Article in body by THR columnist Michael Wolff
Photo credit: The Hollywood Reporter
We’re happy to say that ‘times are a changin.’ We just received an exclusive copy of excerpts of the Trump interview with columnist Michael Wolff for The Hollywood Reporter. That’s a first, so we’re not going to screw it up and thus will put the whole thing in quotes, least we become plagiarists. The cover story is: The Donald Trump Conversation: Politics’ “Dark Heart” Is Having the Best Time Anyone’s Ever Had i.e. California Screamin’. THR is the IT mag of the entertainment industry with multiple reporting platforms and the voice of the entertainment industry, read by Hollywood’s most powerful in the entertainment industry and Hollywood on the Potomac, natch. Pardon the photo redundancy, it’s the only authorized one we received. Fortunately, we love it!
The two also discuss international issues (“And Brexit? Your position?” I ask. // “Huh?” // “Brexit.” // “Hmm.”), Peter Thiel (“Wow, I love him! So he funded it for Hulk Hogan?”), and Silicon Valley (Trump doesn’t appear to be interested in Silicon Valley, except to roll off his numbers on each social media platform).”
Here are the excerpts:
On friendship with Ari Emanuel
Among his frequent media and now political confidants is WME co-CEO Ari Emanuel — whose brother, Rahm, the mayor of Chicago, was once Obama’s chief of staff — whom Trump says has offered to take charge of the Trump celebratory convention film. Emanuel and Trump, while at seeming odds politically, might in fact be even better united in a kind of hyper salesmanship. “He’s a very good friend of mine,” says Trump. “He calls me a lot. I call him a lot and we talk. He’s very political. Even though he’s not political, he’s political. He gets it. You’re shocked to hear that, right? [About the movie.] But yeah, I might do something with Ari. Does he represent you?”
On European issues
I ask if he sees himself as having similarities with leaders of the growing anti-immigrant (some would say outright racist) European nativist movements, like Marine Le Pen in France and Matteo Salvini in Italy, whom The Wall Street Journal reported Trump had met with and endorsed in Philadelphia. (“Matteo, I wish you become the next Italian premier soon,” Trump was quoted as saying.) In fact, he insists he didn’t meet Salvini. “I didn’t want to meet him.” And, in sum, he doesn’t particularly see similarities — or at least isn’t interested in them — between those movements and the anti-immigrant nationalism he is promoting in this country.
“And Brexit? Your position?” I ask. “Huh?” “Brexit.” “Hmm.”
“The Brits leaving the EU,” I prompt, realizing that his lack of familiarity with one of the most pressing issues in Europe is for him no concern nor liability at all.
“Oh yeah, I think they should leave.”
On Rupert Murdoch
“Rupert is a tremendous guy. I think Rupert [who for several years lived in the Trump building on 59th and Park Avenue in Manhattan] is one of the people I really respect and like. And I think Rupert respects what I’ve done.” But what about Murdoch’s grumpy Trump tweets? “When I got into the world of politics, that was a different realm for me and maybe he felt differently. But I think he respects what I’ve done and he’s a tremendous guy and I think we have a very good relationship.”
On Sumner Redstone
“Sumner, well, he’s had a good run. Good run. Terrible it comes to this, but a good run. He’d give me anything. Loved me.”
On Peter Thiel, Gawker and Silicon Valley
I press him about Peter Thiel, the Silicon Valley billionaire who, earlier in the day, has admitted to funding the $140 million Hulk Hogan lawsuit against Gawker. Thiel also is his most prominent Silicon Valley backer and will go to the convention in July as a pledged delegate. But Trump needs reminding who he is, and then concludes he must be a friend of his son-in-law Jared. (“Wow, I love him! So he funded it for Hulk Hogan? You think Hulk Hogan would have enough money, but he probably doesn’t.”) Indeed, Trump doesn’t appear to be interested in Silicon Valley, except to roll off his numbers on each social media platform. (“On Facebook, I have close to 8 million people. On Twitter, I have 8.5 million. On Instagram, I have over a million people. I’m inching on 20 million people. I have friends, somebody that’s a great writer, where they write a book and call me up and say, ‘Can you do me a favor, can you tweet it?’ ” “Can you,” I interject, “tweet my book, please?” “I will!”)
On Trump’s Beverly Hills home
He hands me a water bottle from the refrigerator (it only contains water and about a dozen pints of ice cream), and we walk through the dark house decorated with hotel-like furniture (a four-star rather than a five-star hotel lobby). He reclines, still in his standard boxy suit, tie slightly loosened, with his Haagen-Dazs on an overstuffed couch in the living room (he asks me not to put my water bottle on the fabric-covered ottoman).”
The full article here.
