Esquire interview
Trump gives his thoughts on dressing well at all times:
I always wear a suit–looking one’s best is good for confidence. High self-esteem is important for effective performance. Dressing well is also a sign of respect, for yourself and for others. I know what I’ll wear every day, which is a suit. It saves time, and I know I’ll look appropriate. I have too much to think about to devote a lot of time to it.
‘Who is doing the raping?’
In an CNN interview with lemon, Trump says his comments on illegal immigrationa are backed up by this article on Fusion.com:
Well if you look at the statistics of people coming, you look at the statistics on rape, on crime, on everything coming in illegally into this country it’s mind-boggling! If you go to Fusion, you will see a story: About 80% of the women coming in, you know who owns Fusion? Univision! Go to Fusion and pick up the stories on rape. It’s unbelievable when you look at what’s going on. So all I’m doing is telling the truth.
When Lemon says that the press stories are about women being raped, but not about criminals coming across the border, Trump responds:
Well, somebody’s doing the raping, Don! I mean somebody’s doing it! Who’s doing the raping? Who’s doing the raping? How can you say such a thing.
He also tells Lemon he is surprised he’s trailing Jeb Bush:
I don’t get it. He’s in favor of Common Core, extremely weak on immigration. He thinks people come over for love. I don’t understand why he’s in first place. Maybe it’s the Bush name. Last thing we need is another Bush. But I will tell you, I’m a little surprised he’s in the position he’s in.
Didn’t expect severity of backlash
In an interview with Fox News, Trump says he didn’t expect the strength of the backlash against his comments to be quite as severe:
I knew it was going to be bad because I was told this. All my life I have been told this: If you are successful, you don’t run for office.I didn’t know it was going to be quite this severe, but I really knew it was going to be bad…It seems like I’m sort of the whipping post because I bring it up. And I don’t understand whether you are liberal or whether you are conservative or whether you are Republican, Democrat — why wouldn’t you talk about a problem? The crime is raging. It’s violent, and people don’t want to even talk about it. If you talk about it, you are a racist. I don’t understand it.
For the people who say I’m doing it for my brand – this isn’t good for my brand. I think it’s bad for my brand…You know, maybe I’m leading in polls, but this is certainly not good. I lose customers, I lose people. I had one of the top shows on television, The Apprentice, and I decided not to do it because I wanted to do this. I give up hundreds of millions of dollars of deals where I’m doing this. Then you hear about NASCAR, and you hear about NBC, and you hear about, you know, different people that drop Trump because Trump wants safety in the United States. If you think of it, what am I doing? I say let’s make our country safe, and people are offended. It’s incredible to me.
Ammoland interview
In an interview with Ammoland.com, Trump says he supports the right of individuals to own guns. He says he has a concealed weapon permit.
Gun control does not reduce crime. It has consistently failed to stop violence. Americans are entitled to protect their families, their property and themselves. In fact, in right-to-carry states the violent crime rate is 24% lower than the rest of the United States and the murder rate is 28% lower. This should not be up for debate.
He also says he will end gun-free zones on military bases.
As Commander-in-Chief, I would mandate that soldiers remain armed and on alert at our military bases…They will be able to defend themselves against terrorists. Our brave soldiers should not be at risk because of policy created by civilian leadership. Political correctness has no place in this debate…The 2nd Amendment is right, not a privilege. The small minority of anti-everything activists may be vocal, but we have facts, and the Constitution, on our side.
He also calls Karl Rove a “loser” for proposing a repeal of the Second Amendment.
Call Trump a ‘jackass’
In an interview with CNN, Graham defends McCain and criticizes Trump:
John’s my friend. He’s not a perfect person. He was tortured for five and a half years. When you ask Trump, ‘Do you know what he went through in jail?’ ‘No, it doesn’t matter.’ Yeah, it does matter. It really does matter…I don’t care if he drops out. Stay in the race, just stop being a jackass…This is the beginning of the end of Donald Trump.
Will deport illegal immigrants
Trump says he will deport all illegal immigrants in the country but will allow “the good ones” to reenter the country legally.
Legal status. We got to move ’em out, we’re going to move ’em back in if they’re really good people.
‘I’m not a debater’
Trump tells ABC News that he is not a debater.
