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[The following article is courtesy of the Hampton Union and Seacoast Online.]
HAMPTON — Presidential candidate and real estate mogul Donald Trump brought his brash brand of politics to Hampton Friday night, met by what he told reporters were more than 2,000 supporters.
“You don’t want a politically correct president,” Trump told a packed Winnacunnet High School auditorium crowd. Attendees responded to the statement with a standing ovation.
Trump led polls by significant margins going into Friday night, including a 23 percent lead in a recent poll conducted by NBC News.
Before the rally Trump held a press conference with reporters. Trump declined to touch on specific policies but did discuss national issues, even some local to New Hampshire.
Trump was asked about the recent heroin crisis in New Hampshire and how he would look to fix it.
“New Hampshire has a huge heroin problem,” Trump said. “I mean per capita, the biggest in the whole country. Nobody would know that, but New Hampshire has a huge heroin problem.”
Pressed for a solution, Trump said, “Education. Working hard. You have to get people to understand the problem.”
Asked about specific policy and when he would begin to provide it, Trump said “very soon,” likely next month.
“I have some of the most brilliant people working on taxes, which I’m involved with very much because I understand the system very well,” Trump said. “I would say over the next two or three weeks. Probably sometime in September.”
Trump emphasized his stance again on building the strongest possible military in the United States “So that nobody’s going to mess with us.”
While military is a priority for Trump, he denounced the war in Iraq and said it was an example why another Bush would be “the last thing we need.”
“We spent a trillion dollars in Iraq. We lost thousands of lives in Iraq,” Trump said. “Was it worth it?”
Trump also criticized President Barack Obama for his exit of Iraq, calling the plan for withdrawal a “horrible decision.” He should have taken the oil, he said.
“When he left, he should have taken the oil instead of giving it to ISIS and Iran,” Trump said.
As to relations with Russia, Trump said he’d “get along well with” Russian President Vladimir Putin. Current relations with Russia are “terrible,” he said, “Not destroyed, but they’re pretty well destroyed.”
In response, a reporter asked Trump how he could have cordial relations with Russia while it continues its controversial involvement in Ukraine.
“Ukraine is a problem,” Trump replied. “But at some point, don’t you think that the countries of Europe should be a little more involved than they are?... Germany is a very rich, powerful country, economically, tremendous power… Why isn’t Germany (more involved)?
“We should help (Ukraine) but let Germany and other countries over there that are directly affected, let them work it out. We got enough problems in this country.”
Trump said he supported campaign funding reform, saying the names of all donors should be made public.
Trump touched on Massachusetts politics, calling Boston Mayor Marty Walsh a “clown” for challenging him to an ALS ice bucket challenge.
“He spends all this time and money on the Olympic bid…and he’s talking about ice buckets,” Trump said. “Get a real mayor.”
Trump also reiterated his stance on immigration, citing the murder of Kate Steinle in San Francisco, committed by an illegal immigrant from Mexico. He said the solution “starts with building a wall, believe me.”