President-elect Donald Trump has been named Time magazine’s Person of the Year for the second time after winning the White House. Time editor-in-chief Sam Jacobs explained that Trump was chosen for his historic comeback, political realignment, reshaping of the American presidency, and changing America’s role in the world. Trump sat down for an interview with Time journalists at Mar-a-Lago, covering topics from inflation to transgender rights. The 11,345-word transcript of the interview was published, along with fact-checking of Trump’s claims.
In the interview, Trump discussed his plans to address inflation and the possibility of pardoning Jan. 6 defendants on a case-by-case basis. He also revealed that he did not think it was worth the fight to nominate Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Trump criticized Vice President Kamala Harris for not giving enough interviews during the campaign, saying she shouldn’t have agreed to replace President Biden. In simpler terms, if she had conducted interviews like Steve [Cheung, Trump’s communications director], who would ask for interviews at different places, she might not have faced criticism for not doing anything. People started questioning if there was something wrong with her because she didn’t participate in basic interviews like this one. Trump believes that not engaging in interviews, even friendly ones, was a tactical mistake by Harris’s team. He feels that by not talking to the press, it raised concerns about her abilities. Additionally, Trump criticized the release of Project 2025 during the campaign, stating that it was inappropriate and not under his control. He expressed his disagreements with some aspects of the project and believed it was wrong to release it before the election. Moreover, Trump downplayed the issue of transgender rights, particularly the debate over bathroom usage, stating that it has caused division in the country. He emphasized that the Supreme Court’s rulings should be followed, and the issue affects a small number of people despite receiving significant media coverage. As I was mentioning earlier, the number of people is small.
When asked if he would undo the protections for trans children under Title IX implemented by the Biden administration, Trump stated, “I will carefully review it.”
Trump’s stance on using the military for deportations: “I will maximize the law’s limits”
Regarding immigration, Time journalists pointed out that federal law prohibits the military from acting as law enforcement on U.S. soil. They questioned Trump about how this aligns with his plan to use the military for mass deportations:
Time: You recently mentioned on Truth Social your intentions to deploy the military for deportations. The Posse Comitatus Act forbids military involvement in domestic law enforcement. What will you do if the military does not comply with your directives?
Trump: The Act doesn’t prevent the military from acting in the case of an invasion of our nation, which is how I perceive the situation. We are faced with criminals entering our country in unprecedented numbers, and I will operate within the legal boundaries, but I will push to the maximum extent allowed by law. In many instances, sheriffs and law enforcement will require assistance. We will also involve the National Guard, utilizing all the possibilities within our laws.
Trump praises Musk for prioritizing country over company
Trump was asked about appointing Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an advisory group aimed at proposing spending cuts across the federal government.
Time: You have appointed Elon Musk to head DOGE, giving him authority over agencies that oversee his businesses.
Trump: I don’t see it as a conflict of interest. We have an excess of rules and regulations in this country, and we need to streamline the system. We aim to transition people into more productive roles in the private sector. We are entering a period of change, but the country is in need of reform.
Trump on Ukraine: “You can’t achieve an agreement if you abandon”
Trump expressed his desire to negotiate a resolution to the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, criticizing the substantial aid provided by the U.S. to Kyiv since the 2022 invasion. He responded to concerns about abandoning Ukraine or pressuring the country to concede territory in a peace deal:
Time: Will you leave Ukraine behind?
Trump: I am focused on reaching an agreement, and abandoning is not the way to do so. You understand the implications, correct?
Time: Please elaborate.
Trump: I believe that you cannot reach an agreement if you abandon the situation. I disagree with the circumstances that led to this conflict, which could have been avoided. Putin would not have invaded Ukraine if I were president due to various reasons, including economic factors. This war is a tragedy with devastating consequences.
Trump on Netanyahu and the Gaza conflict: “He understands my desire for peace”
Trump addressed the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, particularly the war in Gaza between Hamas and Israel. He mentioned that the Middle East situation is easier to resolve compared to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and is confident it will be resolved. Trump didn’t disclose details of his conversations with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but emphasized his stance:
Time: Has Netanyahu assured you about ending the conflict?
Trump: I don’t want to disclose that, but he believes in my commitment to ending the conflict. I am determined to bring an end to all hostilities. Quiero, no quiero personas muertas, ¿sabes? No quiero personas de ninguno de los lados muertas, y eso incluye ya sea Rusia, Ucrania, o ya sea los palestinos y los israelíes y todas las, ya sabes, las diferentes entidades que tenemos en Medio Oriente. Hay tantas entidades diferentes. Pero no quiero personas muertas. Tiempo: Cuando dices que cosas productivas están sucediendo, ¿puedes ser más específico? Trump: No, no puedo. Quiero serlo, me encantaría serlo, pero no puedo. Lo seré. Nos sentaremos en un período de tiempo, espero que pronto, y te diré todas las cosas que están sucediendo. Pero hay algunas cosas muy productivas sucediendo. Creo que, ¿vale?, porque estoy viendo dos, dos frentes principales, ¿verdad? Tienes a Rusia-Ucrania, y tienes esto, y también hay otros problemas. Pero mira, cuando Corea del Norte se involucra, eso es otro elemento que es un factor muy complicado. Y conozco a Kim Jong Un, me llevo muy bien con Kim Jong Un. Probablemente soy el único con el que realmente ha tratado. Cuando lo piensas, soy el único con el que ha tratado. Pero hay muchos factores complicados muy malos allí, pero nos sentaremos y al final de cada uno de estos, o ambos, tal vez simultáneamente, nos sentaremos y te mostraré lo bien que lo hice. Tiempo: Mencionaste al pueblo palestino. En tu primer mandato, tu administración presentó el plan más completo para una solución de dos estados en mucho tiempo. ¿Sigues apoyando ese plan? Trump: Apoyo un plan de paz, y puede tomar diferentes formas. Cuando hice los Acuerdos de Abraham, eso debería haber estado lleno de personas, ya sabes. Hice una declaración. Creo que no añadieron un país. Piénsalo. No añadieron un país a los Acuerdos de Abraham. Tuvimos los cuatro países, países muy importantes, pero eso debería haber estado lleno de países del Medio Oriente. Tiempo: ¿Sigues apoyando una solución de dos estados? Trump: Apoyo cualquier solución que podamos hacer para conseguir la paz. Hay otras ideas además de dos estados, pero apoyo cualquier cosa, cualquier cosa que sea necesaria para conseguir no solo la paz, una paz duradera. No puede seguir así donde cada cinco años terminas en tragedia. Hay otras alternativas. ¿Trump confía en Netanyahu? “No confío en nadie” Después de un poco más de discusión sobre Medio Oriente e Irán, Time le preguntó a Trump si confía en el líder israelí. Trump dio una respuesta contundente: Tiempo: ¿Confías en Netanyahu? Trump: No confío en nadie. Lee la entrevista completa con Trump aquí. Stefan Becket Stefan Becket es un editor en jefe de política de CBSNews.com. Stefan ha cubierto la política nacional por más de una década y ayuda a supervisar un equipo que cubre la Casa Blanca, el Congreso, la Corte Suprema, la inmigración y la aplicación de la ley federal.