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Donald J. Trump Quotes
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Donald John Trump is the 45th and current President of the United States, in office since January 20, 2017. Before entering politics, he was a businessman and television personality.

Trump was born in the New York City borough of Queens. He earned an economics degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. A third-generation businessman, Trump followed in the footsteps of his grandmother Elizabeth and father Fred in running the family real estate company. He served as chairman and president of The Trump Organization from 1971 until his inauguration as president in January 2017, when he delegated company management to his sons Donald Jr. and Eric. Trump's business career primarily focused on building or renovating office towers, hotels, casinos, and golf courses.

Trump also started several side ventures and branded various products with his name. He is credited as having written or co-written several books , and produced and hosted The Apprentice television series for 12 years. As of 2017, he was the 544th richest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of $3.5 billion.

Trump had long expressed interest in politics. He entered the 2016 presidential race as a Republican and defeated sixteen opponents in the primaries. Commentators described his political positions as populist, protectionist, and nationalist. His campaign received extensive free media coverage; many of his public statements were controversial or false. Trump won the general election on November 8, 2016, in a surprise victory against Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. He became the oldest and wealthiest person ever to assume the presidency, the first without prior military or government service, and the fifth to have won the election despite losing the popular vote. His election and policies have sparked numerous protests.

In domestic policy, Trump has unsuccessfully attempted to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. He appointed Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. He ordered a travel ban on citizens from six Muslim-majority countries, citing security concerns; the ban was partially implemented after several legal challenges. In foreign policy, he withdrew the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Paris Climate Agreement, undid parts of the Cuban Thaw, and ordered missile strikes in Syria in response to the Khan Shaykhun chemical attack. After Trump dismissed FBI Director James Comey, the Justice Department appointed Comey's predecessor Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate Russia's interference in the presidential election, potential links between Russia and Trump campaign associates, and any related matters.

✵ 14. June 1946
Donald J. Trump photo
Donald J. Trump: 904   quotes 24   likes

Donald J. Trump Quotes

“Life is what you do while you're waiting to die.”

Donald J. Trump

Fred Ebb, Zorba (1968)
Misattributed

Life , Waiting

“The statement I made on Saturday, the first statement, was a fine statement.”

Donald J. Trump

2010s, 2017, August
Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-virginia-protests-idUSKCN1AV0WT Trump, again, casts blame on both sides for deadly violence in Virginia] at a press briefing in Trump Tower, New York (15 August 2017) Transcripts: https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/15/read-the-transcript-of-donald-trumps-jaw-dropping-press-conference.html https://www.vox.com/2017/8/15/16154028/trump-press-conference-transcript-charlottesville note: 2010s, 2017, August

“26,000 unreported sexual assaults in the military-only 238 convictions. What did these geniuses expect when they put men & women together?”

Donald J. Trump

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/331907383771148288, quoted in * 2018-10-25 Commander in Brief: Trump Tweets and Sexual Violence in the Military April Coan Trumpism: The Politics of Gender in a Post-Propitious America Laura Finley, Matthew Johnson Cambridge Scholars Publishing Newcastle upon Tyne 1527520315
Ref: en.wikiquote.org - Donald Trump / Quotes / Donald Trump on social media / Twitter
2010s, 2013

Women , Men

“Let our politicians give back our police department's power to keep us safe. Unshackle them from the constant chant of "police brutality" which every petty criminal hurls immediately at an officer who has just risked his or her life to save another's.”

Donald J. Trump

"Bring Back the Death Penalty. Bring Back Our Police!" http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1838466.1403324800!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_970/trump21n-1-web.jpg An advert taken out by Trump in the New York Daily News and other newspapers in the wake of the arrests of the Central Park Five (whose convictions were eventually vacated once the real perpetrator was identified in 2002) (1 May 1989)
1980s

Life

“We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones and unite the civilized world against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the earth.”

Donald J. Trump

President Trump's inaugural address https://www.whitehouse.gov/inaugural-address (20 January 2017)
2010s, 2017, January

World

“Obama gave a good speech but not nearly as good as the press would have you believe. Whether it's good or bad, the press will say it's fantastic. In many ways, I like Obama. It's hard to define. There's something about him I do like. I'm embarrassed to admit it. I give him a lot of credit. It's very unique and very hard to do and I give him tremendous credit. He became a two-term president of the United States. He's got some quality going.”

