The 75 most ridiculous Trump quotes: the best Donald Trump quotes revealed
There are so many Trump quotes to choose from, but here's our favourites.
There is no doubt: Donald Trump is box office.
During his presidency ’The Donald’ rode in like a one-man hurricane, blowing the US Presidential race wide open, defying his many, many critics to sweep aside Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz, John Kasich and the rest to become the last man standing to be the Republican candidate in the race for the White House, before eventually, incredibly, winning the keys to them in November 2017.
- If Trump is too much, head to our best Netflix TV shows guide and/or drown yourself with the best gin
Along the way, and in his former business life, he’s managed to offend pretty much everyone and everything, as well as regularly showing off his enormous ego and opinion of himself.
And while Joe Biden is now in charge, Trump is still there, waiting and possibly ready to have another go at the biggest seat in the land - so expect this best Donal Trump quotes piece to expand - but first he has to get around an indictment and the chaos this will cause.
We present - and it’s by no means exhaustive - the most ridiculous Trumpisms so far. We’ll no doubt be updating this in the coming months…
1. Trump on domestic policy
"I think if this country gets any kinder or gentler, it's literally going to cease to exist."
Playboy, March 1990
On immigration
"We're rounding 'em up in a very humane way, in a very nice way. And they're going to be happy because they want to be legalized. And, by the way, I know it doesn't sound nice. But not everything is nice."
60 Minutes, 27/0/15
2. Trump on Syrian refugees
"What I won't do is take in two hundred thousand Syrians who could be ISIS... I have been watching this migration. And I see the people. I mean, they're men. They're mostly men, and they're strong men. These are physically young, strong men. They look like prime-time soldiers. Now it's probably not true, but where are the women?... So, you ask two things. Number one, why aren't they fighting for their country? And number two, I don't want these people coming over here."
Face the Nation, 11/10/15
3. Trump on border control
"I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will have Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words."
Campaign launch rally, 15/6/15
4. Trump on September 11th
"I think I could have stopped it because I have very tough illegal immigration policies, and people aren't coming into this country unless they're vetted and vetted properly."
Hannity, 20/10/15
5. Trump on education
"[Overseas] we build a school, we build a road, they blow up the school, we build another school, we build another road, they blow them up, we build again. In the meantime we can't get a fucking school in Brooklyn."
Speech in Las Vegas, 28/4/11
6. Trump on helping women
"I will be phenomenal to the women. I mean, I want to help women."
Face the Nation, 9/8/15
7. Trump on abortion
“Do you believe in punishment for abortion – yes or no – as a principle?”
“The answer is there has to be some form of punishment.”
“For the woman?”
“Yeah, there has to be some form.”
MSNBC, 30/3/16
8. Trump on gay marriage
"It's like in golf... A lot of people - I don't want this to sound trivial - but a lot of people are switching to these really long putters, very unattractive... it's weird. You see these great players with these really long putters, because they can't sink three-footers anymore. And, I hate it. I am a traditionalist. I have so many fabulous friends who happen to be gay, but I am a traditionalist."
New York Times, 1/5/11
9. Trump on race
"I have a great relationship with African Americans, as you possibly have heard. I just have great respect for them. And they like me. I like them."
Anderson Cooper 360, 23/7/15
10. Trump on health care
"The U.S. cannot allow EBOLA-infected people back. People that go to far away places to help out are great - but must suffer the consequences!"
Twitter, 2/9/14
11. Trump on global warming
"It's really cold outside, they are calling it a major freeze, weeks ahead of normal. Man, we could use a big fat dose of global warming!"
Twitter, 19/10/15
12. Trump on gun control
"No matter what you do - guns, no guns - it doesn't matter. You have people that are mentally ill. And they're gonna come through the cracks. And they're going to do things that people will not even believe are possible."
Meet the Press, 4/10/15
13. Trump on the greatness of America
"Our country is in serious trouble. We don't have victories any more. We used to have victories but [now] we don't have them. When was the last time anybody saw us beating, let's say, China, in a trade deal? They kill us. I beat China all the time. All the time."
Campaign launch rally, 15/6/15
14. Trump on Mexico
"They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with us. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people."
Campaign launch rally, 15/6/15
15. Trump on fighting terrorism
"When you see the other side chopping off heads, waterboarding doesn't sound very severe."
This Week with George Stephanopoulos, 2/8/16
16. Trump on global warming
"The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive."
Twitter, 6/10/12
17. Trump on running for President
"Well, if I ever ran for office, I'd do better as a Democrat than as a Republican - and that's not because I'd be more liberal, because I'm conservative. But the working guy would elect me. He likes me. When I walk down the street, those cabbies start yelling out their windows."
Playboy, March 1990
18. Trump on Political Correctness
"I think the big problem this country has is being politically correct. I've been challenged by so many people and I don't, frankly, have time for total political correctness."
Fox News Republican debate, 6/8/15
19. Trump on why people would vote for him
"To be blunt, people would vote for me. They just would. Why? Maybe because I'm so good looking."
