This is our moment of reckoning as a society and as a civilization itself. I didn't need to do this [run for presidency], folks, believe me — believe me. I built a great company and I had a wonderful life. I could have enjoyed the fruits and benefits of years of successful business deals and businesses for myself and my family. Instead of going through this absolute horror show of lies, deceptions, malicious attacks — who would have thought? I'm doing it because this country has given me so much, and I feel so strongly that it's my turn to give back to the country that I love.

Without passion, you don't have any energy, and without energy, you simply have nothing

I'm not a bad person. I'm just doing my thing... I'm, you know, running, I want to do something that's good. It's not an easy thing to do.

There are some great reporters around. They're talented, they're honest as the day is long. They're great. But there are some terrible, dishonest people, and they do a tremendous disservice to our country and to our people.

Respect whatever it is [ Confederate flag] that you have to respect, because it was a point in time, and put it in a museum.

You have to have passion, go with your gut, go against the tide

That's part of the problem with the Republicans, where somehow they got fed into this horrible position. We're going to take care of people. But no, people don't have to have it. We're going to have great plans, they're going to be a lot less expensive than Obamacare.