Thursday, August 20, 2015

Trump's cover story interview with the Hollywood Reporter



Janice Min writes at The Hollywood Reporter that Donald Trump
admires Ronald Reagan, and a bust of the late commander in chief in his office is a business award with Trump's name on it. If the 40th president was "The Great Communicator," Trump, who rose to prominence not as an actor but by playing himself on TV, is the 21st century version: The Great Entertainer. And right now, it is working.

You voted for Reagan, right?

I did. I was friendly with him.

Is he your model?

No, he's not a model. I didn't like NAFTA [NAFTA was signed into law by Bill Clinton in 1993, but Reagan first proposed a "North American accord" in a 1979 speech, and a precursor to NAFTA was signed by the U.S. and Canada in 1988.], I didn't like some of the economic policies. But he was a man that I respected and liked, and he liked me.

But he also could broach moderates, conservatives, Democrats.

He did. Well, he was a Democrat with a liberal bent as a younger man. And then he became a conservative Republican. He had a great way about him. A great sense of dignity. And he was a wonderful father for the country in a sense. He had a great feel for what the country represents.

...Obviously, the power of your celebrity and brand means something.

If I weren't a successful person, it wouldn't work as well. Voters have great confidence in me because I really have been successful. I have an income of over $400 million a year. I don't need anybody's money. I was offered $5 million last week by a lobbyist to put in the campaign. I said, "No, I don't need it." He said, "What do you mean, 'I don't need it?' " I said I don't need it. This is a guy that I know well, a good lobbyist, a tough cookie. He's not giving to me because he thinks I have the most beautiful hair he's ever seen. He's giving to me because when he has one of his companies in trouble or needs something, they want to call me and say, "Hey, Don, how you doing? Remember me?" I don't need that stuff. Whereas Jeb Bush, with $114 million that he raised [so far this year], and Hillary with the $60 million [CBS News reports she raised $47 million in the campaign's first quarter] and everyone else with the money they raised, they're going to be called upon, and they're going to have to do those things like little puppets. So people do respect that about me. I don't need it.

Do you think Bloomberg will support you?

I don't know. He is a friend of mine, he likes me. I saved him on the big project in the Bronx [Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point], which was taking years. It's been under construction for 25 years, and I got it built in 11 months, got it open [in April]. We are on the opposite side of the spectrum on guns. So for that reason alone perhaps he wouldn't.

Whose side are you on in Deflategate — Tom Brady or Roger Goodell?

Tom Brady. Tom is an unbelievable guy. He's a very good friend of mine. I have his number right here someplace. Whatever. Here, look, he just called me. (He holds up a Post-it that says "Tom Brady's New Cell #.")

If you're Jeb Bush, how would you compete against Donald Trump?

Jeb is a very nice person, but he is very low energy. And you need a person with great energy, enthusiasm and brainpower to straighten out our country. Our country is a mess in almost every way.

Eventually, HBO will do a movie about this election. Who should play you?

Somebody really, really handsome. That's the only thing that matters. I don't care if he can act well. He's got to be really, really good-looking. OK?
Read more here.

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