CNBC’s John Harwood asked Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump if “racial tension is the jet fuel of your campaign” in an interview published Thursday morning.
“I don’t think so,” Trump replied. “I don’t want it to be, and I don’t think it is.”
The interview is a part of the series, “Speakeasy With John Harwood.”
Heres’ the full exchange:
John Harwood: What would you say to someone who said that the core idea of your campaign is appealing to fearful, anxious, white Americans and encouraging the belief that their problems are because of people who look different than them and have different features than them?
Donald Trump: No, I don’t think so. You know, my audiences are very – many, many blacks. I had a poll come out the other day where I was 25% approval rating from the blacks as a Republican, which is the highest they have ever recorded. Usually, it’s about 7%. In fact, they said if the election were held and you got 25% of the black vote, like in this poll, the election is over. You win.
JH: You don’t think racial tension is the jet fuel of your campaign?
DT: I don’t think so. I don’t want it to be and I don’t think it is.
Harwood is scheduled moderate the Republican presidential debate on Oct. 28.
Watch the interview, from CNBC, below:
