WASHINGTON - 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 he 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.
Trump hems on whether trade penalties could raise prices
Trump has threatened broad trade penalties but said he didn't believe economists' predictions that added costs on those imported goods for American companies would lead to higher domestic prices for consumers. He stopped short of a pledge that U.S. households won't be paying more as they shop.
"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.
In the interview, Trump defended tariffs generally, saying that tariffs are "going to make us rich."
"All I want to do is I want to have a level, fast, but fair playing field," Trump said.
Trump suggests retribution for his opponents while claiming no interest in vengeance
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. Trump 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.
"I have the absolute right. I'm the chief law enforcement officer, you do know that. I'm the president. But I'm not interested in that," Trump said regarding revenge-driven prosecutions.
Swift action on immigration is coming
Trump repeatedly mentioned his promises to seal the U.S.-Mexico border and deport millions of people who are in the U.S. illegally through a mass deportation program.
"I think you have to do it," he said.
Asked specifically about people brought into the country illegally as children and shielded from deportation recently, Trump indicated he might seek a solution with Congress but does not "want to be breaking up families" of mixed legal status: "so the only way you don't break up the family is you keep them together and you have to send them all back."