Donald Trump Talks Guns, Mental Illness, ISIS (Full Interview) — Meet The Press — NBC News

[0:00] Mr. Trump, welcome back to Meet the Press. [0:02] Thank you. [0:03] Not on the phone, face-to-face, in person. [0:05] It's really nicer that way, right? [0:07] I think so, too. [0:08] Let's start with the horrendous news of the week. [0:10] I want to get you to react to what the president said. [0:12] He came out very frustrated. [0:14] He said, let me read you one of his quotes, [0:16] we spend over a trillion dollars and pass countless laws [0:18] and devote entire agencies to preventing terrorist attacks on our soil, [0:21] and rightfully so, and yet we have a Congress [0:24] that explicitly blocks us from collecting data [0:26] on how we could potentially reduce gun deaths. [0:29] How can that be? [0:30] Well, you know, I watched his statement, [0:33] and I understand exactly what he's saying, [0:35] but, you know, no matter what you do, guns, no guns, it doesn't matter, [0:38] you have people that are mentally ill, [0:39] and they're going to come through the cracks, [0:41] and they're going to do things that people will not even believe are possible, [0:46] and whether it's the school shootings, [0:49] which are really very prevalent in this country, [0:51] they seem to be more prevalent in this country, [0:53] and I'm not sure. [0:53] What's your explanation? [0:54] They're just sick people. [0:55] They are mentally imbalanced, [0:57] and they probably see it happening here more so. [0:59] Do you think we have more mentally ill people than other countries? [1:02] I think what we have is I think we have copycats. [1:04] I think they watch it, and they see it here maybe more than other places, [1:07] and the world can be a pretty sick place in so many different ways, [1:11] but we have mentally very unstable people, [1:14] and that is going to lead, [1:17] and, you know, it's not politically correct to say [1:19] you can have the best security, you can have the best everything, [1:21] but people are able to get in and do this terrible, you know, just terrible damage. [1:27] You've done a 180 on guns. [1:28] You were somebody in the late 90s. [1:31] You said, you know, why not have more background checks? [1:33] Now you're for less background checks. [1:34] Well, I actually carry a license. [1:37] It's very difficult to get here in New York City. [1:38] Very difficult. [1:39] I have one, and I think it's a great thing to have. [1:42] I mean, from my standpoint, I feel much better about it. [1:44] But should it be difficult to get? [1:46] Shouldn't it be something that's difficult to get? [1:48] Well, I think what should happen is we should take care of a lot of the sick people [1:51] that we have walking the streets. [1:53] You know, in New York, I can tell you, they opened up hospitals [1:55] because of the fact that it was so bad, and they let people out, [1:58] and we have people walking around all over the country we have it, [2:02] and they do that for budget reasons, [2:03] but we have people that are very sick walking the streets all over the place. [2:07] Now, with that being said, you look at these people and they're loners. [2:10] You can almost predict what is going on with the person that did the shooting. [2:14] Loner, being rejected by everybody, no friends. [2:18] Usually a young man in his early to mid-20s. [2:21] Now, at the same time, you could say, and the neighborhood always says, [2:25] oh, you know what, now that I see this happening. [2:27] Well, the truth is you can't put all these people, you know, [2:29] if the neighbor says, well, I think he's not so well, [2:33] what are you going to do, institutionalize him for the rest of his life? [2:35] It's a very tough thing to do. [2:37] The truth is we've had things happening for hundreds of thousands of years, [2:42] and you're going to have them happening. [2:44] It's a very, very sad situation. [2:46] All right, but we have, I mean, this is a startling statistic. [2:49] 153,000 people have died from gunshots since 9-11, [2:54] and counting 9-11 up to 2014, [2:57] just over 3,000 people have died from terrorist attacks. [3:00] We have, the president's point is, [3:02] we have devoted all these energies to prevent terrorism. [3:05] Should there be a sense of urgency on this? [3:07] So, the way I look at it, [3:09] you take Chicago, you take Baltimore, [3:12] you take various other places [3:13] where you have tremendous gun violence and death, right? [3:17] The strictest laws in the United States, [3:19] in the world, for guns, [3:21] happens to be Chicago, where they have a lot of problems. [3:24] Baltimore, a lot of the places where you have the biggest problem [3:27] is where they have the strongest laws. [3:28] But local laws without a national floor are pointless. [3:33] But the problem you have is the strongest, [3:36] the most stringent laws are, [3:38] in almost every case, the worst places. [3:40] It doesn't seem to work. [3:43] It's a tough situation, Chuck. [3:45] It's a tough situation. [3:46] And when it comes to the schools, [3:48] it really is mental health. [3:49] It's a mental problem. [3:50] You don't believe this is a, [3:51] we have too many guns. [3:52] Do you think there's too many guns in America? [3:54] Well, you know, you could make the case [3:55] that the school that we just, you know, went through, [3:59] and I see it was a gun-free zone, [4:00] and you were not allowed to have guns at all [4:01] in that particular area. [4:03] And you can make the case [4:05] that it would have been a lot better [4:06] had people had guns [4:07] because they had something to fire back. [4:08] You say you can make that case. [4:09] Do you make that case? [4:10] Well, I would say that it couldn't be much worse. [4:13] I think the police did a great job. [4:15] They got there quickly, [4:15] and they were able to kill them. [4:17] But you can, I can make the case [4:19] that if there were guns in that room other than his, [4:23] fewer people would have died, [4:24] fewer people would have been so horribly injured. [4:26] Would you be comfortable walking around New York City [4:28] if half of the residents were carrying? [4:30] Well, you know, you