Transcript - Interview: Charles Benson of WTMJ4 Milwaukee Interviews Donald Trump - October 17, 2020 | Factba.se

Charles Benson

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

Mr. President, thank you for making time. Uh, you're looking good.

Donald Trump

00:00:02 - 00:00:05 (3 sec)

I feel good. I feel really good.

Charles Benson

00:00:05 - 00:00:22 (17 sec)

Well, let me get to a very serious issue going on right now in Wisconsin. We are seeing a record number of COVID c -- cases. And your own task force is calling for immediate mitigation efforts, things like wearing masks, social distancing, avoiding crowds.

Donald Trump

00:00:22 - 00:00:22 (0 sec)

Charles Benson

00:00:22 - 00:00:37 (15 sec)

And they come with this warning saying, "A lack of compliance will lead to preventable death." So your own public health experts are saying holding rallies right now is not a good thing. Aren't you sending the wrong message by holding them?

Donald Trump

00:00:37 - 00:00:53 (16 sec)

Well, I don't think so because I'm not a big shutdown believer, and the states that have done the best are like if you look at Florida, they'd had a spike two months ago and now, it's at a very low level. Texas, uh, Arizona, they're in great shape. They're doing really well. And we're doing -- we only do the outdoor rallies.

Donald Trump

00:00:53 - 00:01:07 (14 sec)

I mean, we're doing outdoor rallies. And as an example, we did one, uh, yesterday, we did actually three yesterday, but they had masks on, largely masks and some didn't, but they had largely masks, but they were outdoor. So I think having outdoor is a very important thing.

Donald Trump

00:01:07 - 00:01:26 (19 sec)

Uh, it's -- if you -- if you take a look at your state, which I love very much and, you know, we had a great victory there, but if you take a look at your state, uh, they've been shut down and they've been locked down and locked up and, uh, you know, they've been doing it for a long time and, uh, at some point, you also have to be able to understand the disease.

Donald Trump

00:01:26 - 00:01:47 (21 sec)

Now I had it and I got better very quickly, and most people do, 99.9%. If you look at, you know, pretty much other than, uh, elderly people, but elderly people, really specifically, with heart or diabetes problems, you know, diabetes is a tough one, and we protect the elderly, and we're doing, uh, an in -- incredible job of it.

Donald Trump

00:01:47 - 00:01:58 (11 sec)

But you just -- just the shutting down of these states is a disaster because you're creating massive depression, alcoholism. I mean, things are happening with [Crosstalk]

Donald Trump

00:01:58 - 00:02:00 (2 sec)

-- so that's not the answer.

Charles Benson

00:02:00 - 00:02:04 (4 sec)

But Wisconsin is not shut down, it has been open for businesses. But-

Donald Trump

00:02:04 - 00:02:05 (1 sec)

Charles Benson

00:02:05 - 00:02:19 (14 sec)

-- as you look up into Green Bay, uh, Lambeau Field does sit empty on game day. There are no fans and bet -- bars, restaurants, businesses across the state are struggling to stay open. They want a safe way to operate. Uh-

Donald Trump

00:02:19 - 00:02:19 (0 sec)

Charles Benson

00:02:19 - 00:02:33 (14 sec)

-- I know you've pushed hard for vaccines and ventilators, but the criticism has been you didn't get the country to rally around, uh, a unified approach to fighting this virus. In fact, one Green Bay critic said, "It didn't have to be this bad."

Donald Trump

00:02:33 - 00:02:58 (25 sec)

Well, uh, nobody could've done better. I can tell you that. Uh, we had a little more than 200,000 deaths. They were expecting 2.2 million, uh, if we didn't do what we did. You know, the number was going to be 2.2. million deaths. This is all over. If you take a loot at Europe right now, the spikes they have, UK, take a look at the spikes, they have massive spikes, and the spikes will go down, but they have massive spikes.

