Transcript - Interview: Donald Trump Interviewed by Stephan Bachenheimer on Deutsche Welle - September 13, 2001 | Factba.se

Unidentified

00:00:00 - 00:00:06 (6 sec)

[Speaking in German]

Stephan Bachenheimer

00:00:06 - 00:00:20 (14 sec)

We are here a few blocks from World Trade Center and found all that stuff [Speaking in German], Donald Trump, [Speaking in German]. Mr. Trump, do you have any interest in the area down there that has been affected?

Donald Trump

00:00:20 - 00:00:28 (8 sec)

I have a lot of property down there, but it was unfortunately affected by what happened to the World Trade Center.

Stephan Bachenheimer

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

[Speaking in German]. What's your biggest fear, Mr. Trump?

Donald Trump

00:00:32 - 00:00:50 (18 sec)

Well, I just went to what they call ground zero. I've never seen anything like it. The devastation, the human life that's been just wasted for no reason whatsoever. It is a terrible scene and it's a terrible sight.

Donald Trump

00:00:50 - 00:00:56 (6 sec)

But New York is a very strong and resilient and they'll rebuild quickly.

Stephan Bachenheimer

00:00:56 - 00:01:03 (7 sec)

[Speaking in German]. Mr. Trump, what should be the response to this attack. How should the U.S.

Stephan Bachenheimer

00:01:03 - 00:01:05 (2 sec)

respond to such a devastating?

Donald Trump

00:01:05 - 00:01:23 (18 sec)

Well, I think they have to respond quickly and effectively. They have to find out exactly what the cause was, who did it and they have to go after these people because there is no other choice. And then secondarily and much less importantly, we have to rebuild in some form that will be just as majestic as the World Trade Center.

Stephan Bachenheimer

00:01:23 - 00:01:30 (7 sec)

Speaking in German]. Will you be involved? Will you take any efforts any steps to reconstruct the area?

Donald Trump

00:01:30 - 00:01:53 (23 sec)

Well, I have a lot of men down here right now, we have over 100 or we have about 125 coming, so we'll have a couple of hundred people down here and they're very brave in what they're doing is amazing. And we will be involved in some form and helping to reconstruct.

Stephan Bachenheimer

00:01:53 - 00:02:02 (9 sec)

[Speaking in German] What kind of costs would you estimate to rebuild this area, how much money has been lost in the attack?

Donald Trump

00:02:02 - 00:02:38 (36 sec)

I would say 15 to $20 billion, you're talking billions and billions of dollars and it's irreparable. But I really feel that the location is such and the importance of the monument is such that we have to rebuild. And again, not necessarily in the form of the two towers, but something has to be done that's very big and very majestic.

Stephan Bachenheimer

00:02:38 - 00:02:54 (16 sec)

[Speaking in German]. A lot of people ask how is it possible that a Boeing plane would be able to destroy or two planes would be able to destroy the twin towers because they were constructed to withstand like a 707 attack.

Donald Trump

00:02:54 - 00:03:24 (30 sec)

Well, it's tremendous power and tremendous heat. And people were willing to die. And when they're willing to die and when they're willing to become kamikazes of a sense, there's very little you can do about it. I mean the heat and the power actually it is amazing that the initial jolts didn't jar the building as much as people would have thought.

Donald Trump

00:03:24 - 00:03:40 (16 sec)

But the tremendous amounts of fuel that was dumped on the building and 1600 degrees temperature. I guess that's probably more than anything could take no matter what.

Stephan Bachenheimer

00:03:40 - 00:03:47 (7 sec)

[Speaking in German]. When do you think we will be start to rebuild?

Donald Trump

00:03:47 - 00:04:21 (34 sec)

Well, I would hope it would really be very quickly. A lot of great genius people in this city and I think that within a shorter period of time than first we have to get rid of what's there. And we have to save as many lives as possible if that is possible. Today they found five people under the rubble which is amazing alive.

Donald Trump

00:04:21 - 00:04:31 (10 sec)

But after that process takes place I think they can start thinking about rebuilding. Absolutely.

Stephan Bachenheimer

00:04:31 - 00:04:35 (4 sec)

[Speaking in German]. Mr. Trump, thanks a lot.

Unidentified

00:04:35 - 00:04:38 (3 sec)

[Speaking in German]