OUR SHOW. >>> WE BEGIN WITH BREAKING NEWS.
DONALD TRUMP’S TAX RECORDS
REVEAL FRAUD AND SCHEMES TO DUCK
TAXES ON A MASSIVE LONG-TERM
SCALE.
SCALE. THAT IS THE HEADLINE FROM A
MASSIVE, EXHAUSTIVE, DETAILED
INVESTIGATIVE REPORT THAT "THE
NEW YORK TIMES" JUST DROPPED ON
THE POLITICAL WORLD TONIGHT.
WE’RE TALKING HERE ABOUT THE
CORE OF DONALD TRUMP’S WEALTH
AND POLITICAL APPEAL.
BECAUSE HE’S ALWAYS ARGUED,
ABOVE ALL ELSE, BEFORE
EVERYTHING ELSE, HE IS, HE SAYS,
A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMAN.
BUT THESE JOURNALISTS GOT AHOLD
OF OVER 100,000 PAGES OF
DOCUMENTS.
DOCUMENTS. THEY FOUND DUBIOUS TAX SCHEMES
AND, QUOTE, OUTRIGHT FRAUD.
THE WHITE HOUSE IS ALREADY
PUSHING BACK ON THIS BIG STORY
AT THIS HOUR.
MORE ON THAT IN A FEW MOMENTS.
BUT THIS IS SIGNIFICANT APART
FROM EVERYTHING ELSE THAT IS
CONTROVERSIAL ABOUT TRUMP.
APART FROM HIS LIES OR HIS
DISTRACTION TWEETS OR HIS
CONSTANT INSULTS OF ALL SORTS OF
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE. THIS IS A STORY THAT POTENTIALLY
UNDERCUTS THE THING THAT TRUMP
SUPPORTERS SAY THEY’VE ALWAYS
LIKED ABOUT HIM.
THE IDEA.
THE IDEA. THE BELIEF.
THE BELIEF. AND MAYBE THE MASSIVE CON.
THAT HE IS A SELF-MADE
BILLIONAIRE.
BILLIONAIRE. LET’S GO OVER THE DETAILS BEFORE
WE GET TO SOME INCREDIBLE
EXPERTS ON THIS.
REPORTERS EXAMINE BANK
STATEMENTS, AUDITS, OVER 200 TAX
RETURNS.
RETURNS. NOT JUST FROM TRUMP, ALSO FROM
HIS FATHER, FROM HIS COMPANIES,
WHICH ARE BYZANTINE, AND OTHER
TRUMP ENTITIES.
TRUMP ENTITIES. WHAT THEY SHOW IN THIS REPORT
WHICH I THINK YOU’RE GOING TO BE
HEARING ABOUT FOR A WHILE IS
THAT TRUMP WAS HELPING HIS OWN
FAMILY, HIS PARENTS, DODGE
TAXES, THROUGH QUOTE A SHAM
CORPORATION THAT WAS EXPLICITLY
DESIGNED TO HIDE MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS, SOMETIMES IN GIFTS, AND
THEN TAKE IMPROPER TAX
DEDUCTIONS WORTH MILLIONS MORE.
AND THEN PUT TOGETHER A SCHEME
TO UNDERVALUE, AGAIN GOING BACK
TO MOM AND DAD’S MONEY, HIS
PARENTS’ REAL ESTATE BY HUNDREDS
OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
ACCUMULATIVELY IN THESE RETURNS,
WHICH WOULD REDUCE THE TAX BILL
THAT THEY’D PAY, THEN WHEN IT
PASSED TO THE FAMILY
INHERITANCE.
INHERITANCE. "THE NEW YORK TIMES," WHICH HAS
TAKEN A BIG SWING HERE, FINDS
THAT ALL TOLD, TRUMP EFFECTIVELY
GOT THE BONUS EQUIVALENT OF AT
LEAST FOR 413 MILLION IN TODAY’S
MONEY ALL OF A THIS AND THAT
UNDERCUTS THE KEY CLAIM THAT
DONALD TRUMP SAYS HE’S HE’S MADE
HIS OWN FORTUNE.
