Trump’s talent was surely honed in the world of Manhattan socialites in the 1980s, but it’s worked quite well for him on the campaign trail, especially in his interview with Jones. If you’re unfamiliar, Jones is an infamous conspiracy theorist with internet show called Infowars; here is a classic video of Jones wearing Joker makeup and harassing cops with some printouts of an Obama meme. Each of Jones’ questions was more flattering than the last, and Trump basked in it graciously. But Trump deflected all of Jones’s conspiratorial insinuations about a plot for a one-world government. The best question was this:
Jones: There are globalists that want to have a world government, a system run by select crony capitalists, using socialism at the grassroots to make people dependent. And I’ve talked to not just high-level folks that have been in government that are on your team, but separately high-level people that are in government currently that say there’s an internal war going on, and that you’re a manifestation of that. I don’t want to get anything inside baseball with you. I already know the inside baseball. But I know now from top people that you actually are for real. You understand you’re in danger. You understand what you’re doing is epic. It’s George Washington level. ... Can you speak about the war for the soul of the country that’s happening right now? Tell people what’s really happening? And commit to people that you won’t Ross Perot under death threats—step down, when you’re in the lead two months from the election?
Trump nodded and looked appropriately concerned about America’s future. And then he talked about his poll numbers. “OK so, let me just tell you, Alex. As you know, I’m leading in every poll nationally. In every poll. I’m leading in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, the SEC. Texas—I’m leading in Texas, which I love. I love Texas.” And so on.
Jones followed up: “Are we at a crossroads to decide whether this country’s done or we go to the next level?” Trump didn’t say no and he didn’t say yes. “I think this will be the most important election our country’s ever had—” before admitting humbly, “you have to say George Washington was right there—a couple were pretty important elections.” After a curiously friendly discussion about Trump’s curiously friendly relationship with top Democrats, they returned to classic presidents. “As a man’s man, George Washington was badass,” Jones said. Trump didn’t even fully commit to that one. “That’s what they say,” Trump said. “I mean, that’s what they say.”