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CNN Larry King Live
Donald and Melania on Their Lives; Larry King and The Trumps
Aired April 28, 2010 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LARRY KING, HOST: Tonight -- the Trumps, Donald and his beautiful wife Melania. A rare joint interview and a look at their very privilege lives. The Donald fired Sandra Bullock's estrange husband, Jesse James, from "Celebrity Apprentice." What his take on the bus stop of that marriage?
And Sandra's revelation, she's been an adoptive mom for three months. And plus, about Bret Michaels' medical crisis and he thinks the "Celebrity Apprentice" contestants is a real fighter. Whether Goldman Sachs deserves the badge it's getting. And if Arizona's tough new immigration laws are bad for business.
It's all next on "Larry King Live."
KING: We welcome back to "Larry King Live" Donald and Melania Trump. Donald, of course, a real estate entrepreneur. We don't have to tell you who he is. He is host of NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice." His lovely wife, Melania is the mother of their 4-year-old son, Barron. She has a new jewelry line, the Melania Time Pieces and Jewelry Collection, that debuts on QVC on April 30th.
We'll see some of it later. They were last seen on "Larry King Live" together in 2005, their son, Barron was born a year later. Our cameras recently captured some of their life together. We'll be seeing those clips during the hour. You want to stick around. How is Barron doing?
DONALD TRUMP: Barron's really great.
KING: What is he 4 now?
TRUMP: Just turned 4?
KING: Good boy?
TRUMP: He's a good boy.
KING: Preschool?
MELANIA TRUMP: Yes, he is. He's doing very well.
KING: Is he a little Donald?
MELANIA TRUMP: He is. He is bossing everybody around the house.
KING: Is he firing anybody yet? MELANIA TRUMP: He did, yes, actually he did. He's firing the housekeeper and nanny many times.
KING: Donald?
TRUMP: He enjoys it more than me.
KING: Let's get right into things. Jesse James, Sandra Bullock's estranged husband. He was on "Celebrity Apprentice." What do you think of that hoster?
TRUMP: Well, I got to know him very well. He's a very, very smart guy. He was sort of a nasty guy. A lot of people didn't like him. Clint Black, the great country singer, just couldn't stand him and others. Sometimes, for instance, with Bret, everybody loved Bret. Bret Michaels who's going through a tough time right now. But people didn't like Jesse, a lot of people and -- but he was a very smart guy, very sullen, didn't speak much but he was tough.
KING: Are you surprised, Melania, that Sandra had adopted a baby?
MELANIA TRUMP: Well, nobody knew she had the baby three months already and it's a big surprise. I wish her well. She's very happy. She should enjoy every moment with it because they grow up so fast.
KING: Do you feel sorry for her?
MELANIA TRUMP: Actually, it's not her fault, you know.
KING: Do you feel sorry what's happened to her?
MELANIA TRUMP: Of course, yes. When marriage falls apart, it's a bad thing. It's not great for anybody. And I just hope she keep herself busy with a child and go for a life that she deserves.
KING: All right, Jesse, let's take a look at one of Jesse's appearances on last season's "Celebrity Apprentice." Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I mean in one way, I respect that you haven't used your wife. In another way, it's a little disappointing that you haven't brought her in, you know, it is for charity. In one way, I'm a little bit disappointed. And I'm feeling that even if you are in the final two, you probably wouldn't. So, Jesse, you're fired. Great job.
JESSIE JAMES: Yes. Thanks.
TRUMP: Really great job.
JAMES: Thanks.
TRUMP: Next season.
JAMES: I wanted to come, do a good job and show that I could do. I think I accomplished that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Were you egging him on to bring on Miss Bullock?
TRUMP: Well, I was a little surprised he didn't because that certain tasks and other people bring in friends and major stars. Jesse decided not to. In one way, I respected it, in other way, I thought he could have gotten a lot of money than he did and he might have won a task.
And instead of getting fired, he might have been a champion. He might have won because he had the brainstorm, I can tell you that. But he didn't want to bring Sandra in and I was really surprised. Frankly, now in retrospect, maybe he didn't want to bring her in because he had somebody else on the side. Who knows, right?
KING: Sandra has filed for divorce now, "People's" exclusive cover story, including an extraordinary statement from him. We wanted to give you part of what Jesse had to say and his reaction. Here's Jesse James' statements.
