Volient videogames decrease crime

So why not take a look at the science? So far, no study has conclusively linked violent video games to violent crime or youth violence, and a number have pointed to just the opposite.

Recommended by Forbes

In August of 2007, Dr. Christopher J. Ferguson of Texas A&M published a study showing that many studies of violence in video games have ‘publication bias’ baked into the reports, and even then, of the 25 studies he surveyed, none show any causal link between violence in video games and violence in real life.
In 2010, Dr. Fergusson and Dr. Stephanie M. Rueda published another study in which they took a sample of 103 young adults and had them solve a “frustration task.” Separating the participants into four groups, the researches had one group play no video game, one play a non-violent video game, one play as good guys in a violent game, and one play as bad guys in a violent game.
They found that the games had no impact on aggressive behavior whatsoever, and that the group which played no game at all was the most aggressive after the task, whereas the group that played the violent games were the least hostile and depressed.
There are many other studies which come to the same conclusions – or lack of conclusions – about the risk of violent video games affecting behavior in real life.
Many social and behavioral researchers point out that violence in the home and poverty are better indicators of anti-social or violent behavior.
Add to this the fact that the gaming industry is now measured in the tens of billions of dollars every year, with global revenue well over $60 billion annually.
At the very same time as video games started going mainstream, violent crime began to fall.
Indeed, the correlation between the growth in the gaming industry and the fall in violent crime is startling even if it is only a correlation.
Violent crime is at an all-time low in America. Here’s a look at falling violent crime numbers, courtesy of the FBI.

Meanwhile, games sales are on the rise in the US (in billions US$):

It’s not hard to combine the two graphs in your mind’s eye and see the two lines cross.
As The Economist put it several years ago: “The opposition to gaming springs largely from the neophobia that has pitted the old against the entertainments of the young for centuries. Most gamers are under 40, and most critics are non-games-playing over-40s.”
Why the media keeps spinning this same tale is not particularly perplexing. The news plays to our fears, whether substantiated or no, and since video games first rolled on to the scene, parents have been fearful of the effects violent video games might have on their kids. Find some correlation and you’ve got yourself a clickable headline. The Norway shooter played a violent video game? Send it to print!
Why are violent crimes down? It may not have anything to do with video games. Still, it’s also possible that relatively cheap, accessible, and time-consuming electronic diversions keep people occupied who might otherwise be out getting into trouble. Maybe the more time people spend playing games, the less time and motivation they’ll have to go out and commit crimes. Or maybe there’s no link at all.
But on a purely intuitive level, I can’t help but think that the more people we have playing games the better. The more people who can gain access to the internet and to other relatively cheap and engaging diversions, like games and social media, the better off our society will become.

Nintendo Switch downgrades to 720p, but is multi-touch

It's been a week since NX became Nintendo Switch and we finally learned all about Nintendo's next home console - except, actually we didn't learn all there is to it.

Last week's slick trailer gave a solid overview of Switch's core mechanics, but Eurogamer has learned about other features which were not shown or talked about.
A number of sources, including those who informed me of the Switch's design and detachable controllers back in July, have all confirmed other capabilities which Nintendo is currently keeping quiet.
Let's start with the Nintendo Switch's screen. It is 6.2" in size, 720p and - for the first time in any Nintendo device - boasts a capacitive multi-touch screen.
(Both 3DS and Wii U featured resistive touchscreens, reliant on pressure and less precise. They were also single-touch only.)
As is standard for capacitive devices such as most modern smartphones, Switch's screen is a 10-point multitouch display, meaning multi-finger gestures are supported.
Why not mention the touchscreen in the trailer, or show users playing with it? Perhaps Nintendo did not want to confuse its messaging of Switch being able to play standard home console games on the go.
Switch does not carry the DS or Wii U branding, for example, and both of those were defined - for better and worse - by their tablet-esque stylus controls. Demonstrating touchscreen on Switch now might suggest a continuation of both those brands rather than a brand new device.

The Switch trailer also focuses on a number of control methods already - playing using the JoyCon controllers with the main unit docked, then play with each JoyCon attached to the Switch itself on the go, then various multiplayer options.
Explaining how the touchscreen will work - and how it is an optional feature - is perhaps another level of complexity than is needed in a three-minute ad, which already has a lot of information to convey.
So, how will the touchscreen work when the Switch is docked? While connected to your TV the Switch itself is out of reach - you play either with both JoyCon controllers attached to the system's grip or with a Pro Controller. The Switch's touchscreen is almost entirely obscured within the console's dock.
The answer may lie hidden in the right-hand JoyCon, which houses a short-range IR sensor in its base. This could be used to point at the TV to replicate basic touchscreen functionality, picked up by a corresponding IR sensor in the docked Switch.
Nintendo declined to comment when contacted about this article, although last week said it had "nothing to announce" on the possibility of a touchscreen.
A Nintendo Switch media briefing will be held on 13th January where more system features will likely be announced, as well as its exact release date and software launch line-up.

Donald Trump on Crime

Police can't act due to disrespect; but weed out bad ones

Q: The FBI director said there's a chill wind blowing through law enforcement because of increased scrutiny. How do you bridge the divide?TRUMP: The police are absolutely mistreated and misunderstood, and if there is an incident--whether it's an incident done purposely, which is a horror, and you should really take very strong action--or if it is a mistake, it's on your newscasts, and it never ends. The police in this country have done an unbelievable job of keeping law and order, and they're afraid for their jobs, they're afraid of the mistreatment they get, and I'm telling you that not only, me speaking, minorities all over the country, they respect the police of this country and we have to give them more respect. They can't act. They're afraid for losing their pension, their job. They don't know what to do. They want to do their job. And you're going to have abuse and you're going to have problems, and you've got to solve the problems and you have to weed out the problems.
Source: 2016 ABC Republican debate on eve of N.H. primary , Feb 6, 2016

The police are the most mistreated people in America

I want security for this country. I want to find out why those two horrible young people in California when they shot the 14 people. Many people saw pipe bombs and all sorts of things all over their apartment. Why weren't they vigilant? Why didn't they call the police? And by the way, the police are the most mistreated people in this country. I will tell you that. The most mistreated people. We need vigilance. There's something going on and it's bad. And I'm saying we have to get to the bottom of it. Source: Fox Business 2016 Republican 2-tier debate , Jan 14, 2016

1989 full-page newspaper ads: "Bring Back the Death Penalty

In April 1989, Trump saw an opportunity to speak his mind when a young white woman was raped and beaten while out for a jog in Central Park. As media reports shocked the city and the victim struggled for survival, police mounted an intense investigation that ended with the apprehension of five black youths between the ages of 14 and 16. The five implicated themselves under interrogation, but would later recant, saying they had been pressured into making false statements. Donald Trump bought full-page advertisements in the city's four big daily papers to proclaim BRING BACK THE DEATH PENALTY. BRING BACK OUR POLICE!Although he avoided naming the accused in the jogger case, Trump's reference to "roving bands of wild criminals" left no doubt about why he had paid for the ads. Newspaper accounts had described "wolf pack" gangs marauding in the park.
Source: Never Enough, by Michael D'Antonio, p.192 , Sep 22, 2015

Black lives matter, but we need strong police presence

Q: Do you see a crisis in the US of white police officers shooting unarmed blacks?TRUMP: It's a massive crisis. It's a double crisis. I look at these things, I see them on television. And some horrible mistakes are made. But at the same time, we have to give power back to the police because crime is rampant. I believe very strongly that we need police.
Cities need strong police protection. But officers' jobs are being taken away from them. And there's no question about it, there is turmoil in our country on both sides.
Q: Do you understand why African Americans don't trust the police right now?
TRUMP: Well, I can certainly see it when I see what's going on. But at the same time, we have to give power back to the police because we have to have law and order. And you're always going to have mistakes made. And you're always going to have bad apples. But you can't let that stop the fact that police have to regain control of this tremendous crime wave that's hitting the US.
Source: Meet the Press 2015 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls , Aug 2, 2015

Capital punishment isn’t uncivilized; murderers living is

Civilized people don’t put up with barbaric behavior. Would it have been civilized to put Hitler in prison? No-it would have been an affront to civilization. The same is true of criminals who prey on innocent people. They have declared war on civilization. I don’t care if the victim is a CEO or a floor sweeper. A life is a life, and if you criminally take an innocent life you’d better be prepared to forfeit your own. My only complaint is that lethal injection is too comfortable a way to go Source: The America We Deserve, by Donald Trump, p.102-3 , Jul 2, 2000

