In a candid interview with political consultant and longtime ally Roger Stone on WABC Radio on Sunday, former President Donald Trump blasted ongoing investigations into his affairs while capitalizing on recent allegations against Joe Biden.
During the interview, Stone discussed the recent allegations against Biden and his son Hunter. House Republicans said they had discovered evidence of bribes totaling $5 million each from the Ukrainian government, purportedly to pressure then-Vice President Biden into forcing the termination of a Ukrainian prosecutor investigating corruption related to Hunter Biden and Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company.
Trump suggested that the new indictment against him by special counsel Jack Smith was a strategic move to distract from the allegations against the Bidens, saying, “I think they are bad people. They’re thugs.”
The former president also didn’t shy away from attacking his detractors, particularly Bill Barr, the former Attorney General whom Trump fired.
“Bill Barr is I think he’s more weak than anything else,” he said. “He was a coward, and unfortunately, we have to live with that. But what he’s done and the way he talks now is disgraceful. It’s actually unpatriotic,” said Trump.
Trump also slammed the mainstream media, criticizing what he perceives as its failure to adequately cover allegations against the Bidens and continuing his longstanding attacks on the “fake news.”
Trump Leads in Polls, Criticizes DeSantis Candidacy
Trump celebrated his current standing in the polls, where he leads Biden. He touted his past achievements during his tenure as president and pledged to “Make America Great again” if reelected in 2024.
A recent CBS News poll has President Donald Trump leading his nearest opponent, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, with a staggering 61% to 23%. The poll, released this morning, also revealed that 14% of the polled voters were leaning toward Trump. If these leaning voters are included, the President’s potential total rises to 75%.
Trump didn’t mince his words about DeSantis’s performance as a candidate. “Well, I think that he’s doing very poorly,” said Trump. “He has a personality problem. He’s got none.”
Governor DeSantis is no stranger to Trump’s backing; the President endorsed DeSantis in the 2018 primary, which many attribute as a significant factor in his eventual victory. Despite this, Trump seems to have lost faith in the Governor. He recalled a time when DeSantis was desperate for his endorsement, stating, “I can’t tell you how strongly he begged me.”
Trump also took a jab at DeSantis’s recent public appearances, stating, “If you watched in North Carolina, if you watched yesterday or Georgia, he made a speech and everybody fell asleep.”
The President criticized DeSantis’s handling of his political career, referencing when the Governor was running for the first time. According to Trump, DeSantis was considering jobs at law firms, already seeming to give up on politics. This changed when he got the Trump endorsement. “He went like a rocket ship up,” said Trump, “and he ended up winning in a landslide.”
Trump emphasized that his support was a crucial factor in DeSantis’s election victories, pointing to multiple rallies he held for the Governor, helping him secure his position against strong Democrat candidates.
However, Trump expressed dissatisfaction when DeSantis was asked if he would run against the President and responded with, “I have no comment on that.” Trump viewed this as an act of disloyalty. “This guy’s going to run. So I consider it very disloyal, and I’m not a fan of his,” he said.
He also took a swipe at DeSantis’s record as Governor, arguing that anyone could be a good governor of Florida given the state’s inherent advantages. “Anybody at Florida. You have the sun, you have the ocean, you have a great state, you have a great work ethic,” he said.
Trump Slams Bill Barr and Democrats Ruining our Great Country
Turning to Barr, Trump labeled him as a “slob” and “stupid person,” expressing frustration with those who he believes are undermining his administration’s achievements.
Trump’s tone escalated as he issued a stark warning against what he perceives as a shift towards communism and Marxism in the country, stating, “Our country is going communist. It’s going Marxist. It’s going really bad. And the people of our country aren’t that way, but the people running it are.”
He further suggested that the country’s open borders policy had led to an influx of around 15 million people, many of whom he claimed were from prisons and mental institutions. “They’re dumping them in our country, and we cannot let it happen,” Trump said.
The former President also voiced concerns over a potential rise in taxes, the loss of election integrity, and energy prices, attributing these issues to a rigged election.
Despite his grave concerns, Trump issued a rallying call for peaceful protest, urging supporters to demonstrate strength and express their dissatisfaction with the state of the nation. Responding to Stone’s question about supporters’ planned peaceful demonstration, Trump stated, “Look, our country has to protest. We have plenty of protest to protest. We’ve lost everything.”