These politicians, I always say, are all talk no action. They debate all the time. I don’t debate, I build. I’ve created tremendous jobs, I’ve created a great company. Maybe my whole life is a debate in a way, but the fact is I’m not a debater, and they are. With that being said, I look forward to it, we’ll see what happens…I don’t think I’m going to be throwing punches. I’m not looking to attack.
On his strong tone:
The tone has to be tougher. If we’re going to stop ISIS, if we’re going to clean up the border and stop what’s happening at the border which is a disaster. I have no doubt that [strong tone] works. I have absolutely no doubt. When you see the other side chopping off heads, waterboarding doesn’t sound very severe.
Breitbart interview
Trump talks to Breitbart about the upcoming GOP debate:
I look forward to it. It will be very exciting. I’m looking to treat everybody with great respect which they deserve. I hope we can talk about the issues…I hope we can keep it on a high level. If that doesn’t happen, I’m willing to go to the other route. But I will say the two people who hit me really hard both went down in the polls. And I find that really interesting,and I find it a great honor that that would happen, because in all fairness Lindsey Graham and Perry were really hitting me hard, and they went down in the polls. I am greatly honored by that. I was surprised, to be honest with you.
GOP debate: Pledge question
Trump participates in the GOP debate in Cleveland, OH. As the leader in the polls he takes the first question, asked by Baier:
Is there anyone on stage, and can I see hands, who is unwilling tonight to pledge your support to the eventual nominee of the Republican party and pledge to not run an independent campaign against that person…Again, we’re looking for you to raise your hand now — raise your hand now if you won’t make that pledge tonight.
Trump is the only candidate to raise his hand. Baier:
Mr. Trump to be clear, you’re standing on a Republican primary debate stage…You can’t say tonight that you can make that pledge?
Trump:
I cannot say. I have to respect the person that, if it’s not me, the person that wins, if I do win, and I’m leading by quite a bit, that’s what I want to do. I can totally make that pledge. If I’m the nominee, I will pledge I will not run as an independent. But — and I am discussing it with everybody, but I’m, you know, talking about a lot of leverage. We want to win, and we will win. But I want to win as the Republican. I want to run as the Republican nominee.
Trump is then challenged by Rand Paul, who accuses him of buying politicians.
Criticizes ‘Pledge’ question
In a call-in to Fox and Friends Trump criticizes the questioning at the debate:
That question was absolutely aimed at me…Number I’m the only one in that category so it was obviously named at me. It was a little bit of a surprize to justify everything, when your shoes haven’t even become warm.
.@realDonaldTrump: That [pledge] question was aimed at me, which I didn't think it was appropriatehttps://t.co/GWLg8BRcOc
— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) August 7, 2015
Kelly discusses debate
Kelly is interviewed for the first time after the debate, but does not directly address Trump’s comments.
I’m sure nerves were high as they were for all of the candidates. He felt attacked – it wasn’t an attack, it was a fair question. But I get it. He’s in the arena and so am I. Its ok with me that there’s some consternation. I’m sure he’ll get over it and we’ll be fine and so will America.
Kelly also says that she told Bret Baier and Chris Wallace before the debate not to defend her if she was attacked.
I’m a big girl, I can handle it. My job is not to feel passionately about these candidates. My job is to go out there and ask probing questions that are hopefully smart and that help the people learn something about this person. (Baier and Wallace) are both gentlemen and I didn’t want them to in any way feel they needed to somehow come to my rescue. I didn’t want them to feel if anybody started to attack me that I would be wondering where my compadres are. I’m a big girl. I can take it.
Likes Trump’s ‘don’t give a sh*t’ attitude
On The Nerdist Podcast Cranston discusses Trump.
I actually like his candor. There’s something so refreshing about shaking up that world that is all about being handled. And here comes this loose cannon who has terrible ideas and would be a horrible president, but there’s something great about his ‘I don’t give a s—‘ attitude that really kind of keeps others honest. I think it’s a surprise benefit to the country, actually. I hope he stays in for a long, long time and just collapses that whole tent of his.
Palin, Trump interview
Palin interviews Trump on One America News. The talk about economics, veterans, and Trump’s confontation with Jorge Ramos:
Palin: You schooled that radical activist. And that was the right thing to do.
