Donald Trump in Sunday Political Talk Show interviews during 2013-2015


On Abortion: Unpredictable abortion funding good; Planned Parenthood bad

Q: Should Planned Parenthood receive funds from federal or state governments?

Trump: "I do not want to say that because I want to show unpredictability. You have to. You can't just go around and say that. But Planned Parenthood should absolutely be defunded. I mean if you look at what's going on with that, it's terrible. And many of the things should be defunded and many things should be cut."; "I would look at the individual things that they do and maybe some of the things are good," Trump said. "We have to take care of women. We have to absolutely take care of women. The abortion aspect of Planned Parenthood should not--absolutely should not--be funded."

Clinton: "I have seen excerpts from [the anti-Planned Parenthood videos]. And I have certainly read about them. And what I am troubled by are the misleading, inaccurate allegations about them that we heard from Republicans at their debate."

Source: 2016 AFA Action iVoterGuide on 2016 presidential hopefuls Nov 8, 2016

On Education: I may cut Department of Education

Q: Should the federal government establish Common Core as a nationwide academic standard for high school graduation?

Trump: "I'm not cutting services, but I'm cutting spending. But I may cut Department of Education," Trump says. "I believe Common Core is a very bad thing. I believe that we should be--you know, educating our children from Iowa, from New Hampshire, from South Carolina, from California, from New York. I think that it should be local education."

Clinton initially responded to the question about how to fix the U.S. educational system by praising Common Core. She then said that families today are too "negative" about the current system, a system Clinton described as "the most important non-family enterprise" in the country. After noting what she described as "unfortunate" opposition to Common Core, Hillary Clinton also dismissed the concerns of Common Core opponents by saying they just "do not understand the value" of the controversial top-down curriculum. Source

Source: 2016 AFA Action iVoterGuide on 2016 presidential hopefuls Nov 8, 2016

On Education: Call them vouchers or scholarships; I call it competition

Q: Do you agree that free-market competition for education dollars, rather than a government monopoly, would create a better education for all students?

Trump: "Our public schools are capable of providing a more competitive product than they do today. Look at some of the high school tests from earlier in this century and you'll wonder if they weren't college-level tests. And we've got to bring on the competition -open the schoolhouse doors and let parents choose the best school for their children. Education reformers call this school choice, charter schools, vouchers, even opportunity scholarships. I call it competition--the American way."

Clinton: Does not like voucher programs. While she does support school choice as it exists as a form of public education, Clinton has always been opposed to allowing public funds to be used toward private and religious schools. As a New York Senator, Hillary Clinton voted against voucher programs in the state in 2001.

Source: 2016 AFA Action iVoterGuide on 2016 presidential hopefuls Nov 8, 2016

On Energy & Oil: Fracking will lead to American energy independence

Q: Should the United States meet all its energy needs domestically?

Trump writes, "The natural gas reserves we have in the United States could power America's energy needs for the next 110 years," and there is enough crude oil to last for decades. He supports a dramatic escalation of domestic drilling to provide jobs and minimize dependency on foreign cartels. "Fracking will lead to American energy independence. With price of natural gas continuing to drop, we can be at a tremendous advantage."

Clinton's State Department took steps to try and facilitate the export of hydraulic fracturing technology, to enable allies with promising shale geologies to replicate the U.S. oil and gas production boom; referred to natural gas as a "bridge fuel" as part of the transition from coal to renewable energy; Her energy diplomacy platform included vocal concern about geopolitical and economic risks driven by climate change. Source

Source: 2016 AFA Action iVoterGuide on 2016 presidential hopefuls Nov 8, 2016

On Foreign Policy: Treating Israel like a second-class citizen will end

Q: The United States should help defend Israel from attack by its enemies.

Trump: "When I become president, the days of treating Israel like a second-class citizen will end on day one," he said, to applause. "I will meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu immediately. I have known him for many years and we'll be able to work closely together to help bring stability and peace to Israel and to the entire region." American tycoon Donald Trump criticized the White House's treatment of Israel, saying, "There has never been a greater enemy to Israel than Barack Obama."

Clinton: In September 2010, while meeting with Netanyahu, Clinton said the US has an obligation to do all it can to "protect and defend the State of Israel and provide security to the Israeli people." She condemned Palestinian terrorism and advocated for Israel's right to defend itself.

Stein: Has proposed slashing the $4 billion annual military aid package to Israel, and would press for a peace deal with the Palestinians.

Source: 2016 AFA Action iVoterGuide on 2016 presidential hopefuls Nov 8, 2016

On Government Reform: It's scary that people can vote without ID

Q: Should people be able to vote without photo identification?

Trump: "You don't have to have voter ID to now go in & vote and it's a little bit scary." Trump says without voter ID, "people are going to walk in, they are going to vote 10 times maybe. Who knows?"

Clinton called for universal and automatic voter registration and a 20-day (or more) period of early voting in every state, before every election. Clinton's speech identified the work of protecting and expanding voting rights as a critical part of her campaign. Clinton talked about the fact that African Americans consistently rank among the most deeply affected by the contours of Voter ID laws, must wait in the longest lines on Election Day and cast ballots at polling sites that very often house fewer machines and poll workers than other sites. That, Clinton told the crowd, "is no accident."

Source: 2016 AFA Action iVoterGuide on 2016 presidential hopefuls Nov 8, 2016

On Principles & Values: Fiercely defend religious freedom and terms like "Christmas"

Q: Is religious liberty is at risk in the United States?

Trump: In June 2016, Trump delivered a message to evangelicals that if he wins the White House in November, he will fiercely defend religious freedom. In August 2015, Trump said, "There's an assault on anything having to do with Christianity. They don't want to use the word 'Christmas' anymore at department stores." Trump also said, "There's always lawsuits and unfortunately a lot of those lawsuits are won by the other side. I will assault that. I will go so strongly against so many of the things, when they take away the word 'Christmas.' I go out of my way to use the word 'Christmas.'"

Clinton: Denounces legislative efforts in Indiana and Arkansas that supporters say protect religious expression and opponents say discriminate against gay people. Clinton called it "sad" that Indiana would approve the law, which like the 1993 version is called the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Source: 2016 AFA Action iVoterGuide on 2016 presidential hopefuls Nov 8, 2016

On Principles & Values: I go to communion and that's asking forgiveness

Q: Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.

Trump: "First Presbyterian Church in Jamaica, Queens, is where I went to church," he told Christian Broadcasting Network in 2012. "I'm a Protestant, I'm a Presbyterian. And you know I've had a good relationship with the church over the years. I think religion is a wonderful thing. I think my religion is a wonderful religion." He goes to church "when I can. Always on Christmas. Always on Easter. Always when there's a major occasion. I'm a Sunday church person." In 2015 Trump said in response to Anderson Cooper trying to get clarification on Trump's stand on asking for forgiveness, "Why do I have to repent or ask for forgiveness, if I am not making mistakes?" asked Trump. "I work hard, I'm an honorable person." In the same interview, he also said, "I go to communion and that's asking forgiveness, you know, it's a form of asking forgiveness." He then stressed that he "likes to work where he doesn't have to ask forgiveness."

