(CNN) – Potential presidential candidate Donald Trump told CNN's Poppy Harlow that his treatment of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi in a real estate deal last year was "intelligent" and resulted in "more money that I would've gotten all year for this piece of land."
In his interview with CNN on Monday, Trump explained how he leased land to Gadhafi who intended to use it for a tent he would stay in while attending the United Nations General Assembly. In the end, Gadhafi was unable to pitch his tent at that location but had to pay out the lease anyway. And Trump says he forwarded the money to charity.
In another recent interview, Trump told Fox News he "screwed" Gadhafi on the deal.
In the CNN interview, Trump also explained how, based on his experience, he'd handle the conflict in Libya by demanding Arab nations pay for the military operation.
"We haven't done that."
Trump explained: "The first thing I'd do with Gadhafi is I'd go to the Arab league and I'd say, 'we'll do things…we'll do plenty of things but you're going to pay us for it.
We're not going to send our missiles out at a million and a half dollars per missile, we're not going to spend $500 million dollars on getting rid of Gadhafi and then you guys go home to your 747s,'" he continued.
And as far as dealing with Gadhafi personally, the real estate mogul delved into his past interaction with the Libyan leader when he spoke about a deal that the two entered.
"I deal with everyone," he said, "And I like that. What did I do with Gadhafi?"
"I leased him a piece of land for his tent. He paid me more than I'd get in a whole year. And then, eh, he wasn't able to use the piece of land. So people would say did I take advantage, did I-so I got, in one night, more money than I would've gotten all year for this piece of land up in Westchester and then, didn't let him use it. That's called being intelligent."
But Trump asserts he didn't keep the money he received from the deal, saying "And in fact, when I did it I said 'I'm gonna take Gadhafi's money, I'm not going to make it easy on him, and I'm going to give the money to charity.'
"And that's exactly what I did."
From CNN Politics
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
Trump on swindling Gadhafi, "That's called being intelligent."
No, that's called being a crook! Can you imagine what Trump would do if *barf* he were president? He'd steal the American people blind, pocketing the money for himself and his cronies, all the while patting himself on the back for how "smart" he is.
President Obama has more integrity, morality and intelligence than The Donald has in half a strand of his ridiculous hair!
Some might call this palling around with terrorists!
Yeah, it's easy awfully easy to talk big when you're sitting on the sidelines.
Thankfully, Mr. Trump will most likely never be responsible for the entire country. He and his enormous ego can just continue to reign over his personal domain.
So Donald "screwed" Gadhafi , and admits it. Allways thought the Donald was a closet gay.
Donald is the big lair. he pocket that money you is the greediest old man just like the koch brother. you made a deal with the devil.
What a Patriot ! Only The Donald could bring world peace though bad real-estate deals !
Dose the Donald have any casino deals with the little guy from North Korea ?
Trump claims he was able to pull a fast one on a decades long drug addled dictator considered a clown, when he's not killing someone, even by his ruthless dictator contemporaries. Good move, hairpiece. Now if you can just explain how you drive a casino, which is nothing but a license to print money, into bankruptcy, inquriing minds would want to know.
What a sleaze anything for a buck Trump doesnt matter who you gave it you idiot
Trump has no problem with terrorists as long as he can make a buck off of them ! The more I know about Trump the less I like him ! He should have just stuck to the entertainment thing because nobody really cared what kind of person he was ! If you are going to run for POTUS your whole life is on display and Trump has a lot of skeleton's in his closet ! He better stop talking before he turn's people off completely and they stop watching his show !
Trump says he "screwed Gadhafi, well guess what, he's also screwed the American people. People need to realize Real Estate Investors such as Donald Trump borrow taxpayers money from banks that help him acquire his wealth.
He still doesn’t get it. His bizarre behavior shows his true character and no amount of back-pedaling from his “I screwed Gadhafi” statement will win wide approval from the electorate of the United States. He sadly underestimates the national character of this great country and its citizens. While we may find him fascinating as a reality TV host (like watching a really bad horror movie), he does not possess the qualities to lead effectively and honestly.
...And he gave the money to charity? Oh, there is a bridge in Brooklyn, I would like to sell you....................Nice spin, the donald.
President Obama has more integrity, morality and intelligence than The Donald has in half a strand of his ridiculous hair!
-------------------------------------------------–
Ain't THAT the truth Ruth!!!
Hear, Hear!!!!!
What charity? Do you consider paying your creditors giving to charity? You have stiffed them on all those bankruptcies. Wouldn't paying them back as agreed be the right thing to do?
Old White Men..gotta luv it
Yeah right! Getting talking points from Beyonce now? Really? Whatever, you lie!
Character Donald, character! Something that you sorely lack!!
I think the GObP should have an American GOP Nominee reality show. They could run it for 12 weeks. . . one candidate dropped each week based on the Party of No's fan base. They could text in their votes (ala American Idol), the GOP raises money from the voting process and we get to watch the Republicans self implode!!!
We would see the strangest of the strange from the likes of Palin, Gingrich, Limbaugh, Cantor, Boehner, McConnell, Pawlenty, Santorum, Paul, Trump, Jindal, Romney, Huckabee and whoever else was associated.
It would be HILARIOUS!!!!
This IDIOT Trump is an admitted criminal!!!!....wonder why CNN Anderson Cooper is NOT after Donald Trump to give back this stolen money back to the Libyan people!
Wonder why nobody is asking BIG OIL CORPORATIONS to give back the profit they made while doing business in Libya and with moamar Ghaddafi....back to the Libyan people?!!!
the outrage against Beyonce', Usher & co was carried out on a daily basis for those who actually worked their behind off & got paid for a legitimate hard-days work done by providing entertainment...Donald Trump scammed a muderous tyrant cum a terrorist of off a real Estate deal and CNN is just providing him a cover with this garbage reporting...where is Anderson Cooper going after this diarrhea-of-a-mouth GOP-Donald Trump, an admitted fraudster?!!!!
where is CNN's outrage against Donald Trump...and BIG OIL CORPORATIONS???
"I deal with everyone." Is Mr. Trump saying he would also deal with Al-Qaeda, Hamas? That is an idiotic statement. Trump is not a statesman. Like Palin, Gingrich, and Romney, he is referentially a transparent opportunist in desperate need of attention. And a haircut.
When will a serious Republican stand up to challenge President Obama!
Please don't run and spend all your money we seriously cannot afford to use our tax money for another bankruptcy.
Thats because your a "crook" Mr.Trump. You don,t care who is your victim. Don,t charm yourself Mr.Trump.
So, he's laundering money for Gadafi? Is that his excuse? He's no different than a Mafia don funneling money through a front organization. I would have thought he understood the importance of public perception better than any politician: if he can't grasp that, than forget anything else.
'Trump explained: "The first thing I'd do with Gadhafi is I'd go to the Arab league and I'd say, 'we'll do things…we'll do plenty of things but you're going to pay us for it.'
Wait, so he wants the US to be the Middle East's mercenaries for hire? We will only do the right thing if you pay us to?
"the Donald" does CYA. I wouldn't trust this man to walk my dog let alone run the country. We weren't all born into money Mr. Trump and most of us who have filed bankruptcy have had reasons like serious illness or job loss, we didn't just make bad business decisions. You've had your rich rear-end bailed out how many times with bankruptcy and you think you are smart enough to run the country????? NO EFFING WAY!!!!