.

Are you ready to give him credit?

TRUMP: Absolutely not. And I never said it was never going to happen. I said that if I got in, it would happen immediately. Now I have to see the deal. Somebody said they got seven, we give four, you know, in terms of what the deal is. I have to see what the deal is.

This should have happened years ago, George. We're giving them $150 billion. This shouldn't be happening now. And I understand that in addition to the $150 billion, they're getting hostages, also, or they're getting some prisoners released. So I have to see what the deal is. Don't forget, we're taping this a little bit early and it's not Sunday morning, like your viewers probably think.

So I have to see what the deal is. This should have happened years ago.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Let's talk about the race.