In a wide-ranging interview with Politico, President Donald J. Trump reflected on the progress of his second term as it approaches the one-year mark — detailing how he is reversing the economic wreckage left by Biden, unleashing an investment surge, slamming the door on illegal border crossings and maritime drug smuggling, and restoring an America First posture abroad.
Here are some of the key moments:
- “The Democrats love to say, ‘Affordability, affordability,’ but then they never talk about it. They’re the ones that gave us the high prices. I’m the one that’s bringing them down.” (Watch)
- “I inherited a total mess. Prices were at an all-time high when I came in. Prices are coming down… Look at energy.” (Watch)
- “We have $18 trillion being invested. Car companies are moving back that left us years ago. AI is coming in at levels never seen before. Factories are opening up all over the country… Ultimately, you know what it reduces itself to? Jobs. You’re going to have jobs like you’ve never seen in the United States.” (Watch)
- “When I go on a trip, I only have one place in mind — it’s the United States… Most of my time is spent here, but when I do go outside, it’s only going outside for here. For instance, settling and solving the problem with China. That has a huge effect in the United States.” (Watch)
- “I want to see people that contribute. I don’t want to see Somalia. I don’t want to see a woman that marries her brother… then becomes a congressman and does nothing but complain.” (Watch)
- “Two years ago, a year ago, under Biden, this country was out of control; millions of people pouring through, totally unchecked, totally unvetted. And now, we have nobody coming in… Nobody ever talks about that anymore. They should talk about that.” (Watch)
- “Obamacare was set up for insurance companies to become rich… They’ve been paid trillions — not billions — trillions of dollars and what I’m saying is very simple: I don’t want to pay them anything. No money for the insurance companies… I want to pay the money directly to the people and let the people get their own healthcare. But you know who’s fighting me on that? The Democrats.” (Watch)
- “Trillions of dollars goes to the insurance companies. I want that money to go to the people and let the people go out and buy their own healthcare. It works like magic, but you know who doesn’t want it? The Democrats because they’re corrupt people — because they’re totally owned and bought by the insurance companies.” (Watch)
- “[Zelensky] is going have to get on the ball and start accepting things… because they’re losing. They’ve lost territory — long before I got here… You certainly wouldn’t say it’s a victory.” (Watch)
- “I hate to see young, beautiful people being killed.” (Watch)
- “I have no vision for Europe. All I want to see is a strong Europe. I have a vision for the United States — America First. It’s ‘Make America Great Again.’” (Watch)
- “We save 25,000 people every time we knock out a boat. On average, they kill 25,000 Americans. I don’t like doing that, but the drugs coming in through the sea — they’re down by 92 percent… Nobody wants to drive boats to America loaded up with drugs anymore.” (Watch)
- “[Birthright citizenship] was meant for the babies of slaves… That case was not meant for some rich person coming from another country, putting a foot in our country, and all of a sudden their whole family becomes United States citizens.” (Watch)
- “I’m one of the people that survived, but they weaponized the government. We had the most weaponized government… They indicted me. I came out good — here we are in the White House. Things are looking nice, but they were vicious… They’re sick people.” (Watch)