Donald J. Trump

At an interview with The New York Times'<nowiki/> Maureen Dowd. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/30/opinion/trumps-thunderbolts.html (July 29, 2016)
2010s, 2016, July

Way

“I see the carnage that NAFTA has caused, I see the carnage. It's been horrible. … It's a suicidal pact for our country. And you know I've watched for years.”

Donald J. Trump

2010s, 2016, August, Speech at rally in Wilmington, North Carolina (August 9, 2016)

Suicide , Country

“I have a really high IQ, Phil. I mean, c'mon. It's impossible for me to not be atheist.”

Donald J. Trump

Attributed by photo meme to an appearance on The Phil Donahue Show in 1989. According to Snopes.com http://www.snopes.com/trump-donahue-atheist-1989/, there is no evidence he ever said this, nor that he even appeared on The Phil Donahue Show in 1989.
Misattributed

“It's an unbelievably complex subject. Nobody knew healthcare could be so complicated.”

Donald J. Trump

Speaking at the National Governors Association meeting at the White House https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2017/feb/27/trump-healthcare-complicated-budget-video (27 February 2017)
2010s, 2017, February

“I know the smartest negotiators in the world. I know the good ones. I know the bad ones. I know the overrated ones.”

Donald J. Trump

2010s, 2015, Presidential Bid Announcement (June 16, 2015)

World

“I've seen these so-called journalists flat-out lie. I say that because incompetence doesn't begin to explain the inaccurate stories they have written.”

Donald J. Trump

Source: 2010s, 2015, Crippled America: How to Make America Great Again (2015), p. 12

Lie

“They'll walk up, and they'll flip their top, and they'll flip their panties.”

Donald J. Trump

Interview on The Howard Stern Show http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/donald-trump-details-sexual-attractions-relationships-radio-interviews/story?id=37190691 (2008)
2000s

“You have a problem with ISIS. You have a bigger problem with China. And, in my opinion, the new China, believe it or not, in terms of trade, is Mexico.”

Donald J. Trump

2010s, 2015, Presidential Bid Announcement (June 16, 2015)

Problem

“Since I love what I do, I do it vigorously and I do it better. Because I inject it with enthusiasm and passion, it doesn't feel like work. My passion spills over to everyone around me and motivates them to do their very best.”

Donald J. Trump book Trump 101

Trump 101 The Way to Success https://books.google.com/books?id=uuR61zcvMTgC&pg=PA1&lpg=PA1&dq=%22since+I+LOVE+WHAT+I+DO,+I+DO+IT+VIGOROUSLY%22&source=bl&ots=ko6GrZPr-e&sig=x3zLQ1fWbNJIrx-7M0CzI-zPljg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjuncTq2OvRAhXCLMAKHTzHDNwQ6AEIGjAA#v=onepage&q=%22since%20I%20LOVE%20WHAT%20I%20DO%2C%20I%20DO%20IT%20VIGOROUSLY%22&f=false (2007), p. 1
2000s

Love , Feeling , Motivation , Passion

“Saddam Hussein was a bad guy. Right? He was a bad guy, really bad guy. But you know what he did well? He killed terrorists. He did that so good. They didn't read them the rights—they didn't talk, they were a terrorist, it was over. Today, Iraq is Harvard for terrorism. You want to be a terrorist, you go to Iraq. It's like Harvard. Okay?”

Donald J. Trump

At a campaign rally in Raleigh, North Carolina (July 5, 2016)
2010s, 2016, July

Guy , Reading

“Clinton's actions have been reckless and have directly led to the loss of American lives. And her extreme immigration policies, as also laid out by American victims in Cleveland, will cause the preventable deaths of countless more -- while putting all residents, from all places, at greater risk of terrorism. As Bernie Sanders said on numerous occasions, Hillary Clinton suffers from "bad judgement."”

Donald J. Trump

She is not qualified to serve as Commander in Chief.
Written statement responding to Khizr M. Khan http://web.archive.org/web/20160731082150/https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/setting-the-record-straight (July 30, 2016)
2010s, 2016, July

Death , Suffering , Loss

“So what I would like to recommend is – if we are going to have continued dialogue – we will work out the wall. They are going to say, “who is going to pay for the wall, Mr. President?” to both of us, and we should both say, “we will work it out.” It will work out in the formula somehow. As opposed to you saying, “we will not pay” and me saying, “we will not pay.””

Donald J. Trump

Full transcripts of Trump’s calls with Mexico and Australia By Greg Miller, Julie Vitkovskaya and Reuben Fischer-Baum; Aug. 3, 2017 https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/politics/australia-mexico-transcripts/?utm_term=.95d2f93766d6 (Friday, January 27, 2017)
2010s, 2016, January

“In the meantime, people are suffering because of the Democrats. So we've created, and they've created, and they've let it happen — a massive child-smuggling industry. That's exactly what it's become. Traffickers — if you think about this — human traffickers are making a fortune. It's a disgrace. These loopholes force the release of alien families and minors into the country when they illegally cross the border.”

Donald J. Trump

Remarks by President Trump at Cabinet Meeting Issued on: June 21, 2018 https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-cabinet-meeting-9/
2010s, 2018, June

People , Family , Thinking , Suffering

“I've watched the politicians. I've dealt with them all my life. If you can't make a good deal with a politician, then there's something wrong with you. You're certainly not very good. And that's what we have representing us. They will never make America great again. They don't even have a chance. They're controlled fully — they're controlled fully by the lobbyists, by the donors, and by the special interests, fully.”

Donald J. Trump

2010s, 2015, Presidential Bid Announcement (June 16, 2015)

Life , Chance

“I would build a great wall, and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me, and I'll build them very inexpensively, I will build a great, great wall on our southern border. And I will have Mexico pay for that wall.”

Donald J. Trump

2010s, 2015, Presidential Bid Announcement (June 16, 2015)

“Our country's a mess. And that's why when she makes the speech, she doesn't talk about radical Islam. She doesn't talk about the problems that we have in this country and throughout the world. Many of the problems, she caused. I mean, she created ISIS with her stupidity and her lack of knowledge with her bad judgment.”

Donald J. Trump

2010s, 2016, July, This Week Interview (July 30, 2016)

Stupidity , World , Knowledge , Problem

“I was angry because they sued.”

Donald J. Trump

explaining why he withdrew the medical benefits to his nephew's infant son who had cerebral palsy, after his nephew claimed that the exclusion from Fred Trump's will was a result of Donald Trump and his siblings unduly influencing the older man

as quoted in Donald Trump's Cruel Streak http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/09/donald-trumps-cruel-streak/501554/, by Conor Friedersdorf, in The Atlantic; published September 26, 2016; retrieved October 24, 2016
2010s, 2016, March

“We can't be afraid to use our military, but sending our sons and daughters should be the very last resort. I've seen what wars do to our kids. I've seen their broken bodies, know all about the horrors that live in their heads, and the enormous effects of trauma. We cannot commit American troops to battle without a real and tangible objective.”

Donald J. Trump

Source: 2010s, 2015, Crippled America: How to Make America Great Again (2015), p. 35

War , Daughters

“I have read a lot about it and I watched it and Liberty University, like a rocket ship, a really great rocket ship.”

Donald J. Trump

2010s, 2016, January, Speech at (18 January 2016)

Universe , Reading

“But you cannot say anymore that the United States is going to pay for the wall. I am just going to say that we are working it out. Believe it or not, this is the least important thing that we are talking about, but politically this might be the most important talk about.”

Donald J. Trump

Full transcripts of Trump's calls with Mexico and Australia By Greg Miller, Julie Vitkovskaya and Reuben Fischer-Baum; Aug. 3, 2017 https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/politics/australia-mexico-transcripts/?utm_term=.95d2f93766d6 (Friday, January 27, 2017)
2010s, 2016, January

“Decades of progress made in bringing down crime are now being reversed by this Administration's rollback of criminal enforcement.”

Donald J. Trump

2010s, 2016, July, 2016 Republican National Convention (21 July 2016)

“We must immediately suspend immigration from any nation that has been compromised by terrorism until such time as proven vetting mechanisms have been put in place.”

Donald J. Trump

2010s, 2016, July, (21 July 2016)

Time

“The most important thing in life is to love what you're doing, because that's the only way you'll ever be really good at it.”

Donald J. Trump

Source: 1980s, Trump: The Art of the Deal (1987), p. 67

Love , Life , Way

“Clinton wants to allow radical Islamic terrorists to pour into our country. They enslave women, and they murder gays. I don't want them in our country.”

Donald J. Trump

2010s, 2016, June, Speech about the Orlando Shooting (June 13, 2016)

Women , Country

“Robert Pattinson should not take back Kristen Stewart. She cheated on him like a dog & will do it again--just watch. He can do much better!”

