Donald Trump, a 2016 Republican presidential candidate, said Friday he sometimes identifies more as a Democrat when pressed to explain previous statements that the economy generally does better under Democrats than Republicans.
“I identify with some things as a Democrat,” Trump said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” when pressed about the comments from 2004, adding that “generally speaking” he was “never a Bush fan.”
{mosads}”When the economy crashed so horribly under George Bush because of mistakes they made having to do with banking and lots of other things, I don’t think the Democrats would have done that,” Trump said.
“Now, I see it both ways, but I hated what I was watching in the last two years of George Bush, because it was a bubble that was waiting to explode,” he added. “What they were doing was a death wish, and I saw that.”
“I have seen things done by Republicans that are not good and are not smart, and I would not do that,” he said.
The celebrity real estate developer skyrocketed to the top of many polls following the launch of his GOP White House bid in mid-June, amid weeks of criticism and media attention over his controversial comments on Mexican immigrants.
Trump made waves this week after he threatened during an interview with The Hill to run as a third-party candidate. He played down that possibility Thursday, saying, “I want to run as a Republican. I think I’ll get the nomination.”
“Over the years as a businessman, I’ve always helped everybody,” Trump said Friday on MSNBC, further explaining his past support for both Democrats and Republicans.
“I’m a conservative, I want to run as a Republican, I’m leading every poll,” he said. “I do not want to do independent at all. Now, if I’m treated poorly, that’s one thing. If I’m treated well and with great respect and don’t win, I would not do that.”
Trump had suggested to The Hill on Wednesday that the Republican National Committee “has not been very supportive.” He said Friday that the RNC has been “very, very nice over the last few days.”