Trump dubbed 'delusional' as new book claims ex-prez considered himself as 'macho' as Clint Eastwood

WASHINGTON, DC: Former President Donald Trump considered himself a "macho" Clint Eastwood, according to a new book on Trump's reality show 'The Apprentice'.

Variety Editor-in-Chief Ramin Setoodeh, the author of 'Apprentice in Wonderland', revealed the 78-year-old White House hopeful's bizarre likening to the legendary actor in an excerpt of the book published in the Washington Post on Monday, June 17. The comparison occurred at one instance when Trump was talking about the probability of running for president if he did not have the reality show.

Trump sees himself as 'macho' Clint Eastwood

"So do you think I would have been president without 'The Apprentice'?" Trump asked Setoodeh whenever they met, and the former answered his own question differently every time.

During their first meeting, the real estate mogul said "yes" with a dramatic pause. "But some people say no. Many smart people say no," Trump added, according to the book. "It helped me a little bit, probably."

Setoodeh wrote that Trump compared himself to Marlon Brando and Clint Eastwood and noted that 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' star, whom the former president calls a friend, "moves with the same macho swagger in real life that he did as Dirty Harry."

"Look, you either have it or you don't have it for television," Trump said about his charisma.

The former president, who did not remember Setoodeh when they met after a few months, repeated the same question on the impact of 'The Apprentice'. "I guess it was great for my brand," was Trump's new answer.

"The theory is they" — Americans — "got to know me, because they didn't really know me. Mark Burnett and Jeff Zucker, those two main characters, they either get praised or blamed for me becoming president. Mark Burnett says without 'The Apprentice,' I wouldn't have been president. I never spoke to Zucker about it," the MAGA spearhead said, as per the book.

Setoodeh also raised a debate about whether Trump's character in the NBC show was a "self-creation" or was it "made for TV by Burnett."

In another instance, the billionaire said he would not have run for president if he hadn't done 'The Apprentice'.

Internet ridicules Trump for calling himself 'macho' Clint Eastwood

Netizens derided the former president's likening of himself to the cultural icon of masculinity, Eastwood.

One user commented on Facebook, "Just delusional as ever!"

Another wrote, "The ONLY things they have in common are age spots and wrinkles."

"He represents PINOCCHIO not Clint Eastwood,this proves his sickness is catching up to him quickly," added a third user.

A user wrote on X, "Clint Eastwood is macho. Why do Trump and so many feel he is macho? The man is covered in makeup, poofed-up hair, and talks like a mad fool. Being loud and arrogant is not a sign of manhood."

"Macho Clint Eastwood?! Even Clint Eastwood isn't a macho Clint Eastwood at this point. He's about as bad off as tfg. Tfg was NEVER comparable to a young Marlon Brando. Ever," someone else commented below Raw Story article.

Another said, "Somehow I doubt that Clint Eastwood is so psychologically insecure that he wears orange clown makeup every day."

An individual added, "If he thinks he has to tell us that he's macho, then . . . it ain't exactly discernable."

"Pathetic narcissist Donald certainly has an active fantasy life, imagining himself to be all the things he knows he isn't and will never be. Most people grow out of 'let's pretend' when they reach adulthood and develop more realistic self-concepts. Narcissists never do," another remarked.

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