Real estate mogul and Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump is working to enter a new, more policy-focused phase of his upstart campaign, and in an effort to do that is seeking the counsel of one of the conservative movement’s favorite senators: Jeff Sessions.
Trump told the Washington Post he is preparing to roll out a series of policy papers that will detail his plans on immigration and taxes.
“My immigration paper, my tax paper — they’re pretty much done. But I don’t want to do them in August. I’ll wait until September, when everyone is back, in all fairness,” Trump told The Post. “We’ll release a number of them. We’ll start with immigration and then we’ll do tax. Those will be the first two.”
Trump’s controversial comments on immigration were the impetus of his spike in the polls in early July.
“When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best,” he said during his campaign announcement speech. “They’re sending people that have lots of problems. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists… I will build a great wall — and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me — and I’ll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words.”
RELATED: The 10 most amazing quotes from Trump’s presidential campaign announcement
Trump has repeatedly defended his comments, citing a study claiming that 80 percent of female Central America migrants are sexually assaulted during their trek to the United States.
“All I’m doing is telling the truth,” said Trump.
His campaign is now reportedly working to add more specifics to his broad statements on border security and promises to “build a great wall” and “make Mexico pay” for it. And to do that, he is seeking advice from Sen. Jeff Sessions, the leading conservative voice in Congress on the issues of immigration.
“I like him,” Trump said of Sessions. “Tough guy. I like that. We have a similar thought process.”
Sessions’ office confirmed the senator has spoken with Trump and offered policy advice, as he has done for other presidential campaigns.
“Senator Sessions enjoyed the opportunity to speak with Mr. Trump. The senator believes the defining issues in 2016 will be how to earn the trust of struggling workers, and how to develop trade and immigration policies that serve their interests,” said Sessions’ spokesman Stephen Miller.
Trump’s position papers will be released in the run-up to the next debate, which will be hosted by CNN on September 16 at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California.
Like this article? Hate it? Follow me on Twitter and let me know what you think.
— Cliff Sims (@Cliff_Sims) June 9, 2015
Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to have Alabama’s leading headlines delivered to your inbox.