President Donald Trump made some bold statements in a new interview with The Atlantic, reflecting on how his second term feels different from his first.
Trump, who has been highly active in his early days back in office, said that he now believes he is not just running the United States — but running the world.
Here’s a full look at what he said, how his second term is shaping up, and the new controversies surrounding his administration.
Trump: “I Run the Country and the World”
In his interview, published on April 28, Trump said:
“The first time, I had two things to do ‒ run the country and survive; I had all these crooked guys. And the second time, I run the country and the world.”
Trump has been moving quickly in his second term, signing more than 140 executive orders in his first 100 days to push his policies and target political opponents.
However, his approval ratings have taken a hit, with a new Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll showing him at 39%, mostly due to concerns about the economy and his use of tariffs.
Trump Says He’s “Having Fun” Despite Challenges
Despite the serious nature of his work, Trump said he is enjoying his second term much more.
“I’m having a lot of fun, considering what I do. You know, what I do is such serious stuff,” he told The Atlantic.
One ally described Trump as “blowing up Washington with a twinkle in his eye”, and Trump agreed that he’s having more fun this time around.
Trump Talks About Respect From Billionaires
Trump also shared that he feels he is getting more respect now from America’s billionaire class, including Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos.
“It’s just a higher level of respect. Maybe they didn’t know me at the beginning, and they know me now,” Trump said.
Why Trump Agreed to the Interview With The Atlantic
Trump has had a long-running feud with The Atlantic after they reported years ago that he called fallen U.S. soldiers “suckers” and “losers.”
Originally, Trump rejected their interview request but later agreed, posting on Truth Social that he wanted to test if the magazine could be “truthful.”
The interview included The Atlantic’s editor, Jeffrey Goldberg, who recently made headlines after a messaging app slip exposed secret discussions about U.S. airstrikes in Yemen.
Trump Defends Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
During the interview, Trump was asked about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who is facing criticism after reportedly sharing U.S. military plans through a private chat app.
Trump stood by him:
“I think he’s gonna get it together.”
Hegseth has been accused of creating chaos at the Pentagon and even had a make-up room installed near the press briefing room, according to reports.
Trump Hints at Running for a Third Term
Trump also teased the possibility of seeking a third term in the White House, even though the U.S. Constitution clearly limits a president to two elected terms.
When asked, Trump laughed and said:
“That would be a big shattering, wouldn’t it? Well, maybe I’m just trying to shatter.”
While he said he hasn’t asked the Justice Department to study it, Trump left the door open to the idea.
Trump and the Media
Although Trump continues to label the media as “the enemy of the people,” he has recently sat down for several high-profile interviews, including ones with Time magazine and an upcoming interview with ABC News to mark his first 100 days back in office.