Source: 2016 AFA Action iVoterGuide on 2016 presidential hopefuls Nov 8, 2016

On Free Trade: FactCheck: Yes, has opposed trade deals since Reagan

When accused of opposing Reagan's economic policy in 1987, Trump asserted that "I did disagree with Ronald Reagan very strongly on trade." Is it true that Trump opposed US trade deals in the past?

Yes, for as far back as we have records: in his 2015 book, in his 2011 book, and in his 2000 book. Some sample excerpts:

Source: OnTheIssues Fact-Checking on 2016 presidential hopefuls Oct 9, 2016

On Families & Children: Federal tax breaks to support child care costs

[Ivanka's recent campaign] speech made clear that Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka, has a significant microphone within the campaign. One of the biggest new ideas in Trump's economic plan--an expansion of federal support for child care costs--was a major plank in Ivanka's speech at the Republican National Convention.

Trump's plan, which would expand tax benefits available to Americans paying for child care, falls outside of traditional Republican Party thinking. But Ivanka made it a centerpiece of her July speech as she pitched her father as the right man to help working families get by. Trump's new proposal, which the campaign says would "exclude childcare expenses from taxation," clearly came from her, which Trump confirmed."I've been working on [this] with my daughter, Ivanka," he said. "She feels so strongly about this."

Polls show Trump lagging behind Clinton among women voters. Ivanka's influence and the specific child care proposal are both meant to address that gap.

Source: The Hill coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls Aug 8, 2016

On Foreign Policy: FactCheck: Yes, nuke deal sent planeloads of cash to Iran

Trump asserted that "Iran--we gave them $1.7 billion in cash. I mean, cash. Bundles of cash as big as this stage." Is that true? We dug up the facts from a CNN article:

"The Obama administration secretly arranged a plane delivery of $400 million in cash on the same day Iran released four American prisoners and formally implemented the nuclear deal. The money was flown into Iran on wooden pallets stacked with Swiss francs, euros and other currencies as the first installment of a $1.7 billion settlement resolving claims at an international tribunal at The Hague over a failed arms deal under the time of the Shah.

The $400 million was Iran's to start with, placed into a US-based trust fund to support American military equipment purchases in the 1970s. When the Shah was ousted by a 1979 popular uprising, the US froze the trust fund. Iran has been fighting for a return of the funds--plus $1.3 billion in interest--through international courts since 1981."

Source: CNN Fact-Check coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls Aug 3, 2016

On Free Trade: Identify every violation of trade agreements, and prosecute

A Trump Administration will change our failed trade policy--quickly. Here are 7 steps I would pursue right away to bring back our jobs.
  1. Withdraw the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which has not yet been ratified.
  2. Appoint the toughest and smartest trade negotiators to fight on behalf of American workers.
  3. Identify every violation of trade agreements a foreign country is currently using to harm our workers. I will then use every tool under American and international law to end these abuses.
  4. Tell our NAFTA partners that I intend to immediately renegotiate the terms of that agreement to get a better deal for our workers, or submit notice under Article 2205 that America intends to withdraw from the deal.
  5. Label China a currency manipulator.
  6. Bring trade cases against China, both in this country and at the WTO, for China's unfair subsidy behavior.
  7. IUse every lawful presidential power to remedy trade disputes, including the application of tariffs.
Source: RealClearPolitics.com on 2016 presidential hopefuls Jun 28, 2016

On Foreign Policy: Brexit vote means people want to see borders

Q: Your views on "Brexit," the British exit vote from the European Union?

DONALD TRUMP: People want to see borders. They don't necessarily want people pouring into their country that they don't know who they are and where they come from. People want to take their country back. They want to have independence, in a sense. And you see it all over Europe. You're going to have, I think, many other cases where they want to take their borders back, they want to take their monetary [system] back, they want to take a lot of things back. They want to be able to have a country again. So I think you're going to have this happen more and more. And I think it's happening in the United States.

Q: Do you think he's right that there's a parallel?

SEN. TIM KAINE: There's a couple things you've got to understand. Young voters, those under 50, especially millennials, overwhelmingly voted to stay. And it was older voters who voted to leave [because pf] immigration issues and European regulation.

Source: Meet the Press 2016 interviews of presidential hopefuls Jun 26, 2016

On Civil Rights: Respectfully check mosques; we have to look at profiling

Q: You said you would check respectfully the mosques. How do you respectfully check a mosque?

TRUMP: Well, you do as they used to do in New York, prior to this mayor dismantling. Right now, they're doing it in France. In fact, in some instances, they are closing down mosques.

Q: Are you talking about increasing profiling of Muslims in America?

TRUMP: Well, I think profiling is something that we're going to have to start thinking about as a country. And other countries do it. You look at Israel and you look at others, and they do it. And they do it successfully. And I hate the concept of profiling. But we have to start using common sense, and we have to use our heads. Recently, we had tremendous numbers of people coming into a speech I was making. And people that obviously had no weapons, had no anything, they were going through screening--the same scrutiny as somebody else that looked like it could have been a possible person [of interest]. So, we really have to look at profiling.

Source: CBS Face the Nation 2016 interviews of presidential hopefuls Jun 19, 2016

On Gun Control: Buying lots of ammunition & body armor should be a red flag

Q: The shooter at the gay nightclub in Orlando would not have been stopped by any kind of temporary ban [on Muslim immigrants, as you have suggested, since he] was an American citizen. What policy would have kept this from happening?

TRUMP: Well, we have to report. The big thing that we're missing here is that people have to report when they see somebody. This man was pretty much unhinged. It was the gun store that did report him when he went in to buy all sorts of body armor and other things. They reported him to law enforcement, and, very sadly, nothing was done. It could have been prevented.

Q: But, in this case, he was investigated twice by the FBI, was taken off a list. There was no red flag.

TRUMP: Well, there were red flags, I mean, because when he walked in to buy all sorts of ammunition and body armor.

Q: Should somebody who goes in to buy that much ammunition get extra scrutiny?

TRUMP: Well, it depends. But [in this case the report], unfortunately, wasn't followed up.

Source: CBS Face the Nation 2016 interviews of presidential hopefuls Jun 19, 2016

On Civil Rights: Put the Confederate flag in a museum, not on statehouses

Source: 2016 presidential hopefuls: iSideWith.com "Confederate flag" Jun 17, 2016

On Civil Rights: Sexual orientation is invalid reason for firing workers

Source: 2016 presidential hopefuls: iSideWith.com "Gender identity" Jun 17, 2016

On War & Peace: The war in Iraq was a big, fat mistake

Trump and Jeb Bush encapsulated the GOP's long-running schism between its establishment wing and its rebellious insurgency in a single raw and unusually personal exchange over the war in Iraq and the legacy of the George W. Bush era. "The war in Iraq was a big, fat mistake," said Trump. "They lied," Trump continued. "They said there were weapons of mass destruction. There were none."
Source: Los Angeles Times on 2016 presidential hopefuls Feb 13, 2016

On Drugs: Brother died of alcoholism; so Donald never touched alcohol

For Mr. Trump, a presidential candidate whose appeal is predicated on an aura of toughness, personal achievement and perpetual success, the story of his brother Freddy, a handsome, gregarious and self-destructive figure who died as an alcoholic in 1981 at the age of 43, is bleak and seldom told.

