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STORY:

Donald Trump isn’t about to change course on economic policies - including a pledge to hit many imports with big tariffs.

“It's going to have a massive effect, positive effect. It's going to be a positive.”

The Republican presidential candidate was grilled Tuesday night in Chicago by Bloomberg Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait.

And it was a more combative encounter than interviews Trump has done with friendlier outfits like Fox News.

“Your plans would add $7.5 trillion to the debt. That's more than twice the total for Vice President Harris. You are on course to push up debt up to 150% of GDP. This is a very businesslike audience, yeah. Why should they trust you with that?”

“Because we're about growth. She's got no growth whatsoever. And we're all about growth. We're going to bring companies back to our country.”

Trump went on to say ‘tariff’ was the most beautiful word in the dictionary.

He said his plans to levy them would bring jobs back to the U.S., and raise enough money to keep public debts under control.

The protectionist policy has been condemned by many economists, who argue it would actually cut jobs, drive up prices and alienate key allies.

But Trump says countries like Mexico and Germany, both of which he has threatened with tariffs, have a simple remedy available:

“All you have to do is build your plant in the United States and you don't have any tariffs.”

Trump did appear to back away from previous suggestions he should control the Federal Reserve.

But he said he should have the right to say whether rates should go up or down.

And he didn’t answer when asked if he would reappoint current Fed Chair Jerome Powell.