Transcript - Interview: Donald Trump Interview by Megyn Kelly on Fox - May 17, 2016 | Factba.se

Megyn Kelly

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

Seventeen candidates down and Trump is the last man standing. The presumptive Republican nominee. Let's begin.

Megyn Kelly

00:00:09 - 00:00:10 (2 sec)

Thank you for sitting down with me.

Donald Trump

00:00:10 - 00:00:11 (1 sec)

Thank you very much. My honor.

Megyn Kelly

00:00:11 - 00:00:13 (2 sec)

It's been a long nine months.

Donald Trump

00:00:13 - 00:00:15 (2 sec)

It has been a long time, I agree.

Megyn Kelly

00:00:15 - 00:00:31 (16 sec)

I want to ask you about the beginning of your campaign. There had to be a moment on stage at a campaign rally or one night after a win where it occurred to you I could actually be the president. When was that?

Donald Trump

00:00:31 - 00:00:53 (22 sec)

Well, I think the debates were really a big thing, and not to bring up an unpleasant debate, but even that first debate was pretty amazing and 24 million people watching, a record on cable television, and I think that meant something. I think that first debate meant something because I felt very, very comfortable with the subject and I felt very comfortable with the people I was competing against.

Megyn Kelly

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

Let's talk a little bit about litigation because you have threatened to sue many people in the course of the campaign, but, of course, if you wind up president, you're not going to be able to do that either. Can you go four years without threatening to sue anybody?

Donald Trump

00:01:10 - 00:01:14 (4 sec)

What China has done to us -- maybe you -- you know, do you have methods of suing countries --

Megyn Kelly

00:01:14 - 00:01:15 (1 sec)

It's going to be a busy law firm.

Donald Trump

00:01:15 - 00:01:30 (16 sec)

No, no, it's going to be busy, but it's a little different, and it's also a tactic for me. It's a business for me, and I have been successful, and I've, you know, used litigation, and sometimes I use it maybe when I shouldn't and sometimes I don't.

Megyn Kelly

00:01:30 - 00:01:37 (7 sec)

Have you made any mistakes in this campaign? You had said publicly you thought the re-tweet about Heidi Cruz was a mistake. Let me just --

Donald Trump

00:01:37 - 00:01:41 (4 sec)

Well, I said, I could have done without it to be exact. I could have done without it.

Megyn Kelly

00:01:41 - 00:01:43 (2 sec)

You said a mistake. Are you walking that back?

Donald Trump

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

No, no. I'm not walking it back but I actually didn't say it that way. I said, I could have done without it. I mean -- [Crosstalk]

Megyn Kelly

00:01:49 - 00:01:51 (2 sec)

You shouldn't have done that, right?

Donald Trump

00:01:51 - 00:01:59 (8 sec)

I wish I didn't do it. Although, you know, I guess you could say she's fair game because she's very much involved with the campaign.

Megyn Kelly

00:01:59 - 00:02:01 (3 sec)

But that tweet was about her looks.

Donald Trump

00:02:01 - 00:02:08 (6 sec)

You know what, I have millions of followers @realDonaldTrump. I have millions of followers. I have millions of Facebook --

Megyn Kelly

00:02:08 - 00:02:09 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:02:09 - 00:02:17 (8 sec)

Yes. You are. The thing that gets me in trouble is re-tweets. The re-tweeter is really more of a killer than the tweets. The tweets I seem to do pretty well with.

Megyn Kelly

00:02:17 - 00:02:20 (3 sec)

So that is one, the Heidi Cruz thing, let me just give you a list of a couple --

Donald Trump

00:02:20 - 00:02:20 (0 sec)

Megyn Kelly

00:02:20 - 00:02:32 (12 sec)

-- and tell me if you have any regrets on it. The comment about John McCain, you prefer people who were not captured. The comment about Carly Fiorina's face. But do you regret any of those comments?

Donald Trump

00:02:32 - 00:02:48 (16 sec)

Yes, I guess so, but you have to go forward. You make a mistake, you have to go forward. And, you know, you can correct a mistake, but to look back and say, "Gee whiz I wish I didn't this or that," I don't think that is good, and I don't think in a certain way I don't even think that is healthy.