have different places [4:32] and a lot of different things, [4:33] but we have a lot of problems in New York City as is, [4:36] and a lot of people have guns in New York City right now. [4:39] No, I understand that, [4:39] but would you be comfortable if more people had guns? [4:42] I don't think I'd be any more uncomfortable [4:44] because the people that would have them [4:46] would be responsible people, [4:47] so I don't think, and you know, [4:49] in theory, what they say is the theory, [4:51] and I can understand this very much, [4:52] if you had more guns, you have more protection [4:54] because the right people would have the guns. [4:57] Yes, but it's a very, very difficult situation [5:00] when you see the mental illness problem [5:03] that you have in this country, [5:04] and that's what it is, [5:06] and it's not a gun problem, [5:07] it's a mental illness problem. [5:08] All right, so let's tackle that, [5:09] and wouldn't a background check, [5:10] should we have a mental fitness check [5:13] before you own a gun? [5:14] Well, you know, you already have pretty stringent laws, [5:16] and you have pretty good and stringent laws [5:19] already on the books that we don't use. [5:21] A lot of these people, they come through, [5:23] and again, I use the term, [5:24] they fall through the cracks, [5:26] and they're able to get guns, [5:27] and they're able to get other things. [5:28] I mean, frankly, if it wasn't guns, [5:30] they'd end up getting something else [5:31] that would be maybe worse than guns. [5:33] So what's the, so what, do you have a plan? [5:35] You've talked about, you want to, [5:36] you've said mental health's a problem, [5:37] you've said this before. [5:38] Mental health is a problem. [5:38] What would you do about it? [5:39] Well, I would work very hard on mental health [5:41] without that, but I have to say, [5:43] no matter what you do, [5:45] you're going to have problems [5:45] because you have sick people, [5:47] they happen to be intelligent, [5:48] and you know, they can be sick as hell, [5:50] and they're geniuses in a certain way. [5:52] They are going to be able to break the system. [5:55] These people are going to be able [5:56] to get into a school or get into something, [5:58] and it's a horrible thing to say, [6:00] and it's not even politically correct, [6:01] but it's common sense. [6:03] You're going to have problems [6:04] no matter how good, [6:05] no matter what kind of checks you do, [6:07] no matter what kind of, [6:08] now, with that, [6:10] I think mental health, [6:11] we have to do better. [6:12] We have to do a much better job [6:14] with mental health. [6:14] What does that mean? [6:15] Well, it means better services, [6:17] better doctors. [6:18] If communities can report people [6:20] that they obviously know, [6:21] I mean, there have been... [6:22] Federal government get involved [6:23] in something like this? [6:23] Chuck, there have been a couple [6:24] of these cases where the communities [6:25] have said, [6:26] we knew this guy for years [6:27] was really a sicko. [6:29] Now, there were two of those cases [6:31] where it was really heavy, [6:33] and, you know... [6:34] Clearly the Aurora guy... [6:35] Yes, the very tough part, though, [6:37] is how do you take that person [6:39] and say we're going to institutionalize him [6:40] for the rest of his life? [6:41] It's very tough. [6:42] He hasn't done anything yet. [6:44] So, you know, [6:45] a lot of people could be covered by that [6:46] that would lead a fairly decent life [6:48] or even a very decent life. [6:50] So it's a very tough situation. [6:51] But if you go back 1,000 years [6:54] and you go forward 5,000 years, [6:56] you're always, [6:57] no matter how good the procedure is, [6:59] you're always going to have [7:01] a certain violence, [7:03] and it's horrible to say, [7:04] and people don't want to say it. [7:06] But we do have a monopoly [7:07] on mass shootings in the world. [7:09] We seem to. [7:10] We have the monopoly. [7:10] We seem to. [7:11] And the only difference between us [7:13] and really every other [7:13] westernized country [7:14] is the amount of guns [7:16] we have in this country [7:17] versus where U.K., [7:19] you name it, [7:19] you know, [7:19] half of Europe, [7:20] you go through. [7:21] But there are other countries [7:22] that have tremendous amounts of guns [7:25] and, you know, [7:26] they have problems also. [7:28] And there's also a copycat theory. [7:30] You know, you see it. [7:31] I mean, these people see it happening [7:32] and there's other people, [7:34] it's a small report. [7:35] Do you think we should stop covering them? [7:37] Well, that might help. [7:38] You want to know the truth. [7:38] Look, I've had complaints. [7:39] Viewers will say, [7:40] stop covering these things. [7:42] It's a huge tragedy. [7:44] On one hand, you cover it. [7:45] On the other hand, [7:45] do you stop covering them? [7:46] Well, I liked what the sheriff said last night, [7:49] that he refuses to use his name. [7:50] He refuses to show pictures of them. [7:52] But in the meantime, [7:53] the news is all using his name [7:54] and everybody now knows his name. [7:56] Wouldn't it be wonderful [7:57] if you wouldn't cover it? [7:58] Because I think that's part of the problem. [8:00] You have copycats. [8:01] They want to do it. [8:01] They think it's wonderful. [8:02] They're sick people. [8:04] Let's move to your tax plan. [8:05] Okay. [8:05] You said it was going to be revenue neutral. [8:08] You said it was going to raise taxes on the wealthy. [8:10] A lot of people have done the numbers. [8:12] Overall, it cuts taxes on the wealthy [8:13] dramatically [8:14] when you throw in the estate tax [8:16] and things like that. [8:17] And it's a big hole in the deficit [8:20] until we find out what you're cutting. [8:22] Okay. [8:22] So, what are you cutting? [8:23] So, you ready? [8:23] We're cutting a lot. [8:24] And we're cutting taxes really [8:26] for the middle income [8:26] more than anything else. [8:27] Everybody's taxes are going down, though. [8:29] Everybody's taxes are going down, [8:30] and some people won't pay tax. [8:32] And the reason they're not going to pay, [8:33] and