Donald Trump on Wednesday said the charges against him were a sign that Joe Biden was concerned about his candidacy and said Melania encouraged him to run because it was “sad” about what was happening to the United States.
The 77-year-old former president vented his displeasure with the state of the country and the allegations leveled against him to Newsmax anchor Eric Bolling, speaking with such intensity that Bolling barely had time to ask questions.
Trump told Bolling at his Bedminster golf course that he would announce next week whether he would attend the first Republican primary debate on Aug. 23 in Milwaukee.
Seven candidates qualified for the debate phase, but all must pledge to support the eventual candidate: Trump and several others have already said they will not sign, and Trump said he had doubts about attending.
“If you’re at 75 percent, 78 percent and others at zero, say, ‘What’s the best thing,'” he told Bolling, noting that some of his opponents “are not stupid people.”
Donald Trump spoke to Newsmax on Wednesday night about the 2024 election campaign and how he would avert World War III
Melania Trump is pictured June 14 at Trump Tower in Manhattan. Her husband insisted on Wednesday that she supported his campaign
He’s not expected to attend, and he said he wasn’t thrilled with the idea that “someone like Chris Christie, who’s at 1 percent in the polls, is going to ask me nasty questions.”
He added, “Ronald Reagan didn’t do it, Richard Nixon didn’t do it.”
“They want a smart president, someone who will be smart.”
Asked if he was prepared for his rivals’ taunts if he skipped the debate, Trump said it didn’t worry him.
“They’re going to say, oh, he doesn’t have the guts,” he said.
“I made a CNN town hall. That’s as hostile as can be. I heard I did well.
“I did so well that they fired the CNN boss because of it.” “It’s not a question of courage — it’s a question of intelligence.”
He added that he “would like to do it a lot of ways because I kind of enjoy it.”
However, he reiterated his refusal to sign the Republican National Committee’s pledge that all candidates taking part in the debate must agree to support the eventual winner.
“I wouldn’t sign the promise,” he said. “I can name three or four people that I would not support as president.”
He declined Bolling’s request to name them, but likely those would include Christie, his former president Mike Pence, and runner-up Ron DeSantis.
Trump said DeSantis was “a failed candidate.”
The contest for the Republican nomination was supposed to be a race between Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis. But a Trump campaign poll suggests the former president is way ahead
Trump has lost his lead over DeSantis in the head-to-head comparison, but still has a 20-point lead — largely thanks to the tremendous support he enjoys among Republican women
“I backed him and he went up and he could win — he went up tremendously in one night,” Trump said, referring to DeSantis’ confirmation for Florida governor in December 2017.
The Florida Times-Union wrote after DeSantis’ win that Trump “helped lift DeSantis out of relative obscurity and propel him to the front of the GOP race.”
Trump has long since turned against his protégé, who lags behind him by a long way.
A Morning Consult poll following Trump’s recent impeachment found the former president supported 59 percent of voters, compared to 16 percent for DeSantis.
“He has no personality and nothing is moving,” Trump said. “He fell like a stone.”
He said he believes Tim Scott could overtake DeSantis in the polls, adding that he thinks DeSantis would be stupid to ruin his chance at 2028.
“It’s ready for 2028,” Trump said
“He could have gone to 2028,” he began, then added, “Maybe.”
Bolling asked him about the alleged remarks made by Barack Obama at the White House luncheon with Biden.
President Joe Biden was seen in the Grand Canyon on Tuesday
Obama reportedly warned Biden that Trump was a formidable opponent who should not be underestimated or taken lightly.
“Well, he doesn’t take it lightly,” Trump said.
“He accused me three or four times. I haven’t checked – if I walk out of here I’ll be charged again.’
He joked that he was “charged every time my plane flies over a blue state.”
Trump continued, “He doesn’t take it seriously — in fact, he takes it more seriously than any other candidate in history because he has the Justice Department, which he promised to do.”
Trump said Biden “couldn’t put two sentences together” and called him “a totally incompetent man”.
He said Biden is making the world more unsafe because Russia, China and Saudi Arabia sense America’s weakness.
“We are on the cusp of World War III,” Trump said.
“And these will not be army tanks shooting at each other.’ This will be nuclear.’
He again promised to end the Ukraine war immediately and contain China.
“I think we have a Manchurian candidate,” Trump said.
“He’s so completely compromised.
“I think it’s because China paid him so much money and they don’t want people to know.”
On August 4, migrants attempt to cross the border between Mexico and Eagle Pass, Texas
On August 1, migrants walk past large buoys that serve as a floating border barrier on the Rio Grande
The 53-year-old is pictured on June 8th. Trump said Wednesday she supports his 2024 bid because “she feels our country is being destroyed.”
Trump concluded by saying that his wife, Melania, supports his campaign “100 percent.”
“She really is, she said the other day it’s just so sad what’s happening to our country,” Trump said.
“She said it so poignantly and sadly — but she said it.”
“She looks at the news and you see the border.” In most cases, this is not reported in the fake news. Our country is being poisoned by the influx of people who shouldn’t be here.
“She looked at it — that was interest, our limit.”
He added, “She’s very comfortable with it.” Not because she wants to do it. She had a very nice life before, I tell you.
“But she feels that our country is being destroyed.”
Bolling thanked Trump, then said in parting, “Just a note for our viewers: Newsmax has accepted the election results as valid and final.”
Newsmax is being sued by Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic over allegations that voting was rigged.
Fox News was sued by both companies and settled with Dominion for $787 million. The Smartmatic case is pending.