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Trump to forgo salary as US president

By Agency reports
14 November 2016   |   8:15 am
Republican billionaire Donald Trump said in an interview broadcast Sunday he would forgo the $400,000 salary that comes with the US president's job.
American president-elect Donald Trump / AFP PHOTO / Mandel NGAN

American president-elect Donald Trump / AFP PHOTO / Mandel NGAN

Republican billionaire Donald Trump said in an interview broadcast Sunday he would forgo the $400,000 salary that comes with the US president’s job.

“I’m not going to take the salary. I’m not taking it,” he told CBS’s “60 minutes,” confirming a promise he made in a campaign video in September.

“I think I have to by law take $1, so I’ll take $1 a year,” he added.

He also sought in his first televised interview as president-elect to reassure Americans fearful of a crackdown on minorities — while assuring his core supporters he will not let them down on gun rights, abortion or immigration.

The Republican billionaire — whose shock election on a populist and anti-immigration platform has spurred days of protests — told demonstrators they have no reason to fear his presidency.

“Don’t be afraid. We are going to bring our country back,” he said in the interview with CBS’s “60 Minutes.”

Trump said he was “saddened” by reports that incidents of harassment and intimidation of minorities had spiked since his election — and called for it to end.

“I hate to hear that. I am so saddened to hear that,” Trump said when asked about the reports. “If it helps. I will say this, and I will say right to the cameras: Stop it.”

Millions were expected to tune in to “60 Minutes” for clues on how the populist billionaire will govern, and how far he intends to convert his strident campaign slogans into hard and fast policy.

Trump sent out clear signals to his core electorate on a string of flashpoint issues.

He reaffirmed plans to aggressively deport or jail as many as three million undocumented immigrants — those with criminal records, he said.

Trump also said he stood by his pledge to build a wall on the Mexican border — although he said it could include some fencing.

And on the key issue of the Supreme Court — where one of nine seats is currently vacant — he vowed his nominees would support abortion restrictions, and defend the constitutional right to bear arms.

“The judges will be pro-life,” Trump told CBS. “In terms of the whole gun situation,” he added, “they’re going to be very pro-Second Amendment.”

But he also signalled that he would not seek to overturn the legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States.

“It’s law. It was settled in the Supreme Court. I mean it’s done,” Trump said when asked on CBS’s “60 minutes” if he supports marriage equality. “And I’m — I’m fine with that,” he added.

And in a final conciliatory gesture, the billionaire said he would forego the $400,000 salary that comes with the function of US president.

“I’m not going to take the salary. I’m not taking it,” he said. “I think I have to by law take $1, so I’ll take $1 a year,” he added.

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3 Comments

  • Author’s gravatar

    Good one from TRUMP….

  • Author’s gravatar

    How about that? Ca you beat that? This is the person who has been given names. Yet he says he would not take salary, such selflessness. Compare this with the greed of our own politicians here- legislathieves and exeuthieves who cannot even deny themselves in the midst of recession which they caused but which they expect the masses to continue to endure.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Compare trump to that Johnny Walker we have as our president who loves estacode like kunu. One day Buhari will attend Boys Scout conference in Morocco just to lay his hands on that estacode.