Charlie Munger Once Predicted That Trump Could Be 'Quite Decisive' But Still Didn't Want Him To Be President: Here's Why

Charlie Munger didn't mince words when asked back in 2011 whether Donald Trump belonged in the Oval Office, but the longtime vice-chairman of Berkshire Hathaway did shift his views a few years later.

What Happened: "The last person, almost, I'd want to be president of the United States is Donald Trump," Munger said in a clip of a CNN Business interview, which has now gone viral. Munger bluntly cited "vainglory" and "puffery" as Trump’s disqualifying traits. Pressed for more, Munger cut the list short: "I could go on and on."

At the time, Trump was floating a 2012 GOP bid and blanketing cable shows with boasts about his business acumen and doubts about President Barack Obama's birthplace.

See also: Charlie Munger Said ‘You Only Have To Get Rich Once’ — But Warned The First $100K Is a ‘B*tch’ And The Most Important Step To Building Wealth

Munger, famed for his plain‑spoken critiques and partnership with Warren Buffett, saw little overlap between reality‑TV bravado and the sober judgment he believed the presidency demands. "He might be quite decisive," Munger allowed, before adding that he did not regard Trump as "an ideal decision‑maker or a manager of anything."

A U-Turn? In 2017, Munger surprised many by reversing his earlier stance on Trump, telling a Daily Journal annual meeting in Los Angeles that "President Donald Trump is not wrong on everything." He admitted he'd "gotten more mellow," urged people to tolerate Trump's differences, and quipped, "if there's a little danger, what the hell, you're not going to live forever anyway."

The billionaire investor, who died in 2023 at age 99, often warned that ego can cloud judgment. His blunt dismissal of Trump pre‑dates the property mogul's successful 2016 campaign but foreshadowed a deep partisan divide over leadership style and truthfulness.

Photo Courtesy: Kent Sievers on Shutterstock.com

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