CNBC interviewed multi-billionaire Virgin boss, Richard Branson on Wednesday where he was asked about his various interactions with U.S. President Donald Trump. Branson first spoke of his television show and how Trump has disparaged it, telling him to concentrate on his Virgin airline business.

Branson then went on to say he met up with Trump in the 1990s when the now U.S. president spoke of his wish to destroy people who wouldn’t help him when one of his businesses went bankrupt.

Virgin boss talks Donald Trump and television

During the run-up to the U.S.

presidential elections, Branson supported Hillary Clinton and was asked in the interview about his interactions with Clinton's fellow presidential candidate Trump. In the video included below, Branson describes a scene relating to hot air balloons on his television show, featuring various daredevil tricks by himself and a female contestant. He went on to say how Trump, then the boss of “The Apprentice,” had called him to say Branson’s show was terrible. Branson said Trump told him to rather concentrate on his airline business and leave the television side of things up to him.

Trump vows to destroy those who wouldn’t help his bankrupt business

Branson then went on to speak about Trump inviting him for lunch at his home, after one of his real estate businesses went bankrupt.

He believed he and Trump would enjoy an interesting conversation, discussing a wide range of issues. However, he said Trump spent the entire meal discussing five people he had contacted for help for his ailing business. Branson said Trump told him they had refused to help him and that it was now his life’s mission to destroy those people.

He said he tried to tell the now U.S. president the people concerned had done nothing to harm him, other than saying "no," but Trump insisted he wanted to destroy them.

While Branson gave no date for the lunch meeting or the actual company that had gone bankrupt at the time, CNBC tried to contact the White House for comment on those claims.

Reportedly they got no immediate response.

Donald Trump and bankruptcy

As noted by Yahoo News, it is well known that in the 1990s, Trump’s real estate empire was about to collapse. Trump had even brought up the subject in one of the presidential debates with Clinton, speaking of steps he had taken to turn his company around. Trump defended the use of Bankruptcy, saying he took advantage of U.S. laws because he is running a company. During the presidential campaign, Branson didn’t hold back in criticizing the presidential candidate, saying he was aggressive and irrational and that Trump lacked informed ideas.
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