Donald Trump Says He Will Restore ‘Dignity’ To The White House (And Other Highlights From His New Book)

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a news conference to promote his new book "Crippled America" in Manhattan, New York City, Nov. 3, 2015. (REUTERS/Brendan Mcdermid)

Donald Trump says the White House currently lacks“dignity” — and he will restore thatif elected president.

In his new book, “Crippled America,” Trump writes:“Making America Great Again begins at home.”

“It means restoring a sense of dignity to the White House,and to our country in general,” Trump writes. “Thepresident of the United States is the most powerful person in theworld. The president is the spokesperson for democracy and liberty.Isn’t it time we brought back the pomp and circumstance, andthe sense of awe for that office that we all once held?”

“That means everyone working in the administration shouldlook and act professionally at all times— especially the president,” Trump writes.“The way you dress and the way you act is an important way ofshowing respect for the people you are representing and the peopleyou are dealing with. Impressions matter.”

Trump’s book is being released Tuesday and the candidateheld a New York City press conference earlier in the day to drawattention to it. The 193-page hardback includes chapters devoted tothe media, immigration, foreign policy, education, energy, healthcare and the economy.

It also includes photos of his family and his properties acrossthe world. In the back of the book, Trump lists the properties,golf courses and corporate aircrafts he owns. He also devotes achapter to releasing details on his finances. (He says his incomefor 2015 “will exceed” $600 million).

Here are some other highlights from the book:

‘I use the media’

“I use the media the way the media uses me — toattract attention. Once I have that attention, it’s up to meto use it to my advantage. I learned a long time ago that ifyou’re not afraid to be outspoken, the media will write aboutyou or beg you to come on their shows. If you do things a littledifferently, if you say outrageous things and fight back, they loveyou. So sometimes I make outrageous comments and give them whatthey want — viewers and readers— in order to make a point.”

On reporters: ‘They are horrible human beings’

“There is no question that considering all the pressI’ve had, both good and bad, I’ve definitely met peopleat both the very top as well as the lowest end of the food chain. Imean, the very bottom: They are horrible beings, they aredishonest. I’ve seen these co-called journalists flat-outlie. I say that because incompetence doesn’t begin to explainthe inaccurate stories they have written. There is no otherexplanation.”

How he will get Mexico to pay for a wall across the southernborder

“Let me repeat that, one way or another: Mexico will payfor it.”

“How? We could increase the various border fees we charge.We could increase the fees on temporary visas. We could evenimpound remittance payments derived from illegal wages. Foreigngovernments could tell their embassies to start helping, otherwisethey risk troubled relations with America.”

“If necessary we could pay for the wall through a tariffor cut foreign aid to Mexico or simply make it clear to the Mexicangovernment that it is to the benefit of their very profitable— for them — relationship with the United States to payfor it.”

“But one way or another, they are going to pay forit.”

On ending birth-right citizenship: ‘We will win in courtand we will win in Congress’

“Citizenship is not a gift we can afford to keep givingaway, and I will find a legal way of stopping this policy. A lot ofreally smart people and lawyers believe the Fourteenth Amendmentwas never intended to create a whole new path to citizenship.We’re going to test it every possible way. We will win incourt and we will win in Congress.”

‘My rules of engagement’

“My rules of engagement have always been pretty simple— if we are going to intervene in a conflict, there hadbetter be a direct threat to our national interests. The threatshould be so obvious that most Americans will know where the hotspot is on the globe and will quickly understand why we are gettinginvolved. Also, we’d better have an airtight plan to win andget out.”

‘I’d be happy to sit down with the Iranianleaders’

“There are many different ways to make sure that Iran isnever armed with nuclear weapons. I’d be happy to sit downwith the Iranian leaders when they understand that the best coursefor them, if they want to be a major player in the civilized world,is to close down their entire nuclear program.”

NEXT PAGE: On Single-Payer Health Care: ‘Maybe It Could HaveWorked Here At A Different Time’

‘China … our enemy’

“There are people who wish I wouldn’t refer to Chinaas our enemy. But that’s exactly what they are. They havedestroyed entire industries by utilizing low-wage workers, cost ustens of thousands of jobs, spied on our businesses, stolen ourtechnology, and have manipulated and devalued their currency, whichmakes importing our goods more expensive — and sometimes,impossible.”

‘The element of surprise wins battles’

“Tipping your hand is one of the dumbest mistakes you canmake in a military confrontation. I’ve read a lot of historyand I don’t recall reading that General George Washingtonmade hotel reservations in Valley Forge, or that he sent ahead hisbest wishes to the Hessians in Trenton. The element of surprisewins battles.”

‘Get rid of it’

“A lot of people believe the Department of Educationshould just be eliminated. Get rid of it. If we don’teliminate it completely, we certainly need to cut its power andreach. Education has to be run locally.”

‘Competition’

“Competition is why I’m very much in favor of schoolchoice. Let schools compete for kids. I guarantee that if youforced schools to get better or close because parents didn’twant to enroll their kids there, they would get better. Thoseschools that weren’t good enough to attract students wouldclose, and that’s a good thing.”

‘The biggest threat?!’

“In his 2015 State of the Union speech, President Obamadeclared the biggest threat on the planet today is climate change.The biggest threat?! We have ISIS troops chopping off the heads ofinnocent Christian missionaries. We have a coalition of adversariesin Syria supporting a dictator who uses chemical weapons on his ownpeople. We have millions of Americans who have mortgages greaterthan the value of their property, while middle-class incomes arestagnant and more than 40 million citizens are living at povertylevels.”

“And our president is most concerned about climatechange?”

On single-payer health care: ‘Maybe it could have workedhere at a different time’

“To succeed in business, you have to be flexible and youhave to change with the realities of the world. The world haschanged; I’ve changed. I don’t think a single-payersystem makes sense anymore. If I did, I would say it; Iwouldn’t need anyone else to say it for me. Maybe asingle-payer system works in other countries. It works incrediblywell in Scotland, for example, and maybe it could have worked hereat a different time.”

“But not anymore.”

‘He doesn’t play with the right people’

“President Obama is big on playing golf. But hedoesn’t play with the right people. He should be playing withthose smart people who can help our country, establishing bonds toget things done — and not just his friends.”

“Believe me, I know how to use a golf course — andgolf clubs — to make deals.”

‘A conservative Republican with a big heart’

“…I was a registered Democrat. I grew up and workedin New York, where virtually everyone is a Democrat.”

“You know who else was a Democrat? Ronald Reagan. Heswitched, and I switched years ago, when I began to see whatliberal Democrats were doing to our country. Now I’m aconservative Republican with a big heart. I didn’t decide tobecome a Republican. That’s who I have alwaysbeen.”

Follow Alex on Twitter