Megyn Kelly

00:02:48 - 00:03:01 (13 sec)

I want to talk a little bit about your family. Your older brother, Fred Jr., was an alcoholic and died at a relatively young age. When I say his name, what does that bring up for you?

Donald Trump

00:03:01 - 00:03:23 (22 sec)

Well, he was great. He was the most handsome person. He was a really smart guy, really, really smart guy. He had everything. But at a certain age he started drinking a little more, a little more, and ultimately it was a big problem, and he'd say don't ever, ever drink. And I'll tell what you, I never -- I have never had a glass of alcohol --

Megyn Kelly

00:03:23 - 00:03:23 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:03:23 - 00:03:25 (2 sec)

I have other problems, okay? But --

Megyn Kelly

00:03:25 - 00:03:26 (1 sec)

What are they? Get specific.

Donald Trump

00:03:26 - 00:03:30 (4 sec)

I don't want to talk to you about that. That I can't talk about. That would be too good.

Megyn Kelly

00:03:30 - 00:03:32 (2 sec)

You've been divorced twice.

Donald Trump

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

Megyn Kelly

00:03:32 - 00:03:37 (4 sec)

Did you learn something about relationships, about love, about yourself?

Donald Trump

00:03:37 - 00:03:57 (20 sec)

Well, you have to put more into it. I put so much into my business that I didn't put enough into the relationship, and I see that. And I have learned that. I mean, I have learned that. Sometimes there's nothing you can do about that because that's the way you are. I mean, if somebody told you that you have to ease up, you can only work half the number of hours that you're working, I don't know if you'd be able to do that.

Megyn Kelly

00:03:57 - 00:03:58 (1 sec)

I'd give it a try.

Donald Trump

00:03:58 - 00:04:08 (11 sec)

But even if they'd say you'd have a better relationship with your husband, I hear it's just great, but you know, I mean, I don't know that you'd be able to do that.

Megyn Kelly

00:04:08 - 00:04:11 (3 sec)

Has anyone ever hurt you emotionally?

Donald Trump

00:04:11 - 00:04:32 (21 sec)

Well, I think the big thing would be maybe the death of my brother. That was, you know, the hardest thing for me to take. It was very tough because, you know, that's natural and he saw a certain potential and he would say, don't ever have a drink. Now, I don't carry that far with people. I never had a drink. But, you know, people can have a drink or they can do it socially, but, you know, that can lead --

Megyn Kelly

00:04:32 - 00:04:50 (17 sec)

You tell me if I'm wrong, I feel like you're trying to get out of bounds on the emotional question to the subject of alcoholism which we discussed. Has it happened that somebody has done something to you, you know, not a death in the family, but has done something to you to wound you?

Donald Trump

00:04:50 - 00:04:58 (9 sec)

Well, you know, I can say this. It would be something I could certainly think about and, you know, come back with an answer --

Megyn Kelly

00:04:58 - 00:04:59 (1 sec)

No, it's okay. I mean --

Donald Trump

00:04:59 - 00:05:11 (12 sec)

But I will say this, when I'm wounded, I go after people hard, okay? And I try and unwound myself.

Megyn Kelly

00:05:11 - 00:05:17 (6 sec)

Most kids between the ages of six and 16 have been bullied at some point in their lives. Were you ever bullied?

Donald Trump

00:05:17 - 00:05:25 (8 sec)

No, I wasn't. But I have seen bullying, and bullying doesn't have to just be as a child. I mean, I know people are bullied when they're 55 years old.

Megyn Kelly

00:05:25 - 00:05:26 (1 sec)

It can happen when you're 45.

Donald Trump

00:05:26 - 00:05:33 (8 sec)

It happens, right? But you've got to get over it, fight back, do whatever you have to do.

Megyn Kelly

00:05:33 - 00:05:50 (16 sec)

Let me ask you about that. Because most American parents try to raise their kids to not bully, to not name call, to not tease, not taunt. How can they effectively bring that message when the front-runner for the Republican nomination does all of those things?

