Donald Trump shaded former pal Howard Stern as the rumor mill rages over the radio host’s contract negotiations.
The president was speaking following a U.S. Sun report that circulated this week suggesting the shock jock will not return to his SiriusXM show.
The rumor came from an anonymous source on Wednesday that claimed the network would cut ties with Stern when his contract expires this year. SiriusXM and Stern have made no direct comment.
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The radio host, however, told his SiriusXM audience on Wednesday that he would return: “We will back though, very soon. We’ll be back on the air, live. I’ve been refueling, so to speak.”
On Wednesday afternoon, Trump was asked about the report by a reporter claiming it to be fact.
“Howard Stern announced that he and SiriusXM radio are parting ways. Do you think the ‘Hate Trump’ business model that’s been in the entertainment business is going out of business because it’s not popular with the American people?”
Trump used the opportunity to fire off a catty remark about Stern.
“Uh, Howard Stern... it’s a name I haven’t heard... I used to do his show, used to have fun, but I haven’t heard that name in a long time. What happened? He got terminated?”
The reporter noted, “They’re going separate ways because I think what they’re offering salary-wise is real low than what he’s getting.”
Trump retorted, “You know when he went down?” He added, “Before... when he endorsed Hillary Clinton, he lost his audience. People said, ‘Give me a break.’ He went down when he endorsed Hillary Clinton.”
CNN media analyst Brian Stelter was quick to debunk the question on X: “Nothing’s been ‘announced.’ This is a vivid display of how MAGA media literally misinforms the president.”
The two men used to be close, with Stern inviting Trump onto his radio show many times, claiming he was one of his “best guests ever.”
In 2019, the radio host told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos: “Whenever you put him on the air, and this was before he was running for president, he was an open book, he would say anything. This is why he was so great, there was no filter.”
In the interview Stern said he “absolutely” helped Trump become president.
“I did not vote for Donald Trump,” Stern said. “I wanted to see Hillary Clinton win. The way I helped Donald was I let him come on and be a personality. Whether you liked him or not, people related to him as a human being. I wanted to do that for Hillary.”
The SiriusXM host also singled out the point where his relationship with the now-president soured, after he declined Trump’s offer to speak at a Republican National Convention because he was supporting Clinton’s run for president.
“It’s a weird relationship I have with Donald,” Stern said in 2019. “Donald was at my wedding, I remember having very warm feelings towards Donald, he was always very nice to me. I’ve had dinner at Mar-a-Lago many times.”
He added, “And that’s why I couldn’t even believe that Donald really even wanted this all to work out for him because if you go to Mar-a-Lago it’s like a piece of heaven... I remember thinking why would a guy want to leave this place? Golf every day, you know, I don’t think he wants that life.”
Trump had previously lashed out at Stern last October, following a Kamala Harris interview on his show.
“BETA MALE Howard Stern made a fool of himself on his low rated radio show when he ‘interviewed’ Lyin’ Kamala Harris, and hit her with so many SOFTBALL questions that even she was embarrassed,” the president posted on Truth Social.
In September last year, Trump stated of Stern’s popularity, “Since he’s gone woke, his ratings have gone down the tubes.”
The president on Wednesday also took aim at his usual late-night TV targets.
“[Stephen] Colbert has no talent. I mean, I could take anybody here, I could go outside in the beautiful streets and pick a couple of people that do just as well or better. They’d get higher ratings than he did. He’s got no talent.
“[Jimmy] Fallon has no talent. [Jimmy] Kimmel has no talent. They’re next. They’re going to be going. I hear they’re going to be going. I don’t know. But I would imagine because they get, you know, Colbert has better ratings than Kimmel or Fallon.”