>> IT’S NOT AN EASY FOR ME.
I STARTED OFF IN BROOKLYN.
MY FATHER GAVE ME A SMALL LOAN
OF $1 MILLION.
I CAME INTO MANHATTAN AND I HAD
TO PAY HIM BACK WITH INTEREST.
>> HAD TO PAY HIM BACK FOR $1
MILLION.
MILLION. IN A NEW STATEMENT DONALD
TRUMP’S LAWYER IS CALLING THIS
STORY 100% FALSE AND HIGHLY
DEFAMATORY.
DEFAMATORY. JOHN HARWOOD, CNBC’S EDITOR
LARGE, BILL KRISTOL, FOUNDER AND
EDITOR AT LARGE OF "THE WEEKLY
STANDARD."
STANDARD." THE BIG OUTLINES WHAT WAS THIS
IS, THEN WHAT IT DOES.
JOHN HARWOOD, WHAT ELSE CAN YOU
TELL US TO HELP US UNDERSTAND
WHAT THE SCHEME WAS?
>> ESSENTIALLY, ARI, WHAT THE
STORY LAYS OUT IS THE TRANSFER
OF VAST AMOUNTS OF MONEY FROM
FRED TRUMP, HIS FATHER, TO
DONALD TRUMP.
DONALD TRUMP. OTHER KIDS AS WELL.
BUT DONALD TRUMP WAS ESPECIALLY
TAKEN CARE OF.
IT INCLUDES GETTING THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS BEGINNING WHEN HE WAS A
KID, THE MILLION DOLLARS BY THE
TIME -- A YEAR BY THE TIME HE
GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE.
AND THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THINGS
LATER IN LIFE HAVE TO DO WITH
THE WAYS IN WHICH THE TRUMP
FAMILY EVADED ESTATE TAXES BY
MESSING WITH THE VALUATIONS OF
PROPERTIES THAT FRED TRUMP
PASSED ON TO HIS KIDS SO AS TO
AVOID --
AVOID -- >> WHEN YOU SAY MESSING WITH THE
VALUATIONS, IS THAT WHAT NORMAL
PEOPLE WOULD CALL LYING ABOUT
YOUR MONEY?
YOUR MONEY? >> WELL, "THE TIMES" SAYS THAT
IN MANY CASES THIS INVOLVED
OUTRIGHT FRAUD.
OUTRIGHT FRAUD. I THINK THEY DON’T MAKE THAT
STATEMENT LIKELY, YOU HAD
MULTIPLE REPORTERS
MULTIPLE REPORTERS INVESTIGATING.
INVESTIGATING. BUT IT HAD THE EFFECT OF
SHRINKING THE ESTATE TAX BILL
FOR FRED TRUMP’S ESTATE FROM
MORE THAN $500 MILLION TO ABOUT
$50 MILLION.
$50 MILLION. THE SECOND THING THAT HAPPENED
WAS THAT THERE WERE WAYS IN
WHICH HE WAS SHOVELING MONEY TO
DONALD TRUMP, PUTTING BIG BETS
IN A TRUMP CASINO WITHOUT
PLACING ANY BETS AS A WAY OF
GETTING LAST-MINUTE CASH TO
DONALD TRUMP THAT HE CREATED A
SHELL COMPANY TO INFLATE
INVOICES FOR THE TRUMP REAL
ESTATE EMPIRE AND MADE HIS
CHILDREN THE BENEFICIARIES OF
THE PROFITS OF THAT SHELL
COMPANY.
COMPANY. SO THAT IT WAS A WAY OF GETTING
MONEY TO THEM WITHOUT INCURRING
INCOME TAX LIABILITY.
IT IS A WIDE RANGE OF POTENTIAL
FRAUD THERE.
