Donald Trump, the leader in the GOP race for president as we approach the Wisconsin primary Tuesday, had a lot to say in a lengthy interview published Sunday in the Washington Post. Here are 7 key takeaways.
TRENTON -- Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump did another big interview this week, this time with the Washington Post.
The billionaire businessman and former Atlantic City casino tycoon, who has been on his heels a bit the past week after his controversial abortion comments, answered questions for more than an hour-and-a-half Thursday.
The interview was published Sunday.
Here are seven takeaways from Trump's interview with Bob Woodward and Robert Costa as we near the Wisconsin primary on Tuesday.
Donald Trump speaks to guests during a campaign stop at Memorial High School Saturday in Eau Claire, Wisc. (Scott Olson |Getty Images) 1. Trump said he would not choose a political novice as his running mate. In the interview, he said he would "95 percent" want a vice president who has "been friendly with these guys (in the U.S. Senate) for 25 years" and someone who "can get things done." Seems consistent with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's views on potentially being Trump's running mate.
2. Trump said he is putting together a list of 10 to 12 judges who he would consider for nomination to the Supreme Court.
3. The United States, Trump said, is headed for a "massive recession" and the timing is "terrible ... right now" to be invested in the stock market.
4. Trump vowed to eliminate the country's $19 trillion national debt in a "period of eight years."
5. In his first 100 days in office, Trump said he would alter the United States' role in NATO, cut taxes, and renegotiate trade and military deals. (The Post referred to this as Trump tossing aside decades of American policy for a new "Trumpian way" of running the country.)
6. Going deeper on NATO, Trump called it "obsolete" and said the nation's biggest threat today is terrorism and "NATO's not really set up for terrorism."
7. Trump said he would demand high-level government employees to sign non-disclosure agreements, in effect preventing them from writing what it's like to be part of his administration.
Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.