In a telephone interview last week, Mr. Trump said he had learned by watching his brother how bad choices could drag down even those who seemed destined to rise. Seeing his brother suffering led him to avoid ever trying alcohol or cigarettes, he said.

In the upwardly mobile Trump family, Donald was the second and favorite son. Freddy was the disappointment, who lacked the killer instinct and drifted so far from his father's ambitions that his children were largely cut out of the patriarch's will.

Asked whether Freddy's experience in the family business, which friends described as miserable, contributed to the drinking that ultimately killed him, Mr. Trump said: "I hope not. I hope not."

Source: N.Y. Times coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls Jan 3, 2016

On Homeland Security: People saw New Jersey Muslims celebrating after 9/11

Q: Let's talk about your claims around Muslims celebrating in the streets after 9/11. Where did you see this?

TRUMP: I saw it on television. So did many other people. It was 14 years ago. But I saw it on television. I saw clips and many people saw it in person. I've had hundreds of phone calls to the Trump Organization saying, "We saw it. It was dancing in the streets." So many people saw it. And, so, why would I take it back? I'm not going to take it back.

Source: Meet the Press 2015 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls Nov 29, 2015

On Gun Control: Keep enemies of the state away from guns

Q: You've talked about wanting to keep the terror watch list but, under current law, individuals on the terror watch list and the no-fly list have been allowed to buy guns and explosives. Are you OK with that?

TRUMP: We have to have a watch list, but we have the laws already on the books as far as Second Amendment for guns, if people are on a watch list or people are sick, this is already covered in the legislation that we already have,

Q: But under current law people on the watch list are allowed to buy guns.

TRUMP: If somebody is on a watch list and an enemy of state and we know it's an enemy of state, I would keep them away, absolutely.

Source: ABC This Week 2015 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls Nov 22, 2015

On Homeland Security: Bring back waterboarding and other interrogation methods

Q: Do you think we should bring back enhanced interrogation like waterboarding?

TRUMP: Well, we have to be strong. You know, they don't use waterboarding over there; they use chopping off people's heads. They use drowning people. I don't know if you've seen with the cages, where they put people in cages and they drown them in the ocean and they lift out the cage. And we're talking about waterboarding. I would bring it back, yes. I think waterboarding is peanuts compared to what they'd do to us, what they're doing to us, what they did to James Foley when they chopped off his head. That's a whole different level and I would absolutely bring back interrogation and strong interrogation.

Source: ABC This Week 2015 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls Nov 22, 2015

On Homeland Security: Surveil mosques but don't close mosques

Q: You've said that we have to consider closing mosques. What would be your criteria for closing a mosque? And how does that square with the First Amendment? You've said your top priority would be to preserve and protect our religious liberties. Is that only for Christians?

TRUMP: Well, I don't want to close mosques; I want mosques surveilled. And all I would do, certainly there are certain hot spots and everybody knows they're hot spots. Good material was coming out of those mosques. We were learning a lot. And they were stopping problems and potential problems by learning what was happening. I don't want to close up mosques but things have to happen where, you have got to use strong measures or you're going to see buildings coming down all over New York City and elsewhere.

Source: ABC This Week 2015 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls Nov 22, 2015

On Homeland Security: New Jersey Muslims cheered on 9/11

Q: You raised some eyebrows yesterday with comments you made at your latest rally when you claimed that "thousands and thousands" of Muslims were cheering as the World Trade Center came down on 9/11. The police say that didn't happen and those rumors have been on the Internet for some time. So did you misspeak yesterday?

TRUMP: It did happen. I saw it. It was on television. There were people that were cheering on the other side of New Jersey, where you have large Arab populations. They were cheering as the World Trade Center came down. I know it might be not politically correct for you to talk about it, but there were people cheering as those buildings came down. It was well covered at the time.

Source: ABC This Week 2015 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls Nov 22, 2015

On Drugs: Yes to medical marijuana; otherwise, decide state by state

In terms of marijuana and legalization, I think that should be a state issue, state-by-state. Marijuana is such a big thing. I think medical should. And then I really believe we should leave it up to the states. And of course you have Colorado. There's a question as to how it's all working out there, you know? That's not going exactly trouble-free.
Source: Washington Post 2015 coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls Oct 29, 2015

On Drugs: 1990: Drug enforcement is a joke; 2015: only medical pot

The GOP front-runner's position has changed over the years. In 1990, he was quoted in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune as saying that US drug enforcement efforts were "a joke" and that drugs should be legalized to "take the profit away from these drug czars." Fast-forward 25 years and now Trump is opposed to legalization. "I say it's bad," he told the crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference in June, in response to a question about Colorado's legal weed. "Medical marijuana is another thing, but I think [recreational marijuana] it's bad. And I feel strongly about that." But what about states' rights? "If they vote for it, they vote for it. But they've got a lot of problems going on right now, in Colorado. Some big problems. But I think medical marijuana, 100 percent."
Source: Mother Jones 2015 coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls Oct 28, 2015

On Abortion: Defund Planned Parenthood

Q: Would you be willing to shut down the government in order to defund Planned Parenthood or to put some other key policy goals?

TRUMP: I do not want to say that because I want to show unpredictability. You have to. You can't just go around and say that. But Planned Parenthood should absolutely be defunded. I mean if you look at what's going on with that, it's terrible. And many of the things should be defunded and many things should be cut.

Source: Fox News Sunday 2015 Coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls Oct 18, 2015

On Budget & Economy: Strong on debt limit; ask for a pound of flesh

Q: Would you be willing to use a debt limit and risk the possibility of the country going into default to get more spending cuts?

TRUMP: OK, I would use the debt limit. I want to be unpredictable, because, you know, we need unpredictability. Everything is so predictable with our country. But I would be very, very strong on the debt limit. And I could see asking for a very big pound of flesh if I were the Republicans.

Source: Fox News Sunday 2015 Coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls Oct 18, 2015

On Civil Rights: I'm "fine" with affirmative action, for now

Q: You said that you're "fine" with affirmative action. What about those who say the time for that kind of preferential treatment has come and gone?

TRUMP: I'm fine with it, but we have it, it's there. But it's coming to a time when maybe we don't need it. That would be a wonderful thing. I don't think we need it so much anymore. It has served its place, and it served its time. Some people have loved it and some people don't like it at all. But I think there will be a time when you don't need it.

Source: Fox News Sunday 2015 Coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls Oct 18, 2015

On Education: Cut Department of Education and Common Core

Q: Would you cut departments?

TRUMP: We're going to be cutting tremendous amounts of money and waste and fraud and abuse. But, no, I'm not cutting services, but I am cutting spending. But I may cut Department of Education-- Common Core is a very bad thing. I think that it should be local education. If you look at a Jeb Bush and some of these others, they want children to be educated by Washington, D.C. bureaucrats.