FRAUD THERE. AND I WANT TO MENTION TWO THINGS
ABOUT IT.
ABOUT IT. ONE, WE BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS ON
POTENTIAL CRIMINAL CHARGES, BUT
THERE’S CIVIL LIABILITY IF NEW
YORK STATE TAX AUTHORITIES
DECIDE TO PROSECUTE.
OR TO PURSUE THEM.
AT A MUCH EARLIER PERIOD, NEW
YORK STATE AUTHORITIES WANTED TO
TREAT DONALD TRUMP VERY WELL.
IT WAS A MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL
ARRANGEMENT.
ARRANGEMENT. THEY DON’T FEEL THAT WAY RIGHT
NOW, SO THAT’S POTENTIALLY
SIGNIFICANT.
SIGNIFICANT. >> I APPRECIATE YOU RAISING IT.
WE’VE HIT THAT ON THE SHOW, AND
HIT THE FACT, AND BILL AND I
TALKED ABOUT IT, A LOT OF
DEMOCRATIC OFFICE HOLDERS IN NEW
YORK COZIED UP TO TRUMP WHEN HE
WAS JUST ANOTHER BUSINESSMAN,
AND THE QUESTION THAT I THINK
NORMAL PEOPLE SAY WHEN YOU HEAR
THIS WAIT A MINUTE, WAS EVERYONE
ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL?
IF ALL THIS IS DOCUMENTED YEAR
AFTER YEAR AND IT STAYED IN
FEDERAL?
FEDERAL? THE ANSWER IS, YEAH, A LOT OF
PEOPLE WENT ALONG WITH THAT
CORRUPTION, WHICH I THINK IS BAD
FOR BOTH PARTIES.
YOU STAY, JOHN.
I’M GOING TO MOT RATE MY WAY TO
THE OTHER GUEST AND COME BACK TO
YOU.
YOU. BILL, MORE FROM THE PIECE FOR
YOUR ANALYSIS ON THE POLITICS OF
SOMEONE WHO SAYS, I DID THIS ALL
MYSELF.
MYSELF. THE PRESIDENT’S PARENTS, FRED
AND MARY TRUMP, "THE TIMES"
REPORTS, TRANSFERRED OVER $1
BILLION OF WEALTH TO THEIR
CHILDREN WHICH COULD HAVE
PRODUCED A TAX BILL OF AT LEAST
$550 MILLION UNDER THE 55% RATE
BUT THE TRUMPS ACTUALLY PAID
ABOUT 5%, TAX RECORDS SHOW.
BEFORE YOU EVEN GET TO DUCKING
FEDERAL TAXES, WHICH SOME PEOPLE
AND CERTAINLY SOME REPUBLICANS
SAY, WELL, HEY, I DON’T LIKE
TAXES.
TAXES. HOW ABOUT THE NOTION THAT THIS
GUY RAN FOR OFFICE AND RAN
AROUND THE PRIMARIES SAYING
THESE ARE ALL PHONY POLITICIANS,
I’M SELF-MADE.
I’M SELF-MADE. I GOT 1 MILLION.
A MILLION TO A BILL SEEMS LIKE A
BIG DIFFERENCE.
BIG DIFFERENCE. >> I SPENT THE WHOLE PRIMARY
SEASON THINKING TRUMP
UNIVERSITY -- THERE’S SO MANY
FRAUDS, I DON’T USE THE TERM
LEGALLY BUT IN A COMMONSENSE WAY
THAT HE WAS INVOLVED IN,
DECEPTIONS AND UNSAVORY BUSINESS
PRACTICES THAT ONE THOUGHT THAT
WOULD HAVE DAMAGED HIM IN THE
PRIMARIES.
PRIMARIES. MAYBE IT DID A TINY BIT.
BUT VOTERS DIDN’T SEEM TO CARE
MUCH.