Death penalty deters like violent TV leads kids astray

I can’t believe that executing criminals doesn’t have a deterrent effect. To point out the extreme, 100% of the people who are executed never commit another crime. And it seems self-evident (we can’t put numbers to this) that a lot of people who might otherwise commit a capital crime are convinced not to because they know there’s a chance they could die for it. Young male murderers, we are constantly told, are led astray by violent music and violent movies. Fair enough. I believe that people are affected by what they read, see, hear, and experience. Only a fool believes otherwise. So you can’t say on one hand that a kid is affected by music and movies and then turn around and say he is absolutely not affected when he turns on the evening news and sees that a criminal has gone to the chair for killing a child. Obviously capital punishment isn’t going to deter everyone. But how can it not put the fear of death into many would-be killers?
Source: The America We Deserve, by Donald Trump, p.102-4 , Jul 2, 2000

Hold judges accountable; don’t reduce sentences

Criminals are often returned to society because of forgiving judges. This has to stop. We need to hold judges more accountable, and the best way to make that happen is to elect them. Whey they hurt us, we need to make sure we can vote them out of the job. The rest of us need to rethink prisons and punishment. The next time you hear someone saying there are too many people in prison, ask them how many thugs they’re willing to relocate to their neighborhood. The answer: None. Source: The America We Deserve, by Donald Trump, p.106-7 , Jul 2, 2000

For tough anti-crime policies; not criminals’ rights

We can have safe streets. But unless we stand up for tough anticrime policies, they will be replaced by policies that emphasize criminals’ rights over those of ordinary citizens. Soft criminal sentences are based on the proposition that criminals are the victims of society. A lot of people in high places really do believe that criminals are victims. The only victim of a violent crime is the person getting shot, stabbed, or raped. The perpetrator is never a victim. He’s nothing more than a predator.
Source: The America We Deserve, by Donald Trump, p. 93-94 , Jul 2, 2000

Donald Trump on education

FactCheck: More than figurehead at Trump U

One key issue in the ongoing class-action lawsuits against Trump University is whether Donald Trump was just a figurehead (and any responsibility for wrongdoing is on his subordinates) or instead was personally involved (and any responsibility for wrongdoing is on him).Our conclusion: Trump was involved in guiding Trump U in the same manner he guides any real estate development project. Trump doesn't do any construction on his buildings: he designs them and oversees implementation. Similarly, he designed a lot of Trump U and oversaw its operations.
One strong piece of evidence is the location of Trump U--at 40 Wall Street. That building is featured in its own chapter in Donald's book "The Art of the Comeback" (1997)--Donald worked for years on that building. Donald located Trump U at the jewel in the crown of the Trump empire--he meant Trump U not as just a money-making venture, but as a showpiece for his name. Trump U may have failed, but Donald Trump intended it to succeed.
Source: OnTheIssues FactCheck on Trump 101, by Donald Trump , Jun 9, 2016

No federal government profit from student loans

A four-year degree today can be expensive enough to create six-figure debt. We can't forgive these loans, but we should take steps to help students.The big problem is the federal government. There is no reason the federal government should profit from student loans. This only makes an already difficult problem worse. The Federal Student Loan Program turned a $41.3 billion profit in 2013.
These student loans are probably one of the only things that the government shouldn't make money from, and yet it does. And do you think this has anything to do with why schools continue to raise their tuition every year? Those loans should be viewed as an investment in America's future.
Source: Crippled America, by Donald Trump, p. 58-9 , Nov 3, 2015

Let schools compete: charters, vouchers, and magnets

Competition is why I'm very much in favor of school choice. Let schools compete for kids. I guarantee that if you forced schools to get better or close because parents didn't want to enroll their kids there, they would get better. Those schools that weren't good enough to attract students would close, and that's a good thing.For two decades I've been urging politicians to open the schoolhouse doors and let parents decide which schools are best for their children. Professional educators look to claim that doing so would be the end of good public schools. Better charter or magnet schools would drain the top kids out of that system, or hurt the morale of those left behind. Suddenly, the excellence that comes from competition is being criticized.
Source: Crippled America, by Donald Trump, p. 53-4 , Nov 3, 2015

Dept. of Education runs top-down one-size-fits-all system

A lot of people believe the Department of Education should just be eliminated. Get rid of it. If we don't eliminate it completely, we certainly need to cut its power and reach. Education has to be run locally. Common Core, No Child Left Behind, and Race to the Top are all programs that take decisions away from parents and local school boards. These programs allow the progressives in the Department of Education to indoctrinate, not educate, our kids. What they are doing does not fit the American model of governance. I am totally against these programs and the Department of Education. It's a disaster. We cannot continue to fail our children--the very future of this nation.
Source: Crippled America, by Donald Trump, p. 50-1 , Nov 3, 2015

Cut Department of Education and Common Core

Q: Would you cut departments?TRUMP: We're going to be cutting tremendous amounts of money and waste and fraud and abuse. But, no, I'm not cutting services, but I am cutting spending.ÿBut I may cut Department of Education-- Common Core is a very bad thing. I think that it should be local education. If you look at a Jeb Bush and some of these others, they want children to be educated by Washington, D.C. bureaucrats.
Source: Fox News Sunday 2015 Coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls , Oct 18, 2015

We spend more per student than any other nation

• Education spending: "People are tired of spending more money on education than any nation in the world per capita."
• Local control of education: "Education has to be local."
• American education in an international context: "We're 26th in the world. 25 countries are better than us at education. And some of them are like third world countries. But we're becoming a third world country."

Source: Fordham Institute EduWatch 2016 by Brandon White , Jun 18, 2015

Common Core is a disaster

[As president I'd] end Common Core. Common Core is a disaster. Bush is totally in favor of Common Core. I don't see how he can possibly get the nomination. He's weak on immigration. He's in favor of Common Core. How the hell can you vote for this guy? You just can't do it. We have to end--education has to be local. Source: 2015 announcement speeches of 2016 presidential hopefuls , Jun 16, 2015

Cut the Department of Education way, way down

Here are some of Trump's views on education:
• Department of Education: "You could cut that way, way, way down." -- South Carolina Tea Party Convention, Myrtle Beach, January 2015
• Common Core curriculum standards: "I am totally against Common Core." -- South Carolina Tea Party Convention, Myrtle Beach, January 2015. "That's a disaster. That's bad. It should be local and all of that." -- Iowa Freedom Summit, Des Moines, Iowa, January 2015
• Infrastructure: "Fixing a country's infrastructure--our bridges, our schools, our airports--that, I can tell you, no one is close to Trump." -- Iowa Freedom Summit, Des Moines, Iowa, January 2015
• Local control: "Education has to be local." -- Announcement speech, New York City, June 16, 2015

Source: Forbes Magazine "2016 Candidates Want You to Know" series , Jun 16, 2015

Founded Trump University to teach the art of deal-making

Back in 2005, he started an online school called Trump University to teach the art of deal-making, but it didn't offer degrees. The New York Department of Education complained and he changed the name to Trump Entrepreneur Initiative in 2010. Source: Forbes Magazine "2016 Candidates Want You to Know" series , Jun 16, 2015

Opposes Common Core

Donald Trump doesn't think the GOP is demanding enough. "Republicans have to toughen up," Trump said in a speech at CPAC. "Toughen up on the IRS, toughen up on Benghazi, toughen up on everything."Trump bashed Jeb Bush on education, who Trump said was "in favor of common core."
"I thought Romney could do it," Trump, who backed the candidate during the last election, said. "I don't want what happened to Mitt Romney to happen again."
Source: CBS News on 2015 Conservative Political Action Conf. , Feb 27, 2015

Common Core means Washington tells you what to study

Q: What's Donald Trump think about Common Core?Trump: Well first of all, I think it's going to kill Bush, and I think that education should be local, absolutely. I think that for people in Washington to be setting curriculum and to be setting all sorts of standards for people living in Iowa and other places is ridiculous.
Q: Why is it going to kill Bush?
Trump: Because I think people don't want to have somebody from Washington looking down and saying this is what you're going to be studying.
Q: But do you think he's responsible for that part of it?
Trump: No, but he's responsible for supporting it."
Source: Hugh Hewitt radio interview on 2016 presidential hopefuls , Feb 25, 2015

