Trump Blasts Ex-Starbucks CEO: 'Doesn't Have The Guts To Run For President'
President Donald Trump said Monday that former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz doesn’t have what it takes to challenge Trump for the presidency in 2020.
During a “60 Minutes” interview that was aired Sunday, Schultz criticized Trump’s leadership and actions and said he was “seriously thinking of running for president.”
That brought a rejoinder from Trump:
“Howard Schultz doesn’t have the ‘guts’ to run for President! Watched him on @60Minutes last night and I agree with him that he is not the ‘smartest person.’ Besides, America already has that! I only hope that Starbucks is still paying me their rent in Trump Tower!” Trump tweeted.
Howard Schultz doesn’t have the “guts” to run for President! Watched him on @60Minutes last night and I agree with him that he is not the “smartest person.” Besides, America already has that! I only hope that Starbucks is still paying me their rent in Trump Tower!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 28, 2019
The tweet was not unexpected. During the interview Scott Pelley of CBS raised the issue of a Trump response at the close of the Trump-bashing interview.
“I think, like most people, I’m, I’ve become bored with President Trump and his tweets,” Schultz said.
During the interview, Schultz said he would run as a “centrist independent, outside of the two-party system.”
“We’re living at a most fragile time,” he said. “Not only the fact that this president is not qualified to be the president, but the fact that both parties are consistently not doing what’s necessary on behalf of the American people and are engaged, every single day, in revenge politics.”
Schulz noted he is a “lifelong Democrat” but that neither party is without sin.
“I look at both parties– we see extremes on both sides well, we are sitting, today, with approximately $21.5 trillion of debt, which is a reckless example, not only of Republicans, but of Democrats, as well, as a reckless failure of their constitutional responsibility,” he said.
Schultz said he will fix America’s broken immigration system by helping illegal immigrants become citizens.
” … for the 11 million people here unauthorized, there should be a fair and equitable way for them to get in line, pay the taxes, pay a fee, and become citizens of the United States,” he said.
During the interview, Schultz called out what he said were the mistakes of others.
“Tremendous mistake, again, by President Trump, to leave the Paris Climate Accord,” he said.
The Democratic Party concept of free health care for everyone was likewise trashed.
“Every American deserves the right to have access to quality health care. But what the Democrats are proposing is something that is as false as the wall. And that is free health care for all, which the country cannot afford,” he said.
The liberal side of the aisle was not any more enthralled over a Schultz candidacy than was Trump.
Vanity projects that help destroy democracy are disgusting. If he enters the race, I will start a Starbucks boycott because I’m not giving a penny that will end up in the election coffers of a guy who will help Trump win. https://t.co/epUYVrcEg8
— Neera Tanden (@neeratanden) January 26, 2019
“I have a concern that if he did run, that, essentially, it would provide Donald Trump with his best hope of getting re-elected,” said Democrat Julian Castro, a 2020 candidate who is also the former HUD secretary under former President Barack Obama
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
