Moderators hosting Republican candidates Thursday night on Fox News had a buzzer to interrupt slinky replies. Donald Trump’s interviewer Tucker Carlson did not.
This, along with other factors, led to a wide-ranging 46-minute interview with the former president, in which he called critics “savages,” spoke candidly about the possible death of the 80-year-old president, and then poked fun at length about low-flow- shower heads and electric cars.
The pre-taped sit-down session was viewed more than 100 million times as of Wednesday night and counting, a number that Fox’s bickering debate from its rivals was almost certainly unlikely to match.
Among the hot topics the former Fox host accused Trump of was whether the nation was headed for a “civil war.”
Former President Trump was asked by interviewer Tucker Carlson if the nation was headed for a “civil war.” He attacked his critics as “savages”, attacked his Republican rivals and Joe Biden and spoke about low-flow showerheads
Trump didn’t respond directly, but instead defended the crowd he addressed on Jan. 6 on the Ellipse near the White House.
“There’s a tremendous passion and a tremendous love.” You know, January 6th was a very interesting day because — they don’t really report on it. “I think it was the biggest crowd I’ve ever spoken to and some of the crowds I’ve spoken to before — I think the biggest crowd I’ve ever spoken to was on January 6th,” replied Trump.
He then referred to his own comments on Twitter later in the day as a mob stormed the Capitol
“And the people that were in that crowd — a very, very small group of people, and we said patriotic and peaceful, peaceful and patriotic, right — nobody ever says that — go peaceful and patriotic.” But the people who were in that crowd that day, a very small group, went down there [to the Capitol] And then there are many, many scenarios that we can talk about. “But the people in that crowd said it was the best day they’ve ever had,” Trump said.
The AP estimated 10,000 people attended the rally.
Trump calls his critics ‘wild animals’
Trump called his critics “savages” and claimed his Democratic opponents would try again to “steal” the election.
“Are you afraid they will try to kill you?” Carlson asked him. “Why shouldn’t they try to kill you? Honest.’ Trump took this as a call to turn against his rivals, in comments aired hours before he was scheduled to fly to Fulton County, Georgia, to have his mug shot after being charged with conspiracy conspiracy.
“These are wild animals.” “These are people who are sick, really sick,” Trump said.
That sparked a lengthy response in which Trump railed against “Russia, Russia, Russia” and went after a number of rivals, including former FBI Director James Comey, whom he fired in a 2017 episode investigated in the Mueller report.
“But these people are sick people.” “These are people who I believe hate our country. They want to know the truth,” Trump said.
He claimed his critics were trying to “steal” him and “not just me” the election, and on one night all but two of the GOP candidates onstage said they would support Trump even if he were convicted in court would.
“But if someone other than me came in, they would be just as brutal on them,” Trump said.
He predicted it wouldn’t be Ron DeSantis whom he taunted as “DeSanctus” and referred to him as “out” as well as “gonzo” and “gone”.
“I have to give credit for persevering quite well.” “I have to tell you,” Trump said.
‘How you do that?’ Carlson asked him. “How do you get charged every week and stay happy?”
Trump defended the “beautiful” crowd he addressed on Jan. 6, saying he told a small group in the Capitol to behave “patriotically and peacefully.”
Trump said disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein likely killed himself
Trump complained about low water pressure during a lengthy complaint during the interview
Trump gave detailed answers without interruption in an interview from his private club in New Jersey
Trump questioned why he should take the stage during a debate while his rivals are “yelling at me and shouting questions at me.”
Speculations about Biden’s health
Trump called Biden “the worst president in our country’s history” and then said he might not make it to November 2024.
“I don’t think he’s going to make it to goal, but you know, you never know,” Trump, 77, said of Biden, 80.
He then explained how he took the nickname “corrupt” from Hillary Clinton and used it on Biden. “I don’t do two people at once,” he explained.
