Michael Moore has now blamed Gwen Stefani’s popularity for why President Donald Trump finally decided to throw his hat in the ring.
“[Trump had] been talking about running for president since 1988, but he didn’t really want to be president. There’s no penthouse in the White House. And he doesn’t want to live in a black city,” the 64-year-old filmmaker shared with the Hollywood Reporter in an interview published Wednesday ahead of the release of his anti-Trump documentary titled, “Fahrenheit 11/9.” (RELATED: Michael Moore: ‘F**k Hope, Seriously, F**k Hope,’ Trump Will Be ‘The Last President’)
Musician Gwen Stefani arrives at the 57th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California February 8, 2015. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
“He was trying to pit NBC against another network, but it just went off the rails,” he added.
Moore claimed that when Trump allegedly found out “The Voice” coach Stefani’s performance fees were higher that what he made for his show, “The Apprentice,” he suddenly wanted to prove his popularity to the network — which aired both shows — and show he was more valuable.
The filmmaker then alleged this led Trump to make his famous Trump Tower campaign announcement. NBC soon after cut ties with him. But Moore thinks that the attention the president got from the crowd pushed him to finally throw his hat in the ring.
Despite his negative thoughts about the president, Moore admits that as it stands Trump will serve both terms.
“As things stand right now, everybody should operate as if it’s a two-term Trump,” Moore shared, but added that the only way for the Democrats to unseat him would be with “beloved figures.”
“Say what you want about Trump, but tens of millions watched his show,” the filmmaker explained. “We need Tom Hanks, Oprah, Michelle Obama. Who would not vote for Michelle Obama?”
Last month, Moore shared with the Huffington Post why he created his latest documentary:
Donald Trump is an evil genius. He has no intention of leaving the White House. Whenever he hears that another country has a president for life, he perks up and thinks, ‘I like the sound of that!’ And he has an obedient political party that holds every seat of power backing him up.
American journalism schools have not trained students how to cover an authoritarian leader. Our media has no idea what it is up against. They’re getting steamrolled by a tyrant because Trump understands media and understands the country he lives in more than those that cover him do. This puts us all in grave danger. If nothing else, I hope this film exposes that grave danger and shows people the way out.
“Fahrenheit 11/9” kicks off the Toronto Film Festival on September 6.