Kelly Ripa Shares Surprising Connection with Trump While Teasing Mark Consuelos: "[Donald] Used To..."

Kelly Ripa and her husband/co-host Mark Consuelos began the November 6th's live by discussing Donald Trump's resounding victory in the 2024 elections. After telling their viewers the importance of voting, Ripa teased Consuelos about a surprising connection between him and Trump. "Here's what I'm thinking about," Ripa began.

"Now go with me on this. Donald Trump used to co-host here." She then turned towards her husband and teased, "You could be the next President of the United States!" The audience in the studio began to laugh out loud, clapped, and cheered, per Hello! For those who may not know, Ripa was referring to Trump's 2006 guest appearance when he co-hosted Live with Kelly. 

Ripa also discussed the president-elect on Seth Meyer's Late Night show in 2017 and shared a few memories from the time. Ripa even recalled that even back then, Trump used to showcase his true self and bragged, "This is going to be the biggest-rated show you ever had in your life." Apparently, the real estate mogul also said the same words for The Apprentice after Arnold Schwarzenneger replaced him and the show went off-air, claiming it was him who brought ratings.  

"You know what's crazy, he was talking about running for president then," Ripa added, reiterating, "Then! And I remember actively having this conversation with him. He said, 'Everybody wants me to run for president.'" When Ripa questioned who all wanted him to run for office, Trump boasted about how people around him were in awe of his business dealings. But then, Ripa asked him why would he give up his lavish life to serve the nation. She told Trump that should he become president, he "won't be able to go to Florida anymore, won't be able to golf every weekend." 

However, Ripa soon realized that she was wrong (in the middle of the conversation with Meyers) because after winning the White House in 2017, the businessman-turned-politician did all of that and much more. As such, Meyers agreed, "In principle, you were right." But Ripa replied, "In theory, I was right. But now I realize that I'm an idiot, and none of that is true." 

Fast forward to 2024, the 78-year-old former POTUS again became the 47th president of the United States, defeating his Democratic rival Kamala Harris. Though the results surpassed everyone's expectations, Ripa once said on her Let's Talk Off Camera podcast with SiriusXM in 2023 that she wouldn't want to see a woman president 'in her lifetime,' per The Hill. She explained, "Women have to deal with so much bulls‑‑‑ in every facet of life." So when it comes to politics, women "have to be tough, but not too tough. They can't be emotional, but they can't be cold. Or they're too strong or not strong enough. Or what if she gets her period — will she launch a nuclear weapon?" Ripa concluded by saying that seeing a woman president was 'scary, sad, depressing, demoralizing, [and] disheartening.'