Transcript - Press Conference: Donald Trump in Staten Island, New York - April 17, 2016 | Factba.se

Lou Telano

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

Thank you. OK. By the way, it's my pleasure and my honor to be able to present Donald Trump with an award for the oldest police organization in the country, New York veteran police association, number one. I just wanna say we go back, Donald and I, I've been having dialogue with Donald Trump's staff since June of last year.

Lou Telano

00:00:57 - 00:01:39 (42 sec)

When Donald Trump decided to run for president of the United States on June 16th of 2015, July 4th, we had a board meeting, and we decided to back and support Donald Trump for president of the United States of America. We did that back. It's really a dual pleasure because we are the first. We're the first law enforcement association in the country even before the Border Patrol, which I'm glad you got their endorsement, and if anyone knows about immigration -- illegal immigration, it's the United States border patrol, and they endorsed Donald Trump.

Lou Telano

00:01:39 - 00:02:10 (31 sec)

But I'd have to say this, we did it on July 4th of last year. I just wanna touch on a few things. I know he's once all over the country, Donald Trump. I've been speaking with his -- Donald Trump's campaign manager last year, Corey Lewandowski, and then the New York campaign person, Campbell Burr. And every time I have a conversation with them since last year, they keep saying, on behalf of Donald Trump, we thank you and your organization, every time I speak.

Lou Telano

00:02:10 - 00:02:51 (40 sec)

And as recent as this morning, we thank you for supporting Donald Trump. I wanna set the record straight. It's our privilege and our honor. We thank you, Donald Trump. We thank you for devoting your time, your money, and a lot of energy, you know, and to running for president of the United States. Again, I just wanna touch on some issues that are very dear to us as many of us are, we say, veterans.

Lou Telano

00:02:51 - 00:03:19 (28 sec)

We're the veterans on crime in this country. And no one knows more than Donald Trump how important law enforcement is. Obviously, he's a supporter of the military, the veterans, and law enforcement throughout the country. You know, immigration -- illegal immigration, of course, for us, for years and years, many of us have been arresting illegal immigrants who are committing rape, robbery, murder.

Lou Telano

00:03:19 - 00:03:46 (26 sec)

And so we are really touched by it. So we understand how important it is. Now obviously people say, well, you know, your parents or maybe your grandparents or great grandparents, we all came from another country. But have we forgotten? There was a wall then. The wall was Ellis Island. Everybody that came their parents, grandparents, our great grandparents.

Lou Telano

00:03:46 - 00:04:13 (27 sec)

They were screened and many of them were sent back. They didn't come over the fence, under a fence, through a hole in the fence, or from Islamic radical Isis country. They came in the American way, and that's with dial drop represents, the American Way. And that's why he has our complete support. And Donald Trump, not only do we thank you, we humbly thank you.

Lou Telano

00:04:13 - 00:04:29 (16 sec)

At this time, I'd like to present -- I'm gonna say to you, I'm taking advantage of calling him Donald.

Donald Trump

00:04:29 - 00:04:30 (2 sec)

You can call me Donald.

Lou Telano

00:04:30 - 00:05:04 (34 sec)

OK. I can guarantee you this. Next year, we'll be calling him Mr. President. It's our pleasure, the New York veteran police association, to present Donald J. Trump with the America's finest award. The award reads, for your dedication, your concern, and your support for America's law enforcement community, we know you will make America great again.

Lou Telano

00:05:04 - 00:05:10 (5 sec)

And the year, and the date, July 4th 2015.

Unidentified

00:05:10 - 00:05:11 (1 sec)

Lou Telano

00:05:11 - 00:05:21 (10 sec)

That's when we endorsed Donald Trump. Pleasure

Donald Trump

00:05:21 - 00:05:43 (22 sec)

Thank you, folks. Thank you. You want me to move over?

Unidentified

00:05:43 - 00:05:43 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:05:43 - 00:06:01 (18 sec)

Well, I wanna thank Lou and everybody. It's such an honor when I heard about this, and I said we have to do it and we should do it on Staten Island if possible. Right? 'Cause we love Staten Island, and we love New York. This is just an amazing place, you know. We talked about New York values. And the other night, I was talking about it. Actually, we have a sold-out house.

