Charlie Munger wanted Donald Trump to be the last person to become US President: ‘Vainglory, puffery…’

Donald Trump has taken centre stage since he took over for the second time as the US President, a development that has affected almost all nations around the world. His most recent mega move has been imposing a slew of tariffs on 184 countries, including China, India, Vietnam, EU nations and more. Amid Donald Trump's policy announcement, a 2011 interview of late Berkshire Hathaway Vice Chairman Charlie Munger's take on him is going viral.

What did Charlie Munger say about Donald Trump?

In a now-viral interview, Charlie Munger was asked about his take on Donald Trump, who had not yet entered the White House.

“I'm interested in your take when it comes to politics and the economy on Donald Trump. Trump has been all over the media saying he is a hugely successful businessman and would know how to run this country better than it's being run now. He told me that many of the leaders we have right now in government aren't very smart. Would Donald Trump make a strong president?” the interviewer asked Charlie Munger.

To this, the late ace investor said the last person that he would want as the US President was Donald Trump. The Republican leader first took over as US President in 2016, and then made a comeback in 2024.

Watch the video here:

“Well, he might be quite decisive. But, do I consider Donald Trump an ideal decision maker or a manager of anything? And the answer is no. The last person, almost, I'd want to be president of The United States is Donald Trump,” he said.

When asked why, Charlie Munger said that Trump had qualities that made him “unsuitable” to hold the post.

“Well, I think he has qualities that make him unsuitable for the office,” he said.

Speaking about the qualities, Munger said, “Vainglory, puffery to a large extent. I could go on and on.”

He had reiterated his sentiments in 2016, just before Donald Trump became President for the first time.

“My attitude is that anybody who makes money running a casino is not morally qualified,” he said.

Charlie Munger shifted views on Donald Trump

In 2017, however, the opinion of Berkshire Hathaway Vice Chairman and Warren Buffett's business partner about Donald Trump made a U-turn.

Once critical, Munger had said Trump was “not wrong on everything”.

“I've gotten more mellow. President Donald Trump is not wrong on everything. Just because he isn't like us, roll with it. And if there's a little danger, what the hell, you're not going to live forever anyway,” he had said at an annual meeting at the publishing company Daily Journal Corp in Los Angeles, which he used to chair.