"If somebody doesn't want to endorse, I don't want their endorsement. It's OK. I'm going to release them," Trump told the ABC News in an interview, amidst reports that two former presidents - George H W Bush and George W Bush - along with two presidential aspirants Jeb Bush and Lindsay Graham have refused to endorse him.
"I understand Jeb Bush. I was rough with Jeb Bush. I think if I was Jeb Bush, I wouldn't vote for me either, if you want to know the truth, George. But they should do that. They're Republicans," he said.
"We're going to see what happens. He wants to meet. He'd like to meet. And I think we're meeting on Thursday. And we'll just see what happens. It's just more drama," he said.
Talking about endorsements, Trump said: "I think it's a mistake not to do this. We want to bring the party together. Does the party have to be together? Does it have to be unified? I think it would be better if it were unified," Trump said in response to a question.
"I'm going to do what I have to do. I have millions of people that voted for me because I want strong borders, because I want strong trade.
"I don't want to be an isolationist, but what's happening with China, what's happening with Japan, what's happening with Mexico, they're just absolutely eating our lunch. It's a shame. It's terrible," he said.
"So, I have to stay true to my principles. I'm a conservative, but don't forget, this is called the Republican Party. It's not called the Conservative Party. You know, there are Conservative Parties. This is called the Republican Party," he said.
"I think fair game," he said, adding, "It depends on if he's (Bill) involved in the campaign. I think if he's involved in the campaign, he shouldn't be. And he probably will be involved. I think he gets involved when she plays the women card," he said.
"When she said Donald Trump was nasty to a woman, number one I've worked so well with women for so many years. I broke -- you know, you talk about the glass ceiling, what I've done in terms of jobs for women and I've gotten so much credit, and to this day I have so many women in my company that are doing so well, making so much money, I mean, in many cases making more money than men in comparable positions," he added.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