Donald Trump

00:06:01 - 00:06:22 (21 sec)

The owner of the hotel just came to see me, Lou. And he said this is the biggest -- and his wife, there they are right there, said this is the biggest crowd we've ever had. And the hotel is lovely and you've done a great job. Is this your all-time record crowd? Come on over here, Ron. I just wanna prove it 'cause the press never believe anything I say so you -- but I don't believe anything they say so it's equal.

Donald Trump

00:06:22 - 00:06:45 (23 sec)

Your biggest crowd, your biggest -- these people have done a fantastic job in putting on the event, and I want to thank you. Great hotel. Great hotel. Thank you very much. And later on, as you know, we're going to Poughkeepsie and we have a big crowd there. We always seem to have friends, but we've been all over the state and we've seen what's been happening with the state and with the country.

Donald Trump

00:06:45 - 00:07:04 (20 sec)

Our jobs are being dissipated. They're being taken like we're -- like candy from a baby. And they're going to Mexico. They're going to every place. And I guess today, the top story and drudges, China's upset with the fact that I'm talkin about them negatively from a financial standpoint that I mentioned the fact that they're ripping us off and so I responded.

Donald Trump

00:07:04 - 00:07:27 (23 sec)

I think you'll like actually the response, the response was the kind of response we should have been giving them for many, many years. So if you folks have any questions -- but before you do that, I just want to say you people have done an unbelievable job. And a lot of times you don't get the kind of acclaim or respect that you should be getting.

Donald Trump

00:07:27 - 00:07:52 (25 sec)

And with me, you get it. But with the public, you do get it. You don't hear about it from the press, but with the public, you do get it, and we just wanna thank you all because we have a tremendous amount of respect for the work that you do. So Lou and everybody, thank you very much. I like it. OK. Questions?

Donald Trump

00:07:52 - 00:07:54 (2 sec)

Question

00:07:54 - 00:08:04 (10 sec)

[Inaudible] Yesterday in Syracuse, sir, you said, the Republican [Inaudible] could be into a "rough" July of this delegate selection. What do you mean by rough selection?

Donald Trump

00:08:04 - 00:08:22 (18 sec)

Well, it's a rigged election. Now I'm winning by a lot. And a lot of people say, don't complain, you're winning. And I think we'll get there on the first ballot actually, and we're gonna have a big day hopefully in New York because I love New York. And a guy like Cruz, you heard his statement on values -- New York values and I can't imagine any New Yorker voting for Cruz.

Donald Trump

00:08:22 - 00:08:37 (16 sec)

And he can't beat Hillary. I'm gonna beat Hillary. In fact, you notice our commercials came out there about me. They don't even talk about Cruz. He's only concerned about me. Now Kasich is interesting. He's never had a negative commercial. Nobody's ever hit him. Nobody knows he's there, and so he does well.

Donald Trump

00:08:37 - 00:08:58 (21 sec)

He does OK because nobody talks about him. With me, I had -- I think I saw on Fox, 55,000 negative ads. And despite that, I'm leading by a lot. But I think this, it's about the voters. It's not about the bosses. And I'm here to show that it's about the voters and we're going to show that it's about the voters.

Donald Trump

00:08:58 - 00:09:14 (15 sec)

And I win all the time when it's up to the voters. When it's up to the bosses, we didn't play in Colorado because I heard that it was going to be for the bosses, for the RNC, for the people. So I'm not gonna spend -- waste a lot of money. Don't forget, I'm self-funding. So when I spend money, it's my money.

Donald Trump

00:09:14 - 00:09:33 (19 sec)

It's not some PAC's money where people are giving it just because they wanna have influence and they want their local politician or their politician to do what they want to do. So we didn't play there. We didn't play in Wyoming because the game was rigged. I don't wanna go six, seven months before because that's what you have to do, take them on trips, put them in hotel rooms, do the whole thing.

Donald Trump

00:09:33 - 00:09:57 (24 sec)

I don't wanna play that game. I'm winning with the voters, and we're winning big. And I think we'll get to the 1,237. Well, I think the people that are for me, of which there are many millions, you know, many millions of people have voted in our primaries, many, many. And you'll see it tomorrow also. Many millions of people have voted more than voted four years ago, you know that.

