Palm Beach, Florida (CNN) – Donald Trump has more harsh criticism for one of the most recognizable men in the world: George W. Bush.
In a display of bipartisan bashing, Trump lashed out at the nation's 43rd president as he criticized the 44th.
"George Bush gave us Barack Obama. If it weren't for George Bush, we wouldn't have Barack Obama," Trump said on Friday. "So I'm not thrilled with George Bush."
The billionaire real estate mogul made the comments at his famed Palm Beach estate Mar-a-Lago that sits on 20 acres and boasts 126 rooms. The star of NBC's "The Apprentice" spoke to reporters in a hastily arranged news conference moments before a posh, poolside party at the estate and hours before he was to speak at a Tea Party rally.
Trump was pressed to explain his comments.
"Because he[Bush] didn't have a great presidency, especially at the end. And because of his actions, and because of his aura, it was very tough for a Republican to win," Trump said. "And in all fairness to John McCain and to Sarah Palin, I think it would have been very, very tough for anybody – for Abraham Lincoln – to win after having followed George Bush."
Trump has previously let out harsh criticism of the 43rd president.
In a March 2007 interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer, Trump said, "Well, I think Bush is probably the worst president in the history of the United States." He cited the war in Iraq, calling it a "total disaster" and added later: "Look, everything in Washington has been a lie. Weapons of mass destruction - it was a total lie. It was a way of attacking Iraq."
Trump now sees Obama as deserving that notorious distinction, calling him "the worst president in the history of the United States." Among other items, Trump reasoned that the president has not done well handling foreign affairs, such as the conflict in Libya, and that "Obamacare" is bad for the country.
Headlining a Tea Party rally in Boca Raton on Saturday, Trump will make his first appearance at a campaign-like political rally this year. The rally will mirror others across the country over the weekend as conservative activists protest government spending days before Monday's deadline to file taxes.
Media and public interest in Trump has recently increased as he's questioned President Obama's birthplace. And his popularity with Tea Party activists has also increased. The reality television star boasted that interest in Saturday's rally ballooned after it was announced that he would appear.
"It was supposed to be 300 people," he said. "When they heard I was speaking, I heard it's going to be anywhere from five-to-ten thousand people."
And yet Trump has publicly supported one issue that Tea Party activists despise: the bank bailout. When asked if he can win Tea Party support given his support for this issue, Trump demurred from a direct response.
"Well I actually think the tea party is more of a party of common sense."
Follow Shannon Travis on Twitter: @ShanTravisCNN
From CNN Politics
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Every day, every hour, this "Trump" is increasingly a JOKER! And I am not even a Democrat!
This coming from Trump has no meaning. He is in it for the publicity and hoping that he can earn more money to help payoff his bills.
Trump is the male version of Palin. Hope they are on the GOP together.
It is time for an independent, experienced, businessman with strong leadership abilities to be elected President of the United States. Donald Trump can turn this country around. He has the courage and wisdom to make the hard choices and decisions to solve the country's economic problems. He can get America back to work and knows what it takes to create jobs and be competitive again. We need now more than ever a leader with business experience and leadership skills rather than Obama who is a lawyer, community organizer, and policy wonk.It is time to say- Obama you are fired!
Dr mu you are a race monger. And as we all know race mongers are almost as bad as child abusers. Can you not do any better then call some one who disapproves of obama a racist. If you cannot join the discussion with logic and facts then stay home. Trump may be a nut job but obama is a disaster.
I laughed my tommy hurts....playing politics, that we know will make him win....here it is, he is a total idiot...o.k, he should be in sand's casino, or taj casino in Atlantic city or Dubai.....GOP is bunch of idiots....that's it....so are Tea Party.....thugs...watch these politics...please, nation is under GOP American Al 'Qiida....o.k
Be careful that you don't get caught in a crosswind, Donald.
Trump just refuses to go away. And as long as he has the money and means, he won't. So, just enjoy his slow demise into mental illness. Citizen Trump will eventually fade away. Rosebud.......
Trump is all ego, he better realize that George SR. Headed the CIa beofre beocming VP, andthen President. He made his son President, and he is dancing on dangerous toes. HE now has CLinton at his side for events. Talk about control. Everyone is to blam for Trump except his activites in Atlantic City where he did business with the mafia, and ended up going bankrupt. Trump better get a taste of reality fast otherwise he may actually believe his grandeur.
How dare this elitist compare George W. Bush with Barack Obama! Dubya was without dispute one of the worst presidents this country has had to endure! Obama is simply cleaning up his mess!
Couldn't CNN have used a photo of the real person instead of the Madame Tussaud's wax figure?
In all seriousness, his media popularity will last even less longer than Sarah Palin's did. Where is she now, beside languishing at the bottom of every poll?
Now, let's see....George W Bush is the "worst president in history"....no, make that Barack Obama is the "worst president in history"....no, let's see, "I, DONALD TRUMP am now President, and in fact, THE WORST PRESIDENT IN HISTORY!!"
Well, he would finally get one right!! Three cheers for the Donald.
OMG, Donald you are starting to remind me of my Governor Paul LePage. That is not a good thing. Look you are going to have to decide with a position and stuck to it. Are you and independant or a birther? The folks who thought George W was great great probably like your bashing of Obama, and as a strong Obama supporter I really don't mind your complaints about Bush. Do you think that people will only listen to you 1/2 the time?
You mayy be right in some cases...but these are not the people who vote in primaries. We primary voters pay attention and actually research candidates. I think your antics, while thet will get your name in the paper, will ultimately lead to your losing the GOP primaries. When you run as an independant you will have alienated giant segments of the population. I hope the birthers and tea baggers vote for you because that will keep them from voting Republican.
The man is pathetic; this is all attention-grabbing, ala Palin.
The Donald has come at the right time. He knows the ins and outs of bankruptcy, he can get the country out of it's financial mess caused by his party.
He actually is the only Republican that has a better plan to pay for these costly wars and that is to take the oil and make them pay. Bush was an idiot for getting us here and Obama is a wimp with foreign policy and wall street.
I gotta get me some of Trump's Kool-Aid. Seems to be pretty powerful stuff.
Nice mess in Libya
he just LOVES to hear himself talk!
What can you say to that? The guy doesn't remember what he says from year to year. He refuses to accept that Obama was born in Hawaii, despite irrefutable proof.
I hope he gets the GOP nomination.
I agree with Dr Mu...I think that is most of the philosophy behind the tea party's dislike of Obama and a lot of other Americans..they just can't accept we have a black man as president. It would not matter what he did for the country...could balance the budget, pay off the national debt in 4 years and give everyone a million dollars..they still would not like him. And I know there is a lot of truth to this because I am a white man and I hear it from a lot of my white friends every day..exactly what I just said. So yeah, even though this is 2011, there is still a lot of prejudice in this country and this is a lot driving force behind the dislike of Obama.
Didn't "the" Donald once say in a radio interview in 2009 that he thought that President Obama was doing a good job? I am sure that will be dug for all to hear.
Mr. Trump is taking the G.O.P. Idiot title from Sarha and doing a good job.I'd say the G.O.P. put Mr. Obama in office
I make less than 50K a year and I have given more money and time to the Tea Party movement than Trump. Worse, he funds the worst of the statists. Trump is for Trump…he is no conservative.
He can blast anything he wants... it's still not going to get anyone to watch his lame show on the fourth place network.