President Trump mocked former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg for dropping out of the Democratic presidential primary on Wednesday, saying he “didn’t have what it takes” and accusing him of trying to “save face” by endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden.
“Mini Mike Bloomberg just ‘quit’ the race for President. I could have told him long ago that he didn’t have what it takes, and he would have saved himself a billion dollars, the real cost,” Trump tweeted Wednesday morning, shortly after Bloomberg announced he would suspend his campaign and back Biden.
“Now he will pour money into Sleepy Joe’s campaign, hoping to save face. It won’t work!” Trump said.
Trump has regularly targeted Bloomberg with criticism on Twitter and at his campaign rallies since the billionaire businessman entered the Democratic presidential race last November, mocking frequently mocking his height with the nickname “mini Mike.”
About a half an hour later, Bloomberg responded to Trump’s tweet, stating, “See you soon, Donald,” with a clip from “Star Wars.”
The two traded insults on Twitter at various points during the campaign, with Bloomberg at one point last month blasting Trump as a “carnival barking clown.”
The president has demonstrated a penchant for poking fun at many of the Democratic presidential contenders, but his criticism of Bloomberg, a fellow New Yorker, has seemed especially personal. Trump and Bloomberg used to be spotted at social events together and were considered friends before Trump ran for president in 2016.
Bloomberg’s decision to leave the race further narrows the Democratic field following Super Tuesday, which saw Biden notch major wins while the former mayor had a disappointing showing.
“Three months ago, I entered the race for President to defeat Donald Trump. Today, I am leaving the race for the same reason: to defeat Donald Trump — because it is clear to me that staying in would make achieving that goal more difficult,” Bloomberg said in a statement issued Wednesday morning.
“I’ve always believed that defeating Donald Trump starts with uniting behind the candidate with the best shot to do it. After yesterday’s vote, it is clear that candidate is my friend and a great American, Joe Biden,” Bloomberg said.
Democratic establishment figures have in recent days united in support of Biden after Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) gained momentum in early wins during the nominating contest.
Bloomberg represents the third Democratic candidate in the past three days to drop out of the primary and endorse Biden, following the lead of former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).
Trump has accused the Democratic Party of attempting to “rig” the primary election against Sanders.