Mark Cuban Reveals Exact Moment He Turned on Donald Trump

In a candid podcast interview, billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban shared the pivotal moment that turned him away from Donald Trump, whom he initially supported during the Republican’s 2016 campaign.
Cuban, an investor well known for being one of the “sharks” on the reality TV show Shark Tank, is a vocal figure in the business and entertainment world, and in an appearance on Stay Tuned With Preet, hosted by former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, he discussed his original preference for Trump and when he realized The Apprentice host was wrong for the office.
On the episode—titled “Do Voters Have Trumpnesia?”—Cuban explained that he became increasingly uneasy with Trump’s approach as the campaign unfolded. He indicated that he found Trump’s rhetoric divisive and manipulative, qualities he felt conflicted with the leadership values he admired.
“I remember asking him, ‘If you win this thing, you’re going to have to make decisions where people could live or die based off of what you decide.’ He wouldn’t respond,” Cuban told Bharara.
“There was a debate, and he didn’t participate. It was on CNBC. I’m like, ‘Why don’t you use this chance to go out and visit businesses, and let them know that you understand business?’ He goes, ‘Mark, Mark Cuban and Donald Trump don’t go to people’s houses or dinner tables to have dinner with them.’ And I’m like, ‘But you do.’ He didn’t see that one coming,” Cuban continued.
The billionaire also attributed his shift in perspective to Trump’s public statements and tweets, which he suggested sowed division rather than encouraged unity.
“As I tried to get other things out of him related to policy, there was just nothing there. The more he spoke out, the more that was obvious, the more the immigration stuff came out, and the more hateful stuff came out. That just turned me,” he said.
Newsweek contacted Bharara via email on Tuesday for comment.
Later in the episode, Cuban said: “He’s very transactional. That says it all. He doesn’t care about crypto. He doesn’t care about technology. He doesn’t care about AI. But he certainly cares about people with a lot of money.”
The billionaire also said on the podcast that some voters had “Trumpnesia” and had forgotten what he saw as hypocritical behavior by the Republican during his presidency.
Cuban has remained critical of Trump’s tactics and has endorsed his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, in the 2024 election, citing his support for her economic policies.