MUCH. I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, THEY
MIGHT LOOK AT THIS AND YOUR
POINT ABOUT SO MANY BUSINESSMEN
BEING TREATED THIS WAY BY NEW
YORK STATE AUTHORITIES, WHAT IS
IT THAT’S SAID, THE ORIGIN OF
EVERY GREAT FORTUNE IS A CRIME.
YOU WONDER IF YOU TURN OVER THE
ROCK, HOW MANY WOULD BE -- THIS
SEEMS A LITTLE EXCEPTIONAL, I
WOULD SAY, NOT TO SOUND LIKE
SOME SOCIALIST OR SOMETHING, BUT
YOU DO -- IT IS A CERTAIN SIDE
OF AMERICAN CAPITALISM THAT ONE
ISN’T PROUD OF.
FOR ME THE BIG STORY IS, YOU
KNOW, PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE
ACCUMULATED THEIR FORTUNES IN
UNSAVORY WAYS, WHAT ABOUT TODAY?
WHAT ABOUT WHAT HE’S DOING AS
PRESIDENT?
PRESIDENT? HAS HE SEVERED HIS TIES WITH THE
TRUMP ORGANIZATION?
TRUMP ORGANIZATION? >> NO.
>> NO. >> DOESN’T SEEM SO.
HAS HE RELEASED HIS CURRENT TAX
RETURNS?
RETURNS? LET’S NOT GO BACK 20 YEARS, TO
HIS FATHER.
HIS FATHER. ACTUAL REALITY?
ACTUAL REALITY? THERE REMAINS GREAT
VULNERABILITY FOR TRUMP.
>> I WANT TO BE CLEAR.
YOU’RE A GUEST AND YOU’LL TAKE
WHATEVER POSITION YOU TAKE.
IN MY LINE OF QUESTIONING, I AM
QUESTIONING HIS LATE FATHER, I
AM QUESTIONING THE WAY THAT THIS
INDIVIDUAL TOOK SO MUCH MONEY
FROM HIS OPEN PARENTS AND,
ACCORDING TO THE "TIMES," HAS
BEEN LYING ABOUT IT, JOHN
HARWOOD.
HARWOOD. BECAUSE IT’S PART OF EITHER HIS
NATURAL TICK, BECAUSE HE WAS
LIKE THIS LONG BEFORE HE WAS A
CANDIDATE, AND BECAUSE HE
RECOGNIZED THIS WAS HIS KEY
POINT OF APPEAL TO FOLKS WHO
SAID, I MAY NOT LIKE THIS, THAT,
BUT I LOVE THAT HE’S A SELF-MADE
GUY WHO CAN DO FOR AMERICA WHAT
HE DID FOR TRUMP ORG.
WELL, THAT WOULD BE, ACCORDING
TO THIS CALCULUS THAT WOULD BE
GETTING GREAT BRITAIN TO GIVE US
A BUNCH OF MONEY IF HE’S GOING
TO DO FOR AMERICA WHAT HE DID
FOR HIMSELF.
FOR HIMSELF. >> WELL, WHAT I WOULD SAY, ARI,
IS THAT THE NOTION OF DONALD
TRUMP AS A SELF-MADE BILLIONAIRE
WAS FOUNDATIONAL TO HIS RISE IN
POLITIC
POLITIC POLITICS.
POLITICS. BUT I DO THINK THAT ONCE HE
BECAME A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE,
BILL MENTIONS THE TRUMP
UNIVERSITY.
UNIVERSITY. IT HAS BEEN WIDELY KNOWN THAT
THERE WERE SOME SHADY BUSINESS
PRACTICES AROUND DONALD TRUMP
EVEN DURING THE CAMPAIGN AND
SINCE THEN.
SINCE THEN. A LOT OF CASH TRANSACTIONS FOR
REAL ESTATE.
REAL ESTATE. PEOPLE, A MAJORITY OF AMERICAN
PEOPLE HAVE CONSIDERED TRUMP
DISHONEST THROUGHOUT HIS
PRESIDENCY.
