David Rubenstein, co-chairman of one of the world’s largest private equity funds, believes Donald Trump would most likely be reelected if the U.S. elections were held right now.
“If the election were held today it would be hard to see how Trump would lose that election,” said the billionaire founder of the Carlyle Group, which until 2015 was the number one private equity multinational in the world.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) summit in Davos, Switzerland, Rubenstein said he did not think the Democrat-led court cases against Trump are “likely to change his momentum.”
“People should recognize that he’s a serious political force and not discount the fact that he could well be elected again,” he warned, citing the MAGA kingpin’s lead in key swing states.
European Central Bank (ECB) chief Christine Lagarde, sharing a panel with Rubenstein, reportedly rolled her eyes at the mention of Trump’s name, painting his possible return to office in dire terms.
“The best defense, if that’s the way we want to look at it, is attack,” said Lagarde, a former International Monetary Fund (IMF) and French government minister. “To attack properly, you need to be strong at home,” she added, arguing for more integration of the European Union’s member-states.
The Frenchwoman, convicted of negligence with public money in late 2016 but not punished, previously said Trump’s possible reelection “is clearly a threat” to the EU.
Other Davos attendees have been more measured, however. Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, conceded Trump had turned out to be “kind of right” on several important issues, citing China, NATO, immigration, and his tax reforms.