Donald Trump

00:05:50 - 00:06:12 (22 sec)

Well, I do it, really -- you know, I've been saying during this whole campaign, that I'm a counter-puncher. You understand that. I'm responding. Now, I then respond times, maybe, 10. I don't know. I mean, I respond pretty strongly. But in just about all cases, I've been responding to what they did to me. So it's not a one-way street.

Megyn Kelly

00:06:12 - 00:06:13 (1 sec)

Let's talk about us.

Donald Trump

00:06:13 - 00:06:15 (2 sec)

Okay. [Commercial break]

Megyn Kelly

00:06:15 - 00:06:16 (1 sec)

Let's talk about us.

Donald Trump

00:06:16 - 00:06:18 (2 sec)

Megyn Kelly

00:06:18 - 00:06:19 (1 sec)

We were always friendly.

Donald Trump

00:06:19 - 00:06:20 (1 sec)

Right. Good relationship.

Megyn Kelly

00:06:20 - 00:06:33 (13 sec)

Right? And then came the August 6, 2015 debate and I asked you a tough question about women using only the words that you had used. I thought it was a fair question. Why didn't you?

Donald Trump

00:06:33 - 00:07:02 (28 sec)

I thought it was unfair. First of all, I didn't think it was really a question. I thought it was more of a statement. That's the first question that I have ever been asked during a debate and I have never debated before. I mean, my whole life is a debate but I never actually debated before and I'm saying to myself, man, what a question. And then of course you have Bret doing his thing. So, I'm saying to myself, I have two hours of this? I don't really blame you because you're doing your thing, but from my standpoint I don't have to like it.

Megyn Kelly

00:07:02 - 00:07:11 (9 sec)

Afterwards you said that you didn't feel that the moderators had been nice. But do you think it's the journalist's role to be nice to presidential candidates at a debate?

Donald Trump

00:07:11 - 00:07:13 (2 sec)

Fair. I don't care if they're nice.

Megyn Kelly

00:07:13 - 00:07:14 (2 sec)

You used the word nice.

Donald Trump

00:07:14 - 00:07:21 (6 sec)

Well, okay, no, I don't think so. I mean, I might have said they weren't nice but that doesn't mean they have to be nice.

Megyn Kelly

00:07:21 - 00:07:22 (2 sec)

Uh-hm. You know, it's not a cocktail party.

Donald Trump

00:07:22 - 00:07:35 (13 sec)

I mean, in a certain way what you did might have been a favor. Because I felt so good about having gotten through -- I said if I can get through this debate with those questions, you can get through anything.

Megyn Kelly

00:07:35 - 00:07:41 (6 sec)

You seem to stay angry for months. Was that real or was that strategy?

Donald Trump

00:07:41 - 00:07:58 (17 sec)

Well, I'm a real person. I don't say, oh, gee, I'm angry tonight but tomorrow you're my best friend. See, I do have a theory -- and this could happen again with us. I mean, it could be even doing this particular interview. I have great respect for you that you were able to call me and say, let's get together and let's talk.

Donald Trump

00:07:58 - 00:08:13 (15 sec)

To me I would not have done that. I don't say that as, you know, a positive. I think it's a negative for me, and you walk into Trump Tower. We didn't have like on a neutral site or over at Fox or something. That would be a whole different thing and I wouldn't have done it.

Megyn Kelly

00:08:13 - 00:08:15 (2 sec)

I think the doormen are still recovering.

Donald Trump

00:08:15 - 00:08:20 (5 sec)

I think the whole building is recovering. People are going like, this can't be possible. Right?

Megyn Kelly

00:08:20 - 00:08:26 (6 sec)

And this is the first you and I have ever discussed what happened between us over the past nine months because you and I did not talk about that in the meeting.

Donald Trump

00:08:26 - 00:08:27 (2 sec)

No, we didn't discuss it. We didn't discuss it.

Megyn Kelly

00:08:27 - 00:08:35 (8 sec)

So, when you look back on the past nine months from that first debate to now, any regrets?

Donald Trump

00:08:35 - 00:08:58 (22 sec)

Absolutely I have regrets. I don't think I would have discussed what the regrets are but absolutely. I could have done certain things differently. I could have maybe used different language in a couple of instances, but overall I have to be very happy with the outcome. And I think if I didn't conduct myself in the way I have done it, I don't think I would have been successful actually.

