Republican presidential contender Donald Trump laid out a multi-pronged vision for his presidency on Saturday, saying in a speech that he opposed the proposed merger of AT&T and Time Warner while staking out opposition to China, illegal immigration and the current tax code.
In a high stakes speech billed as a “closing argument to voters,” Trump used the speech to lay out a plan for his first 100 days in office, if he’s elected. It functioned as a substantive laundry list of policies that the Republican vowed to address in the Oval Office, including ethics reform and stemming the flow of undocumented immigrants.
“On November 8, Amereicans will be voting on this 100 day plan to restore prosperity to our country, secure our communities and [restore] honesty to our government,” Trump told an audience in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania—an historic site where Abraham Lincoln gave his famous Civil War address.
The GOP nominee struck familiar themes on a broad range of subjects, including tax reform, free trade and regulation that served as red meat to his base and a blueprint for his initial months in office. He also reiterated his support for building a wall on the border of Mexico, vowing that “Mexico would pay for a wall.”
Down in most national polls and with his campaign overshadowed by accusations of sexual improprieties, the real estate mogul vowed to take a tough line on trade deals and struck a number of populist themes. He said he would brand China as a currency manipulator and would renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
In addition, he vowed to repeal and replace Obamacare, which is currently in trouble as premiums soar and insurers bolt the insurance program. Trump also pledged to cancel “unconstitutional” executive orders issued by President Barack Obama, and said he’d find a suitable nominees for the Supreme Court.
On Friday, news broke that the cellular carrier AT&T and entertainment giant Time Warner were nearing agreement on a deal that could be announced this weekend. Trump said under a potential GOP White House, his administration would not approve the deal.
AT&T told CNBC it has no comments on Trump’s remarks.
In a shift, Trump mostly refrained from directly attacking his Democratic challenger, Hillary Clinton, but enumerated several policy differences between the two. His Gettysburg appearance came days after the final presidential debate, in which he pointedly lashed out at Clinton as a “nasty woman,” reinforcing criticism that he was insensitive to women.
In that vein, Trump also vowed that he would sue the litany of women who have come forward to accuse him of inappropriate behavior after the election, branding them as “liars.”
“This is my pledge to you, and if we follow these steps we will once more have a government of, by and for the people, and more importantly we will make America great again,” Trump stated.
Source: CNBC