123 things Donald Trump actually said
The Donald, in his own words
On accusations of racism:
1. "I don't have a racist bone in my body." (YouTube)
On his apartment:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
2. "There may be no other apartment in the world like it." (The Washington Post)
3. "I show [my] apartment to very few people. Presidents. Kings." (The Apprentice)
On apologies:
4. "I can never apologize for the truth." (YouTube)
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
On Beyoncé:
5. "When Beyonce was thrusting her hips forward in a very suggestive manner, if someone else would have done that it would have been a national scandal. I thought it was ridiculous...I thought it was not appropriate." (The Daily Mail)
On being a birther:
6. "Do you know that Hillary Clinton was a birther? She wanted those records and fought like hell. People forgot. Did you know John McCain was a birther? Wanted those records? They couldn't get the records. Hillary failed. John McCain failed. Trump was able to get [Obama] to give something — I don't know what the hell it was — but it doesn't matter." (Business Insider)
On his boat:
7. "Probably the most beautiful yacht ever built." (Washington Post)
On his own books:
8. "Don't let the brevity of these passages prevent you from savoring the profundity of the advice you are about to receive." (Introduction to How to Get Rich)
9. "I wrote The Art of the Deal. Right? We need the Art of the Deal. We need the Art. They never read it in this administration. They're the only people that didn't read it." (YouTube)
10. "I wrote The Art of the Deal, which is — I guess the biggest — I think the biggest — the biggest-selling business book of all time, and [the Iran nuclear agreement] is not the art of the deal, this is the art of a person that has no idea what he's doing." (Right Wing Watch)
11. "Let's say I was worth $10. People would say, 'Who the [expletive] are you?' You understand? They know my statement. Fortune. My book, The Art of the Deal, based on my fortune. If I didn't make a fortune, who the [expletive] is going to buy The Art of the Deal? That's why they watched The Apprentice, because of my great success." (Washington Post)
On the Buffalo Bills:
12. "Even though I refused to pay a ridiculous price for the Buffalo Bills, I would have produced a winner. Now that won't happen." (Twitter)
13. "The @nfl games are so boring now that actually, I'm glad I didn't get the Bills. Boring games, too many flags, too soft!" (Twitter)
On building a border wall:
14. "I would build a wall like nobody can build a wall." (Mediaite)
On Jeb Bush:
15. "Jeb Bush likes illegals because of his wife." (Twitter, later deleted)
On Chicago:
16. "I like to think of Chicago as something that I got built, that is a great monument. It's a great building. It's the second-tallest building in Chicago, and I always say it was better for the people of Chicago than it was for Donald Trump. I got it built. It wasn't financially good for me but it was something that I'm very proud of.” (The Atlantic)
On China:
17. "Listen, you motherf---ers, we're going to tax you 25 percent." (Gawker)
18. "China's Communist Party has now publicly praised Obama's re-election. They have never had it so good. Will own America soon." (Twitter)
On Hillary Clinton:
19. "The first lady is a wonderful woman who has handled pressure incredibly well." (New York Times)
20. "The worst secretary of state in the history of the country." (NBC News)
21. "If Hillary Clinton can't satisfy her husband, what makes her think she can satisfy America?” (Twitter, later deleted)
On Hillary and Bill Clinton attending his wedding:
22. "I demanded that they be there — they had no choice and that's what's wrong with our country." (Politico)
On communion:
23. "When we go in church and I drink the little wine, which is about the only wine I drink, and I eat the little cracker — I guess that's a form of asking forgiveness." (CNN)
On consultants:
24. "With very successful people, we sort of have our own ideas. A lot of people hire consultants. Well, if the consultant's so smart, why aren't they rich?" (Des Moines Register)
On his critics:
25. "When I'm attacked, in a strange way, so is New York" (Washington Post)
On Mark Cuban:
26. "'Will the Mavs make the playoffs, what do you think, Mr. Trump?' No, Mark Cuban is a loser!" (Twitter)
27. "Sorry folks, but Donald Trump is far richer and much better looking than dopey @mcuban!" (Twitter)
28. "Golf match? I've won 18 Club Championships including this weekend. @mcuban swings like a little girl with no power or talent. Mark's a loser." (Twitter)
29. "Does anyone remember the fight @mcuban had with the referee — he was weak and pathetic — a non-athlete trying to live life through his players." (Twitter)
On Deflategate:
30. "They had no definitive proof against Tom Brady or #patriots. If Hillary doesn't have to produce Emails, why should Tom? Very unfair!" (Twitter)
On Robert De Niro:
31. "I like his acting, but in terms of when I watch him doing interviews and various other things, we're not dealing with Albert Einstein." (The Los Angeles Times)
On dreams:
32. "People should always be encouraged to follow their dreams (my children have) but realize that a lot of time and money can be wasted chasing dreams that just weren't meant to be true." (Washington Post)
