Real estate developer Donald Trump disputed the theory that his chief rival, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, isn't taking him seriously as a candidate.
In a pre-taped interview that aired Sunday on CNN's
"State of the Union," Trump told host Jake Tapper, "Trust me. He takes me seriously."
And his campaign staff takes him seriously as well, Trump said, "Because they call."
"And what do they say?" Tapper asked.
"What would you think?" Trump responded.
"Stop it? Stop attacking Jeb?" Tapper suggested.
"You know what? They take me so seriously, and they do call and they write, and just believe me they take me very seriously," Trump said.
He said that while he thinks Bush is a "nice man," he's terrible at negotiating.
"I think Trump will do a lot better," he told Tapper. "You think so, too, but you're not going to say it."
Trump also discussed:
• His change in position on healthcare. When considering a run in 2000, he said America should have a Canadian-style system. This thinking has evolved on that issue and others, he said Sunday.
• Trade with Mexico and China. He said his criticism is over the United States doing a bad job negotiating trade deals, not with the countries themselves for being able to best the United States. He said he wouldn't let them continue to get away with that if he is president.
• His tweet in 2012 in which he said, "The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese. In order to make U.S. manufacturing noncompetitive." He said that tweet was meant to be sarcastic, but added, "There's a little bit of seriousness there."
• His threat to bomb Iraq's oilfields to hurt the Islamic State (ISIS). When Tapper suggested the Iraqi government wouldn't support that, Trump replied, "Who cares? … The government of Iraq is totally corrupt."
• His process for selecting Supreme Court nominees. Trump said opposition to abortion would be a litmus test.
• His support for "traditional marriage." He admitted critics "have a very good point" noting that he has been married three times, but added, "I really don't say anything," to same-sex marriage advocates who might question his own situation. "I am just, Jake, I'm for traditional marriage," he said.
• His past with the Clintons. He said he no longer has contact with them, though he has donated money to Hillary Clinton and she attended his wedding.
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