Trump in 2015: 'I’m fine with affirmative action'

09 July 2023

After the United States Supreme Court issued a ruling on June 29th ending affirmative action for college admissions, former President Donald Trump declared it "a great day for America" and stated that "people with extraordinary ability and everything else necessary for success, including future greatness for our country, are finally being rewarded."

But as NBC News moderator Chuck Todd recalled on Sunday's edition of Meet the Press, candidate Trump in 2015 was an affirmative action supporter.

Todd showed a segment of his August 16th, 2015 interview with Trump in which the future twice-impeached commander-in-chief defended the decades-old practice.

"Affirmative action. Should we keep it yes or no?" Todd asked Trump at the time.

"I'm fine with affirmative action," Trump affirmed.

"Should it be expanded or is it should be limited?" Todd followed up.

"Well, it should be, you know, you have to also go free market. You have to go capability. You have to do a lot of things. But I'm fine with affirmative action," Trump said. "We've lived with it for a long time, and I've lived with it for a long time, and I've had great relationships with lots of people, so I'm fine with it."

Todd also pressed Trump on another matter.

"Should private companies be able to fire people because they're gay?" Todd posited.

"Well, it's a big, uh, it's a big discussion and I guess it's getting a lot of negative rulings, uh, right now, that whole thing. And I'm willing to go with what the courts are saying," Trump replied.

"And that is, do you don't think a private company should be able to do that?" Todd wondered.

"I, I don't think it should be a reason, though," Trump clarified. "I don't think it should be a reason."

Watch below or at this link.

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