Transcript - Interview: Bill Cunningham of 700WLW News Interviews Donald Trump in Lebanon, OH - October 12, 2018 | Factba.se

Bill Cunningham

00:00:00 - 00:00:02 (3 sec)

First of all, Mr. President, welcome to Cincinnati.

Donald Trump

00:00:02 - 00:00:03 (0 sec)

Bill Cunningham

00:00:03 - 00:00:04 (2 sec)

You have a long business relationship here.

Donald Trump

00:00:04 - 00:00:07 (3 sec)

I do. I've had a lot of relationships.

Bill Cunningham

00:00:07 - 00:00:08 (1 sec)

Swifton [Inaudible]

Donald Trump

00:00:08 - 00:00:18 (10 sec)

I had Swifton along with my father a long time ago and we -- we did a good job. We fixed it up. We -- 1,164 units, I remember it exactly. Fixed it, I worked here for two summers.

Bill Cunningham

00:00:18 - 00:00:18 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:00:18 - 00:00:22 (3 sec)

That's right. Right by Cincinnati. I don't know if it's still there.

Bill Cunningham

00:00:22 - 00:00:23 (2 sec)

No, they knocked it down about six months ago.

Donald Trump

00:00:23 - 00:00:24 (1 sec)

Oh, really? Wow.

Bill Cunningham

00:00:24 - 00:00:25 (1 sec)

Yeah. It's gone.

Donald Trump

00:00:25 - 00:00:27 (2 sec)

The whole thing including the garbage --

Bill Cunningham

00:00:27 - 00:00:28 (1 sec)

Everything. Everything's gone.

Donald Trump

00:00:28 - 00:00:29 (1 sec)

And what's going to happen with it?

Bill Cunningham

00:00:29 - 00:00:30 (2 sec)

Make it a housing development.

Donald Trump

00:00:30 - 00:00:40 (9 sec)

Wow. Okay, good. But it was great for us. We fixed it and sold it for more money and it was very good. But I loved Cinci -- The Queen City, I love the Queen City.

Bill Cunningham

00:00:40 - 00:00:43 (3 sec)

Let's talk about what happened today with Pastor Bronson.

Donald Trump

00:00:43 - 00:00:43 (0 sec)

Bill Cunningham

00:00:43 - 00:00:53 (10 sec)

Major accomplishment. You're like the hostage receiving president . All of the world they're coming in. How important was it to get back this religious leader who was being persecuted in Turkey?

Donald Trump

00:00:53 - 00:01:10 (17 sec)

Well, he is, and he's a great religious leader and he was, you know, they accused him of things that he didn't do, but we got them back. And we got back [Inaudible]. We got back many people, actually. If you look at it it's like -- it seems like all the time we're bringing back people. And I know President Obama paid $1.8 billion --

Bill Cunningham

00:01:10 - 00:01:10 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:01:10 - 00:01:26 (15 sec)

-- to bring back a few people from Iran. $1.8 billion. And we got him back and he's going to be safe, very shortly he's in the air. Just -- literally just took off and he'll be in the office, he'll be in the Oval Office probably sometime Saturday.

Bill Cunningham

00:01:26 - 00:01:27 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:01:27 - 00:01:40 (13 sec)

A big welcome. Yeah. You know, Evangelicals, Christians, everybody, everybody wanted him back. What happened to him was incredible. And he was held hostage but now he's -- he's going to be happy. I'm sure he's very happy right now. He's in good shape.

Bill Cunningham

00:01:40 - 00:01:43 (3 sec)

Let's talk about your wife. Melania's trip to Africa.

Donald Trump

00:01:43 - 00:01:43 (0 sec)

Bill Cunningham

00:01:43 - 00:01:49 (6 sec)

Which is unbelievable what happened there. Talk about what was the goal and what was accomplished with Melania in Africa.

Donald Trump

00:01:49 - 00:02:16 (26 sec)

Well, she's a terrific first lady and a great human being, and she wanted to go and see for herself Africa because we've heard so much about it. Some very good stuff but some very tough stuff in the sense of the way people live. And she made four stops and she also went to the pyramids in Egypt and it was quite something special. But -- and the poverty is incredible the level of poverty.

