Trump in a “Time” interview
His radical plans
Donald Trump: “I would have no problems using the military”
© Jeenah Moon / Imago Images
Donald Trump is actually known for avoiding clear answers in interviews. In an interview with Time magazine, he spoke openly about his radical plans for a new term in office.
One might actually think that Donald Trump has other things on his mind than initiating the first major battle of the US election campaign. Finally, Trump is on trial in New York. But Trump wouldn’t be Trump if he didn’t do everything he could to gain sovereignty over the headlines. star-US correspondent Marc Etzold got an idea of the status of the trial in the last few days, sat in the courtroom and experienced a “Man between two worlds”. And so it is perhaps typical of Trump that he chooses this very moment to go on the offensive. Two worlds. Inside there are problems, outside what he does best: full-bodied announcements .
So he gave a remarkable interview to “Time” magazine, around six months before the presidential election in the USA. “Time” headlines with Trump, “If he wins,” is the neutral headline. But anyone who looks at the content and outlook quickly realizes that this interview, despite its neutrality, will quickly polarize. The scope of his plans is too drastic.
Donald Trump: mass deportations, detention camps, pregnancy surveillance
It’s about mass deportations, possible detention camps and monitoring of pregnancies to prevent abortions. A brief overview of the central statements:
- When asked whether he would be willing to override parts of the US Constitution when dealing with political opponents, Trump said: In his view, “the enemy within is often more dangerous to our country than external enemies like China, Russia or many other”.
- Regarding immigration policy, Trump said he would have no choice but to carry out mass deportations. The National Guard should be deployed for this purpose. “But I wouldn’t have a problem using the military either.” In response to the interviewer’s objection that US laws prohibit the use of the army against civilians on US soil, the ex-president replied that people who had entered the country illegally were “not civilians” but “an invasion.” He did not rule out detention camps for migrants.
- On the topic of abortion, which was hotly debated during the election campaign, Trump said that individual US states should set their own abortion laws. When asked whether states should monitor women’s pregnancies to check whether they have an abortion, the right-wing populist replied, “I think they could do that.” He will not stand in the way of introducing a US-wide abortion ban.
And then of course there was the question of possible violence in the event of another election defeat. The interview was conducted in two parts in April. Trump was asked both times whether he expected political violence after the election. The first time, the former president replied: “I think we will have a great victory. And I think there will be no violence.”
“It always depends on the fairness of an election”
In the second part of the interview he was asked specifically what would happen in the event of a defeat. “I think we will win. And if we don’t win, that’s what matters. It always comes down to the fairness of an election.” He then referred to his long-debunked claim that massive fraud deprived him of victory in the 2020 presidential election: “I don’t think they’re going to get away with it this time. And if they do, we’re going to win in record fashion. ” After an election victory, he will take legal action against current President Joe Biden: “Biden will certainly be prosecuted for all his crimes, because he has committed many crimes,” said the 77-year-old, without elaborating.