Donald J. Trump

https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/258640349872926720, quoted in * 2017-08-14 Brittany Wong Robert Pattinson Finally Responds To Donald Trump’s Weird ‘Twilight’ Tweets The Huffington Post https://www.huffpost.com/entry/robert-pattinson-talks-trump-tweets_n_5991d173e4b09071f69b8768
Ref: en.wikiquote.org - Donald Trump / Quotes / Donald Trump on social media / Twitter
2010s, 2012

Dogs , Cheating

“Because in America people don't worship government. They worship God.”

Donald J. Trump

CPAC conference https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsUZCo7hasI (23 February 2018)
2010s, 2018, February

God , People

“HOLT: Stop-and-frisk was ruled unconstitutional in New York, because it largely singled out black and Hispanic young men.
TRUMP: No, you're wrong. It went before a judge, who was a very against-police judge. It was taken away from her. And our mayor, our new mayor, refused to go forward with the case. They would have won an appeal. If you look at it, throughout the country, there are many places where it's allowed.
HOLT: The argument is that it's a form of racial profiling.
TRUMP: No, the argument is that we have to take the guns away from these people that have them and they are bad people that shouldn't have them.”

Donald J. Trump

2010s, 2016, September, First presidential debate (September 26, 2016)

Men , People , Country

“There can be no prosperity without law and order”

Donald J. Trump

2010s, 2016, July, (21 July 2016)

Law

“Our great African American President hasn't exactly had a positive impact on the thugs who are so happily and openly destroying Baltimore!”

Donald J. Trump

Twitter https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/592910662424223744 (27 April 2015)
2010s, 2015

“Hillary Clinton wants to empty out the Treasury to bring people into the country that include individuals who preach hate against our citizens. I want to protect our citizens, all of our citizens.”

Donald J. Trump

2010s, 2016, June, Speech about the Orlando Shooting (June 13, 2016)

Hate , People , Country

“I'm trying to figure out, let's see, I'm in my room, in New York city, and I want to put a little spray, so I can, you know [mimes spraying] right, right, but I hear they don't want me to use the hairspray, they want me to use the pump, because the other one, which I really like better than going [mimes pumping] bang, bang, bang, and then it comes out in big globs, right, and it's stuck in your hair and you say, "Oh my god I've got to take a shower again, my hair's all screwed up", right, I want to use hairspray, but they say "Don't use hairspray, it's bad for the ozone", so I'm sitting in this concealed [sic] apartment, this concealed unit (you know I do live in a very apartment, right) but it's sealed (it's beautiful) I don't think anything gets out, and I'm not supposed to be using hairspray!”

Donald J. Trump

Speaking at a rally in Hilton Head, SC https://www.c-span.org/video/?402610-1/donald-trump-campaign-rally-hilton-head-south-carolina (30 December 2015)
2010s, 2015

God , Beauty , Thinking

“Leona Helmsley is a truly evil human being. She treated employees worse than any human being I've ever witnessed and I've dealt with some of the toughest human beings alive.”

Donald J. Trump

"Donald Trump: Playboy interview" , Playboy magazine, March 1990. http://www.popeater.com/2009/09/30/donald-trump-insults/
Helmsley retorted "I can't wait to read Trump's new book, especially chapter eleven!". At the time, Trump's casino holdings were being reorganized to avoid bankruptcy.
"Leona Helmsley: Playboy interview" , Playboy magazine, November 1990. http://www.glennplaskin.com/leona.pdf
1990s

Evil

“Reducing taxes will cause new companies and new jobs to come roaring back into our country.”

Donald J. Trump

2010s, 2016, July, (21 July 2016)

Country

“I'm really calling for major jobs, because the wealthy are going create tremendous jobs. They're going to expand their companies. They're going to do a tremendous job. I'm getting rid of the carried interest provision. And if you really look, it's not a tax -- it's really not a great thing for the wealthy. It's a great thing for the middle class. It's a great thing for companies to expand.”

Donald J. Trump

2010s, 2016, September, First presidential debate (September 26, 2016)

“Well I didn't tape him — you never know what's happening, when you see that the Obama administration, and perhaps longer than that, was doing all of this unmasking and, er, surveillance, and you read all about it, and I've been reading about for the last couple of months about the seriousness of the, and horrible situation, with surveillance all over the place, and you've been hearing the word 'unmasking', a word you probably never heard before, so you never know what's out there — but I didn't tape, and I don't have any tape, and I didn't tape.”

Donald J. Trump

2010s, 2017, June

Reading

“Experience taught me a few things. One is to listen to your gut, no matter how good something sounds on paper. The second is that you're generally better off sticking with what you know. And the third is that sometimes your best investments are the ones you don't make.”

