By Nandita Bose
WEST PALM BEACH, Florida (Reuters) – President-elect Donald Trump discussed childhood vaccines, his deportation plans and Ukraine’s use of U.S.-supplied missiles in a lengthy Time magazine interview published on Thursday.
Here are some notable things Trump said, according to the interview transcript:
UKRAINE’S USE OF U.S.-SUPPLIED MISSILES
Trump criticized Ukraine’s use of U.S.-supplied missiles for attacks deep into Russian territory.
“I disagree very vehemently with sending missiles hundreds of miles into Russia. Why are we doing that? We’re just escalating this war and making it worse. That should not have been allowed to be done.”
“Now they’re doing not only missiles, but they’re doing other types of weapons. And I think that’s a very big mistake, very big mistake.”
Trump said he will not abandon Ukraine, however. “I want to reach an agreement, and the only way you’re going to reach an agreement is not to abandon,” he said.
ENDING CHILDHOOD VACCINATION PROGRAMS
Trump said he could end some childhood vaccinations if he thinks they are dangerous.
“It could if I think it’s dangerous, if I think they are not beneficial, but I don’t think it’s going to be very controversial in the end,” he said.
Trump said he will listen to the views of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his nominee for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy has sown doubts over the safety and efficacy of vaccines for years, including asserting a link between vaccines and autism.
When asked about the connection between vaccines and autism, Trump said he will want to see test results and numbers.
“The autism rate is at a level that nobody ever believed possible. If you look at things that are happening, there’s something causing it,” he said.
USING THE MILITARY TO DEPORT MIGRANTS
Trump said he will use the military to deport migrants, but only to the extent the law allows. The Posse Comitatus Act prohibits the use of the military for domestic law enforcement.
“It doesn’t stop the military if it’s an invasion of our country, and I consider it an invasion of our country,” Trump said.
“I think in many cases, the sheriffs and law enforcement is going to need help. We’ll also get National Guard. We’ll get National Guard, and we’ll go as far as I’m allowed to go, according to the laws of our country.”
Trump also vowed to send migrants back to the country they came from and said he will impose tariffs on the countries that don’t agree to accept the migrants.
“I’ll get them into every country, or we won’t do business with those countries,” he said.
BUILDING MORE DETENTION CAMPS
Trump said he will build more detention camps if needed.
“Whatever it takes to get them out. I don’t care. Honestly, whatever it takes to get them out,” he said.
“Again, I’ll do it absolutely within the confines of the law, but if it needs new camps, but I hope we’re not going to need too many because I want to get them out, and I don’t want them sitting in camp for the next 20 years.”
RESTORING POLICY OF SEPARATING FAMILIES
Trump said he doesn’t think he will need to go back to separating families.
“I don’t believe we’ll have to, because we will send the whole family back to the country,” he said. “I would much rather deport them together, yes, than separate.”
WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Trump said the war in the Middle East will get solved and that he trusts nobody, including Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“I think the Middle East is going to get solved. I think it’s more complicated than the Russia-Ukraine (war), but I think it’s easier to solve,” Trump said.
He also said he doesn’t just support a two-state solution but whatever will bring lasting peace.
Asked if he will allow Israel to annex the West Bank, Trump said, “I will — what I’m doing and what I’m saying again, I’ll say it again, I want a long-lasting peace.”
ABORTION PILLS
Trump said he is committed to making sure the Food and Drug Administration does not strip women’s ability to access abortion pills.
“That would be my commitment. Yeah, it’s always been my commitment,” he said.
PARDONING JAN. 6 DEFENDANTS
Trump said he will pardon defendants involved in the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack on a “case-by-case” basis.
“We’re going to look at each individual case, and we’re going to do it very quickly, and it’s going to start in the first hour that I get into office. And a vast majority of them should not be in jail.”
SENATE FILIBUSTER
Trump said he would keep in place the Senate rule known as the filibuster, which requires 60 of its 100 members to agree to pass most legislation, a threshold the new Republican-majority Senate will not clear with Republican votes alone.
Trump noted the filibuster rule would make it difficult for his administration to overturn some Biden-era policies. But when asked if he intended to keep the filibuster in place, Trump responded that he did.
“So I have respect for the filibuster,” Trump said.
RECESS APPOINTMENTS
Trump did not commit to using recess appointments to install his picks for top administration posts if he cannot get them approved by the Senate. A recess appointment is an appointment by the president when the Senate is in recess.
“I really don’t care how they get them approved, as long as they get them approved,” he said.
(Reporting by Nandita Bose; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Rod Nickel)
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