Americans don't know their roots: study your ancestry

I was listening to some Europeans once and they seemed to agree that Americans didn't seem to know their roots. Of course, their roots go back for many more centuries than ours and may be easier to decipher because many of us have ancestors from different countries. But it gave me a reason to think about what they said, and I realized in many cases they were right. I recently went to Scotland, as my mother's side of the family is of Scottish ancestry, and I've spent time studying that country & therefore my heritage. It could even explain why I love golf so much--it originated in Scotland.I found that I enjoyed learning about Scotland and it has broadened my horizons as well as my interests as a businessman. I am building a golf course in Aberdeen that will be spectacular, and I very much enjoyed my visiting and meeting the people from the culture and country. I also realized I still have a lot to learn, which will no doubt lead me into more interesting ventures as well as adventures.
Source: Think Like a Champion, by Donald Trump, p. 37 , Apr 27, 2010

Comprehensive education instead of limiting subjects

Comprehensive education dissolves the lines between knowing too much and knowing too little on a variety of subjects--subjects that are necessary for success. Recently, I interviewed a young man who was very well versed in his field of expertise and almost uneducated in every other subject. It was like he had tunnel vision, and although I admired his knowledge of his field, I had to realize that, considering the scope of my enterprises, he might not be a great fit because of his limited interests. Source: Think Like a Champion, by Donald Trump, p. 47 , Apr 27, 2010

I'm deeply and actively involved in Trump University

I have a real passion for learning. My books and my professional experience always included a strong education or "lessons learned" slant. This book is a collection of my beliefs and about business and life-my basic rules and principles. It also contains questions submitted to me on the Trump University blog and my answers.Another purpose of this book is to introduce you to Trump University, which grew out of my desire to impart the business knowledge I accumulated over the years and to find a practical, convenient way to teach success. Trump University doesn't just bear my name; I'm actively involved in it. I participated in creating the curricula, and my words, ideas, and image have been woven into the courses we provide.
I'm deeply and actively involved in Trump University because I firmly believe in the power of education and its function as an engine of success. I want to help people, and, simply put, the Trump University students want to be successful. I'm on their side.
Source: Trump 101, by Donald Trump, p. xix-xx , Oct 20, 2006

Teach citizenship; stop “dumbing down”

Our schools aren’t safe. On top of that, our kids aren’t learning. Too many are dropping out of school and into the street life-and too many of those who do graduate are getting diplomas that have been devalued into “certificates of attendance” by a dumbed-down curriculum that asks little of teachers and less of students. Schools are crime-ridden and they don’t teach. How long do we think the U.S. can survive schools that pretend to teach while our kids pretend to learn? How can a kid hope to build an American Dream when he hasn’t been taught how to spell the word “dream”?
Public education was never meant to only teach the three R’s, history, and science. It was also meant to teach citizenship. At the lower levels it should cover the basics, help students develop study habits, and prepare those who desire higher education for the tough road ahead. It’s a mandate the public schools have delivered on since their inception. Until now.
Source: The America We Deserve, by Donald Trump, p. 67 , Jul 2, 2000

End “creative spelling,” “estimating,” & “empowerment”

The people running our public schools don’t want to damage a student’s self-esteem. They’re concerned about “empowerment.” They’re worried kids will feel bad if they get a problem wrong or flunk a spelling test. It’s better to pat a kid on the head and praise his “creative spelling” than point out that there is a traditional name for people with poor spelling skills. We call them illiterates.Some educators think being “judgmental” is the worst of all sins. The problem is that life tends to judge-and harshly at that. There’s no room for error when you’re launching the space shuttle. Or mixing the concrete for the foundation of Trump Tower, for that matter. Try giving a number “in the neighborhood of” on your tax returns and you may end up in a place where there’s a very definite number stamped on the back of your shirt.
Source: The America We Deserve, by Donald Trump, p. 69 , Jul 2, 2000

Bring on the competition; tear down the union walls

Our public schools have grown up in a competition-free zone, surrounded by a very high union wall. Why aren’t we shocked at the results? After all, teachers’ unions are motivated by the same desires that move the rest of us. With more than 85% of their soft-money donations going to Democrats, teachers’ unions know they can count on the politician they back to take a strong stand against school choice. Our public schools are capable of providing a more competitive product than they do today. Look at some of the high school tests from earlier in this century and you’ll wonder if they weren’t college-level tests. And we’ve got to bring on the competition -open the schoolhouse doors and let parents choose the best school for their children.
Education reformers call this school choice, charter schools, vouchers, even opportunity scholarships. I call it competition-the American way.
Source: The America We Deserve, by Donald Trump, p. 80-81 , Jul 2, 2000

School choice will improve public schools

Defenders of the status quo insist that parental choice means the end of public schools. Let’s look at the facts. Right now, nine of ten children attend public schools. If you look at public education as a business- and with nearly $300 billion spent each year on K-through-twelve education, it’s a very big business indeed-it would set off every antitrust alarm bell at the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission. When teachers’ unions say even the most minuscule program allowing school choice is a mortal threat, they’re saying: If we aren’t allowed to keep 90% of the market, we can’t survive. When Bell Telephone had 90% of the market, a federal judge broke it up. Who’s better off? The kids who use vouchers to go to the school of their choice, or the ones who choose to stay in public school? All of them. That’s the way it works in a competitive system.
Source: The America We Deserve, by Donald Trump, p. 83 , Jul 2, 2000

Donald Trump on War and Peace

We would be better off if Gadhafi were in charge right now

Sen. Ted CRUZ: Both Donald and Senator Rubio have agreed with both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama: in Libya, they agreed with the Obama/Clinton policy of toppling the government in Libya. That was a disaster. TRUMP: I was in favor of Libya? I never discussed that subject. We would be so much better off if Gadhafi were in charge right now. If these politicians went to the beach and didn't do a thing, and we had Saddam Hussein and if we had Gadhafi in charge, instead of having terrorism all over the place, at least they killed terrorists, all right? And I'm not saying they were good--because they were bad, they were really bad--but we don't know what we're getting. You look at Libya right now, ISIS, as we speak, is taking over their oil. As we speak, it's a total mess. We would have been better off if the politicians took a day off instead of going into war.
Source: 2016 CNN-Telemundo Republican debate on eve of Texas primary , Feb 25, 2016

Cease-fire in Syria only if all parties involved

Q: Do you support the ceasefire in Syria? CRUZ: We're hopeful that the violence will cease, but there's reason to be highly skeptical. Russia has enhanced its position because of Obama's weakness in the Middle East, weakness in Syria.
TRUMP: I don't because it not working and the countries aren't agreeing to it and the rebels aren't agreeing and Syria is not agreeing. It's a meaningless ceasefire. I would love it, but all parties have to be part of it.
Source: 2016 CNN-Telemundo Republican debate on eve of Texas primary , Feb 25, 2016

FactCheck: Supported Iraq invasion in 2002; opposed in 2003

Trump has claimed that he opposed the Iraq War before the invasion began--as an example of his great judgment. But in a 2002 interview with Howard Stern, Donald Trump said he supported an Iraq invasion. In an interview on Sept. 11, 2002, Stern asked Trump directly if he was for invading Iraq. "Yeah I guess so," Trump responded. "I wish the first time it was done correctly."Trump has repeatedly claimed that he was against the Iraq War before it began, despite no evidence of him publicly stating this position. Trump's comments on Stern's show are more in line with what he wrote in his 2000 book, The America We Deserve, where he advocated for a "principled and tough" policy toward "outlaw" states like Iraq.
Asked at the CNN town hall about the Stern interview, Trump said, "I could have said that. I wasn't a politician. It was probably the first time anyone has asked me that question. By the time the war started, I was against it, and shortly thereafter, I was really against."
Source: Buzzfeed FactCheck on 2016 CNN GOP Town Hall , Feb 19, 2016