On the American dream:
33. "When you mess with the American Dream, you're on the fighting side of Trump." (Washington Post)
On Diet Coke:
34. "I have never seen a thin person drinking Diet Coke." (Twitter)
On Ebola:
35. "President Obama — close down the flights from Ebola infected areas right now, before it is too late! What the hell is wrong with you?" (Twitter)
36. "The U.S. cannot allow EBOLA infected people back. People that go to far away places to help out are great — but must suffer the consequences!" (Twitter)
37. "Something very important, and indeed society changing, may come out of the Ebola epidemic that will be a very good thing: NO SHAKING HANDS!" (Twitter)
On El Chapo:
38. "Can you envision Jeb Bush or Hillary Clinton negotiating with 'El Chapo', the Mexican drug lord who escaped from prison? Trump, however, would kick his ass!" (Twitter)
On the election of 2012:
39. "This election is a total sham and a travesty. We are not a democracy!" (Twitter)
On email:
40. "I don't do the email thing." (New York Times)
On flying kids around in a helicopter:
41. "I'm going to try giving kids lifts in the helicopter. You know, young kids. Yeah! If I can do it — if I'm allowed to do it. ... It'll be magnificent." (The Week)
On global warming:
42. "It's freezing and snowing in New York — we need global warming!" (Twitter)
43. "The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive." (Twitter)
44. "This very expensive GLOBAL WARMING bullshit has got to stop. Our planet is freezing, record low temps, and our GW scientists are stuck in ice." (Twitter)
On golf:
45. "I've won many club championships and I was always the best athlete. But I've won many a club championship. It's something that people don't know unless they are with me and have played with me.” (The Atlantic)
46. "Let people work hard and one day aspire to play golf." (Fortune)
On his hair:
47. "The reason my hair looks so neat all the time is because I don't have to deal with the elements. I live in the building where I work. I take an elevator from my bedroom to my office. The rest of the time, I'm either in my stretch limousine, my private jet, my helicopter, or my private club in Palm Beach Florida [...] If I happen to be outside, I'm probably on one of my golf courses, where I protect my hair from overexposure by wearing a golf hat." (Washington Post)
48. "As everybody knows, but the haters and losers refuse to acknowledge, I do not wear a 'wig.' My hair may not be perfect but it's mine." (Twitter)
49. "What's the difference between a wet raccoon and Donald J. Trump's hair? A wet raccoon doesn't have seven billion f--king dollars in the bank." (Comedy Central Roast)
On himself:
50. "Sorry losers and haters, but my I.Q. is one of the highest — and you all know it! Please don't feel so stupid or insecure, it's not your fault." (Twitter)
51. "What a great honor it must be for you to honor me tonight." (Comedy Central Roast)
52. "Part of the beauty of me is that I'm very rich." (The Wall Street Journal)
53. "I'm a bit of a P. T. Barnum. I make stars out of everyone." (London Observer)
54. "I'm really rich." (ABC News)
55. "I am a nice person. People that know me like me. Does my family like me? I think so." (The Week)
56. "I play to people's fantasies. It's an innocent form of exaggeration — and a very effective form of promotion.” (Washington Post)
On Hollywood:
57. "I'm not even in Hollywood. That's like my part-time job." (The Atlantic)
On Mike Huckabee:
58. "I was the first and only potential GOP candidate to state there will be no cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Huckabee copied me." (Twitter)
59. "I really like him. He is the kind of a guy who could maybe really get some votes.” (Wall Street Journal)
On Arianna Huffington:
60. ".@ariannahuff is unattractive both inside and out. I fully understand why her former husband left her for a man — he made a good decision." (Twitter)
On international allies:
61. "I think I would probably get along very well with Russia. I think I would probably get along very well with Putin. I think I would probably get along very well with the people of China.” (The Guardian)
On Iraq:
62. "We build a school, we build a road, they blow up the school, we build another school, we build another road they blow them up, we build again, in the meantime we can't get a f--king school in Brooklyn." (Gawker)
On his plan to defeat ISIS:
63. "If I tell you right now, everyone else is going to say: 'Wow, what a great idea.' You're going to have 10 candidates going to use it and they're going to forget where it came from. Which is me." (Des Moines Register)
On Ivanka
64. "She does have a very nice figure...if [she] weren't my daughter, perhaps I'd be dating her." (Fox News)
On Angelina Jolie:
65. "Angelina Jolie is sort of amazing because everyone thinks she's like this great beauty. And I'm not saying she's an unattractive woman, but she's not beauty, by any stretch of the imagination." (Access Hollywood)
66. "I really understand beauty. And I will tell you, she's not — I do own Miss Universe. I do own Miss USA. I mean I own a lot of different things. I do understand beauty, and she's not." (Access Hollywood)