I love the idea of having [8:34] a little sort of fat in the game if we can. [8:37] But the fact is, [8:38] these are people that are doing very poorly. [8:40] I mean, they're making not a lot of money. [8:41] And we're saving a tremendous amount [8:44] of administrative costs [8:45] and a lot of other things [8:46] by not making them pay. [8:47] Under my plan, [8:48] I really think it's a very dynamic plan. [8:50] We're going to grow the economy. [8:52] Hey, if China does it 7%, [8:54] they're having a terrible year. [8:55] We're saying we can't do it 3% and 4%. [8:58] We just had 4% last quarter. [9:00] Well, and we can do it. [9:01] Well, we also had 0% the first quarter. [9:03] I understand, [9:03] but we just had 4% the last quarter. [9:05] Okay. [9:05] Well, a little less than 4%, [9:07] but we had... [9:07] Right, 3.9%. [9:08] Right, yeah. [9:09] It was what? [9:11] 3.9% last quarter. [9:12] But if you look at the overall average, [9:14] we're doing 2% [9:15] and we're doing less than 2% for the year. [9:17] So we can do really terrifically. [9:19] China, if they do 7%. [9:21] Right, but an emerging economy [9:23] is always going to go 6%, 7%. [9:24] I know that. [9:24] But if we do 6% or 7% under my plan... [9:26] Our sweet spot is 3% to 5%. [9:27] Right. [9:28] If we do 6% or 7% under my plan, [9:30] everybody benefits and jobs. [9:32] We've never had a year of 6% or 7%. [9:33] But we can. [9:34] We can do that. [9:35] We can take back... [9:35] How is that going to look? [9:36] Well, first of all, [9:37] a couple of things. [9:38] Number 1, corporate inversion is a big deal. [9:40] And that's getting worse and worse. [9:41] Companies are going to be leaving here. [9:42] The old days, they'd leave New York [9:44] and they'd go to Florida. [9:45] They'd leave New Jersey. [9:46] They'd go to Texas. [9:47] They're leaving the United States now [9:49] and they're going out to different... [9:51] Whether it's Ireland and lots of other places [9:53] in Europe and Asia, [9:54] and they're leaving. [9:55] And there are many companies right now, Chuck, [9:58] that are talking about very seriously [9:59] leaving this country. [10:00] And you're talking about thousands of jobs. [10:02] And a couple of these are big, powerful companies [10:05] with lots of jobs. [10:07] Corporate inversion, we're going to let them... [10:09] You know, one other thing. [10:09] Your tax plan would not stop Ford [10:11] from moving, for instance, that plant [10:13] that you've been talking about to Mexico. [10:14] No, but the incentive will be... [10:15] You're right, but the incentive now [10:16] is going to be to stay here. [10:17] And very importantly, [10:18] the $2.5 trillion that we have [10:20] outside of the country, [10:21] which I think is a much higher number than that. [10:22] You know what? [10:23] Most people think the $2.5 is $2.5. [10:26] But they have no idea. [10:28] The folks that do this professionally, [10:30] including government folks, [10:32] have no idea what that number is. [10:33] I think the $2.5 could be much better. [10:35] $2.5 trillion is going to come, and more, [10:38] is going to come back into the country. [10:40] And that money is going to be used [10:41] within the country, [10:42] and it's going to be great. [10:43] And they will be taxed, [10:44] but taxed at a rate... [10:45] Right now, if you have money [10:47] outside of the country, [10:48] it's almost impossible to get it back in [10:50] for two reasons. [10:51] The bureaucracy and the high tax. [10:54] I'm going to get it back in, [10:56] and that money is going to be used. [10:57] And that's a huge incentive. [10:58] We still have a hole in the deficit [11:00] that this tax plan blows open [11:03] unless you tell us what you're cutting. [11:05] Well, I'm just telling you... [11:06] What are you cutting here? [11:07] On growth, so it's $12 trillion [11:09] in missing revenue over 10 years. [11:11] Giving you the benefit of the doubt [11:12] on economic growth, [11:13] you still have $10 trillion to make up. [11:15] I'll tell you, no, no. [11:15] If we can get it up to 5% or 6%, [11:19] it's a huge... [11:20] That's a huge difference right there. [11:22] Okay, 6% is something we have not done, [11:23] but... [11:24] Well, we used to do it in the old days. [11:26] We used to do it 6. [11:27] It was 4 to 5. [11:28] 6. [11:28] No, no. [11:29] In the old days. [11:29] In the good old days. [11:30] We used to do it. [11:30] What's the good old days? [11:31] And I think we can do it a while ago, [11:33] but there's no reason why we can't. [11:34] Look, we get rid of regulations. [11:36] We lower taxes. [11:38] We create stimulus. [11:39] We take jobs back from China, Japan, [11:41] all these companies. [11:42] So what you're saying is [11:42] you make it all up with growth? [11:44] No, no. [11:44] Not all up with growth. [11:46] We also start cutting [11:47] because the waste in this country [11:49] is unbelievable. [11:50] When you look at all of the... [11:52] Are you going to get rid of entire departments? [11:53] I would get rid of some. [11:55] You look at, as an example, [11:57] Department of Education. [11:58] You'd get rid of it? [11:59] No, not entirely, [12:00] but I would certainly get rid of a lot of it. [12:02] If you look at Jeb Bush, [12:03] he's a big, you know, [12:04] he's a big Common Core person. [12:06] I'm not. [12:06] I want local education. [12:08] We could save a fortune [12:09] with environmental protection. [12:11] Financially, not a big department, though. [12:13] You're not going to get rid of a lot. [12:14] It's a lot of money. [12:15] You're not going to get rid of as much. [12:16] What is another agency you'd get rid of? [12:18] Look, we have, even in the military, [12:19] I'm going to build the military. [12:20] It's going to be much stronger [12:21] than it is right now. [12:22] It's going to be so strong. [12:23] Nobody's going to mess with us. [12:24] But you know what? [12:25] We can do it for a lot less. [12:26] They sent a washer [12:27] from South Carolina to Texas. [12:30] It cost $997,000. [12:34] So you believe you can spend less money [12:36] on defense than we do today? [12:37] I think we can make our defense