Illegal immigration was never intended to be a theme of his presidential campaign, Republican Donald Trump told
The Washington Post, pointing the finger at the media for seizing on the issue.
"It's not only immigration. It's about trade. They go hand in hand," Trump told reporter Robert Costa in a interview conducted aboard his private plane after two events on Saturday that featured Trump's immigration position.
"Immigration is one of the things you have to do," Trump said. "I'm also a moralist. You heard what I said today about healthcare. I said, I'm sorry, folks, but we have to take care people that don't have money. I know it's not the conservative thing to say, but I got a standing ovation — and these were very conservative people."
Immigration wasn't a big part of his announcement speech, Trump said, just "a small paragraph."
But, "the Democrats and the enemies lined up and they criticized me for one line where I said Mexico is sending — I said Mexico is sending," Trump said. "I didn't say people are coming over and they're bad people. They would leave off the 'Mexico is sending' part, chop it and say I said 'rapists' when talking about people."
"The U.S. has become a dumping ground for everybody else's problems. When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best," Trump said in an off-the-cuff presidential announcement on June 16. "They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with us. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people."
In what Costa described as a profanity-laced interview, Trump said expressed anger at the Mexican illegal immigrant accused of killing 32-year-old Kate Steinle in San Francisco.
"Look at that guy, look at what he did, killing that beautiful girl. [Expletive] animal," Trump said looking at a TV screen showing Steinle and her accused killer side-by-side.
But he was more ho-hum about the first upcoming debate, set for Fox News Channel on Aug. 6.
Asked if he is looking forward to the debate, Trump replied, "No, not one way or the other. Whatever. I don't look forward or not look forward. It is what it is."
He said he will file his financial disclosure with the Federal Election Commission this week, and that people will be "very impressed" surprised by his net worth.
He said he is surprised his rival Jeb Bush has yet to file.
"His should be simple, you know, in comparison to mine. I have so many companies and corporations, Trump said.
Though he didn't make immigration the major theme of his campaign, he said he isn't going to tone down his rhetoric, even after urging from Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus.
"I respect the people in the Republican Party, but this is a very important issue and it can't be toned down," Trump said. "It's an issue that wants to be silenced."