Lates Show interview
Trump is interviewed by Colbert on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. They talk about immigration and Trump’s plan to build a wall across the border. The interview closes with a section where Trump has to guess whether certain statements were made by him or Colbert.
Colbert: I am going to throw you a big fat meatball to hit out of the park now. This is the last time you ever have to answer this question if you hit the ball: Barack Obama — born in the United States?
Trump: I don’t talk about it anymore
Boycotts Fox News
After a series of tweets criticizing the network, Trump says he is not going to appear on any Fox News shows “for the foreseeable future.”
.@FoxNews has been treating me very unfairly & I have therefore decided that I won't be doing any more Fox shows for the foreseeable future.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2015
60 Minutes interview
Trump is interviewed by Pelley on 60 minutes. He talks about his upcoming tax plan:
Some very wealthy are going to be raised. Some people that are getting unfair deductions are going to be raised. But overall it’s going to be a tremendous incentive to grow the economy and we’re going to take in the same or more money. And I think we’re going to have something that’s going to be spectacular…I don’t want to have certain people on Wall Street getting away with paying no tax.
He also says NAFTA is “a disaster”:
We will either renegotiate it or we will break it. Because, you know, every agreement has an end…Every agreement has an end. Every agreement has to be fair. Every agreement has a defraud clause. We’re being defrauded by all these countries.
On illegal immigrants:
We’re rounding ’em up in a very humane way, in a very nice way. And they’re going to be happy because they want to be legalized. And, by the way, I know it doesn’t sound nice. But not everything is nice.
Releases tax plan
Trump releases his tax plan, which reduces rates for corporations and the middle class, while eliminating tax deductions for the country’s wealthiest earners. The tax code will be simplified into four levels – 25 percent, 20 percent, 10 percent and zero. Single individuals making $25,000 or less a year and couples filing jointly who have a combined annual income of $50,000 or less would pay no federal income taxes while those making more would graduate up the scale base on their earnings. People who fall under the no tax bracket will get to send a one-page letter to the IRS that says “I Win”. The plan eliminates many tax loopholes, with the notable exceptions of the mortgage interest and charitable deductions, and will end tax breaks on carried interest. No business would pay more than 15 percent of its business income in taxes under Trump’s proposed plan.
There will be a major tax reduction, it will simplify the tax code, it will grow the American economy in ways we have not seen for decades…No, I’m not a populist. I’d say I’m a man of great common sense.
Norquist endorses tax plan
Norquist endorses Trump’s tax plan. However, Norquist’s American’s for Tax Reform has some concerns:
Trump’s plan is certainly consistent with the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. Trump has said he opposes net tax hikes and has made clear that the real problem is spending. This plan is a reform, not a tax hike…The most disappointing part of the Trump plan is that the tax system would move no closer to full expensing of business fixed investment. Businesses would still be saddled with the complex, distorting, and growth-inhibiting ‘depreciation’ regime where an asset is deducted over several or even many years.
.The @realDonaldTrump tax plan cuts business tax from 35% to 15%. This makes us competitive worldwide. Jobs. Jobs. Jobs.
— Grover Norquist (@GroverNorquist) September 28, 2015
Endorses Trump
Icahn endorses Trump for president, criticizing the “dysfunction that is going on both in Washington and the boardrooms of corporate America” and cites the U.S. Congress for failing to reform taxes or immigration. He backs Trump’s calls to strike tax deals to encourage corporations to bring back overseas profits and stay based in the U.S.; to end the carried interest tax discount for hedge fund and private-equity managers; and says the Federal Reserve is overdue in beginning to raise interest rates.
You have this movement toward a guy like Donald Trump, because you want someone that’s not beholden to an establishment. So we need a president that can move Congress and I think Donald Trump could do it. I disagree with him on certain issues, and certainly would talk to him more, but this is what this country needs — somebody to wake it up.
Gives Putin an ‘A’ on leadership
In his first interview on Fox News since his boycott, Trump talks with O’Reilly on The O’Reilly Factor. He says he supports Putin’s actions in Syria, and says Assad is preferable to ISIS.
If he [Putin] wants to fight ISIS, let him fight ISIS. I say there’s very little downside with Putin fighting ISIS…Personally, I’ve been looking at the different players and I’ve been watching Assad, and I’m looking at Assad and saying maybe he’s better than the kind of people that we’re supposed to be backing because we don’t even know who we’re backing. We have no idea.
Trump also says Putin is a better leader than Obama.
I will tell you that, in terms of leadership, he’s getting an ‘A’ and our president is not doing so well. They did not look good together.
Meets, prays with religious leaders
Trump meets and prays with about 40 religious leaders and pastors in a two and a half hour meeting in his Trump Tower office. Copel and,White, and Rabbi Schneider pray for Trump to receive wisdom, stability, and knowledge necessary to pursue this endeavor. Trump talks about his Christian faith, although he admits that he may not have read the Bible as much as the pastors in the room. A few of the ministers ask Trump to tone done what they see as harsh rhetoric. Trump says he is a strong supporter of Israel and that defeating ISIS will be a strong part of his agenda. African-American pastors ask Trump for better outreach to their community. Scott:
He has a very high regard and a very deep respect for men and woman of the cloth…I think Donald Trump changed the opinions of the African-American pastors that were in the room. They saw a side of him outside of the media depiction, and that they would give strong consideration in regards to supporting his candidacy.
People cover
Trump appears on the cover of People magazine’s October 12 issue. Inside, in a feature called At Home with Donald Trump, he talks about his family.
I just don’t have the time that I would love to spend with my children and my wife. I see less of my grandchildren than I might like. But they get how important this is…It’s a little scary for Barron. He thinks he is going to be taken away from friends. But I tell him if this happens, Daddy will help people, and can help children like him, and that makes him happy…My life is so busy and so crazy, and I’m away all the time. If I can just stay home and do nothing, it’s considered a great luxury.
