Tur has been reporting from Donald Trump’s campaign trail for the last year, following him from city to city and rally to rally as he makes his bid for the White House. So she’s no stranger to his aggressive attacks on everyone from women and Muslims to Ted Cruz and the media. When the Los Angeles native co-authored a June 6 story about the small size of Trump’s campaign staff, it was her turn to be in his line of fire. “People like @KatyTurNBC report on my campaign, but have zero access,” Trump tweeted. “They say what they want without any knowledge. True of so much of media!” But for Tur, the opportunity to cover such an event is worth it. “It’s wild,” she says. “It’s the story of the century.”
On the biggest issue of the election: Donald Trump has been the biggest issue in the election so far. I think that if you love him, then he’s been this fiery disrupter who is going to change things in Washington. And if you don’t love him, then I think he’s been this divisive, angry, violence-fueling, whatever adjective you want to use for him.
On the Trump celebrity factor: We hear this a lot from people on the campaign trail: “I like Donald Trump from when he was on The Apprentice. I think he’s a deal-maker who will get things done.”
On what surprised her about Trump: His ability turn on a dime. He can be very angry, and then very charming in the space of five minutes. That takes a certain kind of personality, and it’s a very focused personality. It’s all encompassing.
On the future of the GOP: The Republican Party right now is facing a crisis in a lot of ways. Who are they? Are they the party of Donald Trump? Or are they the party of folks like Paul Ryan or Nikki Haley, who have been rising up in the Republican ranks? It’s their real “Come to Jesus” moment.
On the continuous protests: Protests are going to go straight through to the general election. Suddenly the people who weren’t paying attention to the primaries are now going to be paying closer attention.
Katy Tur Has Been Following Donald Trump's Campaign for More than a Year
The NBC News and MSNBC correspondent gives us her takes on Trump's celebrity factor, the biggest issue of this election and more.