Trump Believes He Could Solve Ukraine Conflict, Advocates for America’s Return to Former Glory
Former President Donald Trump voiced his confidence in his ability to resolve the war in Ukraine, citing his strong diplomatic relationships with global leaders. Trump also expressed his vision of restoring America to its former state of prosperity and strength.
Stone pointed out past precedents, citing Dwight Eisenhower’s successful pledge to end the Korean War and Richard Nixon’s commitment to conclude the Vietnam War. Stone urged Trump to run as the “peace candidate,” believing that Trump’s credibility and track record uniquely position him to resolve the Ukraine conflict.
When asked why Vladimir Putin did not invade Ukraine during his term, Trump replied, “So the reason he didn’t invade was that I told him not to in very strong terms.” He also attributed his success to his ability to establish and maintain a strong relationship with Putin.
Trump stated that the perceived failure in Afghanistan might have prompted Putin’s aggression in Ukraine. He insisted, however, that such an invasion would never have happened during his term. “These people don’t know what they’re doing with Milley and all of these characters, this is the time to go in and do what he’s always wanted to do, but he never would have done it with me,” Trump said.
Trump similarly commented on his relationship with President Xi of China, stating, “I had a great relationship until COVID, and I didn’t want a relationship, actually, but we would have a great relationship again.”
Trump recounted his financial aid to American farmers, who had been impacted by China’s policies. “I gave the farmers $28 billion, a gift from China. That was a gift from China because of what China did to our farmers,” he stated, expressing his confidence in winning the support of farm states such as Iowa and Nebraska.
Trump Asserts Election Interference, Discusses Afghanistan Withdrawal
Trump suggested that he had been the victim of political persecution because of his high polling numbers.
“If I weren’t leading, this would never happen. Or if I wasn’t running even more, so this would never happen. These fake charges, it’s just fake,” Trump stated. He also criticized the handling of undisclosed “boxes” by Biden, suggesting a lack of transparency and security in their management.
Describing the FBI raid, Trump depicted a scene of harsh intrusion, claiming agents perused his wife Melania’s personal items and termed the operation a “disgrace.” He attributed the perceived mistreatment to political reasons and the current administration’s weak polling.
Turning his attention to foreign policy, Trump lamented the withdrawal from Afghanistan, criticizing the order of the exit and its resulting fatalities. He also expressed concern about the equipment left behind, stating, “Afghanistan now is one of the largest sellers of military equipment anywhere in the world. They’re selling that beautiful brand new equipment.”
Trump contrasted his administration’s treatment of the Taliban, pointing out his direct communication with its leader, Abdul, to prevent attacks on American troops. “I went 18 months. Not one soldier was even shot at,” he claimed.
Trump Vows to Declassify JFK Assassination Files, Shares His View on UFO and Ethanol Industry
addressed the controversial topic of JFK’s assassination. He signaled his intention to declassify all remaining documents on the subject, which he had started during his term but had not fully accomplished due to concerns expressed by State Department officials. “I will do the rest very early in the term as I get into office. I think it’s time now,” said Trump.
The discussion turned to the topic of extraterrestrial life and Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs). Though Trump admitted to having access to “interesting reports,” he clarified that he was not a firm believer in extraterrestrial life, suggesting that terrestrial issues, such as foreign relations and domestic politics, took precedence in his mind.
Another major point in the interview was Trump’s firm support for ethanol, an issue of significant importance in Iowa, a crucial state for the 2024 Presidential election. The former President expressed his perplexity over how any farmer could vote against him, citing his support for the ethanol industry and his trade deal success with China that benefited farmers.
Trump took the opportunity to critique Governor DeSantis’ political positions on Social Security, Medicare, and ethanol, asserting that Iowa, with its robust farming industry, would remain “Trump Country”. He claimed DeSantis had previously been “totally against” ethanol, which could potentially alienate him from Iowa voters.
In his closing remarks, Trump cautioned the Biden administration against renegotiating USMCA, the trade deal he established with Mexico and Canada. He credited this agreement with bringing significant benefits to U.S. farmers and manufacturers. He also reinforced his commitment to the people relying on Social Security and Medicare, dismissing any suggestion of altering these programs.
Listen to the full interview below:
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