Billionaires back battling: Donald Trump and Mike Bloomberg go toe-to-toe on Twitter as president accuses rival of ‘illegal campaign contributions’ and mocks his height - and former NY mayor says ‘see you in November’

  • President Trump went after Mike Bloomberg for self-funding his 2020 campaign - and for being short 
  • The president, after declining to talk Bloomberg with reporters before he left for California, tweeted about the candidate while up in the air 
  • Trump accused Bloomberg of using campaign funds illegally to buy support from Democratic endorsers 
  • 'Mini Mike, Major Party Nominations are not for sale!' Trump wrote, suggesting establishment Democrats were trying to rob Sen. Bernie Sanders
  • Trump also wished Bloomberg good luck in the Wednesday night debate, though added 'no standing on boxes!' to mock the candidate's short stature  

President Trump decided to attack former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Tuesday after all, which resulted in a brief Twitter spat between the battling billionaires. 

Trump had brushed off a question about Bloomberg from a reporter as he was about to board Air Force One for his four-day west coast swing. But once the president was up in the air, he let his fingers fly, dinging the ex-mayor for self-funding his 2020 presidential campaign and for being short.   

'What Mini Mike is doing is nothing less than a large scale illegal campaign contribution,' Trump claimed. 'He is "spreading" money all over the place, only to have recipients of his cash payments, many former opponents, happily joining or supporting his campaign.'

'Isn't that called a payoff?' the president asked. 'Mini is illegally buying the Democrat Nomination,' Trump also said.  

There's no evidence that Bloomberg is paying off Democrats who endorse him and candidates are permitted to fund their own campaigns. 

 Trump also alleged that, 'They are taking it away from Bernie again.' 

'Mini Mike, Major Party Nominations are not for sale!' Trump said. 'Good luck in the debate tomorrow night and remember, no standing on boxes!' the president