Almost a week after president-elect Donald Trump shocked many around the world with his U.S. election win, his long-time friend, Conrad Black, remains unsurprised.
鈥淚 just didn鈥檛 drink the Kool-Aid on the other side,鈥� Black told BNN鈥檚 Jon Erlichman in an interview on Monday. 鈥淚 knew his appeal was stronger than the conventional wisdom accepted that it was.鈥�
Black cited the enormous support Trump earned during the Republican primaries as an early indication of the billionaire businessman鈥檚 popularity. He said Trump managed to increase voter turnout for the Republican primaries by 60 per cent from four years ago.
Black also believes that, despite reports Trump was shocked by the election outcome, the Republican candidate had really expected to win.
The real Donald Trump
Black said he had trouble marrying the controversial, public persona Trump displayed during the campaign with the man he knows personally.
鈥淭he real Donald Trump is not such an absurd character and not so bombastic,鈥� Black said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 certainly not a self-effacing man, but he鈥檚 quite presentable.鈥�
The 鈥渞eal Trump鈥� according to Black, is the subdued man who appeared before supporters to deliver his victory speech hours after polls closed.
鈥淗e spoke in a quiet voice, quite amusingly, not at all self-importantly and it was rather suave,鈥� Black said. 鈥淭hat is him. He鈥檚 a great raconteur.鈥�
Black said Trump has a clear mandate when it comes to reforms for campaign financing, taxes, immigration, political correctness, education, employment and national security. He described Trump鈥檚 plans as a 鈥渕oderate program.鈥�
Trump鈥檚 relationship with Canada
Black said he isn鈥檛 concerned about potential friction between Trump and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e both affable people. I think they鈥檒l get on very well,鈥� Black said.
He said there may be a few areas of contention between the two leaders when it comes to certain policies, such as climate change, that will have to be managed carefully, however. Black also mentioned the Keystone XL pipeline proposal and the softwood lumber dispute as other issues the two countries will have to address.
Trump has been very vocal about his opposition to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and his plans to make changes to the deal. Black said this position shouldn鈥檛 be misinterpreted as an insult to Canada.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 clear that Donald Trump doesn鈥檛 have a problem with Canada. When he attacks NAFTA, he鈥檚 not attacking Canada-U.S. free trade,鈥� he clarified.