Donald Trump

00:09:57 - 00:10:22 (25 sec)

They came out for me. They didn't come out for lyin' Ted Cruz. They didn't come out for Kasich. They didn't know who Kasich is, nobody does. They came out for me, and these are people that, in many cases, have never voted. These are very smart people, very strong people. And when they see, they see what's going on. They see -- as an example, the RNC said, we never change the rules.

Donald Trump

00:10:22 - 00:10:43 (21 sec)

Well, that's wrong. Because I announced in June 16th in, as you know, Colorado. And in August, they changed the rules in Colorado. I'm in June and August because they saw how well I would have done in Colorado, so they changed the rules. They changed the rules in Florida so that the winner gets all. They didn't know that I was gonna win.

Donald Trump

00:10:43 - 00:10:59 (16 sec)

That was a good one, Lou. They changed the rules because they thought Bush was gonna win. Winner gets all, except they had a problem. Trump won. I got all. So I got 99 delegates. But they didn't mean that to happen. It wasn't done for that reason. So sometimes, you get lucky. But if you look at Wyoming, it's the same thing.

Donald Trump

00:10:59 - 00:11:26 (27 sec)

But just so you understand, they kept saying, we didn't change the rules, we didn't touch it. Well, they totally did. I came out in June. They saw I was gonna win Colorado easily with the voters, which is most important, so they changed the rules and they took the voters out of it. And they had the party bosses make the selection.

Donald Trump

00:11:26 - 00:11:31 (5 sec)

So that's the way it goes. OK. Yeah. Kenny?

Question

00:11:31 - 00:11:31 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:11:31 - 00:11:50 (19 sec)

Because I don't wanna play the rule game. I'll tell you why because we live in a democracy, and it's all about getting the bosses out. The bosses are picking that now I'm winning. You will say I'm winning by 200 delegates. I'm winning more importantly in my opinion. I'm winning by over two million votes.

Donald Trump

00:11:50 - 00:12:08 (18 sec)

In other words, I've got more than two million votes. And other than the fact that I have 17 candidates starting, you know, throughout the process, we had 17 then dropping out, I would be leading Hillary Clinton by millions and millions of votes. I heard her say during the bid, I have a million votes more than Donald Trump.

Donald Trump

00:12:08 - 00:12:31 (23 sec)

She's got Bernie, a socialist, and I've got 17 governors, senators, guys like Ben Carson, who's fantastic. I have all these guys running. So I have 17 people, she's got one. And if we didn't have 17, I'd be leading her by probably four million votes. Because you have to change. I'll tell you why. I understand the question.

Donald Trump

00:12:31 - 00:12:47 (16 sec)

You have to change. It has to be changed. Now it's not going to happen, probably this time, although they're watching a lot closer. In fact, they announced they're not gonna be making rules changes now because the public is really angry, and the Republicans are really angry. The voters are really angry. It's got to change.

Donald Trump

00:12:47 - 00:13:09 (22 sec)

Now in four years, it's going to change. So I've done something. In four years, it's gonna change. It's not going to be this way for years, but you're going to have a very, very upset and angry group of people at the convention. Now I hope that doesn't happen, because if I win, people are gonna be very happy.

Donald Trump

00:13:09 - 00:13:32 (23 sec)

Well, I hope it doesn't involve violence. I hope it doesn't, and I'm not suggesting it. I hope it doesn't involve violence, and I don't think it will. But I will say this, it's a rigged system. It's a crooked system. It's a hundred percent crooked. The bosses -- is that correct? These people know it better.

Donald Trump

00:13:32 - 00:13:54 (22 sec)

It's a crooked -- they're not here for this reason to be honest, but this is -- they understand law enforcement better than anybody else. It's a corrupt and crooked system where you're allowed to take delegates. Look, nobody has better toys than I do. I can put them in the best planes and bring them to the best resorts anywhere in the world: Doral, Mar-a-Lago.

Donald Trump

00:13:54 - 00:14:16 (21 sec)

I can put them in the best places in the world, California. I have something that blows everything away. But it's a corrupt system. You're basically buying these people. You're basically saying, delegate, listen, we're gonna send you Mar-a-Lago on a Boeing 757. You're gonna use the spa, you're gonna this, you're gonna that.