much stronger, [12:40] spend somewhat less money, [12:42] and increase... [12:44] So you can cut the defense budget [12:45] and make the military stronger. [12:47] Chuck, when they send an 18-cent washer [12:50] from South Carolina to Texas, [12:52] and it costs almost a million dollars [12:54] to bring it there [12:55] because of the fraud and abuse [12:57] and everything else. [12:57] I mean, it was a fraud. [12:59] But there have been many cases like that. [13:01] We can save so much. [13:03] When a hammer that you buy at Home Depot [13:04] for $8 costs $900. [13:09] Do you know how many politicians [13:09] have said this over the years? [13:11] I know, but I'm not a politician. [13:11] Waste, fraud, and abuse. [13:13] Oh, if I get waste, fraud, and abuse, [13:14] and that's how I'm going to do it. [13:15] I know, but I'm not a politician. [13:16] I'm a business guy. [13:17] I mean, of course, [13:18] for the last three months, [13:19] I'm a politician. [13:19] It never happens. [13:20] But you watch it happen with me. [13:22] It's a massive amount of money. [13:23] But let's get specific here. [13:24] So you're telling me [13:25] you're going to be able to cut the defense budget [13:26] from where it is today. [13:27] No, I'm going to make sure the defense, [13:30] we have better defense. [13:31] We're going to have better than we do right now. [13:32] But you think you can do it for less money. [13:34] But I think we can do it for less money, yes. [13:35] So then you... [13:36] I think there's tremendous waste. [13:38] We build a bomber for $2 billion. [13:40] All right. [13:40] And by the way, they say it's not good, okay? [13:43] They say the previous plane is better, [13:46] and we're spending $2 billion. [13:49] So maybe we go with the previous plane. [13:51] All right. [13:51] So you're going to cut the education department. [13:52] You're going to... [13:53] You believe you can save money [13:54] in the defense department. [13:56] Where else? [13:56] Environmental protection. [13:58] Take a look at environmental... [13:59] Cut the EPA. [14:00] I'm just trying to get through... [14:01] Three weeks ago... [14:01] We're looking for specifics. [14:02] Three weeks ago, [14:02] they destroyed a river in Colorado. [14:05] I mean, three weeks ago, [14:06] and they were the ones that did it. [14:07] They opened the gates. [14:08] They opened the dam, [14:09] and a lot of bad stuff came out. [14:11] And they don't even know. [14:12] I mean, it may be destroyed. [14:14] They are... [14:15] And I deal with them all the time. [14:16] It's impossible. [14:17] Most real estate people do. [14:18] No, no. [14:19] Can I be honest? [14:19] It's impossible. [14:21] Shouldn't it be difficult, though? [14:22] No, it should be fair. [14:25] It stops everything over nothing. [14:27] Do you know one of the reasons [14:28] the wall never got built [14:29] was Environmental Protection Agency. [14:31] They couldn't get [14:32] an Environmental Impact Statement approved. [14:34] The wall. [14:35] And when I talk about the wall, [14:36] I'm talking about the wall [14:36] at the southern border, [14:37] which is very much necessary, [14:39] which I'm going to get built, [14:41] and Mexico's going to pay for it, by the way. [14:42] I still don't understand [14:43] how you're going to get Mexico. [14:45] A lot of people don't, [14:45] but that's what I do. [14:46] You know why? [14:47] Because we pay [14:48] a tremendous amount of money to Mexico, [14:50] number one. [14:51] Number two, [14:51] we lose a tremendous amount of money [14:53] with everybody coming [14:54] and a tremendous amount of money, [14:55] including jobs, by the way. [14:56] Forget about crime and everything else. [14:58] And Mexico, [15:00] we have a U.S. trade deficit with Mexico. [15:02] It's close to $45 billion a year. [15:06] They'll be happy. [15:07] If explained to them in the proper way, [15:09] and I have a great relationship with Mexico. [15:10] I love Mexico. [15:11] I love the people of Mexico, [15:13] but Mexico's going to pay for the wall. [15:15] You have promised [15:17] about $4 trillion in some spending, [15:20] most of it on roads and bridges. [15:21] You've talked about the infrastructure issue, [15:24] the health care plan. [15:24] Well, I didn't say $4 trillion. [15:25] You know, when you say $4 trillion, [15:28] can I give you an example? [15:29] That's the estimate of what it would cost [15:30] to improve our roads and villages. [15:32] I'll give you two quick examples. [15:33] I'm running for office, right? [15:36] I'm doing very well, you'd have to say. [15:38] I'm leading in every poll, everything. [15:40] Do you know that I've spent very little money [15:42] running for office? [15:42] I understand that. [15:43] Okay? [15:43] Less than anybody else. [15:45] Guys that have spent $5 million, $10 million. [15:46] Most people say it's people like us [15:47] that are giving you too much airtime. [15:48] Well, maybe. [15:49] But, you know, whatever it is. [15:51] But I've spent very little money running for office, [15:53] and yet I'm leading by a lot in every poll. [15:55] State polls, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, [16:00] New Hampshire, Iowa. [16:01] No, no, just one second. [16:02] What does that have to do with transportation funding? [16:03] It has a lot to do. [16:03] Okay. [16:04] So I've spent almost no money, [16:06] and I'm leading in every poll. [16:08] That has to do with budgets. [16:10] That has to do with business. [16:12] You can go, I can give you so many. [16:14] Oh, let me give you another example. [16:15] The old post office in Washington, D.C. [16:17] I got it, which is shocking, [16:19] because it was one of the most sought-after projects [16:21] in the history of the GSA, [16:22] General Services Administration. [16:24] I got it because my financial statement is very strong, [16:27] because they knew I'd get a bill, [16:28] and they liked what I was doing [16:29] more than all of these other people. [16:31] I heard there were over 100 bidders. [16:32] They broke it down to 10, [16:33] some of the best companies in the country. [16:35] They chose Trump, which is shocking to a lot of people, [16:38] because