Trump: He was totally out of line. He was screaming and ranting and raving. And I said ‘Who is this guy?’ I’m suing Univision actually for $500 million dollars. His daughter works for Hillary Clinton and he was trying to put on a show. But actually he was hurting the rest [of the reporters in attendance].
Hugh Hewitt Show interview
Trump appears on Hewitt’s radio show. He appears to mishear “Quds” as “Kurds” and complains of gotcha questions:
Hewitt: On the front of Islamist terrorism, I’m looking for the next commander-in-chief, to know who Hassan Nasrallah is, and Zawahiri, and al-Julani, and al-Baghdadi. Do you know the players without a scorecard, yet, Donald Trump?
Trump: No, you know, I’ll tell you honestly, I think by the time we get to office, they’ll all be changed. They’ll be all gone. I knew you were going to ask me things like this, and there’s no reason, because number one, I’ll find, I will hopefully find General Douglas MacArthur in the pack. I will find whoever it is that I’ll find, and we’ll, but they’re all changing, Hugh. You know, those are like history questions. Do you know this one, do you know that one. I will tell you, I thought you used the word Kurd before. I will tell you that I think the Kurds are the most under-utilized and are being totally mistreated by us. And nobody understands why. But as far as the individual players, of course I don’t know them. I’ve never met them. I haven’t been, you know, in a position to meet them. If, if they’re still there, which is unlikely in many cases, but if they’re still there, I will know them better than I know you.
Attacks Carson
In an interview with Cuomo on CNN, Trump criticizes Carson’s medical experience.
He makes [Jeb Bush] look like the Energizer Bunny…But Ben Carson, you look at this faith and I don’t think you are going to find so much. And you look at his views on abortion, which were horrendous…Who is he to criticize me on my faith? He was a doctor, perhaps an okay doctor, by the way. You can check that out too. He was an okay doctor, and now because he’s a doctor and he hired one nurse he’s going to be end up being the president of the United States?
Fiorina comments ‘about persona’
In a call to The View, Trump says his comments in Rolling Stone about Carly Fiorina were about her persona.
Look, I’m talking about her persona. She failed miserably at Hewlett Packard and ran for the Senate and lost in a landslide and now running for president. I’m talking about her persona.
Later, to CNN, he calls her “one of the worst (CEOs) ever”.
Fiorina ‘face’ comments made as ‘entertainer’
In an interview with Susteren, Trump says that his comments about Carly Fiorina and other women were made “as an entertainer.”
Many of those comments are made as an entertainer, because I did The Apprentice. It was one of the top shows on television. I decided not to do it again because I wanted to run for president. But some comments are made as an entertainer. And, as everybody said, as an entertainer [it] is a much different ballgame.
Tonight Show interview
Trump is interviewed by Fallon on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon. On talking without notes:
I’m blessed with a great memory. If you’re reading a speech, it’s much easier, but you don’t get the feeling. When you do it just off the cuff, it’s a riskier thing, but when you get it right, it’s a thing of beauty.
On Kanye West:
Kanye has been so nice to me. He always says great things to me, so I love Kanye. I love people who are nice to me. Kanye is actually, I know him a little bit, he’s actually a much nicer person than people think. Now if he happens to run for office, and I’m running against him, I’m gonna take that back.
Second GOP Presidential debate
Trump participates in the second Republican presidential debate, hosted by CNN. In an exchange with Carly Fiorina:
Fiorina: I think women all over this country heard very clearly what Mr. Trump said.
Trump: I think she’s got a beautiful face and I think she’s a beautiful woman.
He also refuses to apologize to Jeb Bush’s wife and criticizes his brother:
Your brother, and your brother’s administration, gave us Barack Obama, because it was such a disaster in those last three months that Abraham Lincoln couldn’t have been elected.
Trump also says that vaccinations should be administered over a longer period of time. In the final segment he says that his presidential secret service code name should be “Humble” and that his daughter should the woman on the redesigned $10 note.
Dodges ‘Obama is a Muslim’ question
At a rally in New Hampshire, Trump opts for a question-and-answer format.
Man: We’ve got a problem in this country. It’s called Muslims. You know our current President is one. You know he’s not even an American.
Trump: [laughing] We need this question?
Man: But anyway. We have training camps growing, where they want to kill us. That’s my question: When can we get rid of them?
Trump: We’re going to be looking at a lot of different things…