Donald Trump

00:02:58 - 00:03:17 (19 sec)

Uh, we have a number that could've been 2.2 million and could've been substantially more than that. Uh, but your schools should be open. They should be open. I mean, your state has been very toughly run and frankly, it's, uh, not doing as well as a lot of other states.

Donald Trump

00:03:17 - 00:03:37 (20 sec)

Now I love your state, and I want your state to do well. And, you know, we have governors running these states. We have supplied them with billions of dollars of material, gowns, ventilators, everything. Now one of the things that is happening is the vaccines are just about ready to go. They're gonna be announcing it very soon, and that's gonna have a big impact.

Donald Trump

00:03:37 - 00:03:55 (17 sec)

And the other thing that's gonna have a big impact, Charles, and a very big impact are the therapeutics because we have incredible therapeutics. I mean, here I am, I had, uh, something that really -- I -- I was not feeling too great, and I will tell you, the following day, I was feeling very good, Regeneron, in my case.

Donald Trump

00:03:55 - 00:03:56 (2 sec)

But Eli Lilly makes you great product [Crosstalk] --

Charles Benson

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

Donald Trump

00:03:57 - 00:04:09 (12 sec)

So we have things happening now that you didn't have, uh, mortality rate at 85%, and our numbers are that. But your particular state has been run very tough. And frankly, they-

Charles Benson

00:04:09 - 00:04:12 (2 sec)

Well, we have the mask mandate, there has been some-

Donald Trump

00:04:12 - 00:04:12 (1 sec)

-- haven't done the best job.

Charles Benson

00:04:12 - 00:04:20 (8 sec)

-- that there has been a mask mandate, uh, requiring people to wear it, but why not just at these rallies, tell people, wear the mask, social distance. They'll listen to you.

Donald Trump

00:04:20 - 00:04:47 (27 sec)

Well, I had a rally yesterday where I didn't see anybody without one. I mean, and you could see because the people were behind me. And I -- I mean, almost everybody has it. And, you know, we hand them out at the rallies. We give masks to everybody at the rallies. But the rallies, again, are outdoor and we have heard of no incidences where -- and I've had big rallies, we're having 35,000, 40,000 people come at the rallies, and we had no incidence where we had -- we have had a problem.

Charles Benson

00:04:47 - 00:04:48 (1 sec)

So, let me ask you about-

Donald Trump

00:04:48 - 00:04:49 (1 sec)

Again, outdoor -- outdoor [Crosstalk]

Charles Benson

00:04:49 - 00:04:50 (1 sec)

-- the economic hardship --

Donald Trump

00:04:50 - 00:04:53 (3 sec)

-- you know that. Outdoor is, they say, I mean, you know.

Charles Benson

00:04:53 - 00:04:54 (1 sec)

Well, even your own-

Donald Trump

00:04:54 - 00:04:55 (1 sec)

Who knows [Crosstalk]

Charles Benson

00:04:55 - 00:05:19 (24 sec)

-- your own health experts, your own health experts say that, you know, avoid crowds and a lack of compliance would lead to preventable deaths. But let me ask you about the economic hardship that has hit so many, uh, businesses and the states. They states say they need more money, taxpayers, Americans say they want more money to help pay the bills, you have put a $1.8 trillion on the table.

Charles Benson

00:05:19 - 00:05:23 (5 sec)

Um, will there be more money by election day, do you have a deal?

Donald Trump

00:05:23 - 00:05:41 (17 sec)

Well, I want the money by tonight, but Nancy Pelosi doesn't wanna approve it because she thinks it's good politically for her not to approve it. And if you look at our numbers nationwide, they've been incredible. You know, we're in a very strong [inaudible]. Uh, the job numbers were up to 11.4 million. It's a record over the last number of months.

Donald Trump

00:05:41 - 00:06:07 (27 sec)

Uh, we're doing -- from an economic standpoint, and next year, we're gonna [Inaudible] what our numbers, I think they're gonna be phenomenal, by the way. I think you're gonna have perhaps over 25% GDP, our unemployment numbers, and if you look at the number of people being hired, but Nancy Pelosi doesn't want to approve anything because she wants to bail out poorly run Democrat states, and we don't wanna do that.