"My whole life has been full of hard decisions. The decision to let my wife end our marriage and continue the adoption of Lewis on her own has been the hardest. The love I have for Lewis cannot be put in words, not having him around to love and to hold has left a huge hole in my heart.
Sandy is the love of my life, but considering the pain and devastation I've caused her it would be selfish not to let her go. Right now, it's time for me to beat the addiction that has taken the two things I love in my life.
I ask that you please do not judge Sandy for the things I've done wrong. She's done no wrong. She played no part in any of these. She's been an amazing wife, mother and best friend for over six years we've been together."
Smart idea to say that?
TRUMP: Well, I think it's a very nice statement from him. I also know it's too late. I know her. I made two movies with her. She asked if I play myself in two movies then I did it. And I did. I said, can I do it in ten minutes? She said, yes. And I did. I got to know her. She's an absolute sweetheart. She's just the nicest person. Just can't imagine what happened.
KING: Have you talked to her since?
TRUMP: I have not spoken to her since then.
KING: Have you tried to contact her?
TRUMP: No, look, she's a terrific woman. And he's a really nice guy.
MELANIA TRUMP: I met her.
TRUMP: See, Melania is much more liberal, if this happened to me, she would take me back in a minute.
KING: Do you like the statement he made? Does it fit the way you know him?
TRUMP: I think it's a nice statement. It's obviously somebody that would like to get back with her. I can't imagine she could possibly say yes.
KING: How do you imagine she kept an adopted child a secret?
TRUMP: Well, she had some friends that hid her out. I mean, she had some friends that were really loyal friends. They weren't calling up the "National Inquirer" and the various people and say, give me $50,000 and I'm going to expose her. She had some good friends that really kept it quiet.
KING: Do you think being in the papers a lot has helped your business?
TRUMP: Probably, it has. But in my life, it's made my life more complicated. I'm a real estate guy. Number one, hey, we do great with "The Apprentice" and it's a successful show. But what I do best is real estate. I used to love walking the streets of New York and looking at buildings and buying some of those buildings. Now, I can't do that anymore. So it's made my life more complex but probably it's helped.
KING: I was with my friend and your friend, Freddy Wilmont today. He spoke very favorable of you. He said people make fun of you, but you're a great real estate developer, first and foremost, you are?
TRUMP: It's nice that Freddy said that. He's a great real estate developer. What I did best is develop things. Otherwise, I wouldn't be on "The Apprentice" because that's what it's all about.
KING: Do you like that his name is in the paper all the time?
MELANIA TRUMP: Well, it's part of the life. He's bigger than life in one way.
KING: And you've come to accept that?
MELANIA TRUMP: Yes, yes. And what does he do? Every Sunday, he's in millions and millions of homes. So it's part of the business so I don't have a problem with it.
KING: Another "Celebrity Apprentice" contestant is in the hospital with a brain hemorrhage. We'll ask about Bret Michaels. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) KING: We're back. As you all know, Bret Michaels is in the hospital, serious brain condition. He's competing on "Celebrity Apprentice" to earn money for his chosen charity, the American Diabetes Association. During the competition, he learned that his 9- year-old daughter could be diabetic. Here's part of the boardroom discussion. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Now, does that make you feel even stronger for fight for your charity, or do you think you'd like to leave?
BRET MICHAELS: You know that I do not want to leave here, but for my charity, I would fight to the end, and especially now. However, if she was really sick, I would never say I want to leave, but I will leave to take care of my daughter.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: What do you make of this?
TRUMP: Well, first of all, he's a great guy. I didn't know what to make of him first. He was on. I know of him, I never met him before. But I didn't give him a lot of chance. He's outworked everybody. He has been so good, so strong. And, you know, like I was saying before, he was popular.
Everybody loved Bret. Every cast mate. Goldberg, the wrestler, they loved Bret. He actually looked like he was in good shape. It's never been the thing in my life, I saw him without a shirt and he looked good. Not as good as she looks without a shirt, but he looked good.
KING: Laugh about that.
TRUMP: But to think this would happen to him is amazing.
KING: Have you tried to find -- do you know what hospital he's in?
TRUMP: Well, I'd rather not say. I mean, he's really working hard to -- you know, look, he's got a very, very tough situation.
