In conversation with President Trump

He repeatedly cites 'regulation, regulation, and taxes' as the top levers to restart business activity, arguing his corporate tax cut from ~35–40% to 21% both boosted revenues and repatriated hundreds of billions of dollars (e.g., Apple). He claims business leaders value his regulatory cuts even more than the tax cuts. On trade, he advocates a 'Reciprocal Trade Act'—matching other countries’ tariffs one-for-one—and sees tariffs as both an economic tool and a geopolitical lever, especially against China and in response to countries shifting away from the U.S. dollar.

Trump describes major Democratic-run cities (Chicago, New York, LA, Oakland) as suffering a 'crime wave,' with organized retail theft, locked-up basic goods, and de facto immunity for theft under certain dollar thresholds. He argues that disempowering police and maintaining high-tax, high-regulation environments accelerate flight of residents and businesses, eroding quality of life and municipal viability.

Confronted with the fact that roughly $7–8 trillion in debt was added under his tenure and a similar amount under Biden, Trump distinguishes his COVID-era emergency spending from what he calls Biden’s unnecessary, inflationary trillions. His forward-looking plan centers on growth via energy expansion ('liquid gold' under our feet), efficiency gains, and devolving functions like education and some environmental oversight to the states. He promises to effectively shutter the Department of Education, send education back to the states with about half the current federal dollars, and maintain only a 'tiny' federal oversight core.

Trump refuses to categorically rule out U.S. troops in Ukraine but strongly signals reluctance, emphasizing that Europe should shoulder more of the burden and that Ukraine’s NATO aspirations were a major provocation to Russia. He criticizes Biden and Blinken for signaling NATO and nuclear deployments in Ukraine, asserting the war would not have occurred under him. In the Middle East, he argues Iran was 'broke' under his sanctions, which constrained Hamas/Hezbollah, and says Biden’s sanctions relief and oil purchases (notably by China) rebuilt Iran’s war chest. On China, he rejects the idea that war is inevitable, casting himself as a negotiator who can maintain peace while competing economically.

Trump takes explicit credit for overturning Roe v. Wade through his Supreme Court appointments but emphasizes that his aim was to return the issue to the states. He states clearly he would not support a federal/national abortion ban and reiterates support for exceptions in cases of rape, incest, and life of the mother. He frames the 'radicalism' as primarily on the left, citing late-term and post-birth abortion rhetoric, and underscores that state-level referenda are already producing varied, often more pro-choice outcomes he says he will respect.