In an interview with CBS Information, President Trump issued a warning to Iran, weighed in on the ICE capturing in Minneapolis — and reiterated he believes his energy as president is primarily restricted by his personal morality.
Listed below are the main takeaways from Mr. Trump’s interview at a Ford manufacturing facility in Dearborn, Michigan, with “CBS Night Information” anchor Tony Dokoupil:
Trump’s aim in Iran: “The endgame is to win”
No less than 12,000 folks have been killed within the crackdown on a nationwide wave of protests in Iran, two sources advised CBS Information on Tuesday — a far increased demise toll than reported by activists exterior the nation.
Mr. Trump advised CBS Information “no person’s been capable of give us correct numbers,” however he stated it appears just like the demise toll may very well be “fairly substantial” and “that is going to be quite a lot of issues for them.”
He additionally vowed to intervene if Iran begins hanging protesters, telling Dokoupil, “We’ll take very sturdy motion in the event that they do such a factor.”
The president has repeatedly warned that he might intervene in Iran. He hasn’t specified what motion he may take, however he and his administration have pointedly not dominated out utilizing navy drive. Mr. Trump has been briefed on a big selection of navy and covert instruments that may very well be used in opposition to Iran, together with standard airstrikes in addition to cyber operations and psychological campaigns, CBS Information has reported.
His final aim in Iran?
“The endgame is to win,” the president stated. “I like profitable.”
Requested how he defines “profitable,” Mr. Trump rattled off a listing of prior navy operations that he has ordered, together with the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earlier this month, final summer time’s strikes on Iranian nuclear websites and, in his first time period, the killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and Islamic State chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
“We do not wish to see what’s taking place in Iran occur,” Mr. Trump stated. “And you realize, in the event that they wish to have protests, that is one factor, after they begin killing 1000’s of individuals, and now you are telling me about hanging — we’ll see how that works out for them. It is not going to work out good.”
Trump’s message to voters who need him to give attention to them, not overseas coverage
Requested what he’d say to Trump voters who’d quite have his consideration centered on points at dwelling, quite than overseas, Mr. Trump advised Dokoupil, “We’ve the strongest economic system, possibly within the historical past of our nation,” pointing to auto plant growth and 24-hour manufacturing strains at Ford, Stellantis and GM.
“There is not any inflation,” he stated, referencing Tuesday’s Client Value Index report, which confirmed costs rising at an annual fee of two.7% in December, in step with economists’ forecasts and unchanged from November. “Our progress numbers are via the roof. Our job numbers are large.”
The president argued that he has been primarily centered on home points, however “you possibly can’t be forgetting about dangerous threats,” naming the chance of a nuclear Iran.
“So my focus could be very a lot on this nation,” he stated, “however you possibly can’t lose sight of the truth that we’d like peace everywhere in the world.”
Trump predicts folks will begin feeling higher concerning the economic system quickly
Mr. Trump has touted his financial document — however polls counsel most Individuals aren’t feeling it. Final month, 63% of adults disapproved of the president’s dealing with of the economic system, and 50% stated his insurance policies are making them financially worse off, in line with a CBS Information/YouGov ballot.
And whereas total inflation is effectively beneath 2022 ranges and inside hanging distance of the Federal Reserve’s 2%-per-year goal, there are some ache factors, with floor beef costs leaping 15.5% over the past yr and occasional costs surging 19.8%.
Mr. Trump stated the inflation numbers are “total excellent. Good for us, good for our nation.”
When requested by Dokoupil why Individuals say they do not really feel that means, Mr. Trump stated “they won’t, however they are going to now.”
“The primary few months have been actually tough should you take a look at ’em, as a result of I inherited a large number,” he stated. “”…And now we’ve got the most popular nation on the earth.”
Trump calls Jerome Powell “both corrupt or incompetent”
Mr. Trump lashed out at Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell simply two days after the central financial institution chief revealed that the Fed had obtained subpoenas from the Justice Division in what Powell alleged was an act of political intimidation.
The subpoenas centered on an expensive renovation undertaking on the Fed’s headquarters. However Mr. Trump has lengthy criticized Powell for not slicing rates of interest at a quicker clip.
Mr. Trump known as Powell a “awful Fed chairman.” He blamed former President Joe Biden for reappointing Powell to a second time period as Fed chief, after Mr. Trump initially picked Powell for the position throughout the first Trump administration.
And on the renovation undertaking, Mr. Trump alleged Powell is “both corrupt or incompetent.” (There isn’t a proof of corruption on Powell’s half within the Fed’s workplace renovation.)
When pressed on the looks that Powell is a sufferer of political retribution, the president responded: “I can not assist what it appears like,” and touted his financial document.
Trump’s message to Renee Good’s father
Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem has accused Renee Good, who was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis final week, of committing home terrorism, and federal prosecutors are dealing with stress to research the case as an assault on a federal officer.
Dokoupil requested the president if he had a message for Good’s father, a Trump supporter who’s heartbroken over the labeling of his daughter as a home terrorist.
“I wish to say to the daddy that I really like all of our folks,” Mr. Trump stated, including, “I’d wager you that she, below regular circumstances, was a really stable, fantastic particular person, however her actions have been fairly robust.”
He stated Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers’ jobs are “being made very, very tough” as they attempt to take away what Mr. Trump claims are “tons of of 1000’s of murderers” from the nation.
He stated that when wanting on the video footage of the capturing, “it may be considered two methods, I assume,” however added, “there have been a few variations of that tape which are very, very dangerous.”
Trump predicts robots might be “nice” for U.S. workforce
Auto manufacturing is being remade by superior robotics — stoking pleasure about elevated productiveness and fears that robots might make human meeting line employees out of date.
The president touched on that difficulty with Dokoupil, predicting that robots might be “a giant issue sooner or later,” serving to with shortages of expert employees.
Requested concerning the danger of job losses, the president stated, “a talented employee, an individual with expertise, schooling in what they do … they’re gonna make a lotta cash.”
“I believe that robotics are gonna be nice as a result of this nation will not have sufficient folks if we do not have it,” he stated.
Trump: “I am an ethical particular person”
The president raised eyebrows final week when he advised The New York Instances he believes the one restrict on his energy is his “personal morality.”
When requested how that applies to energy domestically, he advised Dokoupil: “I am an ethical particular person. I do not like seeing demise. I do not like seeing our folks damage.”
“So, yeah, it is restricted by my morality. And I’ve a really excessive fee of morality, so due to this fact it is restricted,” the president continued.
Mr. Trump was requested if he believes the courts and the Structure constrain him, too.
“Properly, the Structure, after all, that goes with out saying,” he responded. “However you are asking me, what actually can cease — we’ll by no means get to the courts, we’ll by no means get to the Structure, as a result of … I wish to see what’s good for our nation. And you realize what? The courts wish to see that, too.”
