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It is rare to get major presidential candidates – on either side of the political aisle – outside the confines of prepared remarks, stump speeches and friendly audiences, so it’s worth paying attention when they actually take detailed questions.
Former President Donald Trump gave such a rare sit-down to Time magazine – yes, it is still a thing, although you don’t see the cover in the grocery story every week anymore – and he was asked about what a potential second Trump term would bring, including on the thorny issue of immigration.
He did not commit to the full “Project 2025” effort his supporters envision to gut the perceived “deep state” by reclassifying a much larger portion of the federal government as political appointees.
“We’re looking at a lot of different things. Civil service is both very good and very bad,” he said.
Trump insisted he would leave the issue of abortion rights up to states, even if it meant allowing them to jail women who seek abortions.
“You’ll have to speak to the individual states,” he said.
While at rallies he has referred to people jailed for storming the US Capitol as “hostages,” he did not commit to pardoning every one of them.
“If somebody was evil and bad, I would look at that differently,” he said.
And some of his more outlandish comments, he said, were just jokes. He said to put his repeated pledge to declare himself “dictator for a day” into this category.
“That was said sarcastically. That was meant as a joke,” he said.
The just-jokes defense may not assuage the concerns…
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