Trump mocks JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon's 'smarts' after he said he could beat Trump in 2020

Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

US President Donald Trump shakes hands with JPMorgan Chase & Co CEO Jamie Dimon.

• President Donald Trump has responded to JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, who said he could beat Trump in an election.
• Dimon said yesterday that he is smarter and as tough as Trump, as well as being self-made rather than having inherited wealth.
• Dimon quickly walked the comments back and said he was wrong about beating Trump.
• Trump pounced on him and said he didn't have the "smarts" to win an election, and also that he is a poor public speaker.

President Donald Trump responded to the claim from JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon that he could beat Trump in an election.

Trump mocked Dimon on Twitter after the banker said he could win over Trump because he has greater intelligence and equal toughness.

Dimon, a lifelong Democrat, said he could beat Trump at a JP Morgan event on Wednesday, before quickly backtracking.

"I think I could beat Trump," Dimon said. "Because I'm as tough as he is, I'm smarter than he is... I would be fine. He could punch me all he wants, it wouldn't work with me. I'd fight right back."

"And by the way, this wealthy New Yorker actually earned his money," Dimon said. "It wasn't a gift from daddy."

Within hours, Dimon released a statement regretting what he said.

"I should not have said it," the statement said. "I'm not running for president. Proves I wouldn't make a good politician. I get frustrated because I want all sides to come together to help solve big problems."

Trump seized on Dimon's comments in a tweet bashing his intelligence and presence on Thursday morning.

"The problem with banker Jamie Dimon running for President is that he doesn't have the aptitude or 'smarts' & is a poor public speaker & nervous mess - otherwise he is wonderful," Trump tweeted. "I've made a lot of bankers, and others, look much smarter than they are with my great economic policy!"

Since taking office, Trump has overseen consecutive quarters of strong economic growth in jobs and GDP, though fact checkers find he often takes too much credit for the economy's success.