Donald Trump will spend “whatever it takes” to win the Republican presidential nomination, he told talk radio show host Howie Carr on Wednesday.
The real estate mogul, who announced his presidential candidacy on Tuesday, has touted his massive wealth — which he puts at nearly $9 billion — as a reason he should win the GOP nomination.
“I don’t need anybody’s money,” Trump said during Tuesday’s announcement. “I’m using my own money. I’m not using lobbyists, I’m not using donors. I don’t care. I’m really rich.”
Asked by Carr how much of his personal war chest he’s willing to dump into his campaign, Trump initially told the host, “Oh, I’ll spend it all.”
Carr followed up later in the 15-minute interview to ask Trump exactly how much money he’d spend to get elected.
“A lot. I mean, whatever it takes,” Trump said.
Asked by Carr if “a lot” means $1 billion or more, Trump hesitated.
“Well number one, I don’t think you’d have to spend anywhere near that,” Trump said. “But I certainly would have it to spend, as you see from the statement.”
To put that in perspective, Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton has set a goal of raising $2.5 billion in order to become president.
During the interview with Carr, whose show is popular in crucial New Hampshire, Trump addressed the recent report that he believes he would definitely win the White House if Oprah Winfrey were his running mate.
“That was said in a very joking manner,” Trump told Carr.