Donald Trump held an entertaining open press conference taking questions from the media at a republican event in Birch Run, Michigan, it's basically the exact opposite of anything you'd see out of Hillary Clinton.
The Washington Post is compiling a transcript from the event, I've posted it below:
TRUMP: You have a very, very -- you have another party that has got some big problems. I just saw today coming over the e-mail situation for Hillary Clinton is a big, big problem. If this they judge it fairly, she's got a very big problem.
Yes. Yes, sir.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
TRUMP: No, not at all, not at all. I have been proven right. I have absolutely been proven right. Yes.
QUESTION: In all candor, do you think during this campaign there have been some times where you feel you have gone over the top?
TRUMP: I have what?
QUESTION: Gone over the top.
TRUMP: I don't think so at all.
I look at the polls. I can only go by the poll. A new poll came out, 32 percent. That's the highest for anybody yet. So I can only go by the polls. The people that we're dealing with and whatever has happened, it is what it is. You just look at results.
I guess Iowa just came out a little while ago, and leading in Iowa, leading in New Hampshire, leading in North Carolina, leading in South Carolina, leading in Nevada, leading everywhere. So that's all I can go by.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
TRUMP: Excuse me?
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
TRUMP: Oh, that's the best question. China. China.
I think you have to do something to rein in China. They devalued their currency today. They're making it absolutely impossible for the United States to compete, and nobody does anything. China has no respect for President Obama whatsoever, whatsoever.
Well, you have to take strong action. How can we compete? They continuously cut their currency. They devalue their currency. And I have been saying this for years. They have been doing this for years. This isn't just starting. This was the largest devaluation they have had in two decades. They make it impossible for our businesses, our companies to compete.
They think we're run by a bunch of idiots. And what's going on with China is unbelievable, the largest devaluation in two decades. It's honestly -- great question -- it's a disgrace.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) TRUMP: Major. Fantastic. I watched you with President Obama two weeks ago. He was not thrilled. I'm sure I will be more thrilled.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) How would you grade his leadership? (OFF- MIKE)
TRUMP: A very fair question.
There are two ways of looking at it. You could have let it go and rebuilt itself through the free enterprise system.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
TRUMP: You could have let it go bankrupt, frankly, and rebuilt itself. And a lot of people think that's the way it should have happened.
Or you could have done it the way it went. I could have done it either way. Either way would have been acceptable. I think you would have ended up ultimately in the same place.
Yes, ma'am.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
TRUMP: Race relations are at an all-time high or all-time low?
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
TRUMP: Well, that's certainly -- yes.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
TRUMP: Jobs. Spirit. There's no spirit.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
TRUMP: Well, certainly, I would.
But in terms of what would you do to address the -- and, really, they aren't. I don't know about all-time, but certainly they're doing very poorly, if you look at what's going on in everyplace, I mean, everyplace.
And we have powder kegs all over the country waiting to explode. You need spirit, esprit de corps, cheerleading, and you need jobs. We have to take our jobs back from China. We have to take them back from all these other countries that have taken our jobs.
That's why when the question was asked about China, it's just terrible. It's just terrible what's happening. More jobs are going to go.
Yes, ma'am.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
TRUMP: Well, I think so. I think we're going to do very well with a lot of votes.
We're going to do very well with the Hispanic vote. We're going to do great with the women vote. If you look at -- in Nevada, they did the poll and I'm leading in the Hispanic vote, because I create jobs. And I'm going to go and do -- I will be creating tremendous numbers of jobs. So I think we're going to do great. And then the women's health issues, I'm for that.
I watched Jeb Bush give the worst answer the other day. I think that is going to be his 47 percent. Romney possibly lost the election -- there are a lot of reasons, frankly, that he lost, but one of the big reasons was his 47 percent. That was a disaster.
I think that Jeb's answer the other day on women's health issues is a disaster for him. And I don't -- now he then went and he said he misspoke. How do you misspeak about that?
I will be great on women's health issues. I cherish women. And I will be great on women's health issues, believe me.
