Donald Trump's Biggest Feuds: 30 Years Of Friction, Retaliation And Bad Blood
Visit the 2016 presidential campaign's boxing ring this election season and you'll find Republican candidate Donald Trump always seems to be in one corner, swinging violently, with endless adrenaline for innumerable heated rounds. So far, his campaign has been dominated by his predilection for drama, and fortunately for him, he has no shortage of opponents. Huffington post editor-in-chief Arianna Huffington and U.S. Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham are just a few of those who have been on the media mogul's firing line in the past week.
It's apparent Trump thrives on escalating situations to crisis proportions, but it seems to be more of a lifestyle than a campaign strategy. A Google search for "Donald Trump feud" drew more than 2 million results, so let's take a look at a brief history of Trump's apparent ill will.
Round 1: The Donald vs. NYC Mayor Ed Koch, 1987
In a feud over Trump's proposed Trump complex on Manhattan's Upper West Side, the real estate tycoon found a match in the then-New York Mayor Edward Koch. After Koch opposed Trump's grandiose plans, the two hurled insults such as "stuck pig" (Koch's) and "moron" (Trump's). Trump City never was built.
Point: Koch
Round 2: The Donald vs. Gov. Lowell Weicker, 1993
Lowell Weicker, a former Connecticut congressman and senator, derided Trump after the real estate tycoon told a congressional committee in 1993 that Indian casino owners "don't look like Indians." Lowell called Trump a "dirtbag," to which Trump responded that Weicker was a "fat slob who couldn't get elected dog catcher in Connecticut." Weicker's response? "I've got another message for you. I can lose weight a lot faster than a bigot can lose bigotry."
Point: Weicker
Round 3: The Donald vs. Martha Stewart, 2000
Trump lobbed his favorite insult, "moron," at celebrity homemaker Martha Stewart after she said he ruined her television spinoff of his show, "The Apprentice," by not letting her "fire him" in her premiere episode. Stewart's show, "The Apprentice: Martha Stewart," which was executive produced by Trump, received poor ratings and was canceled after one season. News anchor Katie Couric weighed in on the feud, saying the two were acting like "two kids in a sandbox."
Point: No one -- per referee Couric
Round 4: The Donald vs. Hank Greenberg, 2003-05
The Trump-Greenberg feud started when Trump asked AIG CEO Maurice "Hank" Greenberg to buy some of his casino's junk bonds. Greenberg passed on the offer, so Trump went to the press to bad-mouth the billionaire, threatening to cut ties with AIG. The comments incited the usually tight-lipped Greenberg, who revealed to reporters what was at the root of the fight. Trump wasn't pleased and the fight raged on. While appearing on Don Imus' MSNBC program in 2005, Trump made it clear he had not forgiven Greenberg.
"Hank Greenberg is going down," Trump told viewers. "He's a bad guy. He should have gone down a long time ago."
Point: Greenberg
Round 5: The Donald vs. Rosie O' Donnell, 2006-present
Comedian and talk show host Rosie O' Donnell seems to be one of Trump's favorite sparring partners. The two have been engaged in a long-running feud that began in March 2006 when O' Donnell attacked Trump for giving Miss USA Tara Conner a second chance in his pageant after she admitted to substance abuse. O'Donnell called him a "snake-oil salesman," to which Trump responded by calling her "fat" and a "loser." They continued to exchange words throughout the year in the media. O'Donnell, who was a host on "The View," eventually called Trump a man obsessed in a January 2007 taping of the show. "Boy, did I hit a nerve with that guy," she said. And if their tweets from the last year are any indication, the two are still feuding.
Point: To be determined
Round 6: The Donald vs. Danny Zuker, 2013- present
Trump never seems to be able to resist a Twitter feud, especially when it involves "Modern Family" actor Danny Zuker. The two have quarreled ever since Zuker tweeted, "Talk about how you finished in 3rd place behind 'Family Guy' rerun," in response to Trump's announcement he was appearing on "Fox and Friends" to discuss his show "The Apprentice." Trump responded: "I have never heard of you and was told you are a loser -- after reading your credits I have no questions about it!" Zuker continued to poke fun at Trump on several more occasions. ".@realDonaldTrump Doesn't like the show I work on but then we've never tested well with the racist, hypocritical, multiple bankruptcy demo," Zuker tweeted in June 2013.
Point: Zuker
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