Donald Trump’s Bloomberg Businessweek Interview: Complete Text

🌈 Abstract

The article is a transcript of an interview with former US President Donald Trump, covering a wide range of topics related to the economy, trade, technology, immigration, and politics.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Manufacturing, Currency, and Trade

1. What are Trump's views on manufacturing and the impact of currency issues?

• Trump believes manufacturing is a big deal and that the US has a major currency problem, with the strong dollar and weak yen/yuan creating a huge discrepancy that is a tremendous burden on US companies trying to sell products abroad.
• He claims he fought hard against currency manipulation by China and Japan when he was president, and believes the current situation will lead to very bad economic outcomes.

2. How does Trump assess Biden's handling of the economy and the electric vehicle transition?

• Trump is highly critical of Biden's economic policies, believing everything Biden is doing is the opposite of what should be done. He is skeptical of the push for electric vehicles, arguing they are too expensive, heavy, and not practical for widespread adoption.

3. What would Trump have done differently to address inflation?

• Trump argues inflation was primarily caused by energy policies, and that he had brought energy prices down to very low levels before the pandemic. He believes Biden's policies of cutting energy production have contributed to the current high inflation.

[02] Federal Reserve and Interest Rates

1. Would Trump allow Jerome Powell to serve out his term as Fed Chair?

• Trump says he would allow Powell to serve out his term, especially if he believes Powell is doing the right thing. However, Trump believes interest rates need to remain high until the economy is brought under control, as inflation can "break a country."

2. What is Trump's plan for lowering interest rates and costs?

• Trump suggests a plan to lower energy costs as a way to offset high interest rates, arguing that interest and energy are major costs that need to be addressed together.

[03] China, Tariffs, and Trade

1. How does Trump view his approach to trade with China and the EU compared to Biden?

• Trump claims he was very tough on China and other trading partners, using tariffs as a negotiating tool to force them to change their practices that were hurting the US. He believes Biden has largely maintained the tariffs Trump imposed, unable to undo the economic benefits.
• Trump is highly critical of the EU and Japan, arguing they have treated the US very badly on trade, with massive trade deficits.

2. Would Trump continue an aggressive antitrust agenda against big tech companies?

• Trump has mixed views, wanting to support the strength of US tech companies but also concerned about their influence on elections and negative impacts on youth. He would not seek to "destroy them" but wants to find the right balance.

[04] Immigration and the Economy

1. How would Trump address labor shortages while restricting immigration?

• Trump argues he wants legal immigration, but opposes allowing criminals, the mentally ill, or others that he sees as undesirable to enter the country. He believes current immigration is decimating job opportunities and wages for Black, Hispanic, and union workers.

[05] 2024 Election, Investigations, and Pardons

1. How does Trump plan to defend himself against allegations of criminal wrongdoing?

• Trump claims the investigations and charges against him are politically motivated and the result of a "crooked" system. He believes he has done nothing wrong and that the public outpouring of financial support shows he is winning.
• Trump suggests he would not need a pardon if reelected, as he believes the appeals process will vindicate him.

2. What is the biggest lesson Trump learned from his presidency?

• Trump emphasizes the importance of having great people in his administration, as he did not know many people in Washington when he first took office. He believes he now has much more experience and knowledge of how the system works.