Donald Trump

00:14:16 - 00:14:47 (31 sec)

We want your vote. That's a corrupt system. That has -- wait a minute. That has nothing to do with democracy. So here's the story. I'm winning by a lot. I think we're going to win the 1,237. I think we're not gonna have the second ballot. I just tell you, though, despite what I just said, it's a corrupt system and it's a rigged system.

Donald Trump

00:14:47 - 00:14:51 (4 sec)

And I think for future years, the Republican party should change. OK?

Question

00:14:51 - 00:15:13 (22 sec)

Mr. Trump, [Inaudible] July, you've warned that millions of people won't vote for a Republican in November if you don't get the nomination. It sounds like there's no scenario under which you would accept a vote at the convention that would make somebody other than you, the nominee.

Donald Trump

00:15:13 - 00:15:59 (46 sec)

Well, I can't say that. I have to see how I'm treated and how these people -- I'm representing many millions of people. You know the Republican party and the primaries are up 72% which is astronomical. The Democrats are down 35%. I mean, you people, those are the numbers. An amazing thing has happened. The Republican Party, which people don't think of in terms of going up, they think of it in terms of it getting smaller, smaller, smaller every year, they're up 72% because voters are coming and voting, some of them for the first time because they never had a candidate that they wanted to vote for.

Donald Trump

00:15:59 - 00:16:34 (35 sec)

They're great people. They're great Americans. But it's up 72%. The Democrats are down 35%. And I'll tell you what, we're getting independence, we're getting Democrats to vote, and we're getting -- to me, it makes me very happy people that have never voted before. And let me tell you, if you disenfranchise those people, you're gonna have some very upset people.

Donald Trump

00:16:34 - 00:16:36 (2 sec)

Question

00:16:36 - 00:16:42 (6 sec)

[Inaudible] accept a contested convention that would make somebody else the nominee? Would you --

Donald Trump

00:16:42 - 00:17:09 (27 sec)

I just have to see what happens. Jerry, it's too early to say. I have to see how it's handled and I have to see what level of fairness these millions of people who I'm representing. You understand, I have far more votes than anybody, including Hillary, because I had 17 people. She had Bernie. OK? Bernie.

Donald Trump

00:17:09 - 00:17:22 (13 sec)

Oh, Bernie. Lou, you guys aren't big into socialism or communism, are you? I don't think you're going for a communist. Are you, Lou? OK. Go ahead back there.

Question

00:17:22 - 00:17:22 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:17:22 - 00:17:51 (29 sec)

Oh, I have. Excuse me. Excuse me. I had rallies, the biggest rallies in New York. We had 21,000 people in Albany. We had -- well I'm going up to Poughkeepsie in a little while. You know why? To be honest with you, because the polls is so good and so strong that I really wanna focus on areas where they know me, but they don't know me as well.

Donald Trump

00:17:51 - 00:18:17 (26 sec)

No, not at all. We've had virtually nothing. I'll tell you truthfully, the press doesn't cover it that way. And I've said it yesterday, in a couple of days, the safest -- I was in Watertown yesterday. We had tremendous crowds. And we have tremendous crowds everywhere. Albany was unbelievable. We're in Rochester, unbelievable.

Donald Trump

00:18:17 - 00:18:45 (29 sec)

Rome, our Rome, not the Rome that we think about. I think about our Rome. Rome, tremendous crowds. We don't have -- we have very little protesters and every once in a while, somebody raises their hand, they get ushered out. The safest places to be in this country virtually are at a Trump rally. Unfortunately, the press doesn't cover it that way.

Donald Trump

00:18:45 - 00:18:46 (1 sec)

Question

00:18:46 - 00:18:46 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:18:46 - 00:19:13 (27 sec)

Yeah. I know it very well. And I've had property on Staten Island. in fact, when I grew up during the summers, I used to work on Staten Island. My father had a Grymes Hill. I was in Grymes Hill section, which a couple of you folks know about. Right? But the Grymes Hill section of Staten Island, which is really nice and I love Staten Island and Tyson's -- Tyson's Park.