PRESIDENCY. I THINK MORE RECENTLY HIS
POLITICAL APPEAL IS GROUNDED IN
HIS CHOICE OF ENEMIES.
THE PEOPLE HE GOES AFTER.
GOING AFTER IMMIGRANTS, GOING
AFTER AFRICAN-AMERICAN ATHLETES,
PROTESTING RACIAL INJUSTICE.
SO I’M NOT SAYING THAT THIS
ISN’T GOING TO HAVE SOME IMPACT,
BUT I’M NOT SURE HOW GREAT OF AN
IMPACT IT WILL HAVE.
I WILL MENTION ONE OTHER
VULNERABILITY.
VULNERABILITY. ONE PERSON WHO APPEARS IN THIS
STORY AT SOME OF THE CRITICAL
EVENTS IS ALAN WEISSELBERG,
LONG-TIME BUSINESS MANAGER OF
THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION.
HE IS COOPERATING WITH THE
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
AND HAS IN THE INVESTIGATION OF
MICHAEL COHEN.
MICHAEL COHEN. IF THERE IS GOING TO BE ANY
CURRENT INVESTIGATION THAT
REACHES BACK INTO THE ORIGINS OF
THE TRUMP FORTUNE, ALAN
WEISSELBERG MAY KNOW A LOT ABOUT
IT AND MAY BE IN A POSITION TO
HURT DONALD TRUMP BY SHARING
INFORMATION.
INFORMATION. >> A KEY SOURCE.
BILL KRISTOL, BEFORE I TURN TO
TONY SCHWARTZ, COAUTHOR OF "THE
DEAL" FOR MORE CONTEXT, YOU
MENTIONED TRUMP UNIVERSITY.
WHICH WAS A BUSINESS THAT MADE
ITS MONEY GIVING BUSINESS ADVICE
AND WENT OUT OF BUSINESS.
I WONDER WHETHER THERE’S AN
ANALOGY TO SOME REPUBLICAN TRUMP
VOTERS.
VOTERS. THE PEOPLE WHO WENT TO TRUMP
UNIVERSITY WERE HUGE TRUMP
BELIEVERS R. THEY PUT MONEY
DOWN.
DOWN. SOME OF THEM CAME BACK AROUND TO
SAY AND REALIZE THEY WERE
CONNED.
CONNED. IS THERE ANY COROLLARY HERE?
>> THAT’S WHAT WAS SO SHOCKING
ABOUT IT.
ABOUT IT. THIS WAS A CON, EXECUTED AGAINST
PRECISELY THE KIND OF VOTERS
TRUMP IS APPEALING TO, NOT SO
WELL EDUCATED, TRYING TO MAKE
THEIR WAY UP, GLAMOROUS GUY’S
GOING TO HELP YOU FIND THE
SECRETS TO SUCCESS, TAKING YOUR
MONEY.
MONEY. HE DIDN’T PAY MUCH OF A PRICE
FOR IT.
FOR IT. I GUESS I WORRY THAT IF TRUMP --
WE’VE BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH NOW,
THAT TRUMP SUPPORTERS HAVE
INTERNALIZED -- THEY’LL THINK,
HEY, HE CONNED THEM ALL, GOOD
FOR HIM, HE KEPT MONEY AWAY FROM
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, HE TOOK
MONEY AWAY FROM HIS RIVALS, HIS
FATHER WAS A CONNING GUY TOO, WE
NEED SOMEONE LIKE THAT AS
PRESIDENT, HE CAN CULT GOOD
DEALS WITH TRADE RIVALS, STAND
UP TO THE DEMOCRATS.
I DO WORRY.
LOOK, FANTASTIC REPORTING AND
IT’S KIND OF SHOCKING TO READ
IT, BUT I DO WORRY IT WON’T HAVE
AS MUCH POLITICAL EFFECT AS
PEOPLE MIGHT HOPE.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT NOTE OF
NIHILISM BEFORE I LET YOU GO.
