Donald Trump has defended his tariffs by saying that Americans “signed up for it” in a landmark interview marking 100 days since he re-entered the Oval Office.
During a tense sit-down interview with ABC reporter Terry Moran, the pair clashed over tariff policies, deportations, and his recent talks with Pete Hegseth.
The President made jabs at the journalist and the network, saying that he had “never heard” of Morgan and that the station “is one of the worst”.
He disputed suggestions his tenure in office would be a tough economic period for Americans, instead saying he believed “great times” are ahead and that China would “eat the tariffs”.
Donald Trump clashes with ABC reporter
ABC
Analysts have predicted that due to economic uncertainty caused by the tariffs announced earlier this month, American families may be paying thousands more dollars per year.
“There is a lot of concern out there,” Moran told him. “People are worried, even some people who voted for you, saying, ‘I didn't sign up for this.’ So, how do you answer those concerns?”
“Well, they did sign up for it, actually,” Trump replied. “And this is what I campaigned on. I said that we've been abused by other countries at levels that nobody's ever seen before.”
He said that the US was “losing three to five billion a day on trade” which was “not sustainable” and that Americans were being “taken advantage of us like that”.
Trump added: “I could have left it that way, and at some point that would have been an implosion like nobody's ever seen. But I said, No, we have to fix it. I've wanted to do this for many years. You know, I had the best economy during my first term.”
“So your answer to the concern about the tariffs is, ‘Everything’s gonna be hunky-dory?” Moran asked.
“Everybody’s gonna be just fine,” Trump responded. “It wouldn’t have been if I didn’t do this. I had a choice. I could leave it, have a nice, easy time. But I think ultimately you wouldn’t have had an implosion. Our country had inflation that was worse than it’s ever had before. You don’t mention that. Why don’t you mention that?”
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Donald Trump after returning from attending a rally at Macomb Community College to mark his 100th day in officeReuters
President Donald Trump has shaken global markets with a raft of new tariffs REUTERSThe pair also clashed over a discussion of deported El Salvador native and Maryland father Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who Trump believes was a member of the MS-13 gang.
“You could get him back, there’s a phone on this desk,” said Moran, noting a Supreme Court order to “facilitate” the release of Garcia, who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador.
“I could,” Trump replied. “And if he were the gentleman that you say he is, I would do that. But he is not.”
The conversation grew tense when the allegedly photoshopped images of Abrego Garcia's left hand with the characters 'MS-13' were raised.
The White House argues the symbols represent the gang name but many online have claimed they have been added digitally to mislead the public.
“That was photoshop? Terry, you can’t do that,” Trump said. “They’re giving you the big break of a lifetime. You know, you’re doing the interview. I picked you because – frankly I never hard of you but that’s ok.”
“But I picked you, Terry, but you’re not being very nice,” Trump added.
Trump also brushed off a question about his support for Hegseth, who is facing allegations that he had used an unsecure chat on Signal to share sensitive information, including to his wife and a reporter.
Moran asked if the President has "100 per cent confidence" in the Defence Secretary, to which Trump replied: "I don't have 100 per cent confidence in anything, okay? Anything,"
Trump also brushed off a question about his support for Hegseth
REUTERS"Do I have 100 per cent? - It's a stupid question."
"It's a pretty important position," Moran interjected.
"No, no, no," Trump pushed back. "You don't have 100 per cent - only a liar would say I have 100 per cent confidence. I don't have 100 per cent confidence that we're gonna finish this interview."
"We will," Moran asserted.
He was also annoyed by a question from Moran wondering if "the reputation of the United States has gone down under" his presidency.
The President went in on to list the failures of the Biden administration and the unwillingness of the mainstream media to cover his decline.
'We were laughed at all over the world. We had -- a president that couldn't walk up a flight of stairs, couldn't walk down a flight of stairs, couldn't walk across a stage without falling. We had a president that was grossly incompetent,' he said.
'You knew it, I knew it, and everybody knew it. But you guys didn't want to write it because you're fake news and, by the way, ABC is one of the worst. I have to be honest with you.'
'Thank you for the opinion. But more importantly, thank you for having us here,' Moran replies.
The conversation ended with a cordial exchange of 'thank yous' from the pair.