Donald Trump

00:02:16 - 00:02:39 (24 sec)

It was very sad -- beautiful in one way and very sad in another. Kids were beautiful. They loved her. And she came back and she said I hope you're going to continue to give a lot of money because they need it. It's not a question of -- it's not a question of defense it's not a question -- or it's just on a human basis, they need it. And she had a big impact on me. I will tell you, Bill, she really had a big impact on me.

Bill Cunningham

00:02:39 - 00:02:51 (12 sec)

And the other thing, the Midwest. I look at Canada, Mexico, and South Korea. Millions of jobs have been created. And you were told a year or two ago by Gary Cohen and others that, you know, the Canada deal is probably not going to happen.

Bill Cunningham

00:02:51 - 00:03:06 (14 sec)

Mexico is too tough. NAFTA is ingrained. What did you do that cost Canada, may not be real happy right now, and Mexico may not be really happy, and then South Korea to kind of play because we're the big dog in the kennel but they don't treat us that way. What did you do with the trade deal?

Donald Trump

00:03:06 - 00:03:17 (11 sec)

And we're also the piggy bank that everybody wants to come in and rob. And Mexico, we made a deal, and we tell them, "Look, otherwise we're going to have to just tax your car industry." which would have been bad for them.

Donald Trump

00:03:17 - 00:03:29 (12 sec)

And frankly, I wouldn't have wanted to do it but we were going to do it and we made a deal with Mexico. We could not make a deal with Canada that just wouldn't make a deal that was fair for us because NAFTA was a total and complete disaster. You know that better than anybody.

Bill Cunningham

00:03:29 - 00:03:29 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:03:29 - 00:03:30 (2 sec)

You saw what happened over here with --

Bill Cunningham

00:03:30 - 00:03:31 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:03:31 - 00:03:32 (1 sec)

-- you still have buildings empty --

Bill Cunningham

00:03:32 - 00:03:33 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:03:33 - 00:03:54 (22 sec)

-- well, they just -- everybody moved out. I don't know what they were thinking. So that's why I refuse to call it NAFTA. I said, "The deal we're making, I refuse." So we called the USMCA and it works good but we made a great deal with -- with everybody. What happened then is Canada came along in the end. We were unable to make it. I said, "We're going to tax you cars coming in."

Bill Cunningham

00:03:54 - 00:03:55 (1 sec)

Then what happened?

Donald Trump

00:03:55 - 00:03:56 (1 sec)

And they made a deal.

Bill Cunningham

00:03:56 - 00:03:57 (1 sec)

They made a deal.

Donald Trump

00:03:57 - 00:04:07 (10 sec)

They made a deal and it's a deal that we're very happy with. I hope they're very happy with. I hope everybody is. But it's a fair deal for us and we have -- now we just made a deal with South Korea, which is --

Bill Cunningham

00:04:07 - 00:04:08 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:04:08 - 00:04:28 (20 sec)

-- much -- a much improved -- approved deal, you know, improved. I will say that Hillary Clinton, you remember, she made that deal and she said it's 250,000 jobs, and she was right, for South Korea. So they got 250, we didn't get 250. It was a terrible deal. So essentially, we terminated that deal and we made a new deal with South Korea. So we're doing a lot.

Bill Cunningham

00:04:28 - 00:04:32 (4 sec)

Mr. President, how many jobs are talking about here? We talk about Canada and Mexico. Are we talking about a million? [Inaudible]

Donald Trump

00:04:32 - 00:04:38 (6 sec)

Well, we're talking about millions of jobs. But don't forget we've opened up countries that were just totally close to us.

Bill Cunningham

00:04:38 - 00:04:38 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:04:38 - 00:04:57 (19 sec)

If you look at Canada, we couldn't sell our dairy product there, and if we did it was a 300% tariff. People talk about that. You know, if I put on a 10% or 20% tariff they make a big deal. They have 300% actually, 300%, 275%, 285%, these are the tariffs they charge.