KING: Now, you've taped everything but the final show, right?
TRUMP: We have taped.
KING: How do we handle this? Obviously, he's not going to be on the final show.
TRUMP: Well, we'll see what happens. It would be great.
KING: When the final show?
TRUMP: In five weeks.
KING: It's touch and go?
TRUMP: I mean, I hope he's going to make it. I mean, forget about the show. The show is a phenomenal success. I don't care about the show. I really got to like him. He's become a friend of mine. Everybody loves him. We just want him to get better.
KING: As he lost the challenge on the most recent episode of "Celebrity Apprentice," many viewers thought he might get the boot. Watch what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Because I've decided that for over $347,000 raised I'm not going to fire anybody tonight. You're all going to escape. You did a great job, Sharon. You had the better workout. Just get out of here. I'm not firing anyone. Holly, congratulations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Was Bret touch and go there?
TRUMP: No, not really. They both did great. Both did. They raised $347,000 in a period of hours. Bret's team lost, but they raised hundreds of thousands of dollars. It went to a fantastic charity for autism by Holly. They just did a great job. I've never done that before. I've always sent people out, people get fired.
KING: Are you getting soft?
TRUMP: I'm getting soft, there's no question.
KING: Why, Melania, you're a viewer of the show, why is it successful?
MELANIA TRUMP: I think it's because of him. It's because he handles everything and the cast. The way he is in the boardroom, and he tells what he thinks and they love that.
KING: But he's popular and he fires people that people like?
MELANIA TRUMP: Yes, I know. But people like tough people. They like to see how he will do it, you know.
TRUMP: You know what's sad. They did a recent poll and I'm much more popular than before I fired people. I fire people and I became more popular.
KING: You can't like to fire people?
TRUMP: No, I don't like to fire people. I really don't. This is a show. It can be very tough. But I certainly don't like to fire people.
KING: Donald knows a thing or two about the economy. We're going to get his financial forecast, of course, about Goldman Sachs. We're going to see Melania's beautiful jewelry when we come back. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MELANIA TRUMP: Say hi, Larry.
BARRON TRUMP: Hi. I like my suitcase. I have to go to school now?
MELANIA TRUMP: Yes, you have lunch and then to school.
BARRON TRUMP: Now, I'm going to go?
MELANIA TRUMP: Yes, first you have lunch and then you go to school.
TRUMP: You can do reading, writing and arithmetic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: He has an accent?
MELANIA TRUMP: He does, he spends most of the time with me so --
KING: What do you think of that?
TRUMP: I think it's great. Anything he does is OK with me.
MELANIA TRUMP: He speaks three languages actually.
KING: That's pretty good. You're planning a new version of the original "Apprentice" series and the competitors reflect the problems of the economy. How's it going to work?
TRUMP: The "Apprentice" has done so well, so has "Celebrity Apprentice." They want to bring both back. The regular in the fall and "Celebrity" in the spring.
KING: What's the economy angle?
TRUMP: I think people need jobs. They need work. The economy's a lot different. When we originally started "The Apprentice" before "Celebrity." It became the best show on television, then we went to "Celebrity" version, which became so successful, now, we're just going back to both.
KING: It's reflecting the economy?
TRUMP: Well, it's reflecting the bad times in the economy and you know, people are out of work and we think that it's going to be very reflective of people looking for jobs underachieving that want to achieve.
KING: Are you pessimistic?
TRUMP: No, I'm optimistic. I'm worried about the politicians always fighting with each other and not fighting China and these other countries that are really just eating our lunch. If you look at what China's doing to this country, it's disgraceful.
KING: Doing how?
TRUMP: Well, they make all our products. We're not manufacturing anything.
KING: And employers with cheap labor, right?
TRUMP: Excuse me, they take our money and loan it back to us. We should be fighting China, we should be fighting OPEC. There's oil all over the place. It's floating all over the place, including the sea right now because of the oil leak. There's tankers all over the ocean loaded up with oil. They don't know what to do it and it still --
KING: You're not an environmentalist?
TRUMP: I am an environmentalist. I don't want to stop progress at the sake of unnecessary environmental regulation.
KING: Goldman Sachs, I don't even have to ask you a question. Goldman Sachs.
TRUMP: Well, I know Goldman Sachs very well. Look, I also know Lloyd Blankfein. He's a great guy.