Donald Trump

00:08:58 - 00:09:12 (14 sec)

If I were soft, if I were, you know, presidential, okay, presidential. In a way it's a bad word because there's nothing wrong with being presidential, but if I would not have fought back the way I fought back, I don't think I would have been successful.

Megyn Kelly

00:09:12 - 00:09:26 (14 sec)

You're no longer just Donald Trump, businessman or Donald Trump host of "Celebrity Apprentice." Now you're steps away from the presidency. Have you given any thought in this position to the power that your messaging has on the lives of the people you target and on the millions of people who take their cue from you?

Donald Trump

00:09:26 - 00:09:42 (15 sec)

I have. I have. And I see suffering. I mean, I see tremendous suffering and I understand. I have a very big heart. A lot of people don't understand that, but people that know me do. And we have to take care of our country, and I do feel America first. I mean, America has been fourth and fifth and ninth. I mean --

Megyn Kelly

00:09:42 - 00:09:57 (15 sec)

But you know what I'm saying. When Donald Trump targets somebody and says this person is bad, that person is bad, it creates a firestorm in those people's lives and many of these people are so-called civilians who haven't put themselves out there as public figures.

Donald Trump

00:09:57 - 00:10:00 (3 sec)

But it's in response to something they did --

Megyn Kelly

00:10:00 - 00:10:02 (3 sec)

But you are so powerful. You are so powerful now.

Donald Trump

00:10:02 - 00:10:31 (28 sec)

I don't view myself as that. I mean, I view myself as a person that like everybody else is fighting for survival. That's all I view myself as and I really view myself now as somewhat of a messenger. You know, this is a massive thing that's going on. These are millions and millions of people that have been disenfranchised from this country. I was in front of a group yesterday, at least 25,000 people. The place was going crazy, and I said, I'm like the messenger.

Megyn Kelly

00:10:31 - 00:10:51 (20 sec)

It's true but they're listening to you, and they're taking their cue from you. So that's the question is whether now so close to the Oval Office, whether you will take that responsibility seriously and change your tone to try to be more unifying and less divisive.

Donald Trump

00:10:51 - 00:11:11 (20 sec)

I do take it very seriously, and I understand what's going on, and when I see the fervor, when I see 25,000 people that have seats and not one person during an hour speech will sit down, I say sit down everybody, sit down, and they don't sit down, I mean, that's a great compliment but I do understand the power of the message. There's no question about that.

Megyn Kelly

00:11:11 - 00:11:13 (2 sec)

I want to talk a minute about the tweeting.

Donald Trump

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

Megyn Kelly

00:11:13 - 00:11:27 (13 sec)

Set the scene for me. Because I know where I was when I was on the receiving end on a lot of those tweets. But I've always wondered where you were. I picture a crushed velvet smoking jacket. You know -- lounge, slippers.

Donald Trump

00:11:27 - 00:11:30 (3 sec)

Maybe not as fancy as that. Maybe not as fancy as that. Maybe probably a lot less.

Megyn Kelly

00:11:30 - 00:11:33 (3 sec)

You said it's you if it's past 7:00 in the evening.

Donald Trump

00:11:33 - 00:11:35 (2 sec)

This weekend, I picked up 114,000 people.

Megyn Kelly

00:11:35 - 00:11:37 (2 sec)

Do you pick up your iPhone and actually tweet yourself?

Donald Trump

00:11:37 - 00:11:46 (9 sec)

Yes. Usually about 7:00 or 8:00 at night I'll do it myself. But during the day when I'm in the office, I have a number of people that I just call out a tweet to. It's always my right.

Megyn Kelly

00:11:46 - 00:11:48 (2 sec)

You call out exclamation point?

Donald Trump

00:11:48 - 00:11:54 (5 sec)

I do. I say exclamation point. You know me well. You know me well. No, I'll say exclamation point.

