That time Donald Trump slammed Reagan and sung the praises of Bush

Donald Trump's past is back to haunt him.
(Image credit: Screenshot/Buzzfeed video)

Donald Trump has tried to paint himself as following in Ronald Reagan's footsteps, perhaps least subtly by copying his 1980 campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again." However, as it has been pointed out before, Trump was not always so warm on Reagan — there was a time, in fact, that he blasted the former president without reservation.

It was never so obvious as in this 1991 interview with Joan Rivers. "In fairness, if you look at Reagan this country went $200 billion a year behind and somebody's gonna have make up the difference and better be made up awfully quickly," Trump said — that someone being George H.W. Bush, whom he goes on to praise.

"It just amazes me, it amazes me. I think George Bush is gonna be a great president. I feel very strongly about it," Trump said. Watch the interview at BuzzFeed.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.