QUESTION: Mr. Trump.
TRUMP: Oh, hello, David.
QUESTION: You have said right now you're going to be great on women, you're going to be great on China, you are going to be great on ISIS, you are going to be on jobs.
TRUMP: Hopefully everything.
QUESTION: Fine. We haven't heard a lot of (OFF-MIKE) I talked to people outside the venue today. And they say, where (OFF-MIKE) When are you going to tell us what you will replace Obamacare with, how you will fix China, how you will bring jobs?
TRUMP: OK. Well, first of all -- and ISIS. You didn't bring up ISIS. What happened?
QUESTION: I did. (OFF-MIKE)
TRUMP: Huh?
QUESTION: But where's the plans?
TRUMP: I think you're going to see lots of plans and you are going to see also -- and you have to understand, when you're coming up with a plan, in business, you have to be flexible. There's got to be flexibility.
And I recently bought something -- not so recently -- but Doral in Miami. Everybody wanted it. If I would have sat down and said here's a 12-point plan in order to get Doral -- I didn't do that. I went in and punched and punched and beat the hell out of people, and I ended up getting it. Everybody wanted it.
All of the smart money wanted it. The Old P.O., the Old Post Office on Pennsylvania Avenue, everybody wanted it. I got it. In the Obama administration, I got it, which is pretty shocking, considering that Pritzker wanted it, which is Hyatt, and lots of other people.
I got it. And I got because I know how to get things. I know how to get things done. You can't sit down and say, well, I'm going to come up with a 19-point plan to get the Old Post Office and create it into a great hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue.
The most-sought after property, I think, in the history of the General Services Administration, Trump got it. I'm not an Obama person. You probably heard that. You have to be able to have flexibility. You have to be able to do certain things.
QUESTION: But now you're just asking people to trust you. (OFF- MIKE)
TRUMP: Well, I think there has to be a trust. There actually does have to be a trust. If you don't trust, you're not going to do very well.
Major, go ahead.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
TRUMP: Well, Jeb Bush doesn't have (INAUDIBLE) be great on jobs. Jeb Bush will not be able to negotiate against China. Jeb Bush will not be able to negotiate against Mexico. Jeb Bush with Mexico said people come in, they come in, it's an act of love. OK?
It's not an act of love. We need a wall. We need a wall. You see what's happening with illegal immigration. And, in all fairness, if it weren't for me, they wouldn't even be talking about illegal immigration. You see Kate in San Francisco. You see what happened yesterday in California, which was horrible.
The whole situation with Jeb Bush, with his act of love, it's not working. And I took a lot of heat that first week, and then people realized I was right, and they apologized to me.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
TRUMP: We're going to be announcing over the next two weeks the numbers and specifics, knowing what I just said is right. You really have to be flexible on jobs and everything else.
But we will be -- and I'm going to be speaking about it later. We're going to be taking jobs outside. We're going to be taking them away from China, away from all of these countries that are stealing from us. They're stealing our base, our money, our manufacturing. We're going to be bringing them back into the United States.
And I'm going to be talking about this. Ford, as an example, is building a $2.5 billion automobile plant in Mexico. How does that help us? I went to the Wharton School of Finance. How does that help us? They're spending $2.5 billion to build a car plant in Mexico.
Cars and trucks and parts are going to go all over the place, but they're coming into the United States, no tax. How does it help us, except they will be closing plants in Michigan and lots of other places? So we are going to be talking about -- we're going to be bringing back jobs to the United States.
Yes, sir.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
TRUMP: OK. Let me tell you something.
Ten years ago, everybody wanted the wall. The Democrats, the Republicans, they couldn't get it. You know one of the reasons they couldn't get it? Environmental impact statements. Did you know that? There were toads. There were the -- it's the most incredible thing. We're going to get the wall built and it is going to be built right.
And Mexico's going the pay for the wall. Mexico is making a fortune off the United States. Mexico...
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: Excuse me.