Donald J. Trump

Source: 1980s, Trump: The Art of the Deal (1987), p. 28

“He [Obama] lost the popular vote by a lot and won the election. We should have a revolution in this country!
The phoney [sic] electoral college made a laughing stock out of our nation. The loser one!”

Donald J. Trump

Two Twitter posts dated , as quoted in * 2016-11-15
Trump's flip-flop on the electoral college: From ‘disaster' to ‘genius'
The Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2016/11/15/trumps-flip-flop-on-the-electoral-college-from-disaster-to-genius/
2016-11-15
Cf. Trump's interview on 60 Minutes as President-elect (13 November 2016): "I'm not going to change my mind just because I won. But I would rather see it where you went with simple votes. You know, you get 100 million votes and somebody else gets 90 million votes and you win. There's a reason for doing this because it brings all the states into play. Electoral College and there's something very good about that. But this is a different system. But I respect it. I do respect the system." ( transcript http://www.cbsnews.com/news/60-minutes-donald-trump-family-melania-ivanka-lesley-stahl/)
2010s, 2012

Country

“They have totally destabilized the Middle East. It's a disaster.”

Donald J. Trump

2010s, 2016, January, Speech at (18 January 2016)

“I called myself the king of debt. I'm the king of debt. I'm great with debt, nobody knows debt better than me. I made a fortune by using debt. And if things don't work out I renegotiate the debt, I mean that's a smart thing not a stupid thing. And I made a fortune.”

Donald J. Trump

2010s, 2016, June

Stupidity

“Go Republican Senators, Go! Get there after waiting for 7 years. Give America great healthcare!”

Donald J. Trump

Tweet by @realDonaldTrump https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/890764622852173826 (27 July 2017)
2010s, 2017, July

Waiting

“Because if you're not born in the United States, you cannot be president. And, there is a real question. And if this birth certificate exists, you know what I get a kick out of? The Governor of Hawaii says, "I remember when he was born 50 years ago." I doubt it. I think this guy should be investigated. I doubt it. He remembers when Obama was born? Give me a break! He's just trying to do something for his party. The fact is, if you're not born in the United States, you cannot be president. He is having a hard time — he spent millions of dollars trying to get away from this issue, millions of dollars in legal fees trying to get away from this issue. And I'll tell you what, I brought it up just routinely and all of a sudden, a lot of facts are emerging, and I'm starting to wonder myself whether or not he was born in this country.”

Donald J. Trump

About Barack Obama's birth certificate.

2010s, 2011

Guy , Birth , Question , Thinking

“I would love to be able to be the one that made peace with Israel and the Palestinians. I would love that, that would be such a great achievement. Because nobody's been able to do it. … I've had a lot of, actually, great Israeli businesspeople tell me, you can't do that, it's impossible. I disagree, I think you can make peace. I think people are tired now of being shot, killed. At some point, when do they come? I think we can do that. I have reason to believe I can do that.”

Donald J. Trump

2010s, 2016, November, New York Times Interview (November 23, 2016)

Love , People , Peace , Thinking

“@damiranz: DonaldTrump: Pls don't run for president. If you do and win, the rest of the world would be screwed. So true.”

Donald J. Trump

except friends

Twitter https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/503316125405700096 (23 August 2011)
2010s, 2011

World

“Hillary Clinton's catastrophic immigration plan will bring vastly more radical Islamic immigration into this country, threatening not only our society but our entire way of life. When it comes to radical Islamic terrorism, ignorance is not bliss. It's deadly — totally deadly. … Clinton's State Department was in charge of admissions and the admissions process for people applying to enter from overseas. Having learned nothing from these attacks, she now plans to massively increase admissions without a screening plan including a 500 percent increase in Syrian refugees coming into our country. Tell me, tell me – how stupid is that? This could be a better, bigger, more horrible version than the legendary Trojan Horse ever was. Altogether, under the Clinton plan, you'd be admitting hundreds of thousands of refugees from the Middle East with no system to vet them, or to prevent the radicalization of the children and their children. Not only their children, by the way, they're trying to take over our children and convince them how wonderful ISIS is and how wonderful Islam is and we don't know what's happening. The burden is on Hillary Clinton to tell us why she believes immigration from these dangerous countries should be increased without any effective system to really to screen. We're not screening people.”

Donald J. Trump

2010s, 2016, June, Speech about the Orlando Shooting (June 13, 2016)

Life , Children , People , Stupidity