By Michael D. Shear
In a recent interview, President-elect Donald Trump stated that he intends to use the early hours of his presidency to grant pardons to individuals convicted in relation to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, initiate deportations of immigrants without permanent legal status, and boost oil production.
During the interview published by Time magazine on Thursday, he also indicated that he might favor removing some childhood vaccinations if there’s data linking them to autism. He refrained from answering a question about whether he had communicated with Russian President Vladimir Putin since the November election, but he asserted that Ukraine should not have been permitted to utilize U.S.-made missiles against Russia.
Regarding pardons for the Jan. 6 incidents, he declared: “We’re going to act on it very swiftly, and it will begin in the very first hour that I take office.” He noted that the pardons would be for “nonviolent” individuals who were present at the Capitol, which was overwhelmed by Trump supporters after his loss in the 2020 election. “A vast majority should not be incarcerated, and they’ve endured greatly,” he remarked.
The remarks from the president-elect were made during an extensive interview held on Nov. 25 as part of the magazine’s selection of Trump as its person of the year. In the hour-long discussion, Trump claimed to have run a “flawless” campaign while stating that Democrats are disconnected from the American public.
He mentioned plans for a “virtual closure of the Department of Education in Washington,” although he did not clarify what this entailed. Additionally, he suggested he might reverse President Joe Biden’s expansion of Title IX protections, which includes measures against harassment of transgender students.
Americans “don’t want to see, you know, men participating in women’s sports. They don’t,” Trump stated. “They don’t want to witness all this transgender stuff, which has just taken over.”
On international affairs, the president-elect criticized Biden’s choice to permit Ukraine to use U.S.-made missiles against certain Russian targets, labeling it an escalation of the conflict that began with Moscow’s all-out invasion in 2022. He suggested that efforts toward achieving peace in the war could gain traction once he resumes office.
“But I would think people are holding off until I come in before anything progresses. I would imagine,” he told Time. “I believe that would be very wise.”
Trump chose not to disclose whether he had received guarantees from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip. Nonetheless, he dismissed worries about a prolonged conflict that might further destabilize the Middle East.
He remarked that “some very productive developments” were taking place in the Middle East but declined to specify what they were.
“I consider the Middle East to be a simpler challenge compared to what’s occurring with Russia and Ukraine. OK, I just want to put that out there. The Middle East will be resolved,” he commented, adding: “I think it’s more intricate than the Russia-Ukraine situation, but I find it easier to manage.”
In the interview, Trump focused significantly on immigration issues. He reiterated his intention to enforce a crackdown on individuals unlawfully residing in the United States, stating that federal law does not prohibit military involvement in that venture.
“Well, it doesn’t prevent the military if it’s an invasion of our territory, and I regard it as an invasion of our country,” the president-elect stated. “I’ll act within the confines of the law, but I will push to the fullest extent that the law permits.”
On vaccination topics, Trump expressed that he plans to evaluate the points made by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a long-time vaccine skeptic who is his selection for the head of the Department of Health and Human Services. Both individuals have endorsed the discredited notion that vaccines lead to autism.
“We’re going to engage in a substantial discussion. The autism rate has reached a level that was once thought unthinkable. If you consider the developments, there’s something at play,” Trump stated during the interview.
The president-elect indicated that this conversation could result in a ban on certain childhood vaccinations.
“It could occur if I find it perilous, if I determine they are not advantageous, but I don’t think it will be particularly controversial in the end,” he noted.
