Trump Compares North Korea Crisis To Poker GamePresident Revives Long-Standing Use Of Poker As Metaphor For War |
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Donald Trump, a former casino owner in Atlantic City, New Jersey, knows quite a bit about a well-timed bluff.
In an interview Wednesday with Reuters, the President invoked a casino metaphor in reference to ongoing discussions on what to do about North Korea having nuclear weapon capabilities. The developer of the now-shuttered Trump Taj Mahal in New Jersey hasn’t spoken much, if at all, about his past involvement with the casino industry since entering the White House early last year. He touted his experience in Atlantic City during the campaign.
“We’re playing a very, very hard game of poker and you don’t want to reveal your hand,” Trump told Reuters, referring to the military options at his disposal.
Though the billionaire businessman isn’t known as a poker aficionado, he does have a history of showing admiration for poker players. “[Poker] is a beautiful microcosm of life,” Trump told poker legend Gabe Kaplan on ESPN during the final table of the 1996 U.S. Poker Championship, which featured a 32-year-old Phil Hellmuth.
“I know a little bit about [how to play poker],” Trump added while shooting down a question about whether he plays cards with any regularity. “But I’ve been so busy, I guess my life has been a big poker game, and it’s come out nicely.”
Trump was credited with creating the U.S. Poker Championship at his then flagship casino in the seaside gambling town. The tournament’s last year was in 2010. At its peak in 2006, the $10,000 buy-in main event awarded a $878,500 first-place prize.
“When somebody challenges you, fight back,” Trump said on an ESPN broadcast of the 2006 Championship. “Don’t let them push you around. Don’t be a sucker, fight back 10 times harder than they ever thought. Guess what? They’ll never play games with you again […] Don’t be afraid of losing. Sometimes by losing a battle you learn things and you end up winning the war.”
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