A New Hope? Derwood Hodgegrass Considered Challenging Trump in 2020
In an exclusive interview with DansPapers.com, the Hamptons’ most eccentric billionaire, Derwood Hodgegrass, said he considered running against Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election.
Hodgegrass, who has kept out of the news for more than a year, reemerged in Southampton this week following what he called “a world tour” full of “rest, relaxation, absolutely devastating partying, throngs of beautiful women, incredible art and some fact finding for a selection of groundbreaking new inventions.”
The billionaire met with DansPapers.com at his estate on Friday and, after sharing two bottles of 2012 Petrus, revealed that he did some initial research to see how he’d fare against Trump in the next election.
“He’s a billionaire, I’m a billionaire,” Hodgegrass said. “He loves women, I love women. He has a flair for the gaudy and garish, and I don’t mind throwing my money around—hell, I know some of my choices have been a bit, erm, extreme, but if you’ve got it, enjoy it, right?”
Hodgegrass said he’s just as qualified for the job, and he wouldn’t even have a problem showing his tax returns, but in the end, it was the overwhelming responsibility that turned him away from running in 2020. “I mean, let’s be honest, it’d be fun to run and win, and it’d be fun to put my feet up in the Oval Office, but I really have no interest in matters of state,” he explained, adding, “I’m actually pretty shocked Donald wants all that responsibility—if he actually does want it.”
Despite this, a growing number of people are pushing the billionaire to stand against Trump in 2020, even if he doesn’t want the job. One Hodgegrass staff member said, “Derwood might be our only hope—if people want a rich, outrageous and wholly unqualified person as president, at least let him be kind-hearted and thick-skinned.”
Shrugging off these supporters, Hodgegrass said he’s content working on “a few new projects, and one old one,” and “much shall be revealed in the coming weeks.