Trump lines up for Presidential bid
Last Updated on Sunday, 17 April 2011 21:10 Sunday, 17 April 2011 20:19
Donald Trump was everywhere this weekend. He appeared on TV, the hustings and gave newspaper interviews as he tests the water to see if he could launch a bid for the Republican nominee for President. On Saturday, he gave a wide ranging speech to 2,500-3,000 people criticising Japan, Saudi Arabia and China for stealing jobs and industry from the U.S.. On Sunday, the billionaire appeared on CNN's "State of the Union"to attack Mitt Romney, dismiss LaGuardia Airport in New York as 'third world' and tell viewers that if he went into Libya, he'd take all the oil and even the country.
Speaking about Japan and the U.S. helping the country rebuild after the earthquake and tsunami, Trump said, “For 30 years, they’ve been ripping us off and taking advantage of us. But I still think we should help. See don’t I have a great heart?” The theme that America needed to get tough and decisive on foreign policy was repeated on Sunday's CNN interview when asked about Libya and China. "Look at Libya. Look at this mess," Trump said. "We go in, we don't go in, he shouldn't be removed, we don't want to remove him, we don't want to touch him, but he should be removed. Nobody knows what they're doing on Kadhafi," he added.
"I'd do one thing. Either I'd go in and take the oil or I don't go in at all," he said. "In the old days, when you have a war and you win, that nation is yours."
He also lashed out at U.S. policy on China. "If you look at what China is doing, they're stealing our jobs, they're taking our money. They're then loaning our money back. It's amazing," Trump said. "They're making all of our products," he said. "They are also manipulating the currency that makes it almost impossible for our companies to compete with China."
Mitt Romney also came under fire. Trump claimed his net worth was far higher than Romney's and although not wanting to be 'bragadocious', his wealth displayed certain characteristics that he could put to use for America. “I'm a much bigger business man and have [a] much, much bigger net worth. I mean, my net worth is many, many, many times Mitt Romney.”
LaGuardia Airport was next in line for a verbal slap. Trump told CNN, "It's old. It’s dirty. It’s falling apart. It’s disgusting." China was investing heavily in infrastructure while using their currency to finance their growth. "They're [China] building bridges. They're building airports. They're building cities, brand new cities," he continued. "When was the last time you saw a bridge being built in the United States?" Saudi Arabia was also guilty of "ripping off" the United States.
Obama wasn't spared a lashing either as Trump predicted he would go down as the 'worst president in history'. “The United States has become the laughing stock and the whipping post for the rest of the world, whether we like it or not, and we don’t like it, the world is laughing at us. They’re laughing at our leaders, they’re taking advantage of us, and it’s a disgrace,” he said.
