President Trump’s more‑than‑two‑hour interview with The New York Times covered military authority, immigration and race, health, the economy, and presidential power. He said his personal morality — not legal constraints — would limit military action, criticized civil‑rights policies as sometimes unfair to white applicants, and expressed distrust of blood thinners while claiming to have “aced” multiple cognitive tests. The interview also touched on debt, vaccine policy, AI, pardons, White House renovations and repeated attacks on media and polls.
Annotated Highlights: Trump’s Two‑Hour New York Times Interview — Key Claims and Moments
President Donald Trump during a meeting with oil executives in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on January 9. - Al Drago/Bloomberg/Getty Images
President Donald Trump sat for a marathon, more‑than‑two‑hour interview with The New York Times that produced a string of provocative assertions on military authority, race and immigration, health, the economy, and the scope of presidential power. Below are the most notable exchanges and claims drawn from the Times transcript.
Military Authority And The Insurrection Act
Trump suggested that his own moral judgment — rather than legal limits or institutional checks — would constrain his use of US military force abroad. He referenced the Insurrection Act as a legal tool he could invoke if he chose to do so.
“If I feel it’s important to invoke the Insurrection Act, which I have the right to do, that’s a different thing, because then I have the right to do pretty much what I want to do. But I haven’t done that.”
Immigration, Refugees And Race
Trump repeatedly emphasized that he wants immigrants who “love our country” and made sharply critical comments about some groups of migrants. He also said he would consider measures such as stripping citizenship from specific immigrants — a comment reported to include Representative Ilhan Omar — and rejected reporting that current refugee admissions favor white South Africans.
“I want people that love our country. I want people that respect our country, respect the laws of our country, and I want people that can embrace our country.”
Civil Rights And Affirmative Action
On civil‑rights policies and affirmative action, Trump said such programs accomplished important goals but also produced unfair outcomes for some white applicants, calling it in places “reverse discrimination.”
“It also hurt a lot of people — people that deserve to go to a college or deserve to get a job were unable to get a job. So it was… reverse discrimination.”
Health, Medications And Vaccines
Trump expressed personal distrust of blood thinners, saying he takes only aspirin. He also discussed vaccines in general terms and the administration’s direction on vaccine policy; the interview noted that some advisors, including vocal critics of conventional vaccine policy, have influenced recent debates.
“I don’t like blood thinners because everyone I know that took them is dead… the only blood thinner I use is aspirin.”
Cognitive Tests And Fitness For Office
Trump said he has taken three cognitive exams and claimed to have “aced” them, arguing the tests demonstrate his fitness for office compared with President Biden. He described them as public, military‑hospital exams and said the results quiet critics.
“I’ve taken three cognitive exams… I aced all three of them. I got perfect marks on them.”
Economy, Debt And Promised Payments
Trump blamed previous administrations for generous spending and said strong growth could make the debt look smaller. He seemed unaware or momentarily surprised about previously promised $2,000 tariff rebate checks, then suggested such payments could arrive by year’s end and argued he might not need Congress to authorize them — a claim that would raise legal and procedural questions.
“I did do that? When did I do that?”
Election Claims And Polls
Trump reiterated his long‑standing assertion that US elections are “rigged,” and dismissed unfavorable polls and some media coverage as biased. He also claimed recent TikTok data showed him as highly popular on the platform — a claim at odds with public follower rankings.
“The polls are rigged just like the writers are rigged.”
Foreign Policy, Zelensky And Pardons
He defended his foreign‑policy record, saying his support helped Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and arguing that without him outcomes would have been worse. He also acknowledged receiving — but not yet seeing — a letter from Sean “Diddy” Combs’s legal team requesting clemency.
Family Business, AI And White House Plans
Trump defended allowing his children to conduct business, criticized perceived failures by political opponents, and said his family is “honest.” He predicted artificial intelligence would create jobs and discussed ambitious renovation plans for the White House, including a proposed large, secure ballroom that he said would be bulletproof and drone‑resistant.
Moments Of Media Interaction
During the Times interview he briefly took a phone call from Fox anchor Bret Baier and repeatedly criticized the Times and other outlets while praising his own energy and stamina: “Two hours, Katie — I could go nine hours.”
What To Watch
The full transcript contains additional context and nuance; several of Trump’s claims — about TikTok rankings, the legal mechanics of issuing large payments without Congress, and broad assertions of election fraud — contradict publicly available data or remain legally contested. Readers should consult primary documents and expert analysis for verification.
Help us improve.
