On his radio show on Wednesday, Howard Stern said his longtime friend Donald Trump will be unhappy as president, which Stern worries could impact his mental health. Stern also thinks that Trump’s recent feud with the media might just be a phase, as he adores attention, and his ego won’t be able to withstand their critical gaze:
“I know something about Donald Trump, he really does want to be loved. He does want people to really love him. And that drives him a lot. I think that he has a very sensitive ego. And when you’re president of the United States people are going to be very, very critical.”
Trump has been a frequent guest on Stern’s programs over the years, although the two sometimes sit on different sides of political issues. Despite their disagreements, Stern called Trump a friend and added that the negative response the president has received in office may not be good for his health:
“I like Donald very much personally. I was shocked when he decided to run for president and even more shocked that people took it seriously … I personally wish that he had never run. I told him that because I actually think this is something that is going to be detrimental to his mental health too, because he wants to be liked, he wants to be loved. He wants people to cheer for him.”
Trump has been terribly unhappy with the press and has called out major media sources, such as CNN and New York Times, labeling them “fake news” if he feels slighted. Stern hopes this won’t last:
“He’s now on this anti-Hollywood kick,[Trump] loves Hollywood. First of all, he loves the press. He lives for it. He loves people in Hollywood. He only wants to hobnob with them. And all of this hatred and stuff directed towards him, it’s not good for him. It’s not good. Listen, there’s a reason every president who leaves the office has gray hair.”
You can hear Stern’s full (mostly supportive) rant about Trump below:
(Via Entertainment Weekly & NBC News)