JOHN HAR WAD, BILL CRASS TALL,
IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, THANK YOU.
>>> AS PROMISED TONY SCHWARTZ,
COAUTHOR OF "THE ART OF THE
DEAL," CEO OF THE ENERGY
PROJECT, FRIEND OF "THE BEAT"
WHO’S WEIGHED IN ON SOME OF
THESE STORIES.
THESE STORIES. YOUR SPIRIT TEASE AS SOMEONE
WHO’S BEEN AROUND DONALD TRUMP,
SO CLOSELY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT A
STORY OF THAT MAGNITUDE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> TWO THINGS.
ONE, SINCE 2016, I’VE FELT AND
I’VE SAID ON YOUR SHOW THAT
THERE WILL COME A MOMENT WHERE
TAX FRAUD AND MONEY LAUNDERING
WILL BE DONALD TRUMP’S BIGGEST
PROBLEM, EVEN BIGGER THAN
COLLUSION AND CONSPIRACY.
AND THAT HAS COME TRUE NOW.
THE SECOND THING IS THAT IT GOES
FAR BEYOND EVEN WHEN I THOUGHT
HAD HAPPENED.
HAD HAPPENED. >> THIS IS WORSE TAN WHAT YOU
KNEW TO BE THE CASE?
>> OH MY GOD, I KNEW IT WAS BAD,
BUT I DIDN’T BELIEVE -- THIS IS
A MAN WHO TOOK HUNDREDS OF
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OR
FRAUDULENTLY TOOK HUNDREDS OF
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, AND WHEN
HIS FATHER WAS 85 AND NEAR
SENILE, TRIED TO WRITE A CODICIL
TO HIS WILL TO TAKE OVER
COMPLETE CONTROL OF HIS EMPIRE.
WHY?
WHY? BECAUSE FRED TRUMP WAS IN THE
BUSINESS OF MAKING MONEY, AND
DONALD TRUMP WAS IN THE BUSINESS
OF LOSING MONEY.
AND HE LOST MONEY OF FRED’S.
THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER.
IT’S LIKE THE COVER HAS BEEN
RIPPED OFF THIS MAN.
WHATEVER MYTH THERE WAS, AS YOU
SAID EARLIER, THAT HE WAS A
SELF-MADE MAN, OR THAT HE WAS
EVEN A LEGITIMATE BUSINESSMAN,
IS GONE FOREVER.
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. THAT’S A MYTHOLOGY THAT IS
IMPORTANT TO HIS PUBLIC PROFILE,
BUT ALSO GOES TO WHO HE IS AS
SOMEONE IN HIS FATHER’S SHADOW.
I SHOULD SAY, AS HE PUT IT OR
YOU PUT IT, ONE NEVER KNOWS WHEN
IT COMES TO THE BOOK BUT I’LL
READ FROM IT.
"I ALSO REALIZE IF I EVER WANTED
TO BE KNOWN AS MORE THAN FRED
TRUMP’S SON I WAS EVENTUALLY
GOING TO HAVE TO GO OUT AND MAKE
MY OWN MARK."
THAT’S FROM "THE ART OF THE
DEAL."
DEAL." HOW IMPORTANT WAS THAT INTERPLAY
THAT EVEN BEFORE THERE WERE
OTHER POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO
EXAGGERATING HIS OWN ROLE IN
THIS, HE ALWAYS DID YOU FIND
FELT HE NEEDED TO AVOID
CREDITING HIS FATHER FOR WHAT
THE "TIMES" SAYS TONIGHT WAS
BASICALLY A BILLION TO HIM?
>> HAVE FELT AND SAID FOREVER,
AS LONG AS I’VE KNOWN TRUMP,
WHICH IS MORE THAN 30 YEARS,
THAT THIS IS A MAN WHO AS BLACK
HOLE.