it's the Obama administration chose Trump. [16:40] We are way under budget and way ahead of schedule. [16:44] It's going to open up way... [16:45] It was going to be in 17. [16:47] We're going to open it up in 16. [16:49] We're under budget. [16:50] So the button is what you're saying. [16:51] What I'm saying is the roads... [16:52] It's going to cost you $4 trillion, you're saying. [16:54] What I'm saying is these roads... [16:56] I look at the cost of a road [16:57] where they're going to spend $600 million [16:59] building a simple road, [17:02] and I don't mean I'm going to save you a little bit. [17:04] We're going to bring in... [17:05] You're going to build a better road. [17:07] You're going to have a better road [17:08] for a fraction of the cost. [17:10] Why do you think you're the first one that can do this, [17:12] and nobody else has done this? [17:13] Because I'm a builder. [17:14] I understand building. [17:16] I understand negotiation. [17:17] I understand deals. [17:19] Would you understand why people are skeptical? [17:21] I have friends... [17:22] Because they hear people telling them this all the time. [17:23] I think they might, but they're politicians. [17:26] All talk, no action. [17:27] All talk, no action. [17:28] Well, then give me... [17:29] Also, you know another thing? [17:30] They're controlled by lobbyists. [17:32] They're controlled by the guys [17:33] that own the companies that build the roads. [17:35] I'm not. [17:35] They're controlled by Ford, [17:36] and they're controlled by all of these other... [17:38] You know, when they want to move plants [17:40] and they want to do all these things, [17:41] and they end up costing so much money [17:42] for the taxpayer. [17:44] I'm self-funding. [17:46] I know all the guys. [17:47] I know all the lobbyists. [17:48] Many of them have worked for me. [17:50] I'm not controlled by anybody. [17:50] I'm just coming back to the math here, [17:52] because nobody can seem... [17:53] Especially since you've said [17:54] you're taking Social Security and Medicare off the table. [17:57] You're not going to do any cuts there at all. [17:59] If you take that off the table... [18:01] It's unfair to put it on the table. [18:02] People have been paying in for years. [18:04] Now, all of a sudden, [18:05] they're not getting what they bought. [18:06] You wouldn't even raise the age of retirement? [18:07] No, I'm not going to do that. [18:08] I'm not going to do that at all. [18:10] I'm going to take in so much money [18:11] from China and other places. [18:13] Look, we have a trade deficit with China [18:15] of almost $400 billion a year. [18:19] $400 billion. [18:20] I had it looked up the other day. [18:21] I said, I can't believe it. [18:22] With Japan, $75 billion a year. [18:26] With Mexico, $45 billion. [18:27] That's why I say the wall is going to cost $5 billion. [18:30] People say $10 billion. [18:31] I say $5 billion. [18:32] And mine's going to be bigger, better, nicer, [18:34] and everything else, okay? [18:36] Because that's what I do. [18:37] But just let me say... [18:38] All right. [18:38] The numbers we come up with don't... [18:40] They're not that low. [18:41] I mean, you're coming up with different numbers. [18:42] No, no, no, I'm not coming up with different numbers. [18:44] When we're losing the kind of money we are [18:47] with all of our trade agreements, [18:49] and you know Carl Icahn is on board. [18:50] He wants to... [18:51] I'll say, Carl, look over China. [18:55] Look over Japan. [18:55] I have the best people in the world coming. [18:58] Instead of losing money, even if we broke even, [19:01] we're losing $400 billion a year [19:05] doing trade with China. [19:07] What kind of stuff is that? [19:08] And by the way, that's been going on for years. [19:10] Would you not do trade with China? [19:12] That's been going on for a long time. [19:12] I mean, there's a lot of people of your wealth, [19:15] working companies, that like to do business in China. [19:17] I'll do... [19:17] In fact, in this building, [19:19] if you go down two floors, [19:20] you'll see the biggest bank in the world is from China, [19:22] and they're a tenant. [19:24] In fact, I'm going to take you and show you that bank, okay? [19:26] They pay me nice rent. [19:27] They like me. [19:28] I'm going to get along with China. [19:29] We don't even get along with China. [19:30] China makes a fortune off the United States. [19:33] Look, what China has done to the United States [19:36] is one of the greatest thefts in the history of the world, okay? [19:39] And they know it. [19:40] These are very smart people. [19:42] They're dealing with idiots. [19:43] They're dealing... [19:44] They are dealing in the trade, in trade. [19:47] They've taken our jobs. [19:48] They've taken our base. [19:49] They've taken our money. [19:50] And here's the beautiful thing. [19:52] We owe China right now $1.5 trillion. [19:55] So they take all our money. [19:56] They take our jobs, and we owe them money. [19:59] Japan, we owe them, with all the cars, [20:02] we owe them right now $1.5 trillion. [20:04] What kind of a deal? [20:06] That's like a magic act. [20:07] Let me ask you about China. [20:08] It's a little off topic, [20:09] but they perhaps perpetrated the worst intelligence theft [20:14] of the American government. [20:16] How would you have retaliated? [20:17] Well, we have tremendous power over China, [20:21] but the president doesn't know it. [20:23] Tell me the power you would use. [20:24] The power we have is economic power. [20:26] We have rebuilt China. [20:27] They've taken so much money. [20:29] So would you have sanctioned them? [20:30] Would you have put economic sanctions on them? [20:31] How would you have punished them for this? [20:32] Look at the deal they made last week with Boeing. [20:34] Boeing's ordering some planes, right? [20:36] I mean, China's ordering planes from Boeing. [20:38] Boeing has to go and build massive plants all over China. [20:42] What kind of a deal is that? [20:43] In other words, [20:44] China doesn't want the planes to be built in Seattle, [20:46] to be built in South Carolina. [20:49] China wants the planes to be built in China. [20:51] So