DALLAS -- Mark Cuban is pondering a 2020 presidential campaign, the Dallas Mavericks owner told ESPN on Monday.
"Aspirations? No. Would I consider it? Yes. Am I leaning towards it? No," Cuban said. "It's not my all-time goal to be president. It's certainly not my aspiration to have a political office. I wouldn't run for any other office. Do I think I can be effective? Yes, but I have no desire to be a politician. If I did something, if I ran for office, if I ran for president, it would be because I thought I could have an impact.
"I wouldn't walk in saying, 'Let me get the Republican or Democrat or Independent, at that point, Congress to work with me.' I'd walk in with very specific programs that either the American people would support or not, and that would get me elected based off of actualities rather than promises. So, hopefully, I wouldn't be a traditional candidate from that respect.
"But right now, I'd say it's 90 percent no and 10 percent yes, because I think my wife might divorce me."
Cuban campaigned for Hillary Clinton during the last election and has often criticized or questioned President Donald Trump. Cuban said "whether [Trump] makes it four years" and what unfolds during the rest of Trump's term are factors that would have an impact on his decision whether to run for president.
"I've got 12, 18 months to decide," Cuban said. "Just what happens in this country [will influence the decision]. If there's a situation where I feel that I can provide the best answer, then yeah, I'll do it. If there's a situation where there's somebody else that's better, then I'll support them. I'm more concerned with what's best for this country than what's best for me."
Cuban and Trump had exchanged public barbs for years before Trump's candidacy. Cuban took a playful jab at Trump on Monday when discussing the president's recent public statement that NFL players who protested during the national anthem be "fired" or suspended.
"The last time he said, 'You're fired!' on 'The Apprentice,' the ratings weren't that good," Cuban said. "Now saying it to the NFL, his poll ratings aren't so good either."
Cuban acknowledged that he would enjoy running against Trump.
"In a perfect world, yeah, it would be fun," Cuban said. "But it's not a perfect world, and I'm more concerned with what's best for my family and what's best for the country."