KING: He's a Brooklyn guy?
TRUMP: He's a Brooklyn guy. He's a regular guy and he's a smart guy. You know, look, they're being used a little bit as a scapegoat for what happened. It's not their fault, they're one of many cogs in the ointment. But the politicians are, too. A lot of bad mistakes were made by --
KING: From what they're accused of, what do you make of that? They're telling people to buy this while they're selling it?
TRUMP: Well, I know, they're betting short and betting long. It's like a very large casino. They were using the word "casino" yesterday. It's pretty tough. All of a sudden, London's going to get bigger and bigger and Asia is going to get bigger and bigger. And Wall Street is going to get smaller.
KING: Do you want to let the inmates run the asylum?
TRUMP: It's a very, very fine line. I watched some of those politicians yesterday. They didn't know what they were talking about and then they'd asked a question and as soon as the cameras went off, they go in their office and sit down. They weren't listening to their answers. They just wanted to get face time on television.
KING: So simply put, how would you feel if you gave money to Goldman Sachs to invest in a, b, c, while they were selling a, b, c, but telling you to buy a, b, c? I don't mean the television network. TRUMP: You also have to make your own decisions. You have to be able to think for yourself. They understand that Goldman Sachs sometimes is on different sides of the transactions
KING: Is that wrong?
TRUMP: They bet against the mortgage market. They lost in some case and won in some cases.
KING: So you wouldn't be hurt?
TRUMP: I am not defending Goldman Sachs or anybody else on Wall Street. I'm just saying you have to be very, very careful with regulation because you'll drive business out of this country. That's the problem.
You look at these countries like China, Japan, India, they're eating our lunch. If 15 years from now, China's going to be the most important economic power if we don't get on the ball. Look, I have friends in China, they think our representatives, they think our politicians are the dumbest men on earth. They can't believe what they get away with.
KING: Melania is an immigrant. We're all immigrants, but she's a direct immigrant recently. Both Trumps might have something to say about that new Arizona law, that's ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: We've got the top 25 contest going to pick your favorites. We're going to have the Trumps do their selections a little later on. Arizona's new law. What do you make of it?
TRUMP: Well, it all starts with the federal government not coming out with a law, they've been talking about it for years and they still haven't done anything. Arizona is getting crime-ridden. There's killings all over the place. Shootings all over the place.
KING: Do you favor stopping people on the street?
TRUMP: What are you going to do? Are you going to stop people to see whether or not they're supposed to be there. I personally as a citizen wouldn't mind.
KING: Would you mind if people from Slovenia were stopped because they looked funny?
MELANIA TRUMP: Well, I think everybody needs to have papers to be legally here. We need to have papers if we go anywhere else in the world. So people need to have papers here.
KING: Do you own property in Arizona?
TRUMP: No.
KING: No. What do you make of a boycott plan? TRUMP: I think it's ridiculous. Arizona is one of our state, they're a productive state. A wonderful state. I've been there many times. And people are just streaming into their state. And crime rate goes way up. And they say, along the border, it's just brutal what's happening.
If you live along the border, I just heard this today. I was listening to somebody describing life. It's murder. It's really dangerous stuff. And a lot of the border states are having this problem. I think the federal government has to do something or the states are going to take it into their own hands. Arizona in a very tough way has taken it into their own hands.
KING: Do you see where Mexican-Americans might be a little offended?
TRUMP: Well, I can see that. But if you think about it, nobody wants to say it, you have a Mexican-American and then you have a blond guy walking down the street. Mexico doesn't have a lot of blonds.
KING: So you're in favor of profiling?
TRUMP: I'm in favor of -- if people are coming in illegally, I am favoring you have to have laws. Nobody knows what the law is. People are streaming across the border. Sometimes, it's drug dealers. What's. Happening there, the drug dealers are coming in and that's a big deal. They're coming in and they're killing.
KING: You also have American interests hiring them?
TRUMP: You have American interests hiring them, absolutely. And many cases, they're great workers. The biggest problem is you have great people come in from Mexico works crops and cutting lawns that I'm not sure a lot of Americans are going to take those jobs. That's the dichotomy. That's the problem.
You have a lot of great people coming in doing a lot of work. And I'm not so sure that a lot of other people are doing that work so it's a very tough problem. But I do say this, you have a law or at least you have to establish a law. And I guess we're sort of a country, and other people aren't supposed to be coming into a country illegally.