Boeing, as part of it, [20:53] I don't blame them, [20:54] but that doesn't mean we have to go along with it. [20:56] Now, we have rebuilt... [20:57] We've got BMW to build cars here. [20:58] Here's the power we have over China. [20:59] We have tremendous power over China. [21:01] People don't know it. [21:01] Our people don't know it [21:02] because they don't have a clue. [21:03] So how do you use it? [21:04] The power we have is economic. [21:06] Tremendous power. [21:07] So you sanction them? [21:07] By the way, [21:08] China should also take North Korea [21:10] and say, [21:11] listen, folks, [21:11] it's over [21:12] because China has very good... [21:14] They like to say [21:14] they don't have as much as people think. [21:16] They have total control over North Korea. [21:18] We have economic power. [21:20] We've rebuilt China. [21:21] China has drained our company, [21:23] our country, [21:24] from jobs. [21:25] They've taken the jobs. [21:26] They've taken our money. [21:27] They've rebuilt China. [21:28] You go to China, [21:29] you see highways, [21:30] you see airports, [21:31] you see things [21:31] that we don't have in this country. [21:34] So what I'm saying [21:34] is we have this tremendous economic power [21:37] over China [21:38] and I'd use it if we have to. [21:40] When they do the attacks, [21:41] when they do the hacks... [21:42] Right. [21:43] So how do you punish them? [21:43] Now, here's the thing. [21:44] We don't even really know it was China [21:46] because I hear China. [21:47] I hear Russia. [21:48] I hear all different... [21:49] I hear even North Korea [21:51] with a movie studio. [21:52] People think it was North Korea. [21:54] The truth is, [21:55] we don't even know who's doing it [21:56] and when ISIS, [21:58] as another one that we hear, [21:59] becomes better at the Internet than us, [22:02] we have a long way to go, Chuck. [22:03] So, again, I go back. [22:05] If you feel as if [22:06] you had to retaliate against China [22:07] in this, [22:08] you would use a sanction? [22:09] You would... [22:09] Well, you could do... [22:10] Tariffs? [22:11] What would you do? [22:11] You could do a tariff. [22:11] I mean, you could... [22:12] Is that what you'd do? [22:12] Probably tariff. [22:13] Well, you might want to do a tariff. [22:14] You'd put them out of business. [22:16] Let me tell you. [22:16] If you charged... [22:17] You would use tariffs as a weapon, [22:19] as a little bit of an economic weapon. [22:20] Number one, on trade... [22:21] In general. [22:21] On trade, [22:22] what they did with devaluation [22:24] is incredible. [22:27] devalued their currency [22:28] the most they've done [22:29] in two decades. [22:30] The biggest devaluation [22:31] they've done in two decades. [22:34] It was disgraceful. [22:35] And that's after they've done [22:36] other devaluations. [22:37] Makes it impossible [22:38] for our companies to compete. [22:40] So they do that. [22:41] Now, what you do about that... [22:44] You know, what everybody said, [22:45] oh, it was terrible, terrible. [22:46] They don't do anything about it. [22:48] What you do is you do a tariff [22:50] against China. [22:51] Now, just so you understand, [22:52] we don't charge China anything. [22:54] They do business. [22:54] We don't charge... [22:55] You can't do business in China. [22:58] You try... [22:58] If you have a company here, [22:59] they charge you so much tax [23:01] and so much in tariffs [23:02] that it's... [23:03] And they don't want [23:04] your product anyway [23:05] that you can't do business. [23:06] It's a one-way street. [23:08] That's why they make [23:09] $400 billion a year. [23:11] Let's move to Syria. [23:12] Okay. [23:12] You came across to me [23:15] as if you welcomed [23:16] Putin's involvement in Syria. [23:19] You said it was sort of like [23:20] you didn't... [23:21] You saw very little downside. [23:22] Why? [23:23] I'll tell you what. [23:24] I've... [23:25] I am somebody that... [23:26] And you know I've been saying [23:27] this to you for a long time. [23:29] I want our military [23:30] to be beyond anything, [23:32] no contest. [23:32] And technologically, [23:34] most importantly, [23:34] because you're getting now, [23:35] militaries have to be [23:37] technologically advanced. [23:38] So we probably have [23:39] a big advantage. [23:40] We do have a big advantage [23:41] of that. [23:42] But we are going to get [23:44] bogged down in Syria. [23:46] If you look at what happened [23:47] with the Soviet Union [23:48] in Afghanistan, [23:49] that's when they went bankrupt. [23:50] They went bankrupt. [23:52] They were there so long... [23:53] So you think Putin's [23:55] going to get suckered into Syria? [23:56] They're going to get bogged down. [23:56] Everybody that's touched [23:57] the Middle East, [23:58] they've gotten bogged down. [23:59] Now, Putin wants to go in. [24:01] Putin does not want ISIS. [24:02] I know they haven't hit him [24:03] as hard as they should [24:04] be hitting him because... [24:05] They're hitting Assad... [24:05] They're hitting people [24:06] we've trained. [24:07] Excuse me. [24:08] We're... [24:08] They're hitting people. [24:10] We're talking about people [24:11] that we don't even know. [24:12] Right. [24:12] The rebel group. [24:13] We have no idea. [24:15] I was talking to a general [24:16] two days ago. [24:16] He said, [24:17] we have no idea [24:18] who these people are. [24:19] We're training people. [24:20] We don't know who they are. [24:21] We're giving them billions [24:22] of dollars to fight Assad. [24:24] And you know what? [24:25] It's very... [24:25] I'm not saying Assad's a good guy [24:27] because he's probably a bad guy. [24:28] But I've watched him [24:29] interviewed many times. [24:31] And you can make the case, [24:33] if you look at Libya, [24:34] look what we did there. [24:35] It's a mess. [24:36] If you look at Saddam Hussein [24:38] with Iraq, [24:39] look what we did there. [24:39] It's a mess. [24:40] It's going to be the same thing. [24:41] Do you think the Middle East [24:42] would be better today [24:42] if Gaddafi, Saddam, and Assad [24:44] were sort of... [24:47] If Saddam and Gaddafi [24:48] were still there [24:49] and