Former President Donald Trump spoke candidly with voters at Knockout Barbershop in the Bronx, taking questions from locals grappling with economic hardships and escalating expenses in a “Fox & Friends” exclusive.
With Fox News’ Lawrence Jones by his side and surrounded by visitors donning “Make Barbers Great Again” shirts, Trump addressed concerns over high taxes and expensive rents, opening up about what he’d do differently if granted a second term.
“What is one thing that you probably feel like you didn’t do in your first term that you feel like you could do better now?” one voter asked.
“It’s all about people. I’ve got to get the right people,” Trump responded.
He reflected on his outsider status to relate to the group, emphasizing his roots are entrenched in New York City rather than D.C.
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“I went to Washington 17 times in my entire life, so I wasn’t a Washington person. I was a New York person. I mean, I was here as a developer, so when I went to Washington, all of a sudden, I’m standing in the White House opposite the Lincoln Bedroom, and I said, ‘Man, this is so amazing.’ But I didn’t really know too many [people], so I had to rely on people to give me recommendations for people to run agencies… and I still did great.”
He picked up after a moment, “But I had some people that, if I had it to do again, I wouldn’t have used. Now, I’ve been there four years plus another four that I’m sort of there in a way. I know the best people. To me, it’s all about people. You got to have the right people. When we have the right people, it runs beautifully.”
As he looked toward the election just over two weeks away, Trump was confident, insisting he now has the “best people lined up” for roles in his administration as he prepares for what might be his second term should he defeat Vice President Harris.
“We will do a great job,” he pledged.
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Throughout the discussion, Trump made a recurring point to connect with the everyday voter, suggesting a shared common ground despite his wealth and fame.
“You guys are the same as me. It’s the same stuff. We were born the same way. I grew up in Queens and all of that. I had a great father, had a father, was a great guy – he was tough but [had] a good big heart, and he was a construction guy, pretty much, and a real estate guy, and I learned a lot from him. He was great, but I know you people so well without knowing you.”
The former president took a series of questions related to other topics, including the prospect of eliminating a federal income tax.
“There is a way,” Trump said.
“In the old days when we were smart, when we were a smart country in the 1890s and all this, this is when the country was relatively the richest it ever was. It had all tariffs. It didn’t have an income tax.
“Now we have income taxes, and we have people that are dying. They’re paying tax, and they don’t have the money to pay the tax. In the old days… we had so much money, they had to set up committees, blue ribbon committees, [on] how to spend our wealth. We had no idea how to spend it with so much money. Then we went to the income tax system and the rest is sort of history. But no, there is a way.”
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