President-elect Trump said Thursday that mass deportation of undocumented immigrants will be the top priority of his incoming administration after he claimed a “common sense” mandate from his big election win.
“It’s a mandate to bring common sense back to the country,” Trump told NBC News’ Kristen Welker in an exclusive interview.
The incoming president said he has “no choice” but to keep his promise to launch a broad effort to deport undocumented immigrants, although he focused on criminals who would be a small minority of foreign nationals in the U.S. illegally.
“We have no choice. We have murderers and drug lords,” he said. “Now they’re going to have to go back to their country because they are not staying here.”
Trump rebuffed questions about the cost of such an operation, suggesting it would be done regardless of cost.
“There is no price tag, there really isn’t,” he said.
Trump has been uncharacteristically quiet on social media and has not spoken publicly since his triumphant victory speech early Wednesday morning.
Trump swept to victory over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, and was on track for a surprising win in the national popular vote. He increased his vote share from four years ago in a remarkable 90% of counties nationwide, backing his claim of a solid popular mandate for his right-wing policy program.
The Republican once and future president has also vowed dramatic efforts that he says will improve the economy, including blanket tariffs on imported goods, but he did not discuss those efforts Thursday.
He was gracious toward Harris, who called to concede and congratulate him on Wednesday.
The conversation was “very nice, very respectful, both ways,” he said.
Trump said he appreciates offer her support for a smooth transition to his second administration: “I agree with that 100%.”
Mayor Adams said Wednesday that he planned to talk to Trump’s team about “the impact of migrants and asylum seekers” and pitch a “realistic and compassionate” plan for undocumented immigrants, although he did not go into detail.
Manuel Castro, New York City’s immigrant affairs commissioner, said he hoped to change Trump’s mind about mass deportations.
Trump only offered sparse details about his other second-term priorities in the 15 minute phone chat with Welker.
He said he has spoken to as many as 70 world leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Trump said he had not talked to Russian strongman Vladimir Putin since his victory.
During the campaign, Trump boasted that he could solve the conflict in Ukraine in 24 hours, presumably by brow-beating the warring nations to reach a compromise peace deal.
Trump was tight-lipped about potential cabinet appointments. He has vowed to pick a team of loyalists who will carry out his instructions and policy prescriptions, even if that means breaking with long-standing norms.
Trump praised campaign chief Susie Wiles but stopped short of saying if she would be the favorite to become his White House chief of staff.
“She would certainly be a contender,” he said. “She’d be great.”