We've spent $5T in the Mideast and gotten nothing

Gov. Jeb BUSH: Donald Trump wants to accommodate Russia. Russia is not taking out ISIS. They're attacking our team, the team that we've been training and the team that we've been supporting. It is absolutely ludicrous to suggest that Russia could be a positive partner in this. I would restore the military; the sequester needs to be reversed.Q [to Trump]: You said that you could get along very well with Vladimir Putin. You did say let Russia take care of ISIS.
TRUMP: Jeb is so wrong. You fight ISIS first. You have to knock 'em out. You decide what to do after, you can't fight two wars at one time. If you listen to him, that's why we've been in the Middle East for 15 years, and we haven't won anything. We've spent $5 trillion dollars in the Middle East with thinking like that. We've spent $5 trillion dollars; we have to rebuild our country. We have to rebuild our infrastructure. you listen to that you're going to be there for another 15 years. You'll end up with world war three.
Source: 2016 CBS Republican primary debate in South Carolina , Feb 13, 2016

Get rid of ISIS, quickly: dry up their oil & their money

Q: You've said, "we've got to get rid of ISIS, quickly, quickly." How?TRUMP: Well, four years ago, I said, bomb the oil and take the oil. And if we did that, they wouldn't have the wealth they have right now. Now, we're doing little pinpricks. If somebody's driving a truck, they give notice to the person driving the truck, "we're going to bomb." If they don't get out of the truck, the truck sails away with the oil. We don't want to bomb the oil, because we don't want to pollute the atmosphere. Can you imagine General Douglas MacArthur or General Patton saying we can't bomb because we're gonna hurt the atmosphere? You have to knock the hell out of the oil. And you have also back channels of banking. You have people that you think are our great allies in the Middle East, that are paying tremendous amounts of money to ISIS. So we have to stop those circuits. So between the oil and the banking, you will dry them up. But it should have been done four years ago, not now.
Source: 2016 ABC Republican debate on eve of N.H. primary , Feb 6, 2016

Assad is a bad guy, but his replacement could be worse

Gov. Jeb BUSH: We should have a no fly zone in Syria.TRUMP: Assad is a bad guy, but we have no idea who the so-called rebels--nobody even knows who they are.
Carly FIORINA: Governor Bush is correct. We must have a no fly zone in Syria.
TRUMP: So, I don't like Assad. Who's going to like Assad? But, we have no idea who these people, and what they're going to be, and what they're going to represent. They may be far worse than Assad. Look at Libya. Look at Iraq. Look at the mess we have after spending $2 trillion dollars, thousands of lives, wounded warriors all over the place--we have nothing. And, I said, keep the oil. And we should have kept the oil, believe me. We should have kept the oil. And, you know what? We should have given big chunks of the oil to the people that lost their arms, their legs, and their families, and their sons, and daughters, because right now, you know who has a lot of that oil? Iran, and ISIS.
Source: Fox Business/WSJ First Tier debate , Nov 10, 2015

Let Russia make moves in Syria; it's a quagmire

Q: Let's turn to ISIS and what should the United States do about it?TRUMP: But we're going to have to do something very strong over there. We're going to have to take away the energy, the fuel, the money from ISIS, because, in the case of ISIS-- I've been saying this for years. We have to stop the source of money. And the source of money is oil.
Q: So you'd step up the campaign against ISIS even though you believe that Vladimir Putin is getting stuck in a quagmire by going in?
TRUMP: Well, I'm not looking to quagmire, I'm looking to take the oil. The Middle East is one big, fat quagmire. If you look at the Soviet Union, it used to be the Soviet Union. They essentially went bust and it became Russia, a much smaller version, because of Afghanistan. They spent all their money. Now they're going into Syria. I'm all for Russia going in and knocking and dropping bombs on ISIS. As far as I'm concerned, we don't have to have exclusivity on that.
Source: ABC This Week 2015 interview by Martha Raddatz , Nov 8, 2015

We should have demanded a deal with Kuwait to liberate them

When Kuwait was attacked by Saddam Hussein, all the wealthy Kuwaitis ran to Paris. They didn't just rent suites--they took up whole buildings, entire hotels. They lived like kings while their country was occupied. Who did they turn to for help? Who else? Uncle Sucker. That's us. We spent billions of dollars sending our army to win back Kuwait. Our people were killed and wounded, but the Iraqis went back to their country.
About two months after the war, several Kuwaitis came up to my office. They told me, "We want to invest outside the United States." We had just handed them back their country! They were watching TV in the best hotel rooms in Paris while our kids were fighting for them. And they didn't want to invest in this country?
How stupid are we? Why didn't the United States make a deal with them that outlined that how they would pay for us to get their country back for them? They would have paid anything if just asked.
Source: Crippled America, by Donald Trump, p. 34-5 , Nov 3, 2015

Blunder to announce withdrawal timetable from Afghanistan

Unfortunately, it may require boots on the ground to fight the Islamic State. I don't think it's necessary to broadcast our strategy. (In fact, one of the most ridiculous policy blunders President Obama has committed was to announce our timetable for withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan.) If military advisers recommend it, we should commit a limited--but sufficient--number of troops to fight on the ground. Source: Crippled America, by Donald Trump, p. 37 , Nov 3, 2015

Afghanistan war made a mess, but troops need to stay

Trump said the US was right to invade Afghanistan after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks--a reversal of his position earlier this month when he called the war a "mistake.""We made a mistake going into Iraq. I've never said we made a mistake going into Afghanistan," Trump told CNN. Trump said on October 6 that he believed entering Afghanistan was a mistake and worried about U.S. forces getting stuck there.
"At some point, are they going to be there for the next 200 years? It's going to be a long time," Trump said, when asked about Afghanistan. "We made a terrible mistake getting involved there in the first place. We had real brilliant thinkers that didn't know what the hell they were doing. And it's a mess. And at this point, you probably have to stay because that thing will collapse about two seconds after they leave."
Trump first signaled his backtrack when he said Afghanistan is "where we should have gone," meaning the US should have focused its attention on Afghanistan over Iraq.
Source: Tom LoBianco on CNN, "Afghanistan war not a mistake" , Oct 20, 2015

Strengthen military, but act defensively

Q: You say, in personal relations, you're a counterpuncher. You don't hit until you are hit. Is that a good way to think about the way you would use military force as a president?TRUMP: I'm the most militaristic person on your show. I want to have a much stronger military. I want it to be so strong that nobody is going to mess with us. I want to take care of our vets, who are treated terribly, like third-class citizens.
Q: Well, let's take an example of some case where you may or may not use military force. It turns out Assad apparently used chemical weapons on his own people.
TRUMP: Well, you know, the time to have done it would have been when he drew the line in the sand.
Q: So, you would have done it in that case?
TRUMP: I might have gone in. Now it's such a mess over there, with everybody involved, and the airspace is very limited. It's not that big of an area. The airspace is very limited. So are we going to start World War III over Syria?
Source: CBS Face the Nation 2015 interview by Bob Schieffer , Oct 11, 2015

Good that Russia has entered Syrian conflict

Q: We've seen Russia go heavily into Syria this week. Yesterday, Hillary Clinton; today, John Kasich; both say we should establish a no-fly zone in Syria. Would you do that?TRUMP: I don't think so. I think what I want to do is I want to sit back and I want to see what happens. You know, Russia got bogged down, when it was the Soviet Union, in Afghanistan. They thought that would be quick and easy and they'll go in and they'll clean it up...
Q: You think Putin's falling into a trap?
TRUMP: I think it's not going to be great for them, there are so many traps. There are so many problems. When I heard they were going in to fight ISIS, I said, "Great."
Q: But they're not bombing ISIS.
TRUMP: Well, not yet. But they don't want ISIS going into Russia, either. So they're not bombing them yet.
Source: ABC This Week 2015 interview by Martha Raddatz , Oct 4, 2015

Radical violent Islam that must be feared, not Islam itself

I feel strongly that Muslims are excellent. I know so many Muslims that are such fabulous people. But there is a problem. I mean, there's no question about it. And, you know, we can be politically correct, and we can say there is no problem whatsoever. But the fact is, there is a problem with some. And it's a very severe problem. And it's a problem that's taking place all over the world. But I have such great respect and love for so many of the people. I mean, they are great people. Source: Meet the Press 2015 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls , Sep 20, 2015