Source: Fox News Sunday 2015 Coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls Oct 18, 2015

On Environment: Cut the EPA; what they do is a disgrace

Q: Would you cut departments?

TRUMP: Environmental Protection, what they do is a disgrace. Every week they come out with new regulations.

Q: Who's going to protect the environment?

TRUMP: We'll be fine with the environment. We can leave a little bit, but you can't destroy businesses.

Source: Fox News Sunday 2015 Coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls Oct 18, 2015

On Free Trade: Restrict free trade to keep jobs in US

Q: You would end NAFTA, kill the Pacific Trade Agreement, impose tariffs on some products like 35% on Ford cars made in Mexico.

TRUMP: I am all for free trade, but it's got to be fair. When Ford moves their massive plants to Mexico, we get nothing. I want them to stay in Michigan.

Q: But the American Enterprise Institute says, your Trump Collection clothing line, some of it is made in Mexico and China.

TRUMP: That's true. I want it to be made here.

Q: The point is you're doing just what Ford is--you're taking advantage of a global trading market.

TRUMP: I never dispute that. I just ordered 4,000 television sets from South Korea. I don't want to order them from South Korea. I don't think anybody makes television sets in the United States anymore. I talk about it all the time. We don't make anything anymore. Now you look at Boeing. Boeing's going over to China. They're going to build a massive plant because China's demanding it in order to order airplanes from Boeing.

Source: Fox News Sunday 2015 Coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls Oct 18, 2015

On Tax Reform: Repeal estate tax; it's double taxation

Q: You would eliminate carried interest, preferential tax treatment for hedge funders. What's the thinking?

TRUMP: Well, the thinking is we have the highest tax rate in the world. We have $2.5 trillion overseas that isn't coming back into this country. So what I'm doing is large tax cuts, especially for the middle class. We're going to have a dynamic economy.

Q: But there are two concerns. The Conservative Tax Foundation, says that over 10 years, you would add $10 trillion to the deficit. And there's also the question of who would benefit under your tax plan. The Foundation says the middle class would see after tax income increase 7.2%. The top 1% would see a spike of 21.6%. So between that and ending the estate tax, the Trump family and folks like you would make out great.

TRUMP: The estate tax has been a disaster; it's double taxation.

Source: Fox News Sunday 2015 Coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls Oct 18, 2015

On Abortion: 1998: I hate abortion yet I'm totally for choice

[Reviewing Trump's stances from 1998]: Q: Abortion?

TRUMP: I hate the concept of abortion. I hate anything about abortion, and yet, I'm totally for choice. I think you have no alternative.

Source: Snopes.com Fact-Check on 2016 Presidential Hopefuls Oct 16, 2015

On Gun Control: 1998: Against gun laws; only bad guys would have guns

[Reviewing Trump's stances from 1998]: Q: Gun control? Where do you stand on that?

TRUMP: If you could tell me that the bad guys, the criminals, wouldn't have guns, I'd be a hundred percent for gun control. But the fact is, if you have gun control, the only people that are going to obey the laws, are going to be the good guys. So the bad guys are going to have the guns, the good guys aren't going to have the guns, and what good does that do us? So, I'm not in favor of it.

Source: Snopes.com Fact-Check on 2016 Presidential Hopefuls Oct 16, 2015

On Health Care: 1998: For universal coverage; have to take care of people

[Reviewing Trump's stances from 1998]: Q: Health care?

TRUMP: [I'm] liberal on health care, we have to take care of people that are sick.

Q: Universal health coverage?

TRUMP: I like universal, we have to take care, there's nothing else. What's the country all about if we're not going to take care of our sick?

Source: Snopes.com Fact-Check on 2016 Presidential Hopefuls Oct 16, 2015

On Tax Reform: 1998: I'd like to see major tax cuts, 800 billion or more

[Reviewing Trump's stances from 1998]: Q: [On tax cuts]:

TRUMP: I'd like to see major tax cuts.

Q: For what the Republicans are talking about--$800 billion or so--would you go that far?

TRUMP: Along the lines of that number, yes, approximately at that number, and could even be more.

Source: Snopes.com Fact-Check on 2016 Presidential Hopefuls Oct 16, 2015

On Foreign Policy: Reimbursement for US military bases in rich countries abroad

As for nations that host US. military bases, Trump said he would charge those governments for the American presence. "I'm going to renegotiate some of our military costs because we protect South Korea. We protect Germany. We protect some of the wealthies countries in the world, Saudi Arabia. We protect everybody and we don't get reimbursement. We lose on everything, so we're going to negotiate and renegotiate trade deals, military deals, many other deals that's going to get the cost down for running our country very significantly."

Trump then got into a specific example: Saudi Arabia, one of the more important US allies in the Middle East. Saudis "make a billion dollars a day. We protect them. So we need help. We are losing a tremendous amount of money on a yearly basis and we owe $19 trillion," he said.

Walking back trade deals and agreements that allow the US military to operate overseas is easier said than done. But Trump has tapped into a powerful anti-Washington populist sentiment.

Source: Foreign Policy Magazine on 2016 presidential hopefuls Sep 28, 2015

On Tax Reform: OpEd AdWatch: Trump more liberal on taxes than Democrats

A lawyer for Donald Trump fired off a letter to the conservative Club for Growth threatening a `multi-million dollar lawsuit` if the group does not pull its TV ad claiming Trump `supports higher taxes.` Trump's lawyer says the claim is false & libelous. Club for Growth Action, the super PAC of the anti-tax group, says it is merely exposing Trump's `very liberal` record. So who is right?

The ad, called `Politician,` begins by showing images of Democratic presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton and asks which presidential candidate supports higher taxes. `It's Donald Trump,` the narrator says.

Asked for backup, the Club for Growth referred us to a Feb. 15, 2000, article in The Advocate in which Trump states, `My plan to impose a onetime net worth tax of 14.25% on the super-wealthy, when combined with our current projected surpluses, will raise enough to pay off the national debt.` But Trump isn't advocating anything like that in 2015.

Source: FactCheck.org AdWatch on 2016 presidential hopefuls Sep 25, 2015

On Tax Reform: FactCheck: Proposed 14% tax on wealthy in 2000, but not now

A Club for Growth attack ad says that in 2000, Trump stated, `My plan to impose a onetime net worth tax of 14.25% on the super-wealthy, when combined with our current projected surpluses, will raise enough to pay off the national debt.` At that time, Trump was mulling a presidential bid, and in a formal statement in November 1999 that laid out his plan, Trump did, in fact, propose a one-time 14.25% tax on people and trusts with a net worth of over $10 million (minus the value of their principal residence). The revenue it generated, he said, would be used to pay off the debt, then $5.7 trillion, to give a middle-class tax cut and to shore up the Social Security trust fund.