Mexico is going to pay for the wall. And they're going to be happy about it. You know what? They're going to be happy about it, because the cost of the wall is peanuts compared to the kind of money they're making. Mexico is becoming the new China. I have a great love for Mexico. I have love for the Mexican people.
I have so many -- I have thousands of Mexico people over the years. Mexicans have worked for me. And they are now, thousands. They're fantastic people, great spirit. But their politicians and their leaders are much smarter and sharper and more cunning. And I say the word cunning.
They're more cunning than our leaders. They will pay for the wall. They will be happy about it. They will continue to do well, but not as well as they're doing right now. They're taking too many of our jobs.
QUESTION: You said during the debate that you couldn't guarantee that you would support the ultimate Republican nominee.
TRUMP: Third party.
QUESTION: Now, there are others in the Republican Party who say, if you're the nominee, they may not support you. Are you concerned?
TRUMP: Well, that could happen.
You know, that could happen. That's their choice. But, you know, when you talk in the debate -- it came out on one of these networks today. So, there should have been two million people watching. You agree? About two million. That's been sort of standard, two million people. They had 24 million people.
And the 24, I think, is going to go to 28 or 29 and maybe even 30 when the final numbers come in. Who do you think they're watching? Jeb Bush? Huh? I don't think so. OK.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
TRUMP: I hope not. I mean, I want to run as a Republican. That's what I'm doing. I'm leading in every poll, the local and the national polls, leading, and by substantial margins.
I hope that I will be the Republican nominee, because that's the best way to win. I'm going to keep the door open on the other, if I'm not treated fairly. And the word is fairly. It doesn't mean well. It means fairly. If I'm not treated fairly, we will see what happens.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
TRUMP: Fairly means fairly. I want to be treated fairly. I want the establishment -- look, I was part of the establishment.
Let me explain. I was the establishment two months ago. I was like the fair-haired boy. I was a giver, a big giver. Once I decided to run, all of a sudden, I'm sort of semi-anti-establishment. Now, leading in all the polls, they're treating me very well. I mean, I'm being treated very well.
Reince Priebus has been terrific. His people have been terrific. They're dealing with my people. They're dealing with Corey. We have a great relationship. I want to run as a Republican. I don't want to run a third party or as an independent. I want to run as a Republican. As long as I'm treated fairly, that's going to be the case.
And fairly is an instinct. It's an instinct. I know what fair is. You know what fair is.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
TRUMP: I know what it is, yes. I know what fair is. And I think that's happening.
And, by the way, win, lose or draw. I'm not just saying I have to win. Now, I guarantee you this. If I win the Republican nomination, I guarantee you all sitting there, I will not run a third- party candidate. Do you agree? OK. One more question.
Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
TRUMP: I would never give up my microphone. I thought that was disgusting. That showed such weakness.
The way he was taken away by two young women -- the microphone, they just took the whole place over. And the audience, which liked him, I mean, they were him. They're saying, what's going on? How can this happen? That will never happen with me. I don't know if I will do the fighting myself or if other people will, but that was a disgrace.
The way they -- I felt badly for him. But it showed that he's weak. You know what? He's getting the biggest crowds and I'm getting the biggest crowds. We're the two getting the crowds. But, believe me, that's not going to happen to Trump.
QUESTION: One more, sir?
TRUMP: Yes?
QUESTION: You could win it, you're way in out in front.
TRUMP: I agree. Did you hear what he said? You could win it. You're way out in front. I agree.
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE) vice presidential material --
TRUMP: Yes.
QUESTION: Having said, I've been trying to get in your car to talk about it, my resume --
TRUMP: You want to be what, vice president? Now, his question's no longer as good. He had great credibility until he said that. Now it's like, where did he come from?
OK, go ahead, one more. Go ahead.
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)
TRUMP: One hundred percent. Mark it down, 100 percent. OK?
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you. We'll go, make a speech, and then you go home. Have a good time.
OK. Thank you, thank you all very much.