67. "I remember at the Academy Awards a few years ago she was frenching her brother. She was giving her brother lip kisses like I never saw before in my life. And she had just said she made love to Billy Bob Thornton in the back of the limousine on the way over. And I wouldn't want to shake her hand, by the way." (Access Hollywood)
On whether Kim Kardashian's butt is too big:
68. "Well, absolutely. It's record-setting. In the old days, they'd say she has a bad body.” (Entertainment Tonight)
On light bulbs:
69. "Remember, new 'environment friendly' light bulbs can cause cancer. Be careful — the idiots who came up with this stuff don't care." (Twitter)
On his living room:
70. "While I can't honestly say I need an 80-foot living room, I get a kick out of having one." (Washington Post)
On Nelson Mandela:
71. "What a sad thing that the memory of Nelson Mandela will be stained by the phony sign language moron who is in every picture at funeral!" (Twitter)
On marriage:
72. "My marriage, it seemed, was the only area of my life in which I was willing to accept something less than perfection" (Washington Post)
On Mexicans:
73. "They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people." (Washington Post)
74. "I like Mexico." (MSNBC)
On Modern Family:
75. "Just tried watching Modern Family — written by a moron, really boring. Writer has the mind of a very dumb and backward child. Sorry Danny!" (Twitter)
On President Obama:
76. "If Obama resigns from office NOW, thereby doing a great service to the country — I will give him free lifetime golf at any one of my courses!" (Twitter)
77. "Obama is, without question, the WORST EVER president. I predict he will now do something really bad and totally stupid to show manhood!" (Twitter)
78. "Our great African American President hasn't exactly had a positive impact on the thugs who are so happily and openly destroying Baltimore!" (Twitter)
79. "Why is Obama playing basketball today? That is why our country is in trouble!" (Twitter)
80. "An 'extremely credible source' has called my office and told me that @BarackObama's birth certificate is a fraud." (Twitter)
On Rosie O'Donnell:
81. "If I were running The View, I'd fire Rosie. I'd look her right in that fat, ugly face of hers and say, 'Rosie, you're fired.'" (YouTube)
82. "We're all a little chubby but Rosie's just worse than most of us. But it's not the chubbiness — Rosie is a very unattractive person, both inside and out." (YouTube)
83. "Rosie's a person who's very lucky to have her girlfriend and she better be careful or I'll send one of my friends over to pick up her girlfriend. Why would she stay with Rosie if she had another choice?" (YouTube)
On the Oscars:
84. "The Oscars are a sad joke, very much like our President. So many things are wrong!" (Twitter)
On Katy Perry:
85. ".@katyperry Katy, what the hell were you thinking when you married loser Russell Brand. There is a guy who has got nothing going, a waste!" (Twitter)
On Rick Perry:
86. "Rick Perry I don't think even understands what he is saying." (The Atlantic)
On Mitt Romney
87. "Romney — I have a Gucci store that's worth more than Romney." (Des Moines Register)
On Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart:
88. "Everyone knows I am right that Robert Pattinson should dump Kristen Stewart. In a couple of years, he will thank me. Be smart, Robert." (Twitter)
89. "Robert I'm getting a lot of heat for saying you should dump Kristen — but I'm right. If you saw the Miss Universe girls, you would reconsider." (Twitter)
On political correctness:
90. "We're diplomatic in our country and everybody hates us all over the world. We're politically correct and the world hates the United States.” (The Guardian)
91. "While @BetteMidler is an extremely unattractive woman, I refuse to say that because I always insist on being politically correct." (Twitter)
On the 2016 presidential debates:
92. "Whatever." (Washington Post)
On the Rolling Stones:
93. "A bunch of major jerks" (Washington Post)
On Marco Rubio:
94. "Next time Marco Rubio should drink his water from a glass as opposed to a bottle — would have much less negative impact." (Twitter)
On Salon:
95. "Lightweight reporter Alex Pareene @pareene is known as a total joke in political circles. Hence, he writes for Loser Salon. @Salon" (Twitter)
On same-sex marriage:
96. "It's like in golf. A lot of people — I don't want this to sound trivial — but a lot of people are switching to these really long putters, very unattractive. It's weird. You see these great players with these really long putters, because they can't sink three-footers anymore. And, I hate it. I am a traditionalist. I have so many fabulous friends who happen to be gay, but I am a traditionalist.” (Huffington Post)
97. "Not my thing." (Huffington Post)
On Bernie Sanders 2016:
98. "Stranger things have happened." (YouTube)
On Rick Santorum
99. "I say, look, you were a sitting senator in Pennsylvania. You lost by 19 points, which is like a record." (Bloomberg)
On the pass play that cost the Seattle Seahawks the Super Bowl:
100. "It must have been President Obama that called in what will go down as the DUMBEST PLAY IN THE HISTORY OF FOOTBALL. Same thought process!" (Twitter)
On September 11:
101. "I would like to extend my best wishes to all, even the haters and losers, on this special date, September 11th." (Twitter)
On Jon Stewart
