In 1987, Larry King Interviewed Donald Trump and Asked Him If He’d Run for Political Office

On September 2, 1987, CNN’s Larry King interviewed Donald Trump about an ad Trump had taken out against the foreign policy of the George H.W. Bush administration.

In a prescient introduction, King said that it might even be possible for Trump to go as far as the Presidency.

Trump said that — though he’s a Republican — he would not be running for office.

Then, King asked Trump if he was going to travel to New Hampshire, at the request of Mike Dunbar who launched a “Draft Trump” campaign.  (Apparently, Dunbar was inspired by what he’d read about Trump’s career in the newspaper.)  Also King asked him why he didn’t make low income housing for people instead of just the high income residences.  Then, he asked him “What’s the drive that keeps you building more and more.”

“It’s a creative process that gives you something to do with your life,” he responded.

By the way, Dunbar maintained his enthusiasm for Trump as a candidate all the way until the most recent election. According to Time magazine:

Nearly 30 years later, Trump is still the candidate Dunbar wants to elect president.

“I think the surprising thing about him is he hasn’t changed a lot. What I saw in him then was a brashness and a determination of purpose that was lacking in everyone else,” Dunbar told TIME in an interview. “He’s still the guy I met in 1987.”

Trump also took calls on a variety of topics… One caller asked him if he wanted to run for Mayor of New York City.  (He declined.)  Interestingly, his “America First” attitude was evident even back then.

Watch the interview below:

Image Credit: Screen Cap