Donald Trump blasted Martin Shkreli — the now infamous pharmaceutical CEO — on Wednesday for raising the price of a drug used by AIDS patients from $13.50 to $750 per pill.
While stumping in South Carolina, Trump said, “This young guy raised the price to a level that’s absolutely ridiculous, and he looks like a spoiled brat to me.”
The GOP front-runner called Shkreli a “hedge-fund guy,” and added, “I thought it was a disgusting thing, what he did. I thought it was a disgrace.”
The reporter who asked Trump’s opinion on ShkreliI interjected and said that there are many drugs with prices too steep for the people in need.
“I know, it’s terrible, but in particular, there’s something about that one, the way he raised it and to that extent and then he sat back smug like he was hot stuff,” Trump said. “That guy is nothing. He’s zero. He’s nothing. He ought to be ashamed of himself.”
The former Apprentice host said he believes public outcry would make a difference.
“I think probably at some point the public is going to get him to reduce it somewhat, but I think what he did was a disgrace,” Trump said. “I thought it was a disgrace.”
Read Trump’s full statement below:
“This young guy raised the price to a level that’s absolutely ridiculous, and he looks like a spoiled brat to me. You want to know the truth? He looks like a spoiled brat. And he’s a hedge-fund guy, who, as you know, the only one that I’m raising taxes on. They are going to be paying up. But I thought it was a disgusting thing, what he did. I thought it was a disgrace. I know, it’s terrible, but in particular, there’s something about that one, the way he raised it and to that extent and then he sat back smug like he was hot stuff. That guy is nothing. He’s zero. He’s nothing. He ought to be ashamed of himself. And I think probably, at some point, the public is going to get him to reduce it somewhat, but I think what he did was a disgrace … I thought it was a disgrace.”
