Roger Stone discusses urging Donald Trump to run for president in 1988

Roger Stone recalled that he encouraged Donald Trump to pursue the presidency in 1988, believing that Trump had the necessary leadership skills. Stone shared this account during an appearance on Sean Hannity's podcast, where he described a conversation with Trump in which they discussed the quality of presidential candidates at the time, specifically mentioning Al Gore and George H.W. Bush. Stone stated that he told Trump he could be a better candidate, to which Trump initially responded that it was 'ridiculous.' Stone went on to outline reasons he thought Trump would be a strong candidate, including his criticism of NATO allies and trade deals, as well as his stance on national defense. Trump reportedly agreed that if he ran, he would win. Hannity noted that he was among the first to support Trump's presidential ambitions despite facing criticism from other conservative commentators.