Assad were stronger? [24:50] Not even... [24:50] Do you think the Middle East [24:51] would be safer? [24:51] It's not even a contest, Jack. [24:53] It's not even a contest. [24:54] Iraq is a disaster. [24:56] And ISIS... [24:57] So it'd be better off [24:57] if Saddam won charge. [24:57] Don't forget, [24:58] ISIS came out of Iraq. [24:59] It was like the leftovers [25:01] that didn't get taken care of. [25:01] Let me button this up. [25:02] If Saddam and Gaddafi, [25:03] do you think things [25:04] would be more stable? [25:04] Of course it would be. [25:06] You wouldn't have had [25:06] your Benghazi situation, [25:08] which is one thing, [25:09] which was just a terrible situation. [25:11] But of course it would. [25:12] Libya is not even... [25:15] Nobody even knows [25:15] what's going on over there. [25:16] It's not even a country anymore. [25:17] So you welcome Putin's involvement? [25:18] I like that Putin [25:21] is bombing the hell [25:22] out of ISIS. [25:24] And it's going to be ISIS. [25:24] I'll tell you what. [25:25] Putin has to get rid of ISIS [25:27] because Putin doesn't want [25:28] ISIS coming into Russia. [25:29] Why do you trust him [25:29] and nobody else does? [25:30] I don't trust him. [25:31] I don't trust him at all. [25:32] Other than we both got [25:33] very good ratings [25:33] the other night [25:34] on 60 Minutes [25:34] because it was with me [25:35] and Putin. [25:36] Can you believe this? [25:37] There you go. [25:37] So I don't know. [25:38] Did I get the ratings [25:39] or did he? [25:40] But the truth is [25:41] it's not a question of trust. [25:43] I don't want to see [25:44] the United States. [25:44] We've spent now... [25:46] We've spent $2 trillion in Iraq, [25:49] probably a trillion in Afghanistan. [25:51] We're in there. [25:52] We're destroying our country. [25:53] We owe $19 trillion. [25:55] We're bogged down. [25:57] Russia was bogged down [25:59] in Afghanistan, [26:00] meaning the Soviet Union. [26:01] It broke up the Soviet Union. [26:03] They're going to get bogged down. [26:04] You watch. [26:05] As sure as you're sitting there. [26:06] And I'm the one [26:06] that said don't do... [26:07] Chuck, I said don't do Iraq. [26:09] You would pull out [26:11] of what we're doing [26:11] in Syria right now. [26:12] I'd sit back [26:12] and this is not usually me talking [26:14] because I'm very proactive [26:16] as you probably know. [26:17] I know. [26:17] But I would sit back [26:20] and let's see what's going on. [26:21] Here's the problem [26:22] to what you're saying in Syria. [26:24] We are fighting Assad [26:26] and we're fighting for people [26:28] and helping people [26:29] that we don't even know [26:30] who they are. [26:31] And they may be worse than Assad. [26:33] They may be worse. [26:35] Okay? [26:35] They may be worse. [26:36] And if Assad... [26:37] If Assad never happened, [26:38] if you didn't have a problem in Syria, [26:40] you wouldn't have the migration. [26:41] You wouldn't be talking [26:42] about all of these countries [26:43] with what's going on in Europe [26:45] and now they're talking [26:46] about taking 200,000 people [26:48] that we don't even know [26:49] who they are [26:50] and bringing them [26:50] to the United States. [26:51] The whole thing is ridiculous. [26:53] So I'm not justifying Putin. [26:55] But you watch. [26:56] He'll get bogged down there. [26:57] He'll be there. [26:58] He'll spend a fortune. [26:59] He'll be begging to get out. [27:01] Everybody that's gone [27:02] to the Middle East [27:03] has had nothing but problems. [27:05] So, President Trump, [27:06] you're going to make our footprint [27:07] in the Middle East smaller. [27:08] Well, if you remember, [27:10] number one, [27:11] in 2003, 2004, [27:12] I didn't want to be there. [27:13] But, importantly... [27:13] You get into office in 2017, [27:15] you're shrinking the footprint. [27:16] I want to take the oil. [27:17] Okay? [27:17] I wanted to take the oil. [27:18] You know who has the oil now? [27:19] Iran has the oil. [27:21] ISIS has the oil. [27:21] You know who the biggest customer [27:22] of the oil is? [27:23] China. [27:25] You know how much they spent? [27:26] Nothing. [27:27] They're the ones getting the oil, [27:29] but ISIS has it. [27:31] Iraq has it. [27:32] A little bit. [27:33] But... [27:33] And there really is no Iraq. [27:34] If you think about it, Chuck, [27:35] there really is no Iraq. [27:36] Iraq is a corrupt group of people. [27:38] That's all Iraq is. [27:38] I'm getting a wrap sign, [27:40] but there's two more questions [27:41] I want to get at you. [27:42] You said something the other day [27:42] that caught me off guard. [27:43] You said, [27:44] you're not a masochist, [27:44] and if you start falling in the polls, [27:47] you'll go back to your business. [27:48] What does that mean? [27:49] Are you not in this for the long haul [27:51] or not? [27:51] It's funny. [27:51] A lot of people ask me that. [27:51] I was just going to say... [27:52] Yeah. [27:53] It's a strange thing. [27:53] I heard you said it on the Today Show [27:54] and with my buddy John Harwood, [27:56] and it caught my ear. [27:57] I'm like, uh-oh. [27:58] What does that mean? [28:00] A lot of people have asked me that question. [28:02] Number one, [28:03] I'm not a masochist, [28:04] and if I was dropping in the polls [28:06] where I saw that I wasn't going to win, [28:08] why would I continue? [28:10] And it's funny. [28:10] Maybe it's not like me [28:12] because it's the power of positive thinking. [28:14] I'm a very positive person. [28:15] I'm a positive thinker, [28:16] but the truth is I'm a realist. [28:18] I'm doing great in the polls right now. [28:20] I think you will say. [28:21] I'm not saying anything. [28:21] I'm leading everything. [28:23] You're leading every poll. [28:24] Everything. [28:24] By a lot. [28:25] In a Republican primary. [28:26] Not only leading, by a lot. [28:27] General elections are different stories, [28:28] but that's all right. [28:29] Well, it is. [28:30] We're not there yet. [28:30] You know, I believe in polls. [28:32] You know, how many elections do you see [28:34] where the polls were wrong? [28:35] Not that