Bartiromo, who Trump just appointed to the Kennedy Center Board, sat down with the President for the interview that aired on March 9 and was filmed during the past week.
Here are some of the key topics Trump shared his views on:
Recession fears
Consumers and experts alike have shown concern about a possible recession, particularly amid the Trump Administration’s proposed reciprocal tariffs and the mass layoffs largely triggered by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under Elon Musk. The Atlanta Federal Reserve model suggested that economic growth might be negative in Q1 2025.
Trump did not rule out the possibility of economic hardship, arguing that the economy and the U.S. population will have to adjust to the changes being made.
“I hate to predict things like that,” Trump said, when asked if he is expecting a recession this year. “There is a period of transition, because what we’re doing is very big. We’re bringing wealth back to America. There are always periods of… it takes a little time. It takes a little time. But I think it should be great for us.”
Read More: Is the U.S. Heading Into a Recession Under Trump? Here’s What to Know
What is happening with Trump’s tariffs
Bartiromo pushed for more detail on tariffs, stating that businesses want “clarity” and predictability for shareholder purposes amid Trump’s proposed tariffs and, more specifically, his decision to delay some of those tariffs on Canada and Mexico.
Trump said that businesses will have clarity after April 2, when his reciprocal tariffs are set to be put in place. But he also said that the tariffs may well rise over time.
“The tariffs could go up as time goes by, they may go up…” he said. “This country has been ripped off from every nation in the world, every company in the world. We’ve been ripped off at levels never seen before, and what we’re going to do is get it back.”
Trump went on to reaffirm his belief that more business and production should be carried out on American soil. “Build it here, there’s no tariff,” he said.
Read More: What Are Tariffs and Why Is Trump In Favor of Them?
Where U.S. and Ukraine relations stand after the Zelensky Oval Office confrontation
When asked by Bartiromo about the Oval Office exchange between himself and Zelensky, Trump said that Zelensky is a “smart and tough guy” and likened him getting U.S. aid from the Biden Administration after Russia invaded Ukraine to taking “candy from a baby.”
“He [Zelensky] took money out of this country under Biden like taking candy from a baby. It was so easy,” Trump said, adding: “I just don’t think he’s grateful.”
Trump went on to say if he had been President at the time, Russia wouldn’t have invaded Ukraine. He also said that other global events—such as Hamas’ assault on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023— wouldn’t have happened if he was in the White House.
Read More: World Leaders React to Zelensky and Trump’s Oval Office Showdown
If there are plans to cut defense spending
Trump was asked about the Administration’s plan to shrink the size of the federal government, a charge spearheaded by DOGE under the watchful eye of Musk. These cuts, though, will not affect defense spending for the time being.
Trump said he would “love” to cut defense spending, but will not do so “now.”
“You have China, you have Russia, you have a lot of problems out there,” he said, rueful that the government has to spend so much on nuclear weapons.
He also reiterated his message that social security and Medicaid will not be affected by the DOGE spending cuts.
Trump’s proposed “gold card” route to U.S. citizenship
Trump addressed his recent proposal of a “gold card” route to citizenship, putting a $5 million price tag on a card that would allow foreign-born potential immigrants a pathway into the United States.
Championing his idea, Trump told Bartiromo that major companies have reached out to him about how hard it is to hire talent from good schools when immigrants must leave the country after their education ends.
“You graduate number one at the Wharton School of Finance, or Harvard, or Stanford, and you get thrown out of the country,” Trump said. “And [businesses] want to hire these people. Now, they can buy a gold card and they can take that gold card and make it a part of their deal to get these top students—no different than an athlete.”
Read More: What Is Trump’s ‘Gold Card’ Route to Citizenship and How Might It Work?
The future of education in the U.S.
Trump spoke out about his thoughts on America’s education system amid the news that he wishes to dismantle the Department of Education.
“We want to bring the schools back to the States, because we have the worst, literally, we have the worst Education Department and education in the world,” Trump claimed. “We’re ranked at the bottom of the list, and yet we’re number one when it comes to cost per pupil.”