Melania:
My husband is traveling all the time. Barron needs somebody as a parent, so I am with him all the time…He is who he is. Even if you give him advice, he will maybe take it in, but then he will do it the way he wants to do it. You cannot change a person. Let them be. Let them be the way they are…It’s a long road. I take it day by day. My husband has a lot of people cheering for him. We will see.
Will send back Syrian refugees
At a New Hampshire rally Trump says that if he’s elected president he will send back Syrian refugees taken in by the U.S. because they may be Islamic State militants in disguise.
I’m putting the people on notice that are coming here from Syria as part of this mass migration. If I win, they’re going back…They could be ISIS, I don’t know…This could be one of the great tactical ploys of all time. A 200,000-man army, maybe. That could be possible.
Umpqua killings ‘horrible’
On Morning Joe, Trump says that while the Umpqua College killings are ‘horrible,’ it will be difficult to stop such events.
You’re going to have these things happen and it’s a horrible thing to behold, horrible…It’s not politically correct to say that, but you’re going to have difficulty and that will be for the next million years, there’s going to be difficulty and people are going to slip through the cracks. What are you going to do, institutionalize everybody?
Criticizes McCarthy
Trump says he is not sure if McCarthy would make a good speaker, due to McCarthy’s comments about the Benghazi committee and its effect on Hillary Clinton’s poll numbers.
Certainly he’s not off to a great start. I watched that (comment), actually, and I was a little surprised by it. … It would have been nice if he didn’t say it, certainly, because then there would be no dispute…I would like to see someone that’s very tough and that can negotiate with the Democrats, and I don’t know that he’s that person. We need somebody that’s a very, very tough, smart, cunning person. I don’t know that that’s him, and obviously this statement hurt him pretty badly in the eyes of some, unfortunately.
Says armed teachers would have stopped killings
At a campaign event in Franklin, Tennessee, Trump tells the audience he supports the Second Amendment.
By the way, it was a gun-free zone. Let me tell you, if you had a couple teachers with guns in that room, you would have been a hell of a lot better off…The Second Amendment guarantees a fundamental right that belongs to all law-abiding Americans. The Constitution doesn’t create that right — it ensures that the government can’t take it away…Our Founding Fathers knew and our Supreme Court has upheld that the the Second Amendment purpose is to guarantee our right to defend ourselves and our families. In fact, I have a license to carry in New York, can you believe that? Nobody knows that. Can you imagine? Somebody says, ‘There’s Trump, he’s easy pickings.’ What’d you’d say?”
Trump then mimics holding a gun with his hand.
Takes credit for McCarthy drop
At a campaign event in Las Vegas, Trump says he is partly responsible for McCarthy’s decision to drop his bid to become speaker.
They’re giving me a lot of credit for that because I said you really need someone very, very, tough and very smart. You know, smart goes with tough. I know tough people that aren’t smart. That’s the worst. We need smart, we need tough, we need the whole package.
Bergdahl ‘should have been executed’
In a rally in Las Vegas’s Treasure Island hotel, Trump says Bergdahl should have been executed.
We’re tired of Sgt. Bergdahl, who’s a traitor, a no-good traitor, who should have been executed. Thirty years ago he would have been shot.
Bergdahl’s lawyer:
[Trump] has become a broken record on this subject…If he took the time to study what actually emerged at the preliminary hearing he would be singing a different tune.
Latino supporter praises
In a rally in Las Vegas’s Treasure Island hotel, Trump asks Colombian immigrant and Las Vegas resident Myriam Witcher up onto the stage, who had with her a copy of People magazine featuring Trump on the cover. Witcher:
I love Mr. Trump! I am Hispanic, and I vote for Mr. Trump!”
Trump, who says he had never met her before, tells her “you are beautiful,” autographs the magazine and gives her a hug and a kiss.
That’s my relationship with Hispanics.
In an interview before the rally, Witcher says she supports Trump’s plan to deport all immigrants here without legal status. She says she had to wait five years for a visa and that she and her family have “respect for the Constitution and rules.”
I’m Hispanic, Latina, and I love me some Trump. He’s the perfect man, a businessman.
Tells Trump to stop using Dream On
Tyler asks Trump to stop using Dream On at campaign events. Tyler, a Republican, says the issue is not political or personal, but simply one of permission. Lawyers”
[Trump] does not have our client’s permission to use Dream On [or any of Tyler’s other songs and that it] gives the false impression that he is connected with or endorses Mr. Trump’s presidential bid.
To host SNL
Trump will host Saturday Night Live in November. Trump previously hosted the show on April 3, 2004.
Comments on Democrat debate
In an interview with ABC News Trump comments on the Democrat debate. On Hillary Clinton:
She did what she had to do. She got through it fine. It was a very kind debate, very gentle. She came out the winner.
On Bernie Sander’s handshake with Clinton.
I think that he’s losing by quite a bit; he shouldn’t have done it.
Would have Secret Service if Democrat
In an interview with The Hill, Trump claims that he would have Secret Service protection if he was a Democrat.
They’re in no rush because I’m a Republican. They don’t give a s—. I want to put them on notice because they should have a liability. Personally, I think if Obama were doing as well as me he would’ve had Secret Service [earlier]. I have by far the biggest crowds. Of course I don’t think they’d want anything to happen. But I would think they should be very proactive and want protection for somebody like me that has 20,000 people at any time,” Trump said. “You would think that they would want to be very proactive, but we have not heard from them.
Trump says members of his private security team have had preliminary conversations with the Secret Service, but the Department of Homeland Security says it has not received an official request from the Trump campaign for protection.