Donald Trump Talks Up Bill Belichick in 'Person of the Year' Interview

If President-elect Donald Trump's role model for great leadership is any guide, America will be great again within about two years.

Named "Person of the Year" a second time Wednesday by Time Magazine, Trump said in the course of a wide-ranging interview that his role-model for "great leadership" is none other than Bill Belichick, who guided the Patriots to the Super Bowl in his second season.

First pointed out by eagle-eyed CBS reporter Sopan Deb, Trump has these words for the Patriots coach:

I don’t think there’s one way of leading people. I think if you talk — and I mention him because he was so great to me — but if you mention, like, a great leader is a Coach Belichick. I guarantee you he deals with different people in a different way.

He’ll deal with Tom Brady differently than he’s going to deal with some rookie that just came in, and they don’t know whether or not he’s going to make it. It’s a different form of leadership.

As you'll notice, Trump specifically mentions "how great" Belichick has been toward him, writing him friendly notes and generally remaining supportive, even in the midst of an unprecedentedly divisive campaign.

Trump photo by Gage Skidmore via Flickr, Belichick photo by Dan Libon, Patch staff