Mark Cuban, who became President Donald Trump’s top critic from the reality TV and business world in 2016, said that although Trump might have poisoned the well for business leaders to run for office, it won’t stop him from “considering” a 2020 run.
“Anybody who knows me, anyone who listens to me, anybody who talks to me isn’t going to think I’m anything like Donald Trump,” Cuban told Bakari Sellers on Tuesday on the CNN contributor’s new podcast, “ViewPoint.”
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Cuban has hinted at a run in the past but appeared to be seriously considering how he would handle his business holdings if he became a candidate or even president.
“If I can come up with solutions that I think people can get behind and truly solve problems, then it makes perfect sense for me to run,” Cuban said, specifically mentioning his interest in working on health care and tax reform.
Asked whether his own business ties would raise questions about conflicts of interest as they have for Trump, Cuban said that although he wouldn’t divest from all his holdings, he would handle the situation more transparently.
“The problem isn’t that (Trump) still owns them,” said the star of the reality TV show “Shark Tank.” “The problem is that he isn’t transparent about them.”
“I would have no problem making it available for anybody in government, any inspector general, to see all the data real time, every minute of every day,” Cuban added.
Cuban hit Trump for not releasing his tax returns and said he plans to release his own if he runs for office.
“I would have no problem with that,” Cuban said.
Cuban, who is the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, also weighed in on the controversy over NFL players taking a knee during the National Anthem to protest racism — a move that Trump argued should get them fired.
“I’ll always support people who have a well-thought-out message they want to send, and I’ll do that with my guys,” Cuban said, “but I want to make sure that the eyes are on the goal and not just trying to raise a media firestorm, because that accomplishes nothing.”
In the NBA, there’s a rule that requires players to stand during the anthem, and those who don’t will be fined by the association.
Cuban said he urged his players to take control of the narrative and even suggested that they record their messages on the issue and he will ensure that they are publicized.
“If the goal is to send a message, let’s send a message the best way possible,” he said.
Cuban backed Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and appeared to be successful at getting under Trump’s skin, prompting the Clinton campaign to invite him to sit in the front row during the first presidential debate last September.
“If dopey Mark Cuban of failed Benefactor fame wants to sit in the front row, perhaps I will put Gennifer Flowers right alongside of him!” Trump tweeted at the time, referencing a woman with whom Bill Clinton admitted to having a sexual relationship decades ago.
But later, Trump’s campaign manager Kellyanne Conway told CNN that Flowers was never invited.