(NEWSBREAK)
TRUMP: We owe China $1.4 trillion. And I love China. Nothing wrong with China. Their leaders are so much smarter than ours. Mexico's leaders are so much smarter than ours.
They laugh at our people. They tell me -- because I have, as an example, with China, they buy my apartments, they spend $50 million, $40 million, $30 million, $15 million, they're the cheap ones.
When I sell a $15 million apartment, it's like China pays so much money to Trump. I have the largest bank in the world from China. They're my tenant. I don't have to worry about the rent, believe me.
Many, many, many times you take our biggest banks, Citibank, take JPMorgan Chase, many, many times the size, and you know what? It's amazing. People tell me they come over, they give me a lot of money and we talk. They didn't know I'd be running for president, otherwise they wouldn't have talked so much. It's true. And they say, we can't believe we get away with it.
People from Mexico. I love the Mexican people. They have tremendous spirit. Amazing spirit. They have amazing spirit. They're great.
(APPLAUSE)
No, they're great. And I was just telling the press, there was a poll in Nevada that was just a -- I'm leading in the Hispanic vote. And I'm going to win the Hispanic vote. Sure.
(APPLAUSE)
I'm also leading in the regular vote like 32 percent.
(APPLAUSE)
But when you look at what's happening, whether it's Mexico or China or Japan or Vietnam, which is doing unbelievable business right now, their leaders are so smart and so sharp and so much more cunning. And I use the word "cunning" a lot because the word "cunning" is very important. They know what they're doing.
And we have people, they're babies. We have Caroline Kennedy in Japan. I saw it on "60 Minutes." They said, "How did you get the job?" "Well, I went to the White House."
I mean, this is pretty much the way it is. "I went to the White House, and I was looking for a job, and I said, do you think I could do something for the administration?" And they said, "Oh, how would you like to be ambassador to Japan?"
(LAUGHTER)
And she said, "Really? Wow. Are you serious?" This is what we have.
So, here's what I did. I called Carl Icahn last week. Great guy. Killer. We don't care? Do we care that he's a killer? Does anybody mind?
He's a tough cookie. But he's a friend of mine. I said, Carl, if I make it and we're leading in every poll, which is really -- you know, it's been a very exciting couple of --
(APPLAUSE)
I said, Carl, you know, he's made a fortune, he's a great negotiator, talented guy, very smart guy, went to Princeton, one of the top students at Princeton. A lot of people don't know that about Carl. And there are other people like Carl that are brilliant people and great negotiators. They don't sleep at night.
Like me, we toss and turn and toss and turn. We're thinking, always thinking, ay yi yi. It's not easy on the family.
But we're tossing and turning and scheming. That's what we are. There's no 18 hours of sleep. Does that make sense?
So I said, hey, Carl, in fact now the press will call Carl, I'm sure. But Carl Icahn, great, I said, "Carl, if I get this thing, I want to put you in charge of China and Japan. Can you handle both of them?" OK? China and Japan.
He said, "Yes, I'll do it. I'll do it. I want to do it."
You know what? Just relax. Everything will work out fine. We'll make great deals.
Right now with China, I have a friend, he's a great manufacturer. He can't get his product into China. Can't get it in. They devalued today the biggest valuation in two decades -- two decades.
You know what devalue means, right? Devalue means suck the blood out of the United States. That's what devalue means, OK?
Our companies won't be able to compete. They can't compete now. And what happens is they send their product over, no tax, no nothing, and I don't want tax. I want free trade.
The problem with free trade, it only works when you have really smart leaders. When you have leaders that are incompetent, oh, it's a disaster. It's a disaster.
So, China sends its stuff over. It dumps everything. Whatever they make, we'll take it. With us, we can't get our product over there.
When Boeing goes over there, we want the technology before they buy the plane, because they're opening up their own factories to produce aircraft. They want Boeing, and I said I don't think Boeing should do it.
But when you think about it, it doesn't matter because even if they didn't they'll take it anyway and build it anyway, so what difference does it make? OK?
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