many. [28:36] Okay. [28:37] You see them, but not that many. [28:39] If I were doing poorly, [28:41] if I saw myself going down, [28:44] if you would stop calling me [28:46] because you no longer have any interest in Trump [28:47] because he has no chance, [28:49] I'd go back to my business. [28:51] I have no problem with that. [28:52] I would have said, [28:53] hey, I gave it a good chance. [28:54] John McCain collapsed in 07. [28:55] That's true. [28:55] And he stuck it. [28:56] He stuck it out. [28:57] That's true. [28:57] So you won't stick it out [28:58] if you drop the two or three. [28:59] It's not going to happen, [29:00] but I'm a person that is a realist. [29:03] If for some reason you stop calling me [29:05] and others, your cohorts, okay, [29:08] and they stop calling, [29:09] that it's not going to happen. [29:10] Look, I can tell you right now [29:12] that in the Republican primary, [29:14] I can look at some of these people [29:15] that I'm competing against. [29:16] I get along with most of them, [29:17] believe it or not. [29:18] You know, every once in a while [29:19] they start hitting me [29:20] because they try and build up their numbers. [29:21] Right. [29:21] But I get along with most of them. [29:24] They shouldn't be, [29:24] many of them should not be running any longer. [29:27] They're not going to make it. [29:27] It's not going to happen. [29:29] If I felt I was in that position, [29:31] I'd get out. [29:32] But in all fairness, [29:34] I think I'm in the exact opposite position right now. [29:36] I'm the one everybody's gunning for. [29:37] Do you think electability should matter [29:39] when people judge you? [29:40] Right now, [29:40] you're somebody that loses to Bernie Sanders [29:42] in many of these general election matchups. [29:43] I haven't hit him yet. [29:44] I understand. [29:45] I haven't started. [29:46] But if you don't look, [29:47] Jeb Bush does better against Bernie Sanders than you do. [29:49] What explains that? [29:50] Because I haven't focused on Bernie Sanders. [29:52] And, you know, [29:53] the one disadvantage I have, [29:54] I'm not a politician. [29:56] I haven't been out there. [29:57] I've never campaigned. [29:58] I've never done this before. [29:59] But I'm a smart guy. [30:00] I've had huge wins over my life. [30:02] I've been a guy that wins most of the time. [30:04] And if I don't win, [30:05] I make it into a win. [30:06] Right. [30:07] But I haven't focused on Bernie Sanders, okay? [30:09] And I haven't focused on Hillary either. [30:11] She did a terrible job. [30:12] I think she's going to be, [30:12] I don't think she's going to be hard to beat. [30:14] And actually, [30:15] some of the polls have me beating now Hillary. [30:16] I haven't seen any polls with Bernie Sanders. [30:18] Right. [30:18] You struggle against Biden and Sanders [30:20] more than you do Hillary. [30:21] And look, [30:23] Biden hasn't been hit yet. [30:25] And Bernie Sanders hasn't been hit yet. [30:27] But when I, [30:28] if I win against these other 15 or 16, [30:30] or however many are left, [30:31] which is a ridiculous amount of people, [30:33] but assuming I get the nomination, [30:36] I'm going to win. [30:38] Because, [30:38] and I'll tell you why I'm going to win. [30:39] Because people in this country [30:41] are tired of losing. [30:43] And they're tired of politicians. [30:44] And they're tired of seeing what they're seeing. [30:47] Our country is in trouble. [30:49] And I'm going to make America great again. [30:50] That's what I'm going to do. [30:51] Let me ask you, [30:52] politics is a family affair. [30:54] You obviously, [30:55] your wife felt comfortable [30:56] doing something with People Magazine. [30:58] Yes. [30:58] The first time. [30:58] They were very nice. [30:59] She had done that. [31:01] Are we going to see her on the campaign trail? [31:02] Yes. [31:03] Yes. [31:04] How soon? [31:04] She feels very strongly [31:05] about certain issues, [31:06] especially women's health issues. [31:08] She feels very, very, [31:09] it's pretty soon. [31:10] She's going to start doing interviews. [31:12] She'll probably do an interview with you [31:13] if you're going to be nice. [31:15] A lot of potential [31:16] first ladies have an issue [31:17] that they want to... [31:18] Well, [31:18] she feels very strongly [31:19] about women's health issues. [31:20] I mean, [31:20] overall women's health. [31:21] As an example, [31:23] Jeb Bush didn't want to fund [31:24] women's health issues. [31:26] Okay? [31:26] Well, [31:26] he made a misstatement. [31:28] He corrected it. [31:28] He made a mistake. [31:29] Then he came back [31:29] and he said he misspoke. [31:31] When she saw that, [31:32] she was so upset by it, [31:34] she couldn't even believe it. [31:35] And Ivanka, too, [31:36] who you just met. [31:37] Right. [31:37] Ivanka feels so strongly [31:38] about women's health issues. [31:41] And, you know, [31:42] they know how much [31:43] I respect women. [31:44] They know how much... [31:45] And I say it. [31:45] I cherish women. [31:46] My mother was one [31:47] of the great people [31:48] of the world. [31:48] So what you're saying [31:48] is we're going to see them [31:49] on the trail? [31:50] They're going to be on the trail. [31:51] And they want me [31:51] to be more forceful [31:52] on those issues [31:53] because I will take care [31:54] of women better [31:55] than anybody else. [31:56] How soon? [31:58] I think they're going [31:58] to go on very soon. [31:59] I mean, [32:00] I think Melania is really... [32:01] She's looking forward [32:02] to it, actually. [32:02] She'll be very good. [32:03] Next couple weeks? [32:04] I would say within [32:05] a couple of weeks, yes. [32:06] And Ivanka, too. [32:07] We'll be looking for it, [32:08] Mr. Trump. [32:08] Thank you. [32:09] Thank you, sir. [32:09] Great honor. [32:10] Thank you, sir. [32:10] Hey, NBC News fans, [32:12] thanks for checking out [32:13] our YouTube channel. [32:14] Subscribe by clicking [32:15] on that button down here [32:16] and then clicking [32:17] any of the videos [32:19] over here [32:19] to watch the latest interviews, [32:21] show highlights, [32:22] and digital exclusives. [32:24] Thanks for watching.