But Trump isn't advocating anything like that in 2015. On Aug. 18, Trump said he would not propose changes that increase the net amount of taxes. But he also stopped short of agreeing to sign the Americans for Tax Reform pledge against raising taxes because `I may want to switch taxes around.`

Source: FactCheck.org AdWatch on 2016 presidential hopefuls Sep 25, 2015

On Tax Reform: No net increase in taxes, but increases on wealthy

On Aug. 18, Trump said he would not propose changes that increase the net amount of taxes. But he also stopped short of agreeing to sign the Americans for Tax Reform pledge against raising taxes because `I may want to switch taxes around.` Specifically, Trump has repeatedly said that he would lower taxes for the middle class and would raise taxes on `carried interest` earned by hedge fund managers.

In an Aug. 26 interview, the host noted that `carried interest` would affect not only hedge fund managers, but also people in limited real estate partnerships like Trump, asking `So you are proposing you'd like to raise taxes on yourself?`

`That's right. I'm OK with it,` Trump said. `You've seen my statements, I do very well, I don't mind paying some taxes. The middle class is getting clobbered in this country. I know people in hedge funds, they pay almost nothing and it's ridiculous, OK?` Some interpreted those remarks as Trump agreeing to raise taxes on the wealthy.

Source: FactCheck.org AdWatch on 2016 presidential hopefuls Sep 25, 2015

On Foreign Policy: Diplomacy & respect crucial to our relationship with Russia

Q: This week we're going to see a lot of world leaders come to Manhattan. Might you have a meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin?

TRUMP: Well, I had heard that he wanted to meet with me. And certainly I am open to it. I don't know that it's going to take place, but I know that people have been talking. We'll see what happens. But certainly, if he wanted to meet, I would love to do that. You know, I've been saying relationship is so important in business, that it's so important in deals, and so important in the country. And if President Obama got along with Putin, that would be a fabulous thing. But they do not get along. Putin does not respect our president. And I'm sure that our president does not like him very much.

Source: Meet the Press 2015 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls Sep 20, 2015

On Gun Control: Protect the Second Amendment, but address mental health

Q: You recently released a plan cast as protecting the Second Amendment, but you have also said that you think more needs to be done on the issue of mental health when it comes to people who are disturbed getting guns. Do you support the California law allowing judges to confiscate someone's gun if they are deemed to be a threat to themselves or others?

A: This is something to look into--people with mental health problems are on the streets who shouldn't be.

Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interview series: 2016 presidential hopefuls Sep 20, 2015

On Homeland Security: We have a problem with radical Muslims

Q: On the campaign trail, a voter said "We have a problem in this country. It's called Muslims." You're not responsible for what he says, but this is raw, unvarnished, ignorant bigotry. Do you not have a responsibility to call out this hatred?

TRUMP: Well, you know, we could be politically correct, if you want. But, certainly, are you trying to say we don't have a problem? We do have a problem with radical Muslims. As I have already said; I have tremendous people that I know that are Muslims.

Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interview series: 2016 presidential hopefuls Sep 20, 2015

On Homeland Security: Fix veteran's hospitals, and pay private doctors for them

Q: You said that you would build more hospitals for veterans--is there anything else you would do?

A: One of the things I would do is fix the hospitals. What I'm going to do is make sure that they will be able to go out and use private doctors and we will pay the private doctors. We're going to do a bit of a free market thing so that veterans can get immediate service and good treatment.

Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interview series: 2016 presidential hopefuls Sep 20, 2015

On War & Peace: Radical violent Islam that must be feared, not Islam itself

I feel strongly that Muslims are excellent. I know so many Muslims that are such fabulous people. But there is a problem. I mean, there's no question about it. And, you know, we can be politically correct, and we can say there is no problem whatsoever. But the fact is, there is a problem with some. And it's a very severe problem. And it's a problem that's taking place all over the world. But I have such great respect and love for so many of the people. I mean, they are great people.
Source: Meet the Press 2015 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls Sep 20, 2015

On Environment: My sons love trophy hunting, but I'm not a believer

Donald Trump has never served in public office so it is very difficult to find any information on Trump's views on animal rights. However, both of Donald Trump's sons are known trophy hunters and recently defended the killing of beloved Cecil the lion. The brothers themselves traveled to Zimbabwe to shoot, "a variety of animals, including an elephant, a crocodile, a kudu, a civet cat and water buck." After his sons went under fire for their big game hunts, Donald Trump reportedly told TMZ, "My sons love hunting. They're hunters and they've become good at it. I am not a believer in hunting and I'm surprised they like it."
Source: TreeHouseAnimals.org on 2016 presidential hopefuls Sep 19, 2015

On Government Reform: Get rid of the regulations that are just destroying us

Donald Trump concluded his sold-out speech in Dallas with a call for reduced government regulation. He said, "We're going to fight hard, we're going to negotiate tough, and we're going to do fantastically well. We're going to put our people back to work. We're going to get rid of all these ridiculous--everything is so bad--we're going to get rid of the regulations that are just destroying us. You can't breathe. You cannot breathe. You are going to be--if I'm elected President--so proud of your country again. You're going to remember this evening and you're going to say to your children and everyone else, that you were part of a movement to take back this country. And we're going to make America great again."
Source: AmericanThinker 2015 coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls Sep 16, 2015

On Technology: FactCheck: 24% of our bridges are in trouble, not 59%

Trump claimed "59% of our bridges are in trouble." That's way off. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) says 24% of the nation's bridges were "structurally deficient" or "functionally obsolete" in 2014.

On Aug. 25, Trump said, "Our bridges, 59% of our bridges are in trouble. Think--whoever heard of that? I mean, in trouble. Serious trouble." Whoever heard of that? Not the FHWA. The agency annually produces a report on the state of the nation's bridges. The FHWA's most recent report found 61,365 bridges were "structurally deficient" and 84,525 were "functionally obsolete" in 2014. That's a total of 24%

Functionally obsolete doesn't mean the bridge is unsafe: it may be the source of traffic jams or may not have a high enough clearance to allow an oversized vehicle.

We don't mean to minimize the number of bridges in need of attention, but the number is simply not as high as Trump says. Where did he get the figure 59%? We don't know. His campaign did not respond to our questions.

Source: FactCheck.org on 2016 presidential hopefuls Aug 27, 2015

On Immigration: The border wall will be well-managed and built correctly

Q: How is a Mexican wall even feasible?

TRUMP: I'm telling you, it's called management. You can do this and we can expedite the good immigrants to come back in. And everybody wants that. But they have to come in legally. We have to be a country of laws and borders. We have wonderful Border Patrol people, but they're not allowed to do their job. I will get the best people to build this wall and we will do it properly and we will do it humanely and get the good ones back in.

Source: ABC This Week 2015 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls Aug 23, 2015

On Civil Rights: After Supreme Court vote, gay marriage is a reality

Q: You say you would have liked the states, rather than the Supreme Court, to decide on gay marriage.

A: Some people have hopes of passing [Constitutional] amendments, but it's not going to happen. Congress can't pass simple things, let alone that. So anybody that's making that an issue is doing it for political reasons. The Supreme Court ruled on it [and hence only a Constitutional amendment can overrule that].