KING: So you would not favor a boycott of any kind?
TRUMP: No, I would not favor a boycott.
KING: We'll be right back with the Trumps. We're going to look at Melania's line of jewelry, if diamonds are a girl's best friend, wait till you see some of the stuff she's brought. Don't go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: By the way, I mentioned the immigration law. We'll discuss it tomorrow night. Major discussion on this program. We're back with the Trumps and Melania now has a new jewelry line for QVC. You designed all of that?
M. TRUMP: I designed. I sketch. I studied architecture and design in Slovenia.
KING: You were a model?
M. TRUMP: When I finished my design, I went to modeling. And I just love see the idea coming to life.
KING: Why QVC?
M. TRUMP: It's the best retailer out there. And the best --
KING: So on Friday night, you'll debut this, right? You're going to sell this?
M. TRUMP: This is on Friday.
KING: Inexpensive?
M. TRUMP: Everything under 200 dollars. It's affordable luxury jewelry. And every piece has a story behind it. I design for women across the country who loves jewelry, and they don't need to break the bank to afford it. For example, this bracelet, it's only 35 dollars.
KING: Come on.
M. TRUMP: Yes. And this one is only 140 dollars. I'm wearing all my jewelry tonight. The ring, as well, it's 35 dollars.
KING: How much is the wedding ring, Donald?
M. TRUMP: I'll never have to buy jewelry again. That's what I like about it.
KING: Let me see the wedding ring.
M. TRUMP: This is the engagement ring. This is the ring I designed, 35 dollars.
D. TRUMP: Yeah, 35 dollars and 35 million dollars. You tell me the difference.
KING: What do you make of this entrepreneurial line from your wife?
D. TRUMP: Well, these very entrepreneurial. But more than entrepreneurial, she's got a great design sense, for clothing, for jewelry. And I noticed it from the beginning.
KING: Men's watch? No, woman's watch.
M. TRUMP: Woman's watch. There are three collections. It's a newer collection. It's more for business, for the office. This is for 65 dollars.
D. TRUMP: Not bad, right?
KING: You're going to do well. Now, your stepdaughter, Ivanka, has a very successful high-end jewelry line. You'll find nothing in there for 200 dollars. I've been in that store. Her boutique starts at 700 dollars up to 100,000 dollars. So you're not competitors. What do you make of her line?
M. TRUMP: I think she has very beautiful jewelry. It's a very different design from what I have. And the price is different, too. But she's very successful. And this is completely different. It's for women, so they can afford it and have fun with the jewelry, because there are pieces that you could wear it on the beach, playing with the son, just put it around your neck and go with sarong.
You know, it's just for fun. And there are two collections. The Paris collection is a little bit more glamorous.
KING: But nothing over 200 dollars?
M. TRUMP: Nothing over 200.
KING: What do you make of this, Donald?
D. TRUMP: I think it's going to be successful. I have done some QVC. I actually sold one of my books on "Think Like a Champion" on QVC.
KING: What do you think of your wife doing jewelry?
D. TRUMP: I think it's great. I think she'll do really well. I think she'll do very well on television. More important, the product is fantastic.
KING: Did you come to Donald one day and say, this is something I want to do? Someone had to back you, invest in this?
M. TRUMP: Yes, but I don't like to bring business home when he comes home from office. I don't like to discuss business because we're both --
D. TRUMP: I've been asking her for 50 percent of this company. I want 50 percent.
M. TRUMP: So I just told him that I have a great idea. Somebody approached me. And QVC saw the line, they loved it. And that went on. When he saw the line, had said it's beautiful.
D. TRUMP: But, actually, right from the beginning. She'd design a jacket and she'd wear the jacket, and we'd go out to a party, and really sophisticated people and models are coming up, where did you get that jacket? She designed it and made it. She's always had a great design sense.
KING: You're very proud of all this, as you are your daughter?
D. TRUMP: I'm proud of her and I'm very proud of Ivanka. They're both amazing women.
KING: Does everybody get along?
