Exclusive: Former President Donald Trump interview
WAUKESHA, Wis. - Former President Donald Trump had a break in his criminal trial and hit the campaign trail, making a stop in Waukesha on Wednesday, May 1.
Before his speech, the former president spoke exclusively with FOX6 News, and answered questions about recent campus protests, the upcoming Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, as well as who he might pick as his running mate.
FOX6's Jason Calvi: What's the timeline for picking a vice president?
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Former President Donald Trump: Well, I'll be picking, but probably not too much before the convention, which I happen to be having in the great state of Wisconsin.
Calvi: You'll be here in Milwaukee. Are you worried about protests? We've seen these protests at campuses across the country. Are you worried that they're going to target Republicans, as well, in Milwaukee?
Trump: No, I don't see it. I do see a problem in Chicago for the Democrats, because they've handled things very poorly in so many different ways, and they have a person that doesn't even speak to the public. I don't know, has he came out and spoken yet? I don't think he's spoken about what's going on with the colleges and universities. So, I think you're going to have a little bit of a problem in Chicago. Maybe a big problem. I think here is going to be good.
Calvi: Confident in the Milwaukee Police Department handling this, and Secret Service?
Trump: Yeah, we have great respect for them. We’ve been dealing with them for over a year. You know, we made that choice of Milwaukee a while ago, and we’ve been dealing with them for over a year. And the relationship has been great.
Calvi: What's your message to the protesters? There’s some protesters at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as well as Milwaukee. What do you want to say to them, upset with Israel for the Israel-Hamas war?
Trump: We have to pull it together. We have to get together. Israel has to get up and finish what they’ve started. They have to finish it fast, get in done, and we have to get together as a world because the world is blowing up all over the place. Four years ago, there were none of these problems. Today, you have problems like nobody’s ever seen before. The world is blowing up, we have to bring it together.
Calvi: When you look at where you are right now in Waukesha, this is a county that has strong Republican support. Back in 2012, 66% of the county voted for Republicans. When you won the county, you won 60% How are you going to get support from suburban voters who might be turning away from you and maybe voting for an independent candidate or for Joe Biden?
Trump: Well, based on the polls, we have more than we’ve ever had here in this county, but just generally in the state. I think we have the highest number we’ve ever had. So, I think we’re going to keep it there and maybe build it. Because when you see the bad job Biden’s doing on the border, we have millions and millions of people flowing into our country…The economy is very bad, inflation is destroying people’s, it’s destroying the lives of a lot of people. We have record inflation, the country’s a mess.
Calvi: As you talk about inflation. That’s one of the points Republicans are hammering the president on. What about abortion? Democrats are hammering you on abortion. They’re saying you're going to support or potentially sign into law a national abortion ban. Would you veto a national abortion ban, if it reached your desk as president?
Trump: I'm not signing a national abortion ban. That’s Democrat misinformation. I’m the opposite. We fought for years, everybody did, both sides, they fought, they wanted to have state’s rights. Very important, states. They wanted to bring the state’s into it. And that’s Democrats and Republicans. And I got that done…And now it’s up to the states and I think it’s working out very well. Some states have surprising votes one way or the other. It’s now up to the states, it’s not up to me anymore.
Calvi: Last question on the VP shortlist. You got a big retreat this week, and you're going to have a lot of the leading candidates for that shortlist. Who's on the shortlist? Doug Burgum, Tulsi Gabbard, who are you looking at?
Trump: I mean, all good names. We were speaking before, all good names.
Calvi: Marco Rubio?
Trump: Marco's great. I think he's been great.
Calvi: He's one of your tops?
Trump: Well, he’s one of the people I respect. I can tell you Marco’s been great. But, so many people ask that question, usually it’s done right around the convention. So, it’s going to be done, and maybe it’s going to be done before you, because here we are in Wisconsin. We’ll be making that decision, I think, closer to Wisconsin-time, if you want to know the truth. It’s very early right now.
Calvi: No leading candidates of that list I just mentioned? Tim Scott, Sen. Scott? You’re looking at a senator, it seems like?
Trump: Senator Scott is fantastic. I always said to Tim, he campaigned, he did well, but he does really well as a surrogate for me. He's been incredible. He’s been to a lot of different networks and stations and does a fantastic job.
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Calvi: You're in trial pretty much every day, so wouldn’t it make sense to have that person out there right now for you?
Trump: Well, I’m in a fake trial. I'm in a trial that's Democrat. Where did it come from? It came from Biden. It’s a Biden trial.
Calvi: I don’t think there’s evidence of that, that he was involved with this.
Trump: There’s evidence, you just take a look. I mean, who’s heading up the trial? Take a look at the person setting it up. There’s a lot of evidence. There’s also common sense involved. There’s a lot of evidence. It’s disgraceful. Never happened in the history of our country before, what they’re doing. So, I call it the Biden trial. And it’s a fake deal and the voters get it and that’s why I’m up by so much.
Calvi: The jury will have their say, and you’ll have your say in court, as well.
