legendary radio host Howard Stern has opened up about his long history with Donald Trump, lifting the veil on the former president’s true feelings about running for office. Stern, who has had a close personal and professional relationship with Trump for years, sat down for an intimate interview and revealed secrets about Trump’s reluctance to enter the political arena—and why he truly never wanted to be president.
Trump’s Reluctant Journey to the White House
Stern, who has often had Trump as a guest on his radio show and socialized with him privately, shared details about the former president’s mindset in the years leading up to his decision to run for president in 2016. According to Stern, Trump had no interest in being president and only entered the political race as part of a larger strategy.
“Trump never wanted to be president. He told me that numerous times,” Stern said during the interview. “He didn’t want the responsibility. He didn’t want the pressure. The man has always been about business and his brand, and I think he saw running for president as a way to boost his name and leverage his influence. But deep down, he never thought he’d win.”
Stern went on to explain that Trump saw the presidency as an opportunity for personal gain, rather than a genuine desire to serve the country. “It was all about the attention. He’s a showman at his core, and I think he thought running for office would be a huge spectacle. He never imagined that people would take him seriously.”
The Truth Behind the Trump Campaign
Stern revealed that, despite the fierce rhetoric and the fiery speeches Trump delivered during his campaign, he was never fully invested in the political side of things. In fact, Stern claims that Trump often dismissed the idea of actually winning the election.
“He would laugh about it,” Stern recalled. “He said to me, ‘I’ll never win, Howard. People are going to think I’m crazy for even running. But it’s going to be great for the brand.’ He was having a good time, enjoying the ride. He was just doing it because he could.”
According to Stern, Trump’s approach to running for president was much more about the spectacle and the media attention than the actual work of governing. “For Trump, it was all about making headlines,” Stern continued. “He thrives on attention. The campaign was like a reality TV show for him. He didn’t think it would go anywhere.”
However, as the campaign gained traction and his popularity soared, Trump was reportedly taken by surprise. Stern shared that Trump’s campaign, which initially seemed like a joke to many, was soon gaining real momentum, and the gravity of the situation started to set in.