Source: Hollywood Reporter 2015 coverage: 2016 presidential hopefuls Aug 19, 2015

On Abortion: Planned Parenthood is important, but abortions must stop

Q: Were you ever a donor to Planned Parenthood?

TRUMP:I don't know--but it's possible. I give to so many organizations over the years. Hundreds of millions of dollars, so I really don't know. But look, Planned Parenthood has to stop with the abortions. A lot of people consider it an abortion clinic. I think those tapes that I saw were outrageous and disgusting by any standpoint. And they have to stop.

Q: So you would not shut down the government over Planned Parenthood funding?

TRUMP: I wouldn't fund it if they have abortion going on. Now, you hear all different numbers. They say it's 3%, other people say it's 85%. That's a big difference. So I'd certainly look into it.

Q: But would you shut down the government over this dispute?

Source: Meet the Press 2015 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls Aug 16, 2015

On Jobs: Don't raise minimum wage, but create more opportunities

Q: What is a fair living wage?

TRUMP: I want to keep the minimum wage pretty much where it is right now. Because of the fact that we have a country that is now competing more than ever before because of airplanes, and transportation, and the internet. If we raise it we're not going to be able to compete with the rest of the world. What I do want to do is bring in jobs so much so that people don't have to live on minimum wage. But we are going to have to compete with the rest of the world.

Source: Meet the Press 2015 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls Aug 16, 2015

On Energy & Oil: Windmills are destroying shorelines all over the world

In March 2012, Trump said, "Right now, green energy is way behind the times. You look at the windmills that are destroying shorelines all over the world. Economically, they're not good. It's a very, very poor form of energy."

Trump's opinion of windpower stems from an unsuccessful legal battle he has fought against an off-shore windpower project near one of his golf resorts in Scotland. Just last month, Scottish courts found that Trump had no grounds for accusing Scottish ministers of illegally agreeing to license the 100MW experimental wind farm.

Source: 2015 SolarTribune.com on 2016 presidential hopefuls Aug 10, 2015

On Energy & Oil: Solar hasn't caught on because it has a 32-year payback

In March 2012, Trump said, "Solar hasn't caught on because it's a 32-year payback. Who wants a 32-year payback? The fact is, the technology is not there yet. Wind farms are hurting the country."

Trump has simply dismissed solar as an "unproven technology" despite solar's decades of rock-solid reliability. His 32 year payback assessment, even in 2012, did not take into account any of the tax incentives or rebates available to most Americans. One can only assume that his criticisms of the government tax breaks for solar are strictly political in motivation, since his real estate empire is built on the hundred of millions of dollars of taxpayer subsidies his projects receive.

Source: 2015 SolarTribune.com on 2016 presidential hopefuls Aug 10, 2015

On Civil Rights: I'm no misogynist; I put women in charge of construction

Q: You've recently been criticized as misogynist due to your controversial treatment of women such as Megyn Kelly and Carly Fiorina. How do you respond to this?

TRUMP: I've always had a great relationship to the women I work with. The relationship has been amazing in terms of thousands of employees, top-level employees. And, you know, I was one of the first people in the construction industry to put women in charge of major construction projects and my relationship has been great. I have many executives that are women and doing a phenomenal job. And I'm doing very well with the women voters. So I don't really worry about those false accusations.

Source: ABC This Week 2015 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls Aug 9, 2015

On Principles & Values: My old liberal political views evolved like Reagan's did

Q: Back in 1999, you were for the wealth tax. You were for single payer. You're not for it now. How can conservatives trust that you're not going to change again?

TRUMP: Ronald Reagan himself was a Democrat at one point. And I worked with him, and he liked me a lot, and I liked [him] a lot. And he was a terrific guy, but he was a liberal Democrat, and he changed. And I have evolved very strongly in the same way. I'm a conservative and I have tremendous support, but I also have a lot of support among Democrats. You know, when you look at our polls, I have support from all over the place, and people are actually shocked by it: "Mr. Trump, you're leading in every poll."

Source: ABC This Week 2015 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls Aug 9, 2015

On Civil Rights: Obama's presidency has done nothing for African Americans

Q: You said of Barack Obama, "Sadly, because he's done such a poor job as president, you won't see another black president for generations." What did you mean by that?

TRUMP: Well, I think he's been a very poor president. We have $18 trillion right now in debt and going up rapidly. We don't have victories anymore. China is killing us on trade. Mexico's killing us at the border and also killing us on trade.

Q: I understand your critique, but why we won't see another black president for generations?

TRUMP: Because I think that he has set a very poor standard and it's a shame for the African American people. He really has done nothing for African Americans. You look at what's gone on with their income levels, and with their youth. They have problems now in terms of unemployment numbers. We have a black president who's done very poorly for the African Americans of this country.

Source: ABC This Week 2015 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls Aug 2, 2015

On Crime: Black lives matter, but we need strong police presence

Q: Do you see a crisis in the US of white police officers shooting unarmed blacks?

TRUMP: It's a massive crisis. It's a double crisis. I look at these things, I see them on television. And some horrible mistakes are made. But at the same time, we have to give power back to the police because crime is rampant. I believe very strongly that we need police.

Cities need strong police protection. But officers' jobs are being taken away from them. And there's no question about it, there is turmoil in our country on both sides.

Q: Do you understand why African Americans don't trust the police right now?

TRUMP: Well, I can certainly see it when I see what's going on. But at the same time, we have to give power back to the police because we have to have law and order. And you're always going to have mistakes made. And you're always going to have bad apples. But you can't let that stop the fact that police have to regain control of this tremendous crime wave that's hitting the US.

Source: Meet the Press 2015 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls Aug 2, 2015

On Homeland Security: Enhanced interrogation a non-issue, compared to terrorism

Q: As president, would you authorize waterboarding and other "enhanced interrogation" techniques?

TRUMP: I would be inclined to be very strong, because I have no doubt that that works. I have absolutely no doubt. Waterboarding used to be such a big controversial subject, and I haven't heard that term in a year now. Because when you see the other side chopping off heads, waterboarding doesn't sound very severe.

Source: ABC This Week 2015 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls Aug 2, 2015

On Jobs: Take jobs back from foreign countries to lower unemployment

My policy is going to be something that's going to set the country back right. I mean, one of the big things is we have to take back jobs from China.

We have to take back jobs from Japan, and Vietnam, and Mexico, and virtually everybody that's taking our jobs and ruining our manufacturing base. And we have to put people to work. Because the real unemployment number is probably 21%. People give up looking for jobs. And they no longer become a statistic. And it's very unfair. So we have to put our country back to work. We have to get great jobs for people and good paying jobs for people. And we're going to be just fine.

Source: Meet the Press 2015 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls Aug 2, 2015

On Gun Control: Take guns from good people & bad people have target practice

Q: [With regards to a shooting in Lafayette, Louisiana] we have another case of someone with well-established mental health problems somehow able to legally buy a gun. What do you think needs to be done to stop this?

A: These are sick people. This has nothing to do with guns, this has to do with the mentality of these people. I'm a big Second Amendment person. I believe in it so strongly, and if you take the guns away from the good people, and the bad ones are going to have target practice.

Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interview series: 2016 presidential hopefuls Jul 26, 2015

On Immigration: Building a wall will save money because it stops bad dudes

Q: Assuming President Trump is able to stop the flow of illegal immigration through building a wall or some parts of a wall, what do you think should be done with the estimated 11 million undocumented workers and their families already here? Would you be open-minded about a path to citizenship?

A: First of all--we have to stop it. We can do that with combinations of walls and Border Patrol. And it won't cost the kind of money--in fact, we will save money, because people that are coming in here that shouldn't be coming in here illegally. We have some really bad dudes right here in this country, and we're getting them out and we're sending them back to where they came from. And I don't mean Mexico; they come from all over. We have some real bad ones, and they're in our prisons that we're paying for.

Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interview series: 2016 presidential hopefuls Jul 26, 2015

On Immigration: OpEd: businesses & Republicans condemn anti-Mexico terms

Trump released a statement restating the controversial comments he made almost three weeks ago when he announced he was running for president: "What can be simpler or more accurately stated? The Mexican Government is forcing their most unwanted people into the United States. They are, in many cases, criminals, drug dealers, rapists, etc.," Trump's statement said. Trump's comments have resulted in the termination of a number of his business relationships, but it wasn't until the past week that fellow Republican candidates began to forcefully condemn his comments.

Former Gov. George Pataki (R-NY) laid out what he calls are "practical" policy solutions for the issue of securing the southern U.S. border, as well as what to do with the millions of illegal immigrants already living in the country. Trump "has tapped into a chord of people who do not want to see millions of people come here illegally, but that does not justify demonizing an entire group of people," said Pataki. .

Source: CNN.com 2015 coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls Jul 6, 2015

On Energy & Oil: Maybe some climate change is manmade, but not all

Q: The overwhelming majority of scientists say climate change is real and it's manmade.

A: Well, there could be some manmade, too. I mean, I'm not saying there's zero, but not nearly to the extent [others say]. When Obama gets up and said it's the number one problem of our country--and, if it is, why is it that we have to clean up our factories now, and China doesn't have to do it for another 30 or 35 years in their wonderful agreement, you know, our wonderful negotiators?

Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interview series: 2016 presidential hopefuls Jun 28, 2015

On Free Trade: Disastrous deals because we don't have smart negotiators

Q: So, you would tear up NAFTA?

A: I think NAFTA has been a disaster. I think our current deals are a disaster. I'm a free trader. The problem with free trade is, you need smart people representing you. We have the greatest negotiators in the world, but we don't use them. We use political hacks and diplomats. We use the wrong people. Mexico is smart; they have out-negotiated us to a fare-thee-well. They're going to be the capital of automobiles pretty soon, the way they're going.

Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interview series: 2016 presidential hopefuls Jun 28, 2015

On Health Care: We didn't have a free market before ObamaCare

Q: in 2000, you wrote that you're a liberal on health care, and you supported a Canadian-style system, where the government acts as an insurer. Is that what you still believe?

A: You know, I looked at that. I looked at it very seriously. Some people don't agree with me on this: I want everyone to have coverage. I love the free market, but we never had a free market. Even before ObamaCare, it wasn't really free market. As an example, in New York, when I wanted to bid out my health insurance, we had boundaries. I could only go in New York. If I wanted to bid it out to a company from California or New Jersey, anywhere--you get no bids.

Q: But the single payer, you're not interested anymore?

A: No. No, these are different times. And over the years, you are going to change your attitudes. You're going to learn things and you're going to change. And I have evolved on that issue. I have evolved on numerous issues.

Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interview series: 2016 presidential hopefuls Jun 28, 2015

On Immigration: Make Mexico pay for wall with severe economics

Q: Why do we need a wall?

A: You have people coming through the border that are from all over. And they're bad. I'm talking about people that are from all over that are killers and rapists.

Q: How exactly are you going to get Mexico to pay for building a wall?

A: You force them because we give Mexico a fortune.

Q: So you would cut off business or impose tariffs unless they built the wall?

A: I would do something very severe unless they contributed or gave us the money to build the wall.

Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interview series: 2016 presidential hopefuls Jun 28, 2015

On War & Peace: Bomb the oil fields in Iraq to take on ISIS

Q: You said you want to bomb the oil fields in Iraq to take on ISIS?

A: The only way you're going to beat them is that. You know why they're rich? Because they have the oil.

Q: But I don't think the government of Iraq would want us to bomb their oil fields.

A: There is no government in Iraq. The so-called government in Iraq went to Iran to meet with Iran. Iran is going to take over Iraq. That's as simple as that. I don't care about the government of Iraq. They're totally corrupt. Who cares?

Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interview series: 2016 presidential hopefuls Jun 28, 2015

On Budget & Economy: If debt reaches $24T, that's the point of no return

If we have another 3 or 4 years--we're at $8 trillion now--we're soon going to be at $20 trillion. According to the economists--who I'm not big believers in, but, nevertheless, this is what they're saying--that $24 trillion--we're very close--that's the point of no return. $24 trillion. We will be there soon. That's when we become Greece. That's when we become a country that's unsalvageable. And we're gonna be there very soon. We're gonna be there very soon.
Source: 2015 announcement speeches of 2016 presidential hopefuls Jun 16, 2015

On Education: Common Core is a disaster

[As president I'd] end Common Core. Common Core is a disaster. Bush is totally in favor of Common Core. I don't see how he can possibly get the nomination. He's weak on immigration. He's in favor of Common Core. How the hell can you vote for this guy? You just can't do it. We have to end--education has to be local.
Source: 2015 announcement speeches of 2016 presidential hopefuls Jun 16, 2015

On Free Trade: China and Japan are beating us; I can beat China

Our country is in serious trouble. We don't have victories anymore. We used to have victories, but we don't have them. When was the last time anybody saw us beating, let's say, China in a trade deal? They kill us. I beat China all the time. All the time.

When did we beat Japan at anything? They send their cars over by the millions, and what do we do? When was the last time you saw a Chevrolet in Tokyo? It doesn't exist, folks. They beat us all the time.

When do we beat Mexico at the border? They're laughing at us, at our stupidity. And now they are beating us economically. They are not our friend, believe me. But they're killing us economically. The U.S. has become a dumping ground for everybody else's problems.

Source: 2015 announcement speeches of 2016 presidential hopefuls Jun 16, 2015

On Free Trade: 35% import tax on Mexican border

Ford announces a few weeks ago that Ford is going to build a $2.5 billion car and truck and parts manufacturing plant in Mexico. I would call up the head of Ford, if I was president, I'd say, "Congratulations. I understand that you're building a nice $2.5 billion car factory in Mexico and that you're going to take your cars and sell them to the US zero tax, just flow them across the border."

And you say to yourself, "How does that help us? Where is that good"? It's not. So I would say, "Let me give you the bad news. Every car and every part manufactured in this plant that comes across the border, we're going to charge you a 35% tax, and that tax is going to be paid simultaneously with the transaction.

