He’s been called the “wrecking ball for the future of the Republican party,” “very divisive,” and a “a hate-spewing character,” but to hear Donald Trump tell it, he’s got millions — maybe even billions — of good relationships and people who love him.
Let’s take a look at the long, growing, and often debatable list of people Trump swears adore him.
1. Mexicans
“I have a great relationship the Mexican people. I love them, they love me!” Trump told NBC News in the wake of international outrage and controversy over his assertion that Mexican immigrants illegally coming into the U.S. are criminals, rapists, and drug dealers.
2. “The Blacks”
“I have a great relationship with the blacks. I’ve always had a great relationship with the blacks. But unfortunately, it seems that, you know, the numbers you cite are very, very frightening numbers,” he said, suggesting that African-Americans only voted for President Obama because he is black.
3. Neil Young
“I love Neil Young,” Trump told Bloomberg after the rockstar asked the Republican candidate to stop using his music as part of his campaign. “And he loves me! We have a great relationship.”
4. Buffalo, New York, residents
“I think the people of Buffalo, they already like me — I have a great relationship with the people of Buffalo,” Trump said last year as he weighed a bid to build the new stadium for the Buffalo Bills.
Upon losing the stadium to another bidder, Trump fired off a handful of disparaging tweets about the Buffalo NFL team and the buyer who did get it: “I’m glad I didn’t get the Bills. Boring games,” he tweeted.
5. The tea party
“I think I bring a lot of people. But first of all, I have a great relationship, as you know, with the tea party folks. I mean, I love the tea party. They’ve made this world aware of what’s going on with our country. So I have a great relationship there,” Trump told Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren in 2012 when asked about what he brings to Gov. Mitt Romney’s campaign.
“The tea party loves me,” he said in Nevada this month. According to the most recent Monmouth University poll, this is now true. However, one major tea party group— the Club for Growth — has made it quite clear they can’t be bothered with Trump’s candidacy.
“The Club for Growth has issued very substantive and detailed white papers on the records of the major announced Republican candidates for president. There is no need to do a white paper on Donald Trump. He is not a serious Republican candidate, and many of his positions make him better suited to take on Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary,” the group said in a statement.
6. Christian conservatives
“I have a great relationship with the entire Christian Coalition. I have amazing friendships in that whole group. And I love them and I respect them. And you know, I think I have great, great relationships,” he continued in the same Fox News interview.
7. Americans who don’t like getting ripped off
“Maybe most importantly, I have great relationships with the people of this country that are tired of being ripped off by China and by OPEC and by everybody else that does business with us. And they’re just draining trillions of dollars out of the pockets of our citizens. And I have great relationship with them,” he added in the Van Susteren interview.
8. Scots, particularly those from Aberdeen “I have a great relationship with the people of Scotland and an unbelievably good relationship with the people of Aberdeen,” he said in June while protesting wind farms planned for the Aberdeenshire coast near a golf course he owns. “The people in Aberdeen love me, we have a lot of people employed and they love Trump.” Trump’s development on the Scottish coast prompted massive backlash from locals and environmentalists over the destruction of grasslands and dunes, prompting a particularly hostile documentary “You’ve Been Trumped” that portrayed the real estate mogul as a vain bully. 9. Indians “India is a great country. I love Indians because they are amazing people. I have a great relationship with the people from India. I know many of them so closely because they like to live in Trump Towers in New York City and other places,” Trump told an Indian magazine last year. 10. Russians “The Russian market is attracted to me,” Trump told Real Estate Weekly in 2013 after the Miss Universe contest he owns took place in Moscow. “I have a great relationship with many Russians, and almost all of the oligarchs were in the room.” 11. Atlantic City, New Jersey “I have a great relationship with Atlantic City,” Trump said after a new CEO was appointed to Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc., a company that owns three casinos in the city and has struggled with a slew of bankruptcies and big losses. 12. Everyone “I get along with everybody,” Trump told Anderson Cooper on CNN recently. “People love me, and you know what? I’ve been very successful, everybody loves me.” Everyone could not be reached for comment at this time. A spokesman for Trump also did not respond to a request for comment.
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