U.S. President Donald Trump addressed a wide range of issues in an interview with Time magazine published Friday, outlining his views on presidential power, economic policy, global trade, and ongoing diplomatic efforts in Ukraine and the Middle East, taking broad strokes over several highly controversial topics. The interview was conducted on Tuesday, April 23.
On the U.S. Presidency and Economy
According to Time, Trump rejected the notion that he is expanding the powers of the presidency, stating, “Well, I don’t feel I’m expanding it. I think I’m using it as it was meant to be used. I feel that we’ve had a very successful presidency in 100 days.”
Commenting on the economy, Trump offered a mixed view of inflation trends, as reported by Time: “The prices of groceries have gone down. The only price that hasn’t gone down is the price of energy. The cost of energy, I’m sorry, well, energy has gone down, excuse me … And interest rates have essentially stayed the same. But almost every other thing.”
He also expressed optimism about the economic outlook despite signs of contraction: “You’re gonna have the wealthiest country we’ve ever had, and you’re gonna have an explosion upward in the not-too-distant future.”
On Job Losses and Trade Policy
Addressing recent massive job losses, Trump stated, “Because we have to have an efficient country. And when the country gets down to bare knuckles … you’re going to see something the likes of which this world has never seen before,” according to the interview.
As reported by Time, Trump defended his tariff strategy and dismissed concerns about uncertainty: “I’ll turn it around. How can they make long-term investments if our country is losing $2 trillion a year on trade?” He claimed backing from major U.S. retailers: “I had the head of Walmart. I had the head of Home Depot and the head of Target in my office. And I’ll tell you what they think, they think what I’m doing is exactly right.”
On suspending tariffs following a bond market reaction, Trump explained, “I’m doing that until we come up with the numbers that I want to come up with … The bond market was getting the yips, but I wasn’t.”
China, Tariffs, and ‘Total Victory’
When asked about his ongoing trade dispute with China and talks with President Xi Jinping, Trump claimed progress: “He’s called. And I don’t think that’s a sign of weakness on his behalf …” He added, “Oh, there’s a number at which they will feel comfortable… But you can’t let them make a trillion dollars from us.”
Pressed on the possibility of continued high tariffs, Trump told Time, “Total victory … Because the country will be making a fortune …I will set a price, and when I set the price, and I will set it fairly according to the statistics, and according to everything else …Over the next three to four weeks, and we’re finished.”
Entitlement Programs and Surveillance
According to Time, Trump said he would veto any budget bill cutting Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid: “If it cuts it, I would not approve … I would veto it, yeah.”
On why Elon Musk’s DOGE might be gathering personal information, Trump said, “Because we want to find waste, fraud, and abuse, and want to cut our costs.”
On Immigration and National Security
As reported by Time, Trump repeated his anti-immigration rhetoric: “People have been led into our country that are very dangerous. If you were walking down the street, and if you happen to be near one of these people, they could, they would kill you, and they wouldn’t even think about it.”
Regarding deportation cases, including Kílmar Abrego Garcia, Trump distanced himself from legal decisions: “I leave that to my lawyers. I give them no instructions.”
Ukraine Peace Talks and NATO
Trump also offered his views on Ukraine’s future, stating, “Yeah, I do [think peace is possible]. He [Zelensky] is president now and I think we’re going to make a deal.”
He proposed controversial terms, as reported by Time: “Crimea will stay with Russia. And Zelensky understands that, and everybody understands that it’s been with them for a long time I don’t think they’ll ever be able to join NATO … that’s I think what caused the war to start was when they started talking about joining NATO.”
On Iran and Israel
Trump said he expected progress with Iran: “I think we’re going to make a deal with Iran. Nobody else could do that.” When asked if he prevented an Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear sites, he responded, “I didn’t stop them. But I didn’t make it comfortable for them, because I think we can make a deal without the attack.”
Asked whether the U.S. would join an Israeli attack on Iran, he added, “If we don’t make a deal, I’ll be leading the pack.”
Comments on Canada and U.S. Expansion
Discussing relations with Canada, Trump remarked, “We’re taking care of their military. We’re taking care of every aspect of their lives, and we don’t need them to make cars for us … We don’t need their lumber. We don’t need their energy. We don’t need anything from Canada. And I say the only way this thing really works is for Canada to become a state.” When asked if he wants to be remembered for expanding U.S. territory, he replied, “Wouldn’t mind.”
2024 Legal Aid and a Possible Third Term
According to Time, Trump said major law firms provided free services post-election because they believed in his claims: “They gave it to me because they knew what they did wrong and they didn’t want to get involved with it.”
On the possibility of seeking a third term, Trump left the door open while expressing skepticism about exploiting legal technicalities: “I have more people begging me to run again, but I haven’t looked at even the possibility … there are some loopholes that have been discussed that are well known. But I don’t believe in loopholes. I don’t believe in using loopholes.””