D. TRUMP: They get along really well.
M. TRUMP: Yes, we do.
KING: As we have seen, Donald and Melania have a beautiful son Barron. We'll have some exclusive video of Barron with his dad coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
D. TRUMP: Hit them hard. Pretty good. Good. If it ever goes through the net, I'm in trouble.
M. TRUMP: That is so cute.
D. TRUMP: Good shot, son. Give me five.
Good morning.
With me is my beautiful wife Melania and my son Barron, a future businessman and pro golfer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: LARRY KING LIVE cameras got an inside look at how Donald, Melania and their four-year-old son Barron live. There's definitely glitch, glamour and privilege, but also some stern paternal advice about the future. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
D. TRUMP: School time. Give me a kiss good-bye. Good-bye. I want all A's.
BARRON TRUMP, SON OF DONALD TRUMP: OK.
D. TRUMP: OK, all A's. When you get older, what are you going to remember? No drugs, no alcohol, no cigarettes. And -- you know what else? No tattoos, I don't want ever to see tattoos on you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Oh, boy, Donald, no tattoos.
D. TRUMP: Well, I don't get the tattoos. I don't get it
KING: Let's take a call from Denver, Colorado. Hello.
CALLER: Good evening.
D. TRUMP: Good evening. KING: Go ahead.
CALLER: Trumps, I'd like to ask you, do you think the housing market would be helped if Bernanke were to raise the interest rates, and then the banks might be more willing to lend to people, if they were getting -- able to make more money out of it?
KING: That's a very good question.
D. TRUMP: It is a very good question. Not necessarily help, but this is a great time to go out and buy a house. You know, when I make speeches, two years ago, three years ago, I would made speeches saying, don't buy, don't buy. It was so over-inflated. I used to get in a lot of trouble because real estates companies would pay me a fortune, which I'd give to charity, to make speeches. I'd say, don't buy this. What are you doing. I have to be honest, now, great time to buy. It's a great time to buy.
KING: Because?
D. TRUMP: Because the prices are low. This is a great time to buy houses. By the way, buy them from banks. The banks have them. They'll take back financing.
KING: Would you raise interest rates?
D. TRUMP: I would start to think about it. The one thing you don't want to see too much of inflation. Look, interest rates are going to go up on their own volition pretty soon.
KING: Your fabulous world of golf debuted on the Golf Channel, right?
D. TRUMP: Yes.
KING: Are you a golf freak?
D. TRUMP: Well, I love golf. I have a lot of great golf courses. I have 11 of the best golf courses in the world. They came to me and they see the ratings, how high they are on "the apprentice," and they said, would you do a show. So I have a really good show. In fact, it debuted about two weeks ago, with Lawrence Taylor playing Jerry Rice. It was a great match, and two great guys.
KING: You have matches every week?
D. TRUMP: I have matches every week, always at my courses. And it really worked out. I mean, it was amazing.
KING: Are you like the host?
D. TRUMP: I'm the host.
KING: You're also on the cover of "Golf Magazine?"
D. TRUMP: I'm on the cover of "Golf Magazine." That's right. They actually do a story on my golf game, not the golf courses, but the golf game.
KING: Do you play?
M. TRUMP: I play. I play with my son, though, because we just started. We go out and have fun and sometimes play together.
KING: What do you make of Tiger Woods?
D. TRUMP: Well, I have great respect for Tiger. I really like him. I understand him. I know him. You know, it was an amazing thing that he did, doing so well at the Masters under that kind of pressure. Larry, I have friends -- and your son, who is sitting over here, we have friends that, if they're under pressure, they can't sink a putt this long. They can't even take the club back for two dollars. There'S tiger with like two billion people watching him, or more than that, all over the world, and he comes in fourth at the Masters.
I think he did an unbelievable job. A lot of people thought that would be impossible, but he played. He wasn't even happy with his performance. And yet he still came in fourth. Tiger is an amazing guy.
KING: Do you think he'll straighten out his life?
D. TRUMP: They'll be fine. I don't think they'll be together. I think it's just too hard. But I think he'll be absolutely fine. He'll start winning and winning takes care of a lot of problems.
KING: Playing this weekend.
D. TRUMP: Playing again this weekend.
KING: Michigan, hello.
CALLER: Hi. Hi, Larry. I want to say, Donald Trump, you are fabulous.
D. TRUMP: Thank you, I like you, too.
CALLER: No, you are the smartest man, wonderful father.
KING: What's your question?