HOLE. WHO IS A BLACK HOLE, AND FEELS
IN EVERY MOMENT LIKE A FRAUD.
WHAT COMES OUT TONIGHT IS HE HAD
GOOD REASON TO FEEL LIKE HE WAS
A FRAUD.
A FRAUD. HE WAS A FRAUD.
AND HE WAS COMMITTING FRAUD,
FRAUDULENT -- HE WAS BEING
FRAUDULENT.
FRAUDULENT. AND HERE IT IS IN LIVING COLOR.
OR IN BLACK AND WHITE, SINCE
IT’S IN THE "NEW YORK TIMES," A
BRILLIANT PIECE OF REPORTING.
I THINK DONALD TRUMP SITTING IN
THE WHITE HOUSE TONIGHT IS
PROBABLY FEELING MORE ENRAGED BY
THIS THAN BY VIRTUALLY ANYTHING
THAT EVER HAPPENED TO HIM.
>> YOU MENTIONED THAT IN THE
ARTICLE.
ARTICLE. IT SAYS FROM "THE TIMES," THE
PRESIDENT DECLINED REPEATED
REQUESTS OVER SEVERAL WEEKS TO
ADDRESS ANYTHING IN THIS
ARTICLE.
ARTICLE. THIS IS AN EXHAUSTIVE PIECE.
I WANT TO PLAY DONALD TRUMP
TALKING ABOUT HOW SELF-MADE HE’S
ALWAYS BEEN, TAKE A LOOK.
>> YOU SEE, I BUILT WHAT I BUILT
MYSELF.
MYSELF. AND I DID IT BY WORKING LONG
HOURS AND WORKING HARD AND
WORKING SMART.
WORKING SMART. MORE IMPORTANTLY THAN ANYTHING
ELSE IS BY USING MY OWN BRAIN.
>> THIS IS A MAN WHO INVENTED
HIMSELF.
HIMSELF. THAT’S HIS CLAIM TO FAME.
HE LITERALLY INVENTED IT FROM
WHOLE CLOTH.
WHOLE CLOTH. THERE’S NOTHING ABOUT HIM THAT
IS REAL.
IS REAL. NOW WE REALLY SEE THAT.
AND IT’S EXTRAORDINARY.
I DON’T AGREE WITH BILL KRISTOL,
I THINK THIS IS GOING TO HAVE A
VERY SIGNIFICANT, LONG TRAIL.
NO ONE WANTS TO SAY ANYMORE THAT
TRUMP HAS FINALLY BEEN CAUGHT,
THAT THE TEFLON HAS FINALLY BEEN
SCRATCHED.
SCRATCHED. BUT I HAVE TO SAY THE IDEA OF
WHO DONALD TRUMP WAS THAT
EXISTED UNTIL TODAY IS GONE
FOREVER.
FOREVER. >> I THINK THAT’S SIGNIFICANT.
I THINK A PIECE OF THIS DETAIL
AND DEPTH WHICH EVERYONE IS
STILL GOING TO CONTINUE TO
DIGEST OVER THE NIGHT AND COMING
DAYS REALLY GOES TO THE HEART OF
NOT ONLY WHERE HE CAME FROM, BUT
WHERE IS HE TODAY?
AND IS HE MORE IN DEBT THAN HE
ACKNOWLEDGES?
ACKNOWLEDGES? IS THAT PART OF WHY THE TAXES
AREN’T THERE?
AREN’T THERE? AGAIN, THIS IS NOT ABOUT BEATING
UP ON FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE
DECEASED OR ANYTHING OF THAT
NATURE.
NATURE. IT IS ABOUT THE MYSTERY AND WHAT
THE "NEW YORK TIMES" REPORTS IS
THE FRAUD AT THE HEART OF A
FINANCIAL EMPIRE THAT IS
COEXISTING WITH A PRESIDENCY