Mark Cuban, billionaire entrepreneur, faced heavy criticism following his comments about former President Donald Trump’s relationship with “strong, intelligent women.” The remarks were made during an appearance on “The View” on October 31, 2024.

As a campaign surrogate for Vice President Kamala Harris, Cuban implied that Trump is intimidated by strong, intelligent women, thus avoiding their company. He further suggested that such women, like Nikki Haley, would challenge Trump on contentious issues such as reproductive rights and his views on women.

Republican leaders strongly criticized Cuban’s comments. Representative Elise Stefanik referred to his remarks as a “sexist disgrace.” Stefanik accused Democrats of displaying contempt for Americans, citing an alleged incident where President Joe Biden referred to 250 million Americans as “garbage” and tying it to Cuban’s comments.

In a video statement, Stefanik touted her accomplishments as the highest-ranking woman in U.S. Congress, including her history-making election as the youngest woman ever elected to Congress and her senior roles on the House Armed Services and Intelligence Committees. She also reiterated her endorsement and support for Trump.

In a subsequent radio interview with conservative host Martha Zoller, Cuban acknowledged that he did not articulate his comments well. He cited former GOP strategist Kellyanne Conway, former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, and Linda McMahon as examples of intelligent women who have worked with Trump.

In an effort to mitigate the controversy, Cuban took to social media to clarify his comments. He conceded that he is aware of many “strong, intelligent women” who support Trump, including members of his own family. He further named conservative women like former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao as examples of those who have worked with Trump, while maintaining his belief that Trump dislikes being publicly challenged.

Cuban’s apology came with qualifications. He referred to the controversial segment as “a six-second soundbite” and admitted that he “can’t nail every interview.” Despite expanding on his list of conservative women he considers intelligent, critics accused him of providing excuses in lieu of a sincere apology.

Trump responded to Cuban’s comments by labeling him as a “really dumb guy” and insisted that he surrounds himself with the “strongest of women.” This response underscores his ongoing efforts to attract female voters, especially in swing states where polls suggest a significant gender gap.

The interaction between the two billionaires takes place amid reported gender differences in polling, with Harris gaining more support among women in swing states. Conversely, Trump receives stronger support from male voters. It’s noted that Trump has frequently engaged in public disputes with prominent female politicians, such as Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi, but the influence of these interactions on voter choices remains to be seen.