This prompted Trump to predict a “freedom for all” among Democrats, while saying Vice President Kamala Harris was not guaranteed her party’s nomination.
“A lot of people say she has to remain the candidate for some reason — she has to,” Trump said of Harris. “Actually, I don’t think that’s true,” Trump told Carlson, without explaining what reasons he was referring to.
“I don’t think other people would accept that. She has some bad moments. “Her moments are almost as bad as his, or even worse, in my opinion,” he said.
That prompted Carlson, who was interviewing Trump at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, to think that she “seems to be pretty senile, too.”
“She speaks in rhymes.” It’s funny. “It’s weird,” Trump said. “But she has bad moments,” Trump said of Harris, 58.
He says Biden has ‘skinny legs’
Trump has eclipsed President Biden for both his looks and his mental prowess.
“I think he’s worse mentally than physically and physically.” “He’s not exactly a triathlete or any athlete,” Trump mused of Biden, who used to play college football at the University of Delaware but has been the subject of a little lately flattering beach photos.
“Look at the one who can’t go through the helicopter, he’s walking, he can’t get his feet off the grass, you know, it’s two inches from the White House.”
“When you watch him, it looks like he’s walking on toothpicks,” the former president continued. “And then you see him on the beach where he can’t lift a chair.” You know, these chairs are supposed to be light, right? Like two ounces.’
Trump then said he didn’t understand the strategy behind sending Biden to the beach.
Trump on why he skipped the debate
Trump said he skipped the first Republican presidential debate to avoid being “molested” by rivals he said didn’t deserve to run.
He said he skipped the forum to avoid giving other Republicans a chance to get involved with him and acknowledged putting himself at the helm was a defensive move.
“But you see, the polls put me up 50 and 60 points.” And you know, some of them are one and zero and two. And I’m like, ‘Should I sit there for an hour or two, whatever it is, and be hassled by people who shouldn’t even be running for president? Should I do that?” Trump told Carlson.
He made the comment after onstage rivals, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, angered him for skipping the min event.
Trump said the situation reminded him of the 2016 campaign where he said he had to fight, but the network “became very friendly after I won.”
“But I just felt that it would be more appropriate not to have the debate.” “I don’t think it’s right to do that,” he said.
He referred to his poll results but exaggerated by claiming it was 70 percent. “And I’m going to have eight people, ten people, whoever started the debate, I don’t know how many, but I’m going to have all these people yelling at me and shouting questions at me?” All of which I’m happy to answer – I love doing it – but there’s no point in doing them. “So I took a pass, as you probably noticed,” he told Carlson.
Trump on the death of Jeffrey Epstein
Carlson tried to get Trump to comment on the death of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. He expressed doubts that he had killed himself in prison and accused former Attorney General Bill Barr of failing to investigate.
Carlson accused Barr of “covering up” Epstein’s death.
Trump, who was himself photographed with Epstein in Mar-a-Lago and referred to him as a “firm” in Palm Beach, didn’t believe him.
“I don’t really think so – I think he probably committed suicide.” He’s had a life of beautiful houses and everything that was beautiful and suddenly he’s locked up and he’s not doing very well.’
Problems with the shower
Trump has been vocal about his issues with low-flow showers and electric vehicles. He has been making similar complaints for years.
“There’s a problem in some states, you know, there’s some desert areas and that’s all fine.” But they have sinks that no water comes out of. You turn it on, no water comes out. No water comes out of the shower. No water should get into the washing machine for your dishes or clothes. “I avoided all of that,” Trump said of his efforts to reduce regulations.
“Wait, are there sinks that don’t have water coming out?” Carlson wanted to know.
“You want to wash your hands, don’t you?” Yes. And you saw that and you turn on the sink and it’s very little, or you want to wash your beautiful hair properly and you’re in the shower. Then the foam never reached with the water, which flows out very slowly. I’m sure you saw that. “It’s usually in new hotels, new houses,” Trump lamented.