Megyn Kelly

00:11:54 - 00:11:54 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:11:54 - 00:12:27 (33 sec)

So, they'll type is out for me real fast, bring it in. I'll be in a meeting. Put an exclamation point and I'll send it out. So, I don't do the physical. Now after like 7:00 or 8:00 if I'm home, I'll do it myself, and I have fans, you probably learned, and I didn't do it for this reason but when you and I were having our little difficulty, you probably had some pretty nasty tweets sent your way. I don't want to say but I've heard that. I don't want that to happen, but my fans they really love -- we have an unbelievable bond.

Megyn Kelly

00:12:27 - 00:12:30 (3 sec)

You re-tweet some of those. Not just the fans.

Donald Trump

00:12:30 - 00:12:34 (4 sec)

But not the more nasty ones. You would be amazed at the ones I don't re-tweet.

Megyn Kelly

00:12:34 - 00:12:36 (2 sec)

Donald Trump

00:12:36 - 00:12:39 (3 sec)

Well, that was a re-tweet, yes. Did I say that?

Megyn Kelly

00:12:39 - 00:12:40 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:12:40 - 00:12:43 (3 sec)

Oh, okay. Excuse me.

Megyn Kelly

00:12:43 - 00:12:47 (4 sec)

What do you think with, I mean --

Donald Trump

00:12:47 - 00:12:58 (11 sec)

Not the most horrible thing. You know we're getting political. Over your life, Megyn, you've been called a lot worse, wouldn't you say? You know, you have had a life that's not been that easy, and --

Megyn Kelly

00:12:58 - 00:13:01 (3 sec)

Not about me. It's not about me. It's about the messaging.

Donald Trump

00:13:01 - 00:13:02 (0 sec)

Megyn Kelly

00:13:02 - 00:13:04 (2 sec)

Young girls and to other women.

Donald Trump

00:13:04 - 00:13:09 (6 sec)

It's a certain amount of fighting back. You know, it's a modern day form of fighting back. I mean, it really is, but --

Megyn Kelly

00:13:09 - 00:13:12 (3 sec)

Are you going to stop that as president?

Donald Trump

00:13:12 - 00:13:19 (7 sec)

Well, I'm going to stop it about you now because I think I like our relationship right now, so I'm certainly not going to --

Megyn Kelly

00:13:19 - 00:13:23 (4 sec)

Now you have my cellphone number. That is actually much more efficient.

Donald Trump

00:13:23 - 00:13:24 (1 sec)

You gave me your cellphone number.

Megyn Kelly

00:13:24 - 00:13:25 (1 sec)

And you promised you would not use it for evil.

Donald Trump

00:13:25 - 00:13:28 (3 sec)

No. I promise. You will never see that. You will never see that.

Megyn Kelly

00:13:28 - 00:13:37 (8 sec)

If you don't become president, will this all have been for nothing? Or will you have changed America?

Donald Trump

00:13:37 - 00:13:55 (18 sec)

So I got a call from a great writer who said to me, congratulations. I said congratulations on what? He said what you have done has never been done before. I said what have I done? And he talked about different things. I said, well, unless I win, I can't do the changes.

Donald Trump

00:13:55 - 00:14:10 (15 sec)

I can't make America great again. I can't lower taxes and make our military strong and get along with other nations, frankly, that we don't get along with right now but do better with them so, you know, they're not ripping us off like they all are. But I said unless I win, I can't do that.

Donald Trump

00:14:10 - 00:14:32 (21 sec)

He said, no, no you are wrong, what you have done has never been done before and it will go down in history. And I appreciate -- and I don't want to really talk about it because in case it doesn't work out, I'd rather have that narrative but I'm going to say this, if I don't go all the way and if I don't win, I will consider it to be a total and complete waste of time, energy, and money.

Megyn Kelly

00:14:32 - 00:14:35 (3 sec)

Mr. Trump, thank you.

Donald Trump

00:14:35 - 00:14:36 (1 sec)

Thank you very much.

Megyn Kelly

00:14:36 - 00:14:37 (1 sec)

Just fascinating.

Donald Trump

00:14:37 - 00:14:38 (1 sec)

Thank you very much.

Megyn Kelly

00:14:38 - 00:14:38 (1 sec)

I appreciate it.

Donald Trump

00:14:38 - 00:14:39 (1 sec)