CALLER: My question is in my lifetime -- I'm in my late 50s -- will it ever come back around to where these jobs -- I've had four jobs leave the state. What do you think?
D. TRUMP: Well, I hope so. You know, you have OPEC sucking the blood out of our country. You have China sucking the blood out of our country. And, so, you know, you talk about jobs, where are the jobs going? They're going to Mexico. We're sending our people, our jobs to Mexico.
KING: What do we do about this?
D. TRUMP: Well, I think you get tough. Frankly, I'd put taxes on things coming into this country. We have the great economy. But in 10 to 15 years, we will no longer be number one if we keep going. We're fighting with ourselves. We're not fighting with other countries. We're fighting with the wrong people.
KING: What do you think of Obama?
D. TRUMP: Well, the jury's still out. I like him personally. But I would like to see him get very tough on OPEC. I would like to see him get very tough on China and some of these countries that are just eating out lunch.
KING: Can you call the shots when you don't have the cards?
D. TRUMP: You can call the shots because we have all of the cards. We have al of the cards. We have the great economy. We have the money right now. By the way, losing it fast. Think of it, we don't have to make toys in China. We can make them in North Carolina. We can make them in Alabama. We don't need make toys with lead poisoning all over from China.
KING: You can't pay two cents an hour, though?
D. TRUMP: Excuse me, so let them pay a little bit more for the toys or let the kid not have the toys. We need oil. That we have to get. There's so many ways. We have to start looking at nuclear and strongly and quickly. We have environmental protection that makes it almost impossible to put nuclear power in. And yet some other countries, very, very smart, are going nuclear. You have to do it.
And other things. There's so many forms of energy right now.
KING: Donald and Melania will pick their favorite LARRY KING LIVE moment when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: This year, we're celebrating the 25th anniversary of LARRY KING LIVE. Go to CNN.com/LarryKing to pick your top five moments, enter our sweepstakes, win a trip to Los Angeles, meet me, see the show in person. We'll have dinner, too.
Since you guys are here, would you like to show everyone how this works and find out what your top moments are. So --
D. TRUMP: well, I'm just looking and I can tell you the Marlon Brando interview was fantastic. This guy was a true piece of work. It was an amazing interview. I would say Tammy Faye is Tammy Faye, right? Tammy Faye was great. Honey, pick one.
M. TRUMP: I like the death of Michael Jackson. I love Michael Jackson.
D. TRUMP: Michael was a great friend of ours, actually. He lived in Trump Tower for a long period of time. He was a sweet guy.
TRUMP: You'll see all these things when you go to the website. You pick them out and vote. Someone is going to win. We're revealing the top five moments. What are two others you like?
D. TRUMP: I think the NAFTA debate was great with Ross Perot and our former vice president, Al Gore. Yes. That's right.
Death of President Reagan, I loved President Reagan. President Reagan was a great guy.
KING: We will reveal the top five moments beginning May 31st. Now, let's take a look at one of the great moments that has to do with jewelry and our dear friend, Dame Elizabeth Taylor. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KING: This is costume jewelry.
ELIZABETH TAYLOR, ACTRESS: What!
KING: Wait a minute. These are diamonds?
TAYLOR: You bet your ass they are.
KING: OK, all right.
I never had anyone pitch diamond jewelry on the air like it was just look at these, look at these. Call in, folks, let's start the bidding at 100,000 dollars.
This is a diamond studded necklace with pearls.
TAYLOR: You got it!
KING: Where did you get that ring?
TAYLOR: Richard. Richard gave it.
It's a perfect ring. I thought, how poetic that would be if a nice little Jewish girl like me ended up with it.
Do I make you nervous?
KING: She was an amazing, amazing star on the American horizon for years, amazing actress. I consider her a friend and I like her very much. There's another person, what you ask, you get an answer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Enter the sweepstakes and pick your top five moments at CNN.com/LarryKing.. We'll be back with the Trumps right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's a shot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He just hit a Rolls-Royce. Did you hear that? We're just pretending we didn't see anything, because I'm not paying for that door. You know, a door on a Rolls-Royce is about 100,000 dollars.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Melania's jewelry line debuts Friday night on QVC. The Trumps are with us, our remaining moments. Melania's birthday was Monday. How did you celebrate? What did he get you?
M. TRUMP: A beautiful present, beautiful jewelry.
KING: You were 40?
M. TRUMP: I was 40.
KING: Do you feel 40?
M. TRUMP: I don't. I don't. I feel great. I just don't know how to explain. It's only the number. Actually, they say it's the new 20.
KING: You've seen many stories about kids from privilege going wrong, drugs and the like, tragic consequences. What do you hope you're doing right? You never know. You have grown children.
D. TRUMP: They're still young and I have two that are very young. You just saw my bit with Barron where I'm saying no drugs, no alcohol, no cigarettes, even no tattoos. I drive the kids crazy all their lives. I say no drugs, no alcohol, no cigarettes. I say to them everyday, every week. They would say, dad, stop it, stop it.
You know what? They remembered it. I think they remembered it. I have already started on Barron. It's really the drugs and the alcohol. I've seen so many -- Michael Douglas is friend of mine, such a great guy. Look at the problems that drugs have caused. And I think Michael is a great father.
KING: Why privileged people?
D. TRUMP: I think it happens to everybody. It's not privilege. You read about the privileged. You don't read about so many others. I guess you need a little luck, too.
KING: This is a tough time to grow up.
D. TRUMP: This is a tough time. The drugs are all over the place. It's a tough time.
KING: Let's take another call. Heartsville, South Carolina, hello.
CALLER: Hi, Larry. Hi, Mr. Trump. I have a two-part question for Mr. Trump. I was wondering, when was the last time you spoke with Bret Michaels and how was he doing then and how is he doing now? My second question, would you ever consider running for president?
D. TRUMP: That's very nice.
KING: You did consider once.
D. TRUMP: They wanted me to run and I said I didn't want to run. I spoke to Bret just about two or three days before he had the difficulty and he was so great. How is he doing now? Hopefully well. Nobody really knows. It's a very tricky thing because of what can happen. Hopefully, he's doing well.
As far as president, I get asked this question, why don't you run for president, because I do have sort of a take on what it takes? I'm just loving what I'm doing, Larry. You know that. I was here a long time with you a long time ago and everybody was asking me the same question. They continue to ask me the same question because they really are looking for answer is in this country. They see this country as going backwards.
KING: What do you make of this Tea Party thing?
D. TRUMP: That's what it is. They're just disgusted with what's going on in the country. They don't like to see us. We're going to be number two. We're going to be number three. We're going to be number four country, if we keep going the way we're going right now. And there's no reason for it.
KING: Are you back in the casino business?
D. TRUMP: No, well we just won a big battle
(CROSS TALK)
D. TRUMP: Atlantic City has gone through tremendous competition, but myself and the bond holders won a big battle against some other groups. We're in the business, yeah, meaning we're in the business, but Atlantic City is a very competitive place.
KING: You're in Vegas, but not in the casino, right?
D. TRUMP: I'm in Vegas. We built a really amazing building called Trump International Hotel.
KING: Vegas is in trouble.
D. TRUMP: Vegas is not doing so well, but the building itself, we're very proud of it. It's been great.
KING: Why didn't you go the casino route?
D. TRUMP: Just that I felt the casinos were over-exposed. There's too many of them. It's turned out that that turned out to be true. We both are building. It's really beautiful. I was over there last week. It's really a magnificent building. It's doing really well.
KING: What keeps you going? D. TRUMP: I love what I'm doing. I love what I'm doing. That's why when they say, would you run for president -- I mean, honestly, I hope the right person does run, or I hope Obama does a great job, and toughens up with respect to the outside competition. I just don't see that yet.
KING: What drives you business-wise?
D. TRUMP: I love it. I love the creation of a beautiful building. I even love the creation of getting these huge ratings on "The Apprentice" for so long. We've had 15 copies. Like so many people copy you, we've had 15 copies of "The Apprentice," every one of them failed. We've been the number one show on television for many, many nights. We had a great time.
KING: Good luck to you Friday at QVC. You won't need it. It's beautiful stuff. Thanks Donald.
D. TRUMP: Thank you, Larry.
KING: The Trumps.
Tomorrow night, a border battle is simmering in Arizona over that new immigration law. We discussed it here. We'll have all the latest from both sides of the issue. We promise you a fierce debate. "AC 360" is next. Sanjay Gupta sitting in for Anderson Cooper and it starts right now. Sanjay?