Donald Trump

00:04:57 - 00:05:13 (17 sec)

So essentially, that's a wall because if you have to pay a tariff like that you can't sell the product, it's so expensive. So we've opened up Canada and we have a very good relationship now. I think they respect us more than they did before but now at least it's fair, and our farmers are in love with it, you see what's going on.

Bill Cunningham

00:05:13 - 00:05:14 (1 sec)

It's beautiful.

Donald Trump

00:05:14 - 00:05:31 (17 sec)

Now we're working on China and we're working on the European Union, which have absolutely taken advantage of our country. The European Union has been brutal in the way they took advantage of the United States for many years. I mean, they were formed to take advantage of the United States. That was the reason they were formed.

Donald Trump

00:05:31 - 00:05:52 (21 sec)

How can we -- how can we take from the United States. So the European Union they formed and they are very unfair to us. They have barriers where we can't sell into their -- into their countries. They have tremendous tariffs that make it impossible and yet they sell Mercedes-Benz and BMWs, by the millions they come in.

Bill Cunningham

00:05:52 - 00:05:52 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:05:52 - 00:06:12 (20 sec)

Millions. And we charge them, essentially no tax. It's 2.5% but for the most part they don't even collect it. So we charge them virtually nothing and they send millions and millions of cars. If we want to send a piece of grain, okay, if we want to send a piece of grain, we can't do it into the European Union. So it's unfair.

Donald Trump

00:06:12 - 00:06:29 (18 sec)

We met with them, I told them I'm going to start taxing your cars, because Obama they wouldn't even talk to America. They said, "We're very happy the way we are." and that's -- that was it. Obama just went away. And then with us I said, "Look, we want to talk." I didn't hear from us. I said we want a talk I didn't hear -- Third time I said, "Listen --

Bill Cunningham

00:06:29 - 00:06:30 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:06:30 - 00:06:38 (8 sec)

-- if you're not going to call me back but I'm going to give you one more chance. And he said, "That's okay. I'm going to tax you cars at 25% coming in." which is frankly more money.

Bill Cunningham

00:06:38 - 00:06:38 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:06:38 - 00:06:48 (9 sec)

It's devastating to them but it's more money. And they immediately hopped in a plane and came over and talked and now they want to make a deal. I don't know that we're going to make a deal with them. I can tell you, they want to.

Bill Cunningham

00:06:48 - 00:06:48 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:06:48 - 00:06:50 (2 sec)

But we're going to make it one way or the other. The easy way [Inaudible]

Bill Cunningham

00:06:50 - 00:07:04 (14 sec)

We've built China $500 billion a year, $ 5 trillion over 10. We've built Shanghai. We've built Beijing. At some point we're going to start building America. They've got the new airports, we don't have the new airport. They got the new bridges, we don't have the bridges. At some point our money's got to come back to America.

Donald Trump

00:07:04 - 00:07:11 (8 sec)

You're so right. So, China has been taking out $500 billion yet people have no idea what that is. $500 billion. We have rebuilt China.

Bill Cunningham

00:07:11 - 00:07:13 (1 sec)

Can't do it anymore.

Donald Trump

00:07:13 - 00:07:27 (15 sec)

And I have a very good relationship with President Xi but I said we can't do it. Very simple, "We can't do it anymore." We're not going to do it anymore. So we've now put on $250 billion worth of tariffs. And by the way, there's been no impact, there's been no effect.

Bill Cunningham

00:07:27 - 00:07:28 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:07:28 - 00:07:48 (21 sec)

But what people don't say is that we're taking in billions of dollars in our treasury because it's a 25%. So we take it in billions of dollars and we have -- we're going to create jobs. Now some of these things that we're not buying from China, or they become expensive because of the tariffs, they're going to start building these plants here to make the product here which is the old fashioned way. That's the way we used to do it.

Donald Trump

00:07:48 - 00:08:09 (21 sec)

So China has been -- Look, China is the biggest of them all by far, it's probably 60% of our trade loss. We lost, over the last few years, an average of $800 billion a year on trade. We lose with everybody. Those days are over, Bill.

Bill Cunningham

00:08:09 - 00:08:22 (13 sec)

Now lastly, we have the midterms coming up. One of my favorite movies is Jimmy Stewart, It's a Wonderful Life. I look at Bedford Falls, Pelosi takes the house, Schumer takes the Senate. Your life becomes miserable the last two years.

