Michael Moore has claimed that Gwen Stefani proved to be one of the main reasons why Donald Trump ran for president.
In an new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the Fahrenheit 9/11 director says Trump was eager to prove his worth to NBC after discovering that Stefani’s fee as a coach on The Voice was higher than his fee for The Apprentice.
In an attempt to prove his popularity to the network, which airs both shows, he reportedly chose to announce his Presidency in an elaborate Trump Tower ceremony, marking the beginning of a journey that would eventually land him in the White House.
“He’d been talking about running for president since 1988, but he didn’t really want to be president”, Moore explained.
“There’s no penthouse in the White House. And he doesn’t want to live in a black city. He was trying to pit NBC against another network, but it just went off the rails.”
Moore claims that Trump was not initially serious with the bid – and only opted to launch a serious campaign after noticing the huge support that he had unexpectedly garnered.
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His comments come ahead of the release of Fahrenheit 11/9, which sees the film-maker tackling Trump’s rise to power.
As for the forthcoming election in 2020, Moore believes that a “beloved” figure such as Michelle Obama or Tom Hanks might be America’s best bet.
“As things stand right now, everybody should operate as if it’s a two-term Trump.
“We need beloved figures running. Say what you want about Trump, but tens of millions watched his show. We need Tom Hanks, Oprah, Michelle Obama. Who would not vote for Michelle Obama?”