Donald Trump praised the Clintons at length in 2008 interview with the British version of GQ magazine.
The interview, conducted just before the election by Celebrity Apprentice winner Piers Morgan, featured Trump talking about a wide variety of topics like the Iraq War, how he wanted George W. Bush impeached, his sex life, and how he thought Bill Clinton would go down as a great president. Piers Morgan blogged about the interview for the Daily Mail early this year, but did not note any of Trump's comments on Clinton, instead focusing on comments he made about Iraq.
"Whether you like Clinton or don't like Clinton, we had no deficit for the first time in many years, and were doing well economically," Trump said unprompted while discussing the recent Beijing Olympics. "And then Bush came in, and wrecked it. After (9/11), America had the chance to be the most popular country in the world, instead, in a matter of weeks, that man destroyed it. We are no longer respected like we used to be, no longer the place where people want to invest to the extent they did before. We have been seriously hurt by Bush and his cronies. I think he will go down as the worst president in history."
Later, Trump said Clinton was impeached for far worse than Bush on Iraq.
"He purposely lied, and his lies got us into a war," said Trump. "But he wasn't impeached. Clinton was impeached for something that wasn't one millionth as important."
The Republican nominee also said he thought Barack Obama would win the election easier if he picked Hillary Clinton as his vice president. (Trump blogged that same year Clinton would make a great president or vice president, BuzzFeed News reported in December.)
"I think he would have had a much easier chance of winning if he had chosen Hillary Clinton as his running mate, definitely," said Trump. "But obviously he doesn't like her, and I don't believe the Clintons like him."
Trump then, after defending claims Bill Clinton cheated in golf, said he thought he'd go down as a great president.
"Bill's one strong guy," said Trump. "And he will go down as a great president. I have a lot of respect for him."
And, Trump added, he wasn't sure if America was ready for a black president.
"Nobody knows. That is what makes it so fascinating," he said. "I have a great relationship with blacks. Russell Simmons told me I was the most popular white man in America! I like blacks and they like me. But in numerous elections where a black candidate has been leading substantially, they either didn't win or it was a much closer 'squeaker' than predicted. Race is a huge factor."