102. "While Jon Stewart is a joke, not very bright and totally overrated, some losers and haters will miss him and his dumb clown humor. Too bad!" (Twitter)
On television:
103. "I don't have a lot of time for listening to television." (The New York Times)
On Trump 2016:
104. "I will be the greatest jobs president that God ever created, I tell you that." (ABC News)
On Trump Tower:
105. "Trump Tower, like a good friend, was there when I needed it." (Washington Post)
On Twitter:
106. "My Twitter has become so powerful that I can actually make my enemies tell the truth." (Twitter)
107. "My Twitter followers will soon be over 2 million — and all the 'biggies.' It's like having your own newspaper." (Twitter)
On vaccines:
108. "No more massive injections. Tiny children are not horses — one vaccine at a time, over time." (Twitter)
On war heroes:
109. "[John McCain]'s not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren't captured, okay? I hate to tell you." (Washington Post)
On waterboarding:
110. "When people are chopping off other people's heads and then we're worried about waterboarding and we can't, because I have no doubt that that works. I have absolutely no doubt." (CNN)
On Anthony Weiner:
111. "Pervert alert. @RepWeiner is back on twitter. All girls under the age of 18, block him immediately." (Twitter)
On wind turbines:
112. "It's Friday. How many bald eagles did wind turbines kill today? They are an environmental and aesthetic disaster." (Twitter)
On winning:
113. "If someone screws you, screw them back." (Washington Post)
114. "Money was never a big motivation for me, except as a way to keep score. The real excitement is playing the game!" (Twitter)
115. "To EVERYONE, including all haters and losers, HAPPY NEW YEAR. Work hard, be smart and always remember, WINNING TAKES CARE OF EVERYTHING!" (Twitter)
116. "I believe in winning. I'm very good at winning." (Bloomberg)
On women:
117. "There's nothing I love more than women, but they're really a lot different than portrayed. They are far worse than men, far more aggressive, and boy, can they be smart!" (Washington Post)
118. "I have only one regret in the women department — that I never had the opportunity to court Lady Diana Spencer. . . a dream lady.” (Washington Post)
119. "All of the women on The Apprentice flirted with me — consciously or unconsciously. That's to be expected." (Esquire)
120. "Oftentimes when I was sleeping with one of the top women in the world I would say to myself, thinking about me as a boy from Queens, 'Can you believe what I am getting?'" (Esquire)
121. "That must be a pretty picture, you dropping to your knees." (To a contestant on The Apprentice)
122. "We could say, politically correct, that look doesn't matter, but the look obviously matters. Like you wouldn't have your job if you weren't beautiful." (To a female reporter)
123. "You know, it doesn't really matter what [the media] write as long as you've got a young and beautiful piece of [expletive]." (Esquire)
Donald Trump is currently the leading candidate in the race to be the Republican Party's nominee for president of the United States.
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
What message is Trump sending with his Cabinet picks?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION By nominating high-profile loyalists like Matt Gaetz and RFK Jr., is Trump serious about creating a functioning Cabinet, or does he have a different plan in mind?
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Wyoming judge strikes down abortion, pill bansSpeed Read The judge said the laws — one of which was a first-in-the-nation prohibition on the use of medication to end pregnancy — violated the state's constitution
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US sanctions Israeli West Bank settler groupSpeed Read The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on Amana, Israel's largest settlement development organization
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
US election: who the billionaires are backingThe Explainer More have endorsed Kamala Harris than Donald Trump, but among the 'ultra-rich' the split is more even
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
US election: where things stand with one week to goThe Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is Trump okay?Today's Big Question Former president's mental fitness and alleged cognitive decline firmly back in the spotlight after 'bizarre' town hall event
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The life and times of Kamala HarrisThe Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?
By The Week UK Published
-
Will 'weirdly civil' VP debate move dial in US election?Today's Big Question 'Diametrically opposed' candidates showed 'a lot of commonality' on some issues, but offered competing visions for America's future and democracy
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
1 of 6 'Trump Train' drivers liable in Biden bus blockadeSpeed Read Only one of the accused was found liable in the case concerning the deliberate slowing of a 2020 Biden campaign bus
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Biden, Trump urge calm after assassination attemptSpeed Reads A 20-year-old gunman grazed Trump's ear and fatally shot a rally attendee on Saturday
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
