Donald Trump talks taxes, ObamaCare, and his 'honorable' personality on 60 Minutes
Donald Trump revealed his idea for an ObamaCare alternative, two plans to defeat Islamic State, and that he's more popular than any supermodel during a wide-ranging interview on Sunday's 60 Minutes.
The Republican frontrunner told Scott Pelley that if he becomes president, he plans to lower taxes for the middle class and raise taxes for some of the "very wealthy." "People who are getting unfair deductions are going to be raised," he said. "I don't want certain people on Wall Street to get away with not paying taxes." He also said people in "low income brackets" will be exempt from paying taxes. Trump will bring jobs back to the U.S. from China and Mexico, and thinks NAFTA is a "disaster." "We need fair trade, not free trade," he said. He also wants to repeal ObamaCare, but will ensure "everybody's covered. I'm going to take care of everybody. I don't care if it costs me votes."
The country, he said, has "been decimated," and "our roads are falling apart, our bridges are falling apart, everything is falling apart." He said he'll be able to pay for new infrastructure by having an economy that will "expand so rapidly." As for undocumented immigrants, "we're rounding them up in a very humane way, a very nice way. They're going to be happy because they want to be legalized. I know it doesn't sound nice, but not everything is nice." Trump has two plans for ISIS in Syria — let them topple the government of President Bashar al-Assad, then have the U.S. go in and defeat ISIS, or have Russia take care of them. "What the hell do we care?" he asked.
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.
Pelley told Trump that listening to people talk about him "is oxygen to you," and asked what that says about his personality. Trump said he doesn't think he's different from anyone else, and plasters photographs of himself on his walls because "it's cheaper than wallpaper." As for all of his magazine covers, "I'm on a lot, maybe more than any supermodel. It's a sign of respect." He's not thin-skinned, he just can't handle "lies," and considers himself to be "very honorable." He also had no desire to enter the Republican race. "I didn't want to do this," he said. "I just felt our country was going to hell, and I had to do it." Catherine Garcia
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
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Kimberly Guilfoyle at the Republican National Convention in 2024
Under the Radar Trump supporters driven by 'desire to please the President-elect' but phenomenon now 'crossing party line'
By The Week UK Published
-
What does Trump's Treasury secretary pick mean for the economy?
In the Spotlight Scott Bessent was once a Democratic donor. Now he'll serve Trump.
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Magazine solutions - December 6, 2024
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - December 6, 2024
By The Week US Published
-
ACA opens 2025 enrollment, enters 2024 race
Speed Read Mike Johnson promises big changes to the Affordable Care Act if Trump wins the election
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
McDonald's sued over E. coli linked to burger
Speed Read The outbreak has sickened at least 49 people in 10 states and left one dead
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Texas dairy worker gets bird flu from infected cow
Speed Read The virus has been spreading among cattle in Texas, Kansas, Michigan and New Mexico
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Dengue hits the Americas hard and early
Speed Read Puerto Rico has declared an epidemic as dengue cases surge
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US bans final type of asbestos
Speed Read Exposure to asbestos causes about 40,000 deaths in the U.S. each year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Seattle Children's Hospital sues Texas over 'sham' demand for transgender medical records
Speed Read Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton subpoenaed records of any Texan who received gender-affirming care at the Washington hospital
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Afghanistan has a growing female suicide problem
Speed Read The Taliban has steadily whittled away women's and girls' rights in Afghanistan over the past 2 years, prompting a surge in depression and suicide
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US life expectancy rose in 2022 but not to pre-pandemic levels
Speed Read Life expectancy is slowly crawling back up
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published