Bloomberg Told Trump in 2016: ‘Yes, Donald, I Do Love You’

Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg reassured Donald Trump that he liked him in 2016, according to Bloomberg himself in newly resurfaced remarks. Bloomberg recalled meeting Trump at a 9/11 memorial service while speaking at Oxford University after the election.

“I saw your speech in Philadelphia,” Trump said to Bloomberg. He had delivered a speech at the Democratic National Convention slamming the future president.

“But you really do love me, don’t ya?” Trump said, according to Bloomberg.

“And I said, ‘Yes, Donald, I do love you, I just disagree with everything you’ve ever said,'” Bloomberg said.

“And we had a good laugh. If you’ve sat and had dinner with Donald Trump, you’d probably walk away saying everything he just said is bullshit, he can’t be doing that. But you have a good time. He is socially a nice person. Will he be a good president? I hope so. Because we desperately need leadership in the country and the world.”

The Bloomberg campaign sought to downplay his past relationship with Trump in comments to Politico.

“When Trump was headed to the White House, like most Americans Mike Bloomberg hoped Donald Trump would rise to the occasion. Instead, Trump’s lowered expectations for leadership and failed Americans on issue after issue. That’s why Mike is running to replace him, and Mike’s record and resources are why more and more Americans are supporting Mike,” senior adviser Stu Loeser said.