Trump questions the fairness of Pennsylvania's election system in exclusive KDKA-TV interview
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Former President Donald Trump says Pennsylvania voters won't be swayed by the outcome of his criminal trial in New York.
In an exclusive interview Tuesday with KDKA-TV political editor Jon Delano, Trump says while the trial won't make a difference, he questions the fairness of Pennsylvania's election system.
Trump talks about the trial's impact on the election
Just before Trump entered the courtroom Tuesday morning, he talked to KDKA-TV about a host of issues that affect Pennsylvanians. He was asked about his trial, a case that is expected to go to the jury next week.
Any questions about witnesses were off-limits because of the court's gag rule, but KDKA-TV asked former President Trump whether he thought a guilty or not guilty verdict would affect Pennsylvania voters.
"I think it has no impact at all. I think it has been driving up – this trial is a rigged trial with a judge who is a crooked judge, and conflicted judge, highly conflicted," Trump said.
"Even if convicted, I think that it has absolutely no impact. It may drive the numbers up," he added.
Seemingly unworried about the impact of the verdict, Trump is concerned that the Pennsylvania election -- run by election officials in 67 counties -- will not be fair.
Delano: "What are those concerns?"
Trump: "Well, I absolutely do have concerns. Anytime you have mail-ins and anytime you have the kinds of things that they have in Pennsylvania, it's not concerns, I mean, we just have to stop it."
Trump, who lost Pennsylvania by more than 80,000 votes in 2020, still insists he won the state four years ago.
"It was a disaster what happened in Pennsylvania in 2020. We absolutely won Pennsylvania in 2020 and other states as well," he said.
"We should go to all paper ballots. We should have one-day voting, one-day election and do it properly. And voter ID, you have to have voter ID. They don't want voter ID because they want to cheat," Trump added.
Delano: "How will they cheat? How will the Democrats cheat in Pennsylvania?"
Trump: "About 12 different ways -- so many ways if you had all day, I could give you examples."
It's important to note that no widespread cheating has ever been found and KDKA-TV reminded the former president of numerous court cases challenging the 2020 result found against him, to which he says the judges lacked the courage to do what is right.
Trump asked about stance on abortion and contraception
It's a hot issue in this year's presidential race: abortion and contraception.
Pennsylvania is one of those states that allows abortion until the 24th week of pregnancy, but many on all sides favor federal laws that either expand or restrict abortion rights.
Delano: "Will you veto any federal legislation that would restrict or curtail Pennsylvania's current abortion law?"
Trump: "No, I'm not into the federal. I just took it out of federal. We did something that everybody wanted, everybody said also it couldn't be done. We got rid of Roe v. Wade which brought it back to the states."
Delano: "So, if Congress passes a 15-week bill, you would veto it?"
Trump: "I don't think there would be any reason for it because all the states are going to have their own."
A related issue is contraception and efforts by some to restrict contraceptives like morning-after pills.
Delano: "Do you support any restrictions on a person's right to contraception?"
Trump: "Well, we're looking at that, and I'm going to have a policy on that very shortly. And I think it is something that you'll find interesting."
Delano: "Well, that suggests that you may want to support some restrictions, like the morning-after pill."
Trump: "We are also -- you know, things really do have a lot to do with the states. And some states are going to have different policies than others."
That used to be true decades ago when different states had different laws for and against contraception, but the Supreme Court struck down those restrictions in 1965, saying laws against contraceptives violate a person's "zone of privacy."
"I'm coming out within a week or so with a very comprehensive policy which I'll get to you immediately," Trump said.
No word yet on what that policy will look like but any policy that would allow states to ban contraception would seem to violate a 60-year old Supreme Court holding unless and until the current Supreme Court rules otherwise.
Trump explains how he would improve the economy if elected
Both President Biden and Trump each claim to have done the most to improve American lives.
In his interview, Trump offered ways in which he would improve the economy if elected this November.
The economy remains the number one issue for most Pennsylvanians, poll after poll confirms. So it's no surprise that Trump says he will do better than the incumbent if he's elected in November.
Delano: "What are some of the things you will do to make the economy better for Pennsylvanians?"
Trump: "Well, the big thing that I'm going to do is drill baby drill. We're gonna drill. You know Biden has shut up your energy industry. You have a big fracking industry and he's made it very very tough. And I'll tell you what, if he ever wins reelection, he'll turn it off completely."
President Biden has told KDKA-TV repeatedly in earlier interviews that he will not ban fracking in Pennsylvania. President Biden has invested federal dollars in green energy like solar and wind, which Trump derides.
"Wind, the worst energy there is, the most expensive, kills all the birds, looks like hell all over the place," Trump said.
WATCH: Full interview with former President Donald Trump
Trump is promising tax cuts if he's elected.
"I'm going to be cutting them by 25, 30 percent, and I'm cutting energy bills. Everybody in America will be paying at least 50 percent lower in energy costs as soon as I'm president," Trump said.
Trump did not elaborate on what specific taxes would be reduced. On another big issue, trade policy with China and saving American steel jobs, Trump claims Biden has copied his policies and says he will raise tariffs on foreign imports.
"I'd raise tariffs. I will raise tariffs, raise them substantially. His is just a limited thing. I saved it with tariffs, and they have to go up," Trump said.
President Biden disputes that his help for steel has been limited. He was in Pittsburgh recently to announce additional tariffs and has been endorsed by the United Steelworkers Union, but the former president insists he started it all.
"I'm the one who saved the steel industry with tariffs," Trump said.
That is strenuously denied by President Biden.
KDKA-TV gives President Joe Biden a chance to respond
KDKA-TV has reached out to President Biden to talk about these same issues.