New York Times, 19/9/99
20. Trump on Making America Great Again
"The line of 'Make America great again,' the phrase, that was mine, I came up with it about a year ago, and I kept using it, and everybody's using it, they are all loving it. I don't know, I guess I should copyright it, maybe I have copyrighted it."
MyFox New York, March 2015
("Let's Make America Great Again" was one of Ronald Reagan's most well-known campaign slogans)
21. Trump on Hillary Clinton
"If Hillary Clinton can't satisfy her husband what makes her think she can satisfy America?"
Twitter, 16/4/15
22. Trump on fighting terrorism
"If you look at Saddam Hussein, he killed terrorists. I'm not saying he was an angel, but this guy killed terrorists."
The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch, 2006
23. Trump on Jeb Bush
"Jeb said, 'we were safe with my brother. We were safe.' Well, the World Trade Center just fell down! Now, am I trying to blame him? I'm not blaming anybody. But the World Trade Center came down. So when he said, we were safe, that's not safe."
Fox News Sunday, 18/10/15
24. Trump on Rand Paul
"I never attacked him on his looks, and believe me, there's plenty of subject matter right there."
CNN Republican debate, 16/9/15
25. Trump on why he's the right candidate
"I'm the most successful person ever to run for the presidency, by far. Nobody's ever been more successful than me. I'm the most successful person ever to run. Ross Perot isn't successful like me. Romney - I have a Gucci store that's worth more than Romney."
Des Moines Register, 2/6/15
26. Trump on John McCain
"[John McCain is]... not a war hero. He's a war hero - he's a war hero 'cause he was captured. I Like people that weren't captured, OK, I hate to tell you."
Iowa Family Leadership Summit, 18/7/15
27. Trump on Arianna Huffington
".@arianahuff is unattractive both inside and out. I fully understand why her former husband left her for a man - he made a good decision."
Twitter, 28/8/12
28. Trump on pop culture
"My favourite part [of Pulp Fiction] is when Sam has his gun out in the diner and he tells the guy to tell his girlfriend to shut up. 'Tell that bitch to be cool. Say: Bitch be cool.' I love those lines."
As quoted in TrumpNation: The Art of Being the Donald, 2005.
29. Trump on women in Hollywood
"While @BetteMidler is an extremely unattractive woman, I refuse to say that because I always insist on being politically correct."
Twitter, 28/10/12
30. Trump on Muslims
"Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what the hell is going on."
7/12/15
31. Trump on Television Shows
"Just tried watching Modern Family - written by a moron, really boring. Writer has the mind of a very dumb and backward child. Sorry Danny!"
Twitter, 13/6/13
32. Trump on sharing his financial success
"I look very much forward to showing my financials, because they are huge."
TIME, 14/4/11
33. Trump on shaking hands
"The concept of shaking hands is absolutely terrible, and statistically I've been proven right."
Playboy, October 2004
34. Trump on his intelligence
"Sorry losers and haters, but my IQ is one of the highest - and you all know it! Please don't feel so stupid or insecure, it's not your fault."
Twitter, 9/5/13
35. Trump on self-maintenance
"I think Viagra is wonderful if you need it, if you have medical issues, if you've had surgery. I've just never needed it. Frankly, I wouldn't mind if there were an anti-Viagra, something with the opposite effect. I'm not bragging. I'm just lucky. I don't need it."
Playboy, October 2004
36. Trump on romance
"All of the women on The Apprentice flirted with me - consciously or unconsciously. That's to be expected."
Trump: How To Get Rich, 2004
37. Trump on romance
"Certain guys tell me they want women of substance, not beautiful models. It just means they can't get beautiful models."
New York Times, 19/9/99
38. Trump on family
"She does have a very nice figure... If [Ivanka] weren't my daughter, perhaps I'd be dating her."
The View, 2006
39. Trump on marriage
"I would never buy Ivana any decent jewels or pictures. Why give her negotiable assets?"
Vanity Fair, September 1990
40. Trump on beverages
"I have never seen a thin person drinking Diet Coke."
Twitter, 14/10/12
41. Trump on egos
"Show me someone with no ego and I'll show you a big loser."
Trump: How To Get Rich, 2004
42. Trump on borrowing
"As a kid, I was making a building with blocks in our playroom. I didn't have enough. So I asked my younger brother Robert if I could borrow some of his. He said, 'Okay, but you have to give them back when you're done.' I used all of my blocks, then all of his blocks, and when I was done I had a great building, which I then glued together. Robert never did get those blocks back."
Esquire, January 2004
43. Trump on his intelligence
"I'm intelligent. Some people would say I'm very, very, very intelligent."
Fortune, 3/4/00
44. Trump on making money
"I say, not in a braggadocios way, I've made billions and billions of dollars dealing with people all around the world."
CNN Republican debate, 16/9/15
45. Trump on his body
“My fingers are long and beautiful, as, it has been well documented, are various other parts of my body.”
