Trump: I prefer having rich people in charge of the economy

President Donald Trump says he prefers to put rich people in charge of the economy because they would not be after the nation’s wealth.

Addressing supporters at a rally in Iowa, Trump defended his cabinet, which is thought to be the wealthiest in the country’s history.

While stating that he likes the rich and poor alike, Trump noted that there were certain positions he did not want the poor to handle.

“So I said …. because that’s the kind of thinking we want… because they’re representing the country,” Trump said.

“They don’t want the money. And they had to give up a lot to take up these jobs,” Trump said, making a particular reference to commerce secretary Wilbur Ross, a billionaire investor.

Referring to Gary Cohn, his chief economic adviser, Trump said: “This is the president of Goldman Sachs. Smart. Having him represent us, he went from massive paydays to peanuts, to little tiny … I’m waiting for them to accuse him of wanting that little amount of money.

“These are people that are great, brilliant business minds, and that’s what we need, that’s what we have to have so the world doesn’t take advantage of us.

“We can’t have the world taking advantage of us anymore. And I love all people, rich or poor, but in those particular positions I just don’t want a poor person.

“Does that make sense? Does that make sense?

“If you insist I’ll do it but I like it better this way, right?”

Betsy DeVos, Trump’s secretary of education, is also a billionaire heiress, while Rex Tillerson, secretary of state and former boss of oil giant ExxonMobil, is thought to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Other rich appointees include Steven Mnuchin, treasury secretary, a former hedge fund manager, and Ben Carson, housing secretary, who made his fortune selling books on his career in medicine and his political ideas.