JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon shared some criticisms of President Donald Trump Wednesday, saying he believes he could beat Trump in a presidential election—not that he’s running, of course.
“I think I could beat Trump … because I’m as tough as he is, I’m smarter than he is,” said Dimon, according to CNBC. “He could punch me all he wants, it wouldn’t work with me. I’d fight right back.”
Speaking at a New York event, Dimon said that while he thinks he could beat Trump, he’d never win over the liberal Democratic base. “I can’t beat the liberal side of the Democratic party,” he said.
“The Democratic party….they’ve got to get their act together in terms of understanding how society actually works,” Dimon added, expressing disdain with how Democratic ads “keep on pounding away” at business.
A self-described Democrat, Dimon expressed interest in the presidency back in 2016, when Trump showed that yes, a businessman with zero political experience can win the White House. Dimon was even offered a ticket into politics as Treasury Secretary under Trump’s administration, but turned down the position.
He remains outspoken about his problems with the Trump administration’s policies, but Dimon is sticking to banking: an announcement made earlier this year stated that Dimon plans to remain at JP Morgan for at least another five years, blocking any chance of a 2020 campaign.
Still, Dimon took some personal swings at Trump Wednesday, saying, “This wealthy New Yorker actually earned his money. It wasn’t a gift from daddy.”
“And I grew up in a poorer part of Queens than he did, but I am a banker. I am part of the elite,” Dimon said. “I don’t think the American public looks at Trump as part of the elite. They look at him as the upstart who punched the elite in the nose every day.”
With all his talk, Dimon reiterated that he would not be aiming for the White House anytime soon, jokingly rounding out his argument with one specific reason: “My wife wouldn’t let me, either.”
