Warren Buffett on President-elect Trump: ‘He deserves everybody’s respect’

Berkshire Hathaway CEO and Hillary Clinton supporter Warren Buffett said Thursday that the country needs to unite under President-elect Donald Trump.

“I support any president of the United States. It’s very important that the American people coalesce behind the president,” Mr. Buffett told CNN’s Poppy Harlow in an interview published Friday.

“That doesn’t mean they can’t criticize him or they can’t disagree with what he’s doing maybe. But we need a country unified,” the 86-year-old added. “He deserves everybody’s respect.”

Mr. Buffett, who said he hadn’t spoken to Mrs. Clinton since her shocking defeat, said he preferred the Democratic nominee over Mr. Trump because of her temperament.

He understands, however, how Americans upset about the growth of the economy got the business mogul elected. Mr. Buffet said he would offer a hand to the president-elect if he asked for it.

“I would do that with any president. I’ve never called a president in my life. So I don’t initiate ’em,” he told CNN. “But if any president asks me for help in any way, I mean, that’s part of being a citizen.”

Berkshire Hathaway’s stock hit a record high Thursday and added another $2 billion to Mr. Buffett’s net worth, according to Forbes. Mr. Buffett, who also serves as the company’s chairman, said fears that the stock market would tank after Mr. Trump’s win were “silly.”

Asked if he felt optimistic about the future of the United States, Mr. Buffett responded, “absolutely,” and stressed that America is a “fantastic country.”