WASHINGTON (AP) - Donald Trump said he can't guarantee that his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won't raise prices for American consumers and suggested once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned.
The president-elect, in a wide-ranging interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" that aired Sunday, also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere.
"I can´t guarantee anything. I can´t guarantee tomorrow," Trump said, seeming to open the door to accepting the reality of how import levies typically work as goods reach the retail market.
Trump has threatened broad trade penalties but stopped short of a pledge that U.S. households won't be paying more as they shop.
"All I want to do is I want to have a level, fast, but fair playing field," Trump said.
He offered conflicting statements on how he would approach the justice system after winning election despite being convicted of 34 felonies in a New York state court and being indicted in other cases for his handling of national security secrets and efforts to overturn his 2020 loss to Democrat Joe Biden.
"Honestly, they should go to jail," Trump said of members of Congress who investigated the Capitol riot by his supporters who wanted him to remain in power.
The president-elect underscored his contention that he can use the justice system against others. He confirmed his plan to pardon supporters who were convicted for their roles in the riot, saying he would take that action on his first day in office.
As for revenge driving potential prosecutions: "I have the absolute right. I´m the chief law enforcement officer... But I´m not interested in that."
Trump did seemingly back off from campaign rhetoric calling for Biden to be investigated:
"I´m not looking to go back into the past."
Trump repeatedly mentioned promises regarding immigration policies:
"I think you have to do it," he said about deporting millions illegally present through mass deportation programs. "I want to work something out," indicating possible collaboration with Congress regarding those brought into the country illegally as children. On families with mixed legal status: "The only way you don´t break up the family is you keep them together and you have to send them all back."