Now, if it's not me in the position, here's what's going to happen: They're going to get a call from the donors or from the lobbyist for Ford and say, "I take care of you, and you can't do that to Ford."

I'm using my own money. I'm not using the lobbyists. I'm not using donors. I don't care.

Source: 2015 announcement speeches of 2016 presidential hopefuls Jun 16, 2015

On Free Trade: Stupid people negotiate our trade bills, & trade won't work

I'm totally against the trade bill for a number of reasons. I'm a free trader. But the problem with free trade is you need really talented people to negotiate for you. If you don't have people that know business, not just a political hack that got the job because he made a contribution to a campaign, free trade is terrible.

Free trade can be wonderful if you have smart people, but we have people that are stupid. We have people that are controlled by special interests. And it's just not going to work

Source: 2015 announcement speeches of 2016 presidential hopefuls Jun 16, 2015

On Health Care: ObamaCare deductibles are so high that it's useless

We have a disaster called the big lie: ObamaCare. Yesterday, it came out that costs are going for people up 29, 39, 49, and even 55%, and deductibles are through the roof. You have to be hit by a tractor, literally, to use it, because the deductibles are so high, it's virtually useless. It is a disaster.

And remember the $5 billion Web site? $5 billion we spent on a Web site, and to this day it doesn't work. I have so many Web sites, I have them all over the place. I hire people, they do a Web site.

And it's going to get worse, because remember, ObamaCare really kicks in, in 2016. It is going to be amazingly destructive. Doctors are quitting. I have a friend who's a doctor, and he said to me, "Donald, I never saw anything like it. I have more accountants than I have nurses."

We have to repeal ObamaCare, and it can be replaced with something much better for everybody. Let it be for everybody. But much better and much less expensive for people and for the government. And we can do it.

Source: 2015 announcement speeches of 2016 presidential hopefuls Jun 16, 2015

On Homeland Security: Our nuclear arsenal doesn't work; it's 30 years old

Our enemies are getting stronger and stronger, and we as a country are getting weaker. Even our nuclear arsenal doesn't work.

It came out recently they have equipment that is 30 years old. They don't know if it worked. And I thought it was horrible when it was broadcast on television, because boy, does that send signals to Putin and all of the other people that look at us and they say, "That is a group of people, and that is a nation that truly has no clue. They don't know what they're doing."

Source: 2015 announcement speeches of 2016 presidential hopefuls Jun 16, 2015

On Immigration: Mexico & Latin America send us drugs, crime, and rapists

Mexico is beating us economically. They are not our friend, believe me. But they're killing us economically. The U.S. has become a dumping ground for everybody else's problems.

When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best. They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists.

And some, I assume, are good people. But I speak to border guards and they tell us what we're getting. And it only makes common sense. They're sending us not the right people.

It's coming from more than Mexico. It's coming from all over South and Latin America, and it's coming probably--probably--from the Middle East. But we don't know. Because we have no protection and we have no competence, we don't know what's happening. And it's got to stop and it's got to stop fast.

Source: 2015 announcement speeches of 2016 presidential hopefuls Jun 16, 2015

On Immigration: Build great wall on southern border; have Mexico pay for it

I would build a great wall, and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me, and I'll build them very inexpensively, I will build a great, great wall on our southern border. And I will have Mexico pay for that wall.
Source: 2015 announcement speeches of 2016 presidential hopefuls Jun 16, 2015

On Jobs: Real unemployment rate is 20%; don't believe 5.6%

Last quarter, it was just announced our gross domestic product--a sign of strength, right? But not for us. It was below zero. Whoever heard of this? It's never below zero.

Our labor participation rate was the worst since 1978. But think of it, GDP below zero, horrible labor participation rate. Our real unemployment is anywhere from 18% to 20%. Don't believe the 5.6%. The real number is anywhere from 18% to maybe even 21%, and nobody talks about it, because it's a statistic that's full of nonsense.

Source: 2015 announcement speeches of 2016 presidential hopefuls Jun 16, 2015

On Technology: Rebuild our infrastructure on time & on budget

[As president I'd] rebuild the country's infrastructure. Nobody can do that like me. Believe me. It will be done on time, on budget, way below cost, way below what anyone ever thought.

I look at the roads being built all over the country, and I say I can build those things for one-third. What they do is unbelievable, how bad.

We have to rebuild our infrastructure, our bridges, our roadways, our airports. You come into La Guardia Airport, it's like we're in a third world country. You look at the patches and the 40-year-old floor. They throw down asphalt. And I come in from China and I come in from Qatar and I come in from different places, and they have the most incredible airports in the world. You come to back to this country and you have LAX, disaster. You have all of these disastrous airports. We have to rebuild our infrastructure.

Source: 2015 announcement speeches of 2016 presidential hopefuls Jun 16, 2015

On War & Peace: I said "don't hit Iraq," because it destabilized Middle East

I said it very strongly, years ago, I love the military, and I want to have the strongest military that we've ever had, and we need it more now than ever. But I said, "Don't hit Iraq," because you're going to totally destabilize the Middle East. Iran is going to take over the Middle East, Iran and somebody else will get the oil, and it turned out that Iran is now taking over Iraq. Think of it. Iran is taking over Iraq, and they're taking it over big league.

We spent $2 trillion in Iraq, $2 trillion. We lost thousands of lives, thousands in Iraq. We have wounded soldiers all over the place, thousands and thousands of wounded soldiers. And we have nothing. We can't even go there. We have nothing. And every time we give Iraq equipment, the first time a bullet goes off in the air, they leave it.

Last week, I read 2,300 Humvees--these are big vehicles--were left behind for the enemy. 2,300 sophisticated vehicles, they ran, and the enemy took them.

Source: 2015 announcement speeches of 2016 presidential hopefuls Jun 16, 2015

On Environment: Won't go to circuses that cut elephants due to animal rights

Trump tweet of 3/5/15: "Ringling Brothers is phasing out their elephants. I, for one, will never go again. They probably used the animal rights stuff to reduce costs."

Here is our investigation into what those poor elephants were experiencing:

"The Cruelest Show on Earth": Bullhooks. Whippings. Electric shocks. Three-day train rides without breaks. Our yearlong investigation rips the big top off how Ringling Bros. treats its elephants.

Source: Mother Jones Fact-Checking of 2016 presidential hopefuls Mar 6, 2015

On Education: Common Core means Washington tells you what to study

Q: What's Donald Trump think about Common Core?

Trump: Well first of all, I think it's going to kill Bush, and I think that education should be local, absolutely. I think that for people in Washington to be setting curriculum and to be setting all sorts of standards for people living in Iowa and other places is ridiculous.

Q: Why is it going to kill Bush?

Trump: Because I think people don't want to have somebody from Washington looking down and saying this is what you're going to be studying.

Q: But do you think he's responsible for that part of it?

Trump: No, but he's responsible for supporting it."

Source: Hugh Hewitt radio interview on 2016 presidential hopefuls Feb 25, 2015

The above quotations are from Sunday Political Talk Show interviews during 2013-2015, interviewing presidential hopefuls for 2016.
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