Donald Trump

00:06:07 - 00:06:09 (2 sec)

Now, I will say this-

Charles Benson

00:06:09 - 00:06:09 (0 sec)

Republicans are holding back too.

Donald Trump

00:06:09 - 00:06:16 (7 sec)

-- I don't think she wants to approve it anyway. I think even if we gave her the money for the poorly run Democrat states, I don't think she'd approve it anyway.

Charles Benson

00:06:16 - 00:06:20 (3 sec)

But aren't you getting pushback from Senate Republican leaders?

Donald Trump

00:06:20 - 00:06:22 (3 sec)

I -- I will take care of that problem in two minutes.

Charles Benson

00:06:22 - 00:06:24 (2 sec)

So do you think we can have a deal before election day?

Donald Trump

00:06:24 - 00:06:33 (9 sec)

[Crosstalk] Look, if I had something that would be good, I think I could quickly convince the Republicans to do it. They're ready to do it. But Nancy Pelosi does not wanna do it. I mean, I wish your governor-

Charles Benson

00:06:33 - 00:06:35 (2 sec)

All right. Let me ask you --

Donald Trump

00:06:35 - 00:06:45 (10 sec)

-- I wish your governor would call up Nancy Pelosi and say, "Do it." She wants to hold it 'til after the election, and I think it's bad for the Democrats. But I'm ready [Crosstalk]

Charles Benson

00:06:45 - 00:06:46 (1 sec)

And governor [Crosstalk]

Donald Trump

00:06:46 - 00:06:51 (5 sec)

-- if they send the bill over, I am ready, willing and able. And I wanted a higher number than she wanted.

Charles Benson

00:06:51 - 00:06:53 (2 sec)

What's your number?

Donald Trump

00:06:53 - 00:07:12 (18 sec)

I'd do higher than her number, and who knows what her number is, but if you said, uh, if you said $1.8 trillion, if you said $2 trillion, if you said $2.2 trillion, you have many numbers, I'm willing to go higher than that because it wasn't the people's fault. This whole thing that we talk about was China's fault.

Donald Trump

00:07:12 - 00:07:15 (3 sec)

They caused this problem and they're gonna pay for this problem.

Charles Benson

00:07:15 - 00:07:33 (18 sec)

Let me ask you about systemic racism, which has been a huge issue for decades in Milwaukee for the African American community. [Crosstalk] Just last year, Milwaukee declared racism as a public health crisis. Do you agree it is a public health crisis?

Donald Trump

00:07:33 - 00:07:52 (19 sec)

Well, I don't know in terms of public health crisis, obviously, it exists. It's very sad that it exists. It's a, uh, it's a devastating thing that it exists in our country and in other countries and probably almost every country. And it shouldn't exist. It's a terrible thing. And obviously, I am for getting rid of that problem.

Donald Trump

00:07:52 - 00:07:59 (7 sec)

But, uh, I don't know when you put a definition on it, uh, you can call it what you want, but I do believe it exists, yes.

Charles Benson

00:07:59 - 00:08:08 (9 sec)

And do you think you have done enough to address racism in the country and trying to solve this issue, uh, when it comes to employment, economy -- [Crosstalk] Huh?

Donald Trump

00:08:08 - 00:08:29 (20 sec)

Yup. I don't know that you can do too much, but I will say this, and I say it all the time and I don't even get a lot of, uh, backbiting on it, okay? I have done more than any president, with the exception of Abraham Lincoln, having to do with the Black community and helping the Black community. Nobody [Crosstalk]

Charles Benson

00:08:29 - 00:08:29 (0 sec)

Specifically --

Donald Trump

00:08:29 - 00:08:52 (23 sec)

That criminal justice reform done and all of your Democrats that were president before me and all of the people that were here couldn't get it done or even close. I got prison reform. I got opportunity zones done with Tim Scott of South Carolina, great senator. Uh, I got all of this stuff done. I -- I funded the historically Black, uh, colleges and universities.

Donald Trump

00:08:52 - 00:09:09 (16 sec)

And -- and they couldn't get it done with Obama, they couldn't get it done with Bush, they couldn't get it done with anybody. And you speak to the heads of those schools, not only did I fund them, I gave them more money than they were looking for. There is nobody that has done more for the Black community than President Trump.

Charles Benson

00:09:09 - 00:09:29 (21 sec)

Let me ask you one final question. I was with you in the White House when you announced the Foxconn deal, $10 billion investment, up to 13,000 jobs. You came here for the groundbreaking, this was a big deal for you, and Foxconn, by most estimates, has not even come close to meeting expectations. Why? What happened?

Donald Trump

00:09:29 - 00:09:46 (17 sec)

Well, I think number one, you had a pandemic, and I know one thing that they are looking to come in and they're gonna do very big. I know the top person at Foxconn. He actually ran for a president, as you know, of Taiwan. I mean, it's one of those things. I guess he took a little time off or -- it didn't work out too well for him, by the way.

Donald Trump

00:09:46 - 00:10:05 (18 sec)

He didn't -- he didn't make it. But they will do, when I tell them to do, they will do what's supposed to be done because they did make promise. It's a massive company. They make the phones for, et -- et cetera, for Apple and other companies. It's a massive company. They will do what has to be done. I guarantee that. [Crosstalk]

Charles Benson

00:10:05 - 00:10:06 (1 sec)

But why haven't they done what they --

Donald Trump

00:10:06 - 00:10:19 (13 sec)

-- 100%. You know, they have spent a lot of money. And they have -- I was at the plant and it's one of the most incredible plants I've ever seen. Uh, but they have been slowed down worldwide by the pandemic. And [Crosstalk]

Charles Benson

00:10:19 - 00:10:20 (1 sec)

But even before the pandemic-

Donald Trump

00:10:20 - 00:10:21 (1 sec)

-- they will do -- that will [Crosstalk]

Charles Benson

00:10:21 - 00:10:33 (13 sec)

-- even before the pandemic, they did not deliver on the jobs. Last year alone, they did not come even close to meeting the minimum standard to get the tax credits. They are not building. [Crosstalk] Yes, they're building a building, but they haven't created the jobs.

Donald Trump

00:10:33 - 00:10:51 (18 sec)

If they don't meet the standards, you shouldn't give 'em the tax credits. But they will end up being a great investment for your state and they will put up a tremendous -- a lot -- a lot of money. By the way, if I'm president, if Biden's president, nobody's gonna do anything. You're gonna end up in a depression, okay?

Donald Trump

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

He's gonna raise your taxes, he's gonna put rules and regulations in for these companies, they're all gonna leave our country. But if -- if that happens, if they start raising taxes, that will be different because I wouldn't blame them to leave. But if we win the election, Foxconn is going to come in with money like no other company has come in to our country.

Donald Trump

00:11:11 - 00:11:12 (1 sec)

Charles Benson

00:11:12 - 00:11:14 (2 sec)

And they'll deliver on those 13,000 jobs?

Donald Trump

00:11:14 - 00:11:18 (4 sec)

They're gonna deliver, yeah. It's not a big deal for them. This company is massive.

Charles Benson

00:11:18 - 00:11:19 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:11:19 - 00:11:31 (12 sec)

This company is massive. And I've also seen what they've done, and what they've done is really incredible, but what they have to do is more investment, then they're gonna do it. I speak to them. They're gonna do it. They're looking forward to do it.

Charles Benson

00:11:31 - 00:11:33 (2 sec)

Mr. President, thank you for your time.

Donald Trump

00:11:33 - 00:11:36 (3 sec)

Thank you very much. Thank you, Charles.