In 1990, the idea of Donald Trump becoming President of the United States seemed too crazy to be true. But, in an interview published that year, Playboy asked Trump how he would run the country if given the opportunity, and his responses aren't too far off from what we're experiencing today.
"I like [President] George [H. W.] Bush very much and support him and always will. But I disagree with him when he talks of a kinder, gentler America," Trump said. "I think if this country gets any kinder or gentler, it's literally going to cease to exist. I think if we had people from the business community—the Carl Icahns, the Ross Perots—negotiating some of our foreign policy, we'd have respect around the world." As we have come to find out, when he got the chance to appoint people to his Cabinet, Trump enlisted former ExxonMobil chairman and CEO Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State, billionaire investor Wilbur Ross as head of the Commerce Department, and former Wall Street banker Steve Mnuchin as Treasury Secretary.
"[President Trump] would believe very strongly in extreme military strength. He wouldn't trust anyone. He wouldn't trust the Russians; he wouldn't trust our allies; he'd have a huge military arsenal, perfect it, understand it." As President, Trump has dedicated himself to ensuring that the United States has the strongest military in the world—so much so that he's willing to eliminate funding to other important initiatives. Ironically, The Donald says in the interview that he wouldn't trust the Russians, but apparently time heals all wounds.
The most shocking part of the interview comes when Trump admits that he was "one hundred percent sure" he would never want to become president, unless he saw "this country continue to go down the tubes." We were good before him. Why couldn't he just stay true to his word?