I'm pro-military but I opposed invading Iraq in 2003

TRUMP: I am the only person on this dais that fought very, very hard against us going into Iraq, because I said going into Iraq--that was in 2003, you can check it out--I'll give you 25 different stories. In fact, a delegation was sent to my office to see me because I was so vocal about it. I'm a very militaristic person, but you have to know when to use the military. I'm the only person up here that fought against going into Iraq. Sen. Rand PAUL: I've made my career as being an opponent of the Iraq War. We have to learn sometimes the interventions backfire. The Iraq War backfired and did not help us. We're still paying the repercussions of a bad decision.
Dr. Ben CARSON: When the issue occurred in 2003, I suggested to President Bush that he not go to war. So I just want that on the record.
Source: 2015 Republican two-tiered primary debate on CNN , Sep 16, 2015

If Obama had attacked Syria, we wouldn't have refugees now

Somehow, [President Obama] just doesn't have courage. There is something missing from our president. Had he crossed the line and really gone in with force, done something to Assad--if he had gone in with tremendous force, you wouldn't have millions of people displaced all over the world. Source: 2015 Republican two-tiered primary debate on CNN , Sep 16, 2015

Opposed Iraq war in 2004 & predicted Mideast destabilization

In July of 2004, I came out strongly against the war with Iraq, because it was going to destabilize the Middle East. And I'm the only one on this stage that knew that and had the vision to say it. And that's exactly what happened. And the Middle East became totally destabilized. Source: Fox News/Facebook Top Ten First Tier debate transcript , Aug 6, 2015

Disgraceful deal gives Iran a lot & gets nothing for us

Q: On Obama's Iranian nuclear deal?TRUMP: I would be so different from what you have right now. Like, the polar opposite. We have a president who doesn't have a clue. I would say he's incompetent, but I don't want to do that because that's not nice. But if you look at the deals we make, whether it's the nuclear deal with 24 hour periods--and by the way, before you get to the 24 hours, you have to go through a system. You look at Sgt. Bergdahl, we get Bergdahl, a traitor, and they get 5 of the big, great killer leaders that they want. We have people in Washington that don't know what they're doing. Now, with Iran, we're making a deal, you would say, we want out our prisoners. We want all these things, and we don't get anything. We're giving them $150 billion dollars plus. I'll tell you what, if Iran was a stock, you folks should go out and buy it right now because you'll quadruple--this, what's happening in Iran, is a disgrace, and it's going to lead to destruction in large portions of the world
Source: Fox News/Facebook Top Ten First Tier debate transcript , Aug 6, 2015

Bomb the oil fields in Iraq to take on ISIS

Q: You said you want to bomb the oil fields in Iraq to take on ISIS?A: The only way you're going to beat them is that. You know why they're rich? Because they have the oil.
Q: But I don't think the government of Iraq would want us to bomb their oil fields.
A: There is no government in Iraq. The so-called government in Iraq went to Iran to meet with Iran. Iran is going to take over Iraq. That's as simple as that. I don't care about the government of Iraq. They're totally corrupt. Who cares?
Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interview series: 2016 presidential hopefuls , Jun 28, 2015

Boots on the ground to fight ISIS

What does Donald Trump believe? Islamic State and Iraq: Send a limited number of combat troops on the ground.In early 2015, Trump told CPAC that he felt the U.S. may need "boots on the ground" to fight the Islamic State. Soon after, he clarified to Fox News that he would send limited numbers of troops if all of his military advisers recommended it.
Source: PBS News Hour "2016 Candidate Stands" series , Jun 16, 2015

I said "don't hit Iraq," because it destabilized Middle East

I said it very strongly, years ago, I love the military, and I want to have the strongest military that we've ever had, and we need it more now than ever. But I said, "Don't hit Iraq," because you're going to totally destabilize the Middle East. Iran is going to take over the Middle East, Iran and somebody else will get the oil, and it turned out that Iran is now taking over Iraq. Think of it. Iran is taking over Iraq, and they're taking it over big league. We spent $2 trillion in Iraq, $2 trillion. We lost thousands of lives, thousands in Iraq. We have wounded soldiers all over the place, thousands and thousands of wounded soldiers. And we have nothing. We can't even go there. We have nothing. And every time we give Iraq equipment, the first time a bullet goes off in the air, they leave it.
Last week, I read 2,300 Humvees--these are big vehicles--were left behind for the enemy. 2,300 sophisticated vehicles, they ran, and the enemy took them.
Source: 2015 announcement speeches of 2016 presidential hopefuls , Jun 16, 2015

Hit ISIS hard and fast

From the dispute over funding the Department of Homeland Security ("the answer is 'we're going to fund, we're going to keep doing it"), to repealing ObamaCare ("which is a total lie"), Trump just wants to see a more aggressive approach.When asked about ISIS, Trump said he "would hit them so hard and so fast that they wouldn't know what happened." He later claimed his approach would be one that historical military figures General Douglas McArthur and General George Patton would approve of.
Source: CBS News on 2015 Conservative Political Action Conf. , Feb 27, 2015

Take $1.5T in oil from Iraq to pay for US victims

Mr. Trump said that the United States should "take" $1.5 trillion worth of oil from Iraq to pay for the cost of the war and give $1 million to each of the families that lost someone in the effort-- sparking applause from the thousands gathered for the American Conservative Union's 40th annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Source: 2013 Conservative Political Action Conf. in Washington Times , Mar 15, 2013

Iraq should pick up the tab for their own liberation

When you do someone a favor, they say thank you. When you give someone a loan, they pay you back. And when a nation like the US sacrifices thousands of lives of its own young servicemen and women and more than a trillion dollars to bring freedom to the people of Iraq, the least the Iraqis should do is pick up the tab for their own liberation.How much is it worth to them to be rid of the bloodthirsty dictatorship of Saddam Hussein and to have gained a democracy? In reality, that's a priceless gift. When I say they should pay us back, I'm not even talking about cash out of their pockets. All I'm asking is that they give us, temporarily, a few flows of oil--enough to help pay us back and help take care of the tens of thousands of families and children whose brave loved ones died or were injured while securing Iraqi freedom.
But does Iraq do that? No. In fact, they've made it clear they have no intention of ever doing so. Ever. The ingratitude of Iraq's leadership is breathtaking.
Source: Time to Get Tough, by Donald Trump, p. 9-10 , Dec 5, 2011

Stop Iran's nuclear programs by any & all means necessary

America's primary goal with Iran must be to destroy its nuclear ambitions. Let me put them as plainly as I know how: Iran's nuclear program must be stopped--by any and all means necessary. Period. We cannot allow this radical regime to acquire a nuclear weapon that they will either use or hand off to terrorists. Better now than later!Pres. Bush authorized a covert program to "undermine the electrical and computer systems" at Natanz, Iran's uranium enrichment facility. What came out of that initiative was the Stuxnet cyber worm. It was unleashed against Iran's nuclear centrifuges and made them spin so fast they destroyed themselves. The operation was very successful and destroyed roughly 1/5 of Iran's centrifuges. No one knows for sure how many months or years we put back on Iran's nuclear clock. Some analysts say 6 months, others 1 or 2 years, But that's the point: the clock is still ticking.
Source: Time to Get Tough, by Donald Trump, p. 98 , Dec 5, 2011

John McCain's actions in Vietnam were not "heroic"

In a televised interview, Donald Trump--in his assessment of the candidates--wondered aloud about McCain's war record. Reading the McCain story, Trump opined, one might hesitate to call McCain's experience "heroic." Of course, McCain never pointed to his own experience as heroic--quite the contrary. "Incidents of surpassing courage and defiance were commonplace.and they made my own attempts at rebellion seem minor in comparison." Throughout Faith of My Fathers, McCain referred to the heroism of his comrades, whose actions and bravery, McCain suggests, far exceeded his. He was fortunate to serve in the company of heroes, who lifted up and improved McCain, and the others, by their selfless example. Source: John McCain: An Essay, by John Karaagac, p.117-118 , Sep 20, 2000

Use force to stop North Korean nuke development

[In a Trump presidency], North Korea would suddenly discover that its worthless promises of civilized behavior would cut no ice. I would let Pyongyang know in no uncertain terms that it can either get out of the nuclear arms race or expect a rebuke similar to the one Ronald Reagan delivered to Ghadhafi in 1986. I don’t think anybody is going to accuse me of tiptoeing through the issues or tap-dancing around them either. Who else in public life has called for a pre-emptive strike on North Korea? Source: The America We Deserve, by Donald Trump, p.274 , Jul 2, 2000

