In a TV interview, the U.S. President, Trump, expresses doubts about the due process rights for American citizens.
HOST:
President Trump is stirring up controversy over the rights of individuals in the U.S. In a frank interview with NBC News' "Meet The Press" hosted by Kristen Welker, Trump questioned the necessity of due process for people facing deportation. When asked whether he is obligated to uphold the Constitution, Trump replied casually, "I don't know." Let's dive into the details with NPR's Luke Garrett. Hey, Luke.
LUKE GARRETT: Hey there!
HOST: So, let's start with Trump's thoughts on due process. What did he say about the Fifth Amendment, which ensures the right to due process, and about sticking to the Constitution?
LUKE GARRETT: Right on target. Welker grilled the president on whether both citizens and non-citizens deserve due process, their day in court. In response, Trump expressed his desire to deport millions and deliberated whether these individuals deserved due process. When Welker probed about Fifth Amendment violations, Trump defended his mass deportation policy, butTrump suggested the courts were impeding him from doing so. In essence, Trump didn't seem phased about the prospect of sidestepping the Constitution.
Welker then further pressed the president on the constitutional implications.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "MEET THE PRESS")
WELKER: Don't you need to uphold the Constitution of the United States as president?
TRUMP: I don't know. I have to respond by saying, again, I have brilliant lawyers that work for me, and they are going to obviously follow what the Supreme Court said.
GARRETT: It's worth noting that Trump's stance aligns with what the Department of Homeland Security is saying. DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin told NPR that individuals deemed to be terrorists receive a special form of due process, as allowed under the Alien Enemies Act. Ultimately, the Supreme Court will determine whether these Presidential policies step over constitutional bounds, but the lower courts have already started weighing in on this matter. Last week, a court partially blocked Trump's use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans.
HOST: OK, moving on to the economy. What did Trump have to say about the possibility of a recession?
LUKE GARRETT: Trump appeared unconcerned about an economic recession, but he didn't completely rule one out. Last week, the Commerce Department reported that the U.S. economy shrank by an annual rate of 0.3% in the first quarter of the year. Economists typically define a recession as two consecutive quarters of decline. During the interview, Trump acknowledged some economic setbacks, but he pinned the blame on former President Biden. When Welker asked whether a short-term recession was worth potential long-term gains, Trump was non-committal but seemed optimistic about the economy's future.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "MEET THE PRESS")
TRUMP: Look, yeah, it's - everything's OK. What we are, I said, this is a transition period. I think we're going to do fantastically.
GARRETT: In terms of tariffs, Trump didn't announce any of the trade deals he has been promising with other countries. However, Trump did suggest that relations with China over tariffs are improving.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "MEET THE PRESS")
TRUMP: At some point, I'm going to lower them because otherwise you could never do business with them.
GARRETT: But then Trump contradicted himself, declaring that he would never take the possibility of permanent tariffs off the table.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "MEET THE PRESS")
TRUMP: No, I wouldn't do that because if somebody thought they were going to come off the table, why would they build in the United States?
GARRETT: Last week, a Chinese official told NPR that Beijing is evaluating the situation after multiple overtures from the U.S. seeking trade talks. So next week, everyone will be keeping a close eye on these promised tariff deals, especially with China.
HOST: That's NPR's Luke Garrett. Luke, thanks for the insight.
LUKE GARRETT: No problem, thanks for having me.
Here are two sentences containing the given words:
- The conversation about President Trump's policy-and-legislation on due process for individuals facing deportation raised concerns about potential Fifth Amendment violations, which is a part of the general-news being discussed in the context of politics.
- Trump's stance on the economy, including his views on the possibility of a recession and tariffs, was also a key point during the interview, making it further news in the realm of economic policy.