Donald Trump

00:08:22 - 00:08:39 (17 sec)

What do you say to middle class Americans all over the country that say, "You know what? We don't want Bedford Falls the way it looked. We want the New Bedford Falls." What do you say to those who say, the midterms, relax take it easy, not important, Renacci, whether it's Blackburn or Heller, we don't have to worry about that. What do you say to motivate the base?

Donald Trump

00:08:39 - 00:08:49 (11 sec)

Well, I hope Renacci's going to do well, first of all, he's a great guy, but I just say, this is countrywide. Just forget it countrywide. You have to go out and vote. My poll numbers are so good but a lot of people say I'm not running so we're not going to vote.

Bill Cunningham

00:08:49 - 00:08:52 (2 sec)

51% Rasmusen, 51.

Donald Trump

00:08:52 - 00:09:12 (20 sec)

Now we're doing great. And then they say you can add a lot to it because when people hang up and they say we don't want to talk to you that means it's a Trump vote. I don't know if that's good or bad but that's what it means. We have to do well. I will say, I think we're going to do very well on the Senate and a lot of things have happened since Justice -- now Justice Kavanaugh [Inaudible]

Bill Cunningham

00:09:12 - 00:09:14 (2 sec)

And 15 judges -- 15 new judges.

Donald Trump

00:09:14 - 00:09:36 (21 sec)

Many, many judges. And we're going to have 145 judges fairly soon. When you think about it, I mean, 145, it will be close to 50% of the whole judiciary. Not only two Supreme Court justices. So -- but that was a very big thing happened over the last couple of weeks with Justice Kavanaugh because I've rarely seen a person treated so badly.

Donald Trump

00:09:36 - 00:09:45 (9 sec)

The man of great distinction, a great life, and the way they treated him was horrible. And since that happened Republicans are looking, so is everybody. They see what's going on --

Bill Cunningham

00:09:45 - 00:09:59 (14 sec)

Is that the law of unintended consequences? Because as -- I've had many women whispered in my ear, "You know, Bill, I'm with Kavanaugh." They don't want to say it publicly but if you sense -- in a weird sense Kavanaugh is motivated the Republican base. Otherwise, it wouldn't have happened.

Donald Trump

00:09:59 - 00:10:05 (5 sec)

Well I don't know if you're going with me later, I hope you are. And you've been a great friend of mine and I appreciate it. You've been a very terrific guy.

Bill Cunningham

00:10:05 - 00:10:05 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:10:05 - 00:10:09 (4 sec)

You're also a terrific talent. You know a lot of people can't do what you do. You know --

Bill Cunningham

00:10:09 - 00:10:10 (1 sec)

All I do is talk.

Donald Trump

00:10:10 - 00:10:28 (18 sec)

Well, there's Rush and about -- that -- not too many. And Shawn, as you know, Shawn is great, but these are great people, great talents, and I appreciate it. Now we have to do well. I think we're going to do well in the Senate. I think we could pick up some seats in the Senate. And the polls, if you look three weeks ago and you look now, it's like --

Bill Cunningham

00:10:28 - 00:10:30 (3 sec)

Especially Blackburn, like Blackburn. She was down.

Donald Trump

00:10:30 - 00:10:45 (14 sec)

She's 10 points down, now she's 4 or 5 points up. Marsha from Tennessee, almost all of them. Now, I don't know how you're doing here. I know it's a tough race but it's unfortunate because he's such a good man. I mean I don't know.

Bill Cunningham

00:10:45 - 00:10:50 (5 sec)

Sherrod Brown is a socialist but, you know, he -- a lot of Trump voters are voting for Sherrod Brown.

Donald Trump

00:10:50 - 00:10:54 (4 sec)

He's going around and a lot of people think he's my best friend in the world. The ads are like Trump ads.

Bill Cunningham

00:10:54 - 00:10:55 (1 sec)

He talks well about you.

Donald Trump

00:10:55 - 00:10:58 (3 sec)

I know, it's amazing, except it's only during this period of time.

