I don't have luxurious tastes or great needs, but my independence is worth a lot to me.

I thoroughly believe that reading and literature can help a society to better understand itself.

That might sound shocking to some - and don't worry, I don't see myself as a king.

Ambition is never modest. If modesty means to have middling success, then I can only say: I'm not interested.

We will succeed, because we are fully committed, because, wherever we live, whoever we are, we all share the same responsibility: Make our planet great again.

I had decided that I wanted a dog from an animal shelter. Normally, presidents have purebred dogs, but my is a Labrador-griffon mix. Absolutely adorable.

For me, Europe consists of three things: sovereignty, unity and democracy.

I refuse to give into the sad reflex of French envy because this envy paralyzes our country.

My predecessor taxed wealthy, successful people at a higher rate than ever before. And what happened? They left. And what came of it? Did unemployment drop? No.

I have great respect for Angela Merkel, even if we have a lot of differences.

Post-modernism was the worst thing that could have happened to our democracy. The idea that you have to deconstruct and destroy all grand narratives is not a good one.

be a good listener, don't judge and don't put boundaries on someone else's grief.

The simplest person who worship God is wiser than the supposed wisest people who worshiped a worthless substitute.

Males of all species are made for wooing females, and females typically choose among their suitors.

There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning.

When my body is covered and disappears, it's not about the relationship between me and the wall, but the relationship between me as an individual and those slogans which are used to fool the public.

If you're gonna build units for the rich, you're gonna build units for the poor.

When I left Iowa, I definitely never wanted to stand in front of a group of academics again and see if they approved of me. I made up my mind to take my work to the actual reading public.

Courage is the most important virtue because it is the hardest.

I am walking toward a bright light and the nearer I get the brighter it is.

I ended up buying a restaurant. Already we had invested in a gas station and a metal products plant.