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Shark Tank Billionaire Mark Cuban admitted he stopped politically supporting former President Donald Trump after he “got to know him.”
Cuban made the admission in an interview with former presidential contender Vivek Ramaswamy, which was released on X and YouTube on Wednesday. Cuban has long used the social media platform to speak out against the Republican nominee and his policies.
Cuban endorsed Kamala Harris in late July but said there was a time when he considered backing Trump, particularly because of his underdog status.
“I didn’t think he had a chance, and so I just wanted to kind of, you know, screw things up in a traditional politics that I’m not a fan of,” said Cuban. “I was like, he’s great; he’s not a typical Stepford candidate. I thought that was a positive.
“But then I got to know him.”
Ultimately, it was Trump’s ethics, or lack thereof that dissuaded Cuban, he said. The former NBA owner then gave a list of Trump’s actions and business ventures that rubbed him the wrong way.
“The bigger point is Trump University. Trump SoHo. Stole $4 million from a friend of mine that had to sue to get it back. Mike Pence,” Cuban said.
In 2018, Trump settled a lawsuit for $25 million after the plaintiffs accused him of falsely advertising Trump University, a now-defunct real-estate seminar.
The former president’s Trump SoHo hotel faced controversies after a construction worker died in 2008 while working on the project. In 2017, the Trump Organization severed ties with the property and it was rebranded as The Dominick.
Additionally, Trump’s relationship with his Vice President Mike Pence turned sour at the end of his presidential term and he later reportedly expressed support for his hanging.
“He was unethical then, and he’s still unethical,” said Cuban, adding, “You want somebody whose first inclination is not to do what’s in their own best personal interest. You can’t deny that’s Donald Trump.”
The Independent reached out to Trump’s campaign for comment.