Bill Cunningham

00:10:58 - 00:10:59 (1 sec)

That's six weeks.

Donald Trump

00:10:59 - 00:11:07 (8 sec)

After it's over, so it's one of those six. But I hope it does well and I hope that Steve does well. I think he's doing well for Congress.

Bill Cunningham

00:11:07 - 00:11:08 (1 sec)

Sherrod for the win.

Donald Trump

00:11:08 - 00:11:17 (10 sec)

I hear he's doing well. So I think that's very important and I'm here for him. But I just want to thank you for everything you've done and hopefully people are going to realize that this is a very important election. Midterms.

Donald Trump

00:11:17 - 00:11:32 (14 sec)

I think, frankly, I think people are viewing this as very important. You know, usually midterms are like sleepers. People, they are energized. And for those that say that the -- that the blue is energized, meaning the Democrats and we're not. I think, personally, I think we're more energized.

Bill Cunningham

00:11:32 - 00:11:42 (11 sec)

Wait until you see 11. They lined up yesterday morning. There's 20,000 trying to get into 2,000. It's a problem with the size of the arena. Wait to see what happens in about an hour. You're not going to believe the energy.

Donald Trump

00:11:42 - 00:11:55 (13 sec)

Well, we had it in Erie Pennsylvania the other night with 25,000 people outside of a 12,000-seat arena. It's been amazing. And if that kind of, you know, action shows up in three weeks, can you imagine? It's just a little more than three weeks.

Bill Cunningham

00:11:55 - 00:12:00 (5 sec)

We got the energy for the next three weeks because you're like Elvis in Aloha and that 1968.

Donald Trump

00:12:00 - 00:12:01 (1 sec)

Yeah. I know. It's good old days.

Bill Cunningham

00:12:01 - 00:12:04 (2 sec)

You got three more weeks. You got three weeks.

Donald Trump

00:12:04 - 00:12:13 (9 sec)

Well, I have 25 days, and 25 days I'm out campaigning for many of those days. I'd do all of them. But you can only move this big equipment so often --

Bill Cunningham

00:12:13 - 00:12:13 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:12:13 - 00:12:26 (13 sec)

-- okay, and Secret Service and all of that but we're very, very busy and we'll go into the races that are close, we're slightly ahead or slightly behind. And we're making a lot of stops and this one we're doing for Stevie, he should win.

Bill Cunningham

00:12:26 - 00:12:27 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:12:27 - 00:12:33 (6 sec)

He's really good and he should win. But I will be very upset if he tested but I think he's going to.

Bill Cunningham

00:12:33 - 00:12:34 (2 sec)

Mr. President, you're the best. You're a great American.

Donald Trump

00:12:34 - 00:12:35 (0 sec)

And so are you.

Bill Cunningham

00:12:35 - 00:12:55 (20 sec)

I say that all the time but you're a great American. Keep doing what you're doing for the voices you don't hear and the faces you don't see. You're going to see a few in an hour or so, but those people, you're the hero. I was with Reagan in '84 when he came here, I thought Reagan was a star, he was the Rolling Stones you're The Beatles. You're on the Ed Sullivan Show. I'm serious about this. Wait to see what happens in Warren County.

Donald Trump

00:12:55 - 00:13:01 (6 sec)

Are you going to be down? I wish you'd come if you want. I mean, I'd love to have you. I'd love to have you, we're going to have a lot of fun down there.

Bill Cunningham

00:13:01 - 00:13:02 (1 sec)

Well, let me see, let me see.

Donald Trump

00:13:02 - 00:13:13 (11 sec)

I've got to get down there you come backstage with us, okay? I'd love to -- But I really do appreciate your support, Bill. You're such an important voice and you've been with us and you know, just say hello to all your people, you have a lot of them.

Bill Cunningham

00:13:13 - 00:13:13 (1 sec)

You're a great American.

Donald Trump

00:13:13 - 00:13:15 (1 sec)

Thank you. Thank you very much.

Bill Cunningham

00:13:15 - 00:13:18 (3 sec)

Thank you. Thank you. God bless you.

Donald Trump

00:13:18 - 00:13:19 (2 sec)