Donald Trump

00:19:13 - 00:19:39 (25 sec)

And I worked on Staten Island for four summers. I love it. It's a great -- the greatest people. These people are incredible people. Well, you know, I looked at -- I just had stats done because I'm making a speech in a couple of minutes. And if you look at the number of jobs that are being lost, it's incredible.

Donald Trump

00:19:39 - 00:20:08 (30 sec)

It's incredible. Twenty five percent of the manufacturing jobs and I mean it's unbelievable stat. And you know, I noticed because before I go to every community, I do like a stat sheet. I have my people give me the stats, and they're all the same, way jobs, way down, food stamps way up. It's like every -- you could almost -- they're almost interchangeable.

Donald Trump

00:20:08 - 00:20:49 (40 sec)

The numbers are slightly different, but they're interchangeable. Now they have to have jobs. This country needs jobs. I noticed Ted Cruz the other day follows my line, jobs, jobs. Well, he never used to say that. He's saying it because I get the crowds and I'm getting the response. And he's not getting the voters, he gets the bosses.

Donald Trump

00:20:49 - 00:21:00 (11 sec)

And I could get the bosses easier than him if I wanted them. I'm good with bosses. I'm the greatest with bosses. I just don't want them. I don't want them. It's not about that anymore. Yes, ma'am.

Unidentified

00:21:00 - 00:21:03 (3 sec)

[Inaudible] a lot of staffers recently to focus on the delegate game.

Donald Trump

00:21:03 - 00:21:03 (0 sec)

Question

00:21:03 - 00:21:10 (7 sec)

That's what the aim is now. What's the role now of your previous --

Donald Trump

00:21:10 - 00:21:14 (4 sec)

They're still here, very good. Corey's right here.

Question

00:21:14 - 00:21:16 (2 sec)

What's his role in the campaign?

Donald Trump

00:21:16 - 00:21:44 (28 sec)

Totally exonerated from that bogus nonsense from somebody that made a bogus claim who by the way, if you look at the tape, it bear -- bore no relationship to what she said happened .And I tell you, I really have a lot of respect for the people in Florida for looking at that fairly. I really do. I have great respect for the prosecutor, and for the police for taking a look at that clip and realizing that she misrepresented.

Donald Trump

00:21:44 - 00:24:40 (176 sec)

I have great respect for that. And he's good. That was a weight on his shoulder and I saw it had a huge impact on him with his family and he's got four beautiful children and wonderful wife in New Hampshire. And I'll tell you what, that was a very unfair thing that happened to him, very, very unfair. So I'll say it. OK. I'll do one more.

Donald Trump

00:24:40 - 00:24:40 (0 sec)

Question

00:24:40 - 00:24:40 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:24:40 - 00:24:40 (0 sec)

Oh, I don't wanna talk about an old election. That's all I need to do. I don't wanna talk -- I tell you what. I'll tell you what's up. Voters to me are very important. Yes, go ahead. Did you have one?

Question

00:24:40 - 00:24:40 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:24:40 - 00:24:40 (0 sec)

The surge operation?

Question

00:24:40 - 00:24:40 (0 sec)

Thousands of Syrian refugees [Inaudible]

Donald Trump

00:24:40 - 00:24:40 (0 sec)

They can't screen them. They have no documentation. You know, you can't screen a person with no documentation. They have no written documents whatsoever, so there's nothing you can do. Go ahead. One more.

Question

00:24:40 - 00:24:40 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:24:40 - 00:24:40 (0 sec)

I have a lot of them. There's about 12. Go ahead. You know, it's good.

Question

00:24:40 - 00:24:40 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:24:40 - 00:24:40 (0 sec)

I'm gonna come up with something on colleges because I'll tell you what, the biggest question I get are from young people that have gone to college, have done well, very good colleges, and they come to me and it's turmoil for them. They're loaded up with debt, and they can't get a job. And I'm gonna have policy on that very, very soon.

Donald Trump

00:24:40 - 00:24:40 (0 sec)

And I'll tell you what, it's so important. It's such a big issue. I'll see you inside, folks. Thank you very much. And Lou, thank you and your group, most importantly.

Lou Telano

00:24:40 - 00:24:40 (0 sec)

Question

00:24:40 - 00:24:40 (0 sec)

Thank you so much.

Question

00:24:40 - 00:24:40 (0 sec)

Thank you, Mr. Trump.