Donald Trump on Monday hit Michael Bloomberg below the money belt — saying the billionaire former mayor’s media tech company is “very fragile.”
The Republican front-runner also scoffed at the idea that Bloomberg, now weighing a presidential run as an independent, is worth nearly $37 billion, as Forbes estimates.
“I don’t believe that. I don’t believe that,” the developer told CNN. “It’s a technology company, so I think it’s very fragile. I like real estate better.”
Trump suggested that the “Bloomberg terminal,” an essential tool for financial analysts since the 1980s, could be easily replaced.
“I mean, if someone came in, frankly, and comes up with a better machine than him, people would stop using his machine,” Trump said.
“I don’t even know why other companies haven’t come up with a better machine. Why? It’s so simple.”
Trump implied it may be because Bloomberg is getting special treatment.
“For some reason they haven’t come up with a better machine. I don’t know,” Trump wondered. “Maybe because he was the mayor of New York? I don’t know.”
Bloomberg was mayor for 12 years.
This is not the first time he’s had his eye on the White House — but it is the most serious he has been about it, his aides have said.
Trump’s suggestion that Bloomberg’s empire might be a house of cards came as Mayor de Blasio argued just the opposite — that his predecessor in City Hall is too rich for the presidency and that his wealth would hurt him if he runs.
“I don’t think he focused on income inequality in his career in government,” “progressive” de Blasio said following a briefing on the dig-out from this weekend’s blizzard.
“This country is not going to turn to billionaires to solve problems created by billionaires. The country is not going to look for the status quo in this election. They want a fundamentally different vision.”
A new poll shows Bloomberg would have a long climb to become competitive in a three-way race against either Hillary Clinton and Trump, or Bernie Sanders and Trump.
Bloomberg would get just 12 percent of the vote against Sanders and Trump, according to a Morning Consult poll.
Trump would get 34 percent if he becomes the Republican nominee, and Sanders 35 percent if he wins the Democratic nod.
The result would be similar if Clinton prevails, according to the poll.
In that case, Bloomberg would get 13 percent, Clinton 36 percent and Trump 37 percent.
Click here to see dramatic video of Trump giving protestors the boot from his rallies.