New York Post, 2011
46. Trump on historical events
“I was down there, and I watched our police and our firemen, down on 7-Eleven, down at the World Trade Center, right after it came down”
Event in Buffalo, 19/4/16
47. Trump on Hillary Clinton
"The only card she has is the woman's card. She's got nothing else to offer and frankly, if Hillary Clinton were a man, I don't think she'd get 5 percent of the vote. The only thing she's got going is the woman's card, and the beautiful thing is, women don't like her."
Vox, 26/4/16
48. Trump on his fans
"I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose voters."
23/1/16
Trump on Megyn Kelly
"You could see there was bloody coming out of her eyes. Blood coming out of her wherever."
CNN, 8/8/15
49. Trump on immigration
“Why are we having all these people from shithole countries coming here?”
White House meeting, 11/1/18
50. Trump on the Presidency
“I loved my previous life. I had so many things going. This is more work than in my previous life. I thought it would be easier.”
Reuters, 28/8/17
51. Trump on appropriate things to say to hurricane survivors
“What a crowd, what a turnout.”
Texas, 29/8/17
On diversity within his fanbase
“Look at my African-American!”
Redding, California, 3/6/16
52. Trump on marriage and parenthood
“I won’t do anything to take care of them. I’ll supply funds and she’ll take care of the kids. It’s not like I’m gonna be walking the kids down Central Park.”
Howard Stern interview, 2005
53. Trump on Judaism
“I’m a negotiator, like you folks.”
Speech to the Republican Jewish Coalition, 3/12/15
54. Trump on breastfeeding mothers
“You’re disgusting.”
New York Times, 28/7/15
55. Trump on History
“In life you have to rely on the past, and that’s called history.”
Celebrity Apprentice
56. Trump on Kim Jong-Un
“Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me ‘old,’ when I would NEVER call him ‘short and fat?’ Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend - and maybe someday that will happen!”
Twitter, 11/11/17
57. Trump on winning graciously
“Crooked Hillary Clinton is the worst (and biggest) loser of all time. She just can’t stop, which is so good for the Republican Party. Hillary, get on with your life and give it another try in three years!”
Twitter, 18/11/17
58. Trump on Russia
“Russia will have much greater respect for our country when I am leading it than when other people have led it…If Putin likes Donald Trump, I consider that an asset, not a liability, because we have a horrible relationship with Russia.”
Trump Tower Press Conference, 11/1/17On popularity within the FBI
“I would bet if you took a poll in the FBI I would win that poll by more than anybody’s won a poll.”
Fox & Friends, 15/6/18
59. Trump on taking inspiration from other leaders
“[Kim Jong-Un] speaks and his people sit up at attention. I want my people to do the same.”
Fox & Friends, 15/6/18
60. Trump on intelligence
“Nobody has better respect for intelligence than Donald Trump.”
CNN, 11/8/17
61. Trump on "the anti-missile"
“We’re … increasing our budget by many billions of dollars, because of North Korea and other reasons, having to do with the anti-missile.”
CNN, 11/8/17
62. Trump on health care
“Nobody knew health care could be so complicated.”
Washington Post, 27/2/17
63. Trump on the absolutely one-sided violence in Charlottesville
“We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides. On many sides.”
Washington Post, 12/8/17
64. Trump on the swamp
“You know, I go to Washington and I see all these politicians, and I see the swamp. And it’s not a good place. In fact today I said we ought to change it from the word swamp to the word cesspool or, perhaps, to the word sewer.”
National Scout Jamboree, 24/7/17
65. Trump on the telephone
“If you look at President Obama and other presidents, most of them didn’t make calls. A lot of them didn’t make calls. I like to call when it’s appropriate.”
16/10/17
66. Trump on diplomacy
“North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the “Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.” Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!”
Twitter, 2/1/18
67. Trump on racism
“I’m the least racist person you have ever interviewed.”
14/1/18
68. Trump on American football players kneeling during the National Anthem
“At least 24 players kneeling this weekend at NFL stadiums that are now having a very hard time filling up. The American public is fed up with the disrespect the NFL is paying to our Country, our Flag and our National Anthem. Weak and out of control!” Twitter, 28/11/17
69. Trump on the Mueller Investigation
“So they’re investigating something that never happened.”
Press conference, 10/8/17
70. Trump on covfefe
“Despite the constant negative press covfefe”
Twitter, 31/5/17
71. Trump on reality
“What you’re seeing and what you’re reading is not what’s happening,”
24/7/18
72. Trump on the Queen
"There are those that say they have never seen the Queen have a better time, a more animated time."
7/05/2019
73. Trump on Nigel Farage
“one of the most powerful men in Europe... He’s a very non-controversial person, right? Very shy.”
29/10/2020
74. Trump on Covid-19
75. Trump on election defeat
4.09/2020
You can find a full selection of quotes in The Little Book of Trumpisms, compiled by Seth Millstein, out now
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