With his usual flair, Donald Trump said today that if he were the leader of the free world, his No. 1 priority would be taking down ISIS.
And in doing so, “You may have to have some boots on the ground,” he said while speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference, the biggest conservative conference in the nation.
The business mogul and reality TV star wasted no time telling the audience that he’s serious about a 2016 bid, stating that he’s “75 to 80 percent” along in that decision process.
“I want to do it so badly,” he said. “People think I’m doing this for fun. I’m not doing it for fun.”
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During his speech, Trump took on everything from ISIS and immigration to Common Core and gay marriage.
On ISIS, which would sit at the top of his political agenda, “nobody would be tougher than Donald Trump,” he said.
Trump also advocated for repealing and replacing Obamacare, reducing overregulation in Washington, and supporting Israel.
But in an attempt to distance himself from other 2016 contenders, Trump stressed his real world experience, stating, “I understand business better than anyone.”
“I know how to get rid of debt and I would get rid of it quickly.”
In comments about former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush—one of the Republican Party’s 2016 frontrunners—Trump said, “he’s weak on Common Core and he’s weak on immigration.”
Trump, on the other hand, opposes the national education standards and advocates for building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
“We need a wall,” he said. “I’m the king of building buildings, I can build a wall.”
His CPAC appearance concluded with a rapid-fire question-and-answer session with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, where Trump said he’s “very pro-life,” “for tradition marriage,” and “against legalized marijuana.”