Support Israel, our unsinkable Mideast aircraft carrier

The U.S. must continue to nurture and safeguard our special relationship with the state of Israel. This relationship must remain the cornerstone of our policy tactics through the entire Middle-East region, as it has been for administrations of both parties for more than half a century.Why do we have this special relationship? It is not out of charity, guilt, or what some call “ethnic lobbies.” We have been there for Israel because Israel is there for us. Israel is a stable democracy in a region filled with dictatorship.
As Israel has matured, our close ties also bring America a fair trading partner and a fellow pioneer on the high-tech frontier of medicine and communications that will enrich Americans’ lives in the coming century. Our two countries must continue to stand strong together as pillars of freedom and progress.
Source: The America We Deserve, by Donald Trump, p.132-33 , Jul 2, 2000

No humanitarian intervention; only to direct threats

My rules of engagement are pretty simple. If we are going to intervene in a conflict it had better pose a direct threat to our interest- one definition of “direct” being a threat so obvious that most Americans will know where the hot spot is on the globe and will quickly understand why we are getting involved. The threat should be so direct that our leaders, including our president, should be able to make the case clearly and concisely, which has certainly not been the case regarding the terrible events in Yugoslavia. At the same time, we must not get involved in a long-festering conflict for humanitarian reasons. If that’s our standard, we should have troops stationed all over Africa, and much of Asia as well.
Source: The America We Deserve, by Donald Trump, p.141-42 , Jul 2, 2000

Donald Trump on Immigration

I take advantage of H1-B visas; but stop them

Q: Your critics say your campaign platform is inconsistent with how you run your businesses, noting that you've brought in foreign workers instead of hiring Americans. Why should voters trust that you will run the country differently from how you run your businesses?TRUMP: Because nobody knows the system better than me. I know the H-1B. I know the H-2B. Nobody knows it better than me. I'm a businessman. These are laws. These are rules. We're allowed to do it. So I will take advantage of it; they're the laws. But I'm the one that knows how to change it.
Q: So what would you do with H-1B visas?
TRUMP: It's something that I frankly use and I shouldn't be allowed to use it. We shouldn't have it. Very, very bad for workers. And second of all, I think it's very important to say, well, I'm a businessman and I have to do what I have to do. When it's sitting there waiting for you, but it's very bad. It's very bad for our workers and it's unfair for our workers. And we should end it.
Source: 2016 GOP primary debate in Miami , Mar 10, 2016

Let the good ones come back in; that's not amnesty

CRUZ: The people that get forgotten in this debate over immigration are the hardworking men and women of this country, millions of Americans who are losing their jobs. We have always welcomed legal immigrants, but I think it is a mistake to forgive those who break the law to allow them to become U.S. citizens, and that's why I've led the fight against granting citizenship to those here illegally. TRUMP: We have at least 11 million people that came in illegally. They will go out. Some will come back, the best, through a process. They have to come back legally. It may not be a quick process, but I think that's fair. They're going to get in line with other people.
Source: 2016 CNN-Telemundo Republican debate on eve of Texas primary , Feb 25, 2016

No apology for banning Muslims from entering America

Q: Your comments about banning Muslims from entering the country created a firestorm. Is there anything you've heard that makes you want to rethink this position?TRUMP: No. (APPLAUSE) Look, we have to stop with political correctness. We have to get down to creating a country that's not going to have the kind of problems that we've had with people flying planes into the World Trade Centers, with the shootings in California, with all the problems all over the world. We have to find out what's going on [with Muslim immigrants]. I said temporarily. I didn't say permanently. And I have many great Muslim friends. And some of them, I will say, not all, have called me and said, "Donald, thank you very much; you're exposing an unbelievable problem and we have to get to the bottom of it." We have a serious problem. And we can't be the stupid country any more. We're laughed at all over the world.
Source: Fox Business 2016 Republican 2-tier debate , Jan 14, 2016

It's not fear of terrorist refugees; it's reality

It's not fear and terror, it's reality. When I look at the migration, I looked at the line, I said, where are the women? It looked like very few women. Very few children. Strong, powerful men, and people are looking at that and they're saying what's going on? We can't let people come into our country and break our borders. Source: Fox Business Republican 2-tier debate , Jan 14, 2016

Need to keep database of Muslim refugees

Q: You did stir up a controversy with those comments about a database for all US Muslims--but are you now unequivocally now ruling out a database on all Muslims? TRUMP: No, not at all. I want a database for the refugees that come into the country. We have no idea who these people are. When the Syrian refugees are going to start pouring into this country, we don't know if they're ISIS, we don't know if it's a Trojan horse.
And I definitely want a database and other checks and balances. We want to go with watchlists.
Q: Just for the record, though, the statistics do show the majority of the refugees coming in are women and children.
Source: ABC This Week 2015 interview on Syrian Refugee crisis , Nov 22, 2015

We must stop illegal immigration; it hurts us economically

He of the executive order, because nobody wants to listen to him, including the Democrats, so he just goes around signing executive orders. We have to stop illegal immigration. It's hurting us economically. It's hurting us from every standpoint. It's causing tremendous difficulty with respect to drugs and what that does to our inner cities. Source: Fox Business/WSJ Second Tier debate , Nov 10, 2015

351,000 criminal illegal aliens in our prisons

In 2011, the Government Accountability Office reported that there were three million arrests that could be attributed to the incarcerated alien population, including tens of thousands of violent criminals. There were 351,000 criminal illegal aliens in our prisons--that number does not include the crime of crossing our borders. It costs us more than a billion dollars a year just to keep these people in prison. I understand that the vast majority of these people are honest, decent, hardworking people who came here to improve their own lives and their children's lives. Nonetheless, illegal immigration has to stop. A country that can't protect its borders isn't a country. We are the only country in the world whose immigration system places the needs of other nations ahead of our own. There is a word to describe people who do that: fools.
Source: Crippled America, by Donald Trump, p. 21-2 , Nov 3, 2015

Cut off federal funds to sanctuary cities

We have to cut off federal grants to sanctuary cities--those places that refuse to cooperate with federal law enforcement and actually abet criminal behavior--we have to end them. I repeat, we either are a nation of laws or we're not. We also need to do what is necessary to enforce our visa regulations. People get a visa and come here legally, and when that visa expires, many stay here illegally. If they get caught, nothing happens to them. That's got to change.
Source: Crippled America, by Donald Trump, p. 27 , Nov 3, 2015

I don't care how they come in, if they come in legally

Q: You said about Marco Rubio that he was [Facebook founder] Mark Zuckerberg's personal senator because he was in favor of the H1B visa.TRUMP: I never said that.
Q: So this was an erroneous article the whole way around? My apologies.
Q [after commercial break]: I found where I read that before. It was from the donaldjtrump.com website and it says, "Mark Zuckerburg's personal senator, Marco Rubio has a bill to triple H-1Bs that would decimate women and minorities." Are you in favor of H-1Bs or are you opposed to them?
TRUMP: I'm in favor of people coming into this country legally. As far as the visas are concerned, if we need people they have--it's fine. They have to come into this country legally. We have a country of laws. It's fine if they come in, but they have to come in legally.
Source: GOP `Your Money/Your Vote` 2015 CNBC 1st-tier debate , Oct 28, 2015

Syrian refugees are a Trojan Horse

Q: Does the U.S. get involved in making a safe zone for Syrian refugees?TRUMP: I would help them economically, even though we owe $19 trillion. What I won't do is take in 200,000 Syrians who could be ISIS. I have been watching this migration. They're mostly men, and they're strong men. They look like prime-time soldiers. Now, it's probably not true, but where are the women? You see some women. You see some children. But for the most part, I'm looking at these strong men. So, you ask two things. Number one, why aren't they fighting for their country? And, number two, I don't want these people coming over here. Two hundred thousand people? This could be the greatest Trojan horse. This could make the Trojan horse look like peanuts if these people turned out to be a lot of ISIS.
Source: CBS Face the Nation 2015 interview on Syrian Refugee crisis , Oct 11, 2015

Syrian refugee crisis partly our fault; but don't take any

Q: A few weeks back, you said we'd have to take some Syrian refugees in on humanitarian grounds. But just this week you seemed to reverse it. What changed?TRUMP: I saw the migration and it seems like so many men. There aren't that many women or childr It looked like mostly men and they looked like strong men.
Q: Half the refugees are children.
TRUMP: We don't know where they're coming from. We don't know who they are. They could be ISIS. I understand the whole thing with migration. It's a horrible thing. It should have never happened in the first place. We screwed up the Middle East so badly, with breaking up Iraq. We have so destabilized the Middle East. So I said there's no way they come in. If they do come in, if I win for president, they're going out.
Q: Even the kids?
TRUMP: Look, Europe should take some probably, because you have the Gulf States, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar--some of the richest countries and they're not taking any in.
Source: ABC This Week 2015 interview on Syrian Refugee crisis , Oct 4, 2015

We're only country dumb enough for birthright citizenship

Q: You say that babies born in the United States to undocumented immigrants should not any longer get automatic American citizenship; isn't that in the 14th Amendment? TRUMP: The 14th Amendment says very, very clearly to a lot of great legal scholars that it is wrong. It can be corrected with an act of Congress, but probably doesn't even need that. A woman gets pregnant. She's nine months, she walks across the border, she has the baby in the United States, and we take care of the baby for 85 years? I don't think so. Mexico--and almost every other country anywhere in the world--doesn't have that. We're the only ones dumb enough, stupid enough to have it. And this is not just with respect to Mexico--people are coming from Asia to have babies here, and all of a sudden, we have to take care of the babies for the life of the baby. The 14th Amendment [should] go through the Supreme Court, but there are a lot of great legal scholars that say that is not correct.
Source: 2015 Republican two-tiered primary debate on CNN , Sep 16, 2015

Illegal immigrants populate many criminal gangs

[First], I want to build a wall. Second of all, we have a lot of really bad dudes in this country from outside. They go, if I get elected. Gangs all over the place. We have a country of laws, they're going to go out, and they'll come back if they deserve to come back. If they've had a bad record, if they've been arrested, if they've been in jail, they're never coming back. Right now, we don't have a country, we don't have a border, and we're going to do something about it. Source: 2015 Republican two-tiered primary debate on CNN , Sep 16, 2015

This is a country where we speak English, not Spanish

We have a country, where, to assimilate, you have to speak English. And I think that where he was, and the way it came out didn't sound right to me. We have to have assimilation--to have a country, we have to have assimilation. I'm not the first one to say this. We've had many people over the years, for many, many years, saying the same thing. This is a country where we speak English, not Spanish. Source: 2015 Republican two-tiered primary debate on CNN , Sep 16, 2015

Half of the undocumented residents in America are criminals

What does Donald Trump believe? Immigration: No path to citizenship for undocumented workers. Allow more European immigration and a legal status to those graduating from U.S. colleges. In his January speech to the Iowa Freedom Summit, Trump called for securing the southern border and indicated that he believes half of the undocumented residents in America are criminals. In 2013 at CPAC, the businessman said Republicans should block any path to citizenship or voting status for undocumented immigrants but should expand legal immigration from Europe. In addition, Trump would give a legal status to foreign students who complete a degree at an American university.
Source: PBS News Hour "2016 Candidate Stands" series , Jun 16, 2015

We need strong borders; we need a wall

Trump knocked former Florida governor Jeb Bush, calling him "weak on immigration." Trump specifically mentioned a view Bush espoused in a 2014 Fox News interview that immigrants cross the U.S.-Mexico border as an "act of love.""We need strong borders. We need a wall," Trump said, addressing his solutions to the immigration issue. "The king of building buildings, the king of building walls--none of them can build them like Donald Trump."
Source: CBS News on 2015 Conservative Political Action Conf. , Feb 27, 2015

Citizenship for illegal immigrants is a GOP suicide mission

Donald Trump said the Republican party will lose elections if it reforms the nation's entitlement programs and will hand Democrats 11 million votes if Congress grants citizenship to illegal immigrants, likening the reform efforts to a "suicide mission." "The fact is 11 million people will be voting Democratic. You can be out front. You can be the spearhead. You can do whatever you want to do, but every one of those 11 million people will be voting Democratic," he said. "It is just the way it works.""You have to be very, very careful, because you could say that to a certain extent the odds aren't looking so great for Republicans, that you are on a suicide mission," he said. "You are just not going to get those votes."
Source: 2013 Conservative Political Action Conf. in Washington Times , Mar 15, 2013

351,000 illegal aliens are in our prisons; costing $1.1B

America's prisons house 351,000 criminal aliens who committed a crime after having already broken the law by entering American illegally. Making taxpayers pay for 351,000 criminals who should never have been here in the first place is ridiculous. The annual price tag to incarcerate these thugs is $1.1 billion. And get this: criminal aliens have an average of seven arrests. That's at least seven crimes committed against American citizens by each of these criminals who should never have been allowed to cross our borders. One out of every three federal prison inmates is a Latino, and three quarters of these are here illegally.
Source: Time to Get Tough, by Donald Trump, p.136 , Dec 5, 2011

Anchor babies were NEVER the intent of the 14th Amendment

The root cause of all the welfare payments to illegal aliens is the so-called "anchor baby" phenomenon, which is when illegal immigrant mothers have a baby on American soil. The child automatically becomes an American citizen, Though this was NEVER the intention of the Fourteenth Amendment, which states, "All citizens born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and the state wherein they reside." The clear purpose of the Fourteenth Amendment, ratified in 1868, three years after the end of the Civil War, was to guarantee full citizenship rights to now emancipated former slaves. It was not intended to guarantee untrammeled immigration to the United States. Source: Time to Get Tough, by Donald Trump, p.140-141 , Dec 5, 2011

Invite foreigners graduating from college to stay in US

Our country's leaders are just so plan stupid. As an example, foreign students come over to our colleges, learn everything there is to learn about physics, finance, mathematics, and computers, and graduate with honors. They would love to stay in this country, but we don't allow them to. We immediately ship them back to their country to use all of the knowledge they learned at the best colleges in the United States back in their country rather than keep it here in ours. When we have gifted people in this country we should cherish them and let them stay. But instead we fling our arms wide open to the lowlifes, the criminals, the people who have no intention to contribute to our country.
Wouldn't it be better if we invited foreign student graduating from our colleges to stay to build American companies, instead of foreign companies that will be wreaking havoc against Boeing, Caterpillar, and many other of our great American companies in the future?
Source: Time to Get Tough, by Donald Trump, p.145 , Dec 5, 2011

Control borders; even legal immigration should be difficult

America is experiencing serious social and economic difficulty with illegal immigrants who are flooding across our borders. We simply can’t absorb them. It is a scandal when America cannot control its own borders. A liberal policy of immigration may seem to reflect confidence and generosity. But our current laxness toward illegal immigration shows a recklessness and disregard for those who live here legally. The majority of legal immigrants can often make significant contributions to our society because they have special skills and because they add to our nation’s cultural diversity. They come with the best of intentions. But legal immigrants do not and should not enter easily. It’s a long, costly, draining, and often frustrating experience-by design. I say to legal immigrants: Welcome and good luck.
It comes down to this: we must take care of our own people first. Our policy to people born elsewhere should be clear: Enter by the law, or leave.
Source: The America We Deserve, by Donald Trump, p.143-45 , Jul 2, 2000

Limit new immigration; focus on people already here

Trump was firm concerning restrictions in immigration. “I’m opposed to new people coming in,” he said. “We have to take care of the people who are here.” Source: nytimes.com/library/politics , Dec 10, 1999

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Donald Trump on Mexico

We have no borders; and yes, I am angry

I'm very angry because our country is being run horribly and I will gladly accept the mantle of anger. Our military is a disaster. Our healthcare is a horror show. Obamacare, we're going to repeal it and replace it. We have no borders. Our vets are being treated horribly. Illegal immigration is beyond belief. Our country is being run by incompetent people. And yes, I am angry. And I won't be angry when we fix it, but until we fix it, I'm very angry. Source: Fox Business Republican 2-tier debate , Jan 14, 2016

Ship millions back to Mexico, like Eisenhower did

Q: Can we just send 5 million people back with no effect on economy?TRUMP: You are going to have to send people out. Look, we either have a country or we don't have a country. We are a country of laws. [Those who entered illegally are] going to have to go out and hopefully they get back. But we have no choice if we're going to run our country properly & if we're going to be a country.
KASICH: If people think that we are going to ship 11 million people who are law-abiding, who are in this country, & somehow pick them up at their house & ship them out to Mexico, think about the families. Think about the children. It's a silly argument. It is not an adult argument. It makes no sense.
TRUMP: Dwight Eisenhower, a great president, moved 1.5 million illegal immigrants out of this country, moved them just beyond the border. They came back. Moved them again beyond the border, they came back. Didn't like it. Moved them way south. They never came back. They moved 1.5 million out. We have no choice.
Source: Fox Business/WSJ First Tier debate , Nov 10, 2015

Walls on borders work; just ask Israel

We are a country of laws. We need borders. We will have a wall [on the Mexican border]. The wall will be built. The wall will be successful. And if you think walls don't work, all you have to do is ask Israel. The wall works, believe me. Properly done. Believe me. [OnTheIssues note: Trump refers to the "separation barrier" that Israel built surrounding the Palestinian areas of the West Bank. It has reduced terrorist attacks, but is controversial in the peace process]. Source: Fox Business/WSJ First Tier debate , Nov 10, 2015

Mexico will pay for wall, but not through tariffs

Q: You haven't told us how you're going to get Mexico to pay for the wall (on US-Mexico border).TRUMP: I'll tell you right now. We have a trade imbalance of $40 billion, $45 billion with Mexico a year. We give Mexico billions of dollars a year. The wall is going to cost $6 billion or $7 billion.
Q: So tariffs?
TRUMP: No, I'm not saying that. I'll get Mexico to pay for it one way or the other. I guarantee you that.
Source: Meet the Press 2015 interview moderated by Chuck Todd , Nov 8, 2015

Building 1,000-mile wall is possible, if we make commitment

Nobody can build a wall like me. I will build a great wall on our southern border. It's probably about 1,000 miles we will need to secure with the new wall. There are people who say it can't be done, that it's not possible to build a wall 1,000 miles long. Except beginning more than 2,000 years ago the Chinese built a wall that eventually stretched almost 13,000 miles that could never be breached. It was a combination of massive walls, impassible trenches and ditches, and rugged natural terrain, as well as an estimated 25,000 watchtowers. Believe me, our wall- building technology has improved a lot in 2,000 years. What we don't have that the Chinese had is the commitment to do it. They understood the danger of leaving their border unprotected and they did something about it. We talk about it and do nothing. Source: Crippled America, by Donald Trump, p. 23-4 , Nov 3, 2015

I can get Mexico to pay for border wall; politicians can't

Q: You're promising to build a wall and make another country pay for it?TRUMP: Right. We're going to build the wall; we're going to create a border. We're going to let people in, but they're going to come in legally. They are going to come in legally. And it's something that can be done. They built The Great Wall of China. That's 13,000 miles. Here, we actually need 1,000, because we have natural barriers. We can do a wall. We're going to have a big, fat beautiful door right in the middle of the wall. We are going to have people come in, but they are coming in legally. And Mexico is going to pay for the wall, because Mexico--I love the Mexican people, I respect the Mexican leaders, but the leaders are much sharper, smarter and more cunning than our leaders. And people say, "Oh, how are you going to get Mexico to pay?" A politician cannot get them to pay. I can.
Source: GOP `Your Money/Your Vote` 2015 CNBC 1st-tier debate , Oct 28, 2015

The border wall will be well-managed and built correctly

Q: How is a Mexican wall even feasible?TRUMP: I'm telling you, it's called management. You can do this and we can expedite the good immigrants to come back in. And everybody wants that. But they have to come in legally. We have to be a country of laws and borders. We have wonderful Border Patrol people, but they're not allowed to do their job. I will get the best people to build this wall and we will do it properly and we will do it humanely and get the good ones back in.
Source: ABC This Week 2015 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls , Aug 23, 2015

We need wall on Mexican border, but ok to have a door in it

Q: You say that the Mexican government is sending criminals--rapists, drug dealers--across the border. TRUMP: If it weren't for me, you wouldn't even be talking about illegal immigration. This was not a subject that was on anybody's mind until I brought it up at my announcement. The fact is, since then, many killings, murders, crime, drugs are pouring across the border, our money going out and the drugs coming in. And I said we need to build a wall, and it has to be built quickly. And I don't mind having a big beautiful door in that wall so that people can come into this country legally. But we need to build a wall, we need to keep illegals out.
Source: Fox News/Facebook Top Ten First Tier debate transcript , Aug 6, 2015

Mexican government is sending criminals across the border

Q: You have repeatedly said that you have evidence that the Mexican government is sending criminals across the border, but you have refused or declined to share it. Could you share your proof? TRUMP: Border Patrol people that I talk to, they say this is what's happening. Because our leaders are stupid. And the Mexican government is much smarter, much sharper, much more cunning. And they send the bad ones over because they don't want to pay for them. They don't want to take care of them. Why should they when the stupid leaders of the United States will do it for them? And that's what is happening whether you like it or not.
Source: Fox News/Facebook Top Ten First Tier debate transcript , Aug 6, 2015

Building a wall will save money because it stops bad dudes

Q: Assuming President Trump is able to stop the flow of illegal immigration through building a wall or some parts of a wall, what do you think should be done with the estimated 11 million undocumented workers and their families already here? Would you be open-minded about a path to citizenship? A: First of all--we have to stop it. We can do that with combinations of walls and Border Patrol. And it won't cost the kind of money--in fact, we will save money, because people that are coming in here that shouldn't be coming in here illegally. We have some really bad dudes right here in this country, and we're getting them out and we're sending them back to where they came from. And I don't mean Mexico; they come from all over. We have some real bad ones, and they're in our prisons that we're paying for.
Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interview series: 2016 presidential hopefuls , Jul 26, 2015

OpEd: businesses & Republicans condemn anti-Mexico terms

Trump released a statement restating the controversial comments he made almost three weeks ago when he announced he was running for president: "What can be simpler or more accurately stated? The Mexican Government is forcing their most unwanted people into the United States. They are, in many cases, criminals, drug dealers, rapists, etc.," Trump's statement said. Trump's comments have resulted in the termination of a number of his business relationships, but it wasn't until the past week that fellow Republican candidates began to forcefully condemn his comments.Former Gov. George Pataki (R-NY) laid out what he calls are "practical" policy solutions for the issue of securing the southern U.S. border, as well as what to do with the millions of illegal immigrants already living in the country. Trump "has tapped into a chord of people who do not want to see millions of people come here illegally, but that does not justify demonizing an entire group of people," said Pataki. .
Source: CNN.com 2015 coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls , Jul 6, 2015

Make Mexico pay for wall with severe economics

Q: Why do we need a wall?A: You have people coming through the border that are from all over. And they're bad. I'm talking about people that are from all over that are killers and rapists.
Q: How exactly are you going to get Mexico to pay for building a wall?
A: You force them because we give Mexico a fortune.
Q: So you would cut off business or impose tariffs unless they built the wall?
A: I would do something very severe unless they contributed or gave us the money to build the wall.
Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interview series: 2016 presidential hopefuls , Jun 28, 2015

Mexico & Latin America send us drugs, crime, and rapists

Mexico is beating us economically. They are not our friend, believe me. But they're killing us economically. The U.S. has become a dumping ground for everybody else's problems.When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best. They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists.
And some, I assume, are good people. But I speak to border guards and they tell us what we're getting. And it only makes common sense. They're sending us not the right people.
It's coming from more than Mexico. It's coming from all over South and Latin America, and it's coming probably--probably--from the Middle East. But we don't know. Because we have no protection and we have no competence, we don't know what's happening. And it's got to stop and it's got to stop fast.
Source: 2015 announcement speeches of 2016 presidential hopefuls , Jun 16, 2015

Build great wall on southern border; have Mexico pay for it

I would build a great wall, and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me, and I'll build them very inexpensively, I will build a great, great wall on our southern border. And I will have Mexico pay for that wall. Source: 2015 announcement speeches of 2016 presidential hopefuls , Jun 16, 2015