Los Angeles Dodgers broadcaster Charley Steiner recently spoke to USA Today Sports and shared an incident that took place between himself and Donald Trump.
Steiner shares that in early 2015 he walked into a restaurant in Hollywood with two close friends when he saw Donald Trump. He did his best to avoid him, but it did no good.
Donald Trump, who owned the USFL’s New Jersey Generals from 1984-1985, was at the restaurant with broadcaster Al Michaels. Trump got up and walked toward Steiner.
“So, Donald gets up, he puts his arm around me,’’ Steiner told USA Today Sports, “and he says to Al, ‘You know, I made his career.’
“So, he’s standing there, and says it again, ‘I made his career.’ I looked up at him and said, ‘You didn’t have an (expletive) thing to do with my career. Then, he pats me on the back in the most condescending fashion imaginable, and says, ‘You never thanked me.’
“I said, ‘There wasn’t a reason to thank you.’’’
Steiner shrugged off Trump’s hand and walked away. Before getting too far he turned around and said to Trump “Go f—k yourself.”
“So, my last words to the President of the United States,’’ Steiner said, “were, ‘go (expletive) yourself.’ I swear to God. There are witnesses.’’
Steiner’s story can be confirmed by legendary broadcaster Larry King and Beverly Hills real estate agent Kurt Rappaport, who was at the restaurant with Steiner.
Steiner was the Generals’ play-by-play broadcaster for three years when Trump purchased the team in 1984.
“I knew him before he bought the team,’’ Steiner said. “I saw the birth of Trump. He was a real estate guy. I knew Donald when he was just a Donald and not The Donald and before he became President. I always thought the guy he patterned himself after was (former Yankees owner) George Steinbrenner. And here’s why: Steinbrenner owned the back page of the (New York) Daily News and the Post. He handled the media like an (expletive) yo-yo. He could plant a story. He could play a story” Steiner said.
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He then added, “Donald was just a real estate agent. He never got any attention because he built buildings. He understood how to manipulate the media by buying a football team. So, he bought a football team, and it just raised his persona. He could get himself the back page of the Post. He was already on Page Six, and now he could get on the front page, too.’’
In 2009, Steiner made his thoughts on Trump clear in an ESPN documentary about the USFL.
After hearing Steiner’s comments Trump stated, “Charlie Steiner was nobody. Charlie Steiner couldn’t get a job,” Trump said. “I hope he remains loyal and if he doesn’t let me know and I’ll attack him.”
“So, here’s what is thoroughly amazing about that,’’ Steiner said. “I was already the announcer when he bought the team. I was on the No. 1 morning show in New York. And I was the sports director of RKO Radio Network.
“This guy admired the showmanship in George and thought he could take it to the next level on television. In two years, he took both the team and the league in bankruptcy. So, he’s had plenty of practice.’’
Steiner added that telling Trump to “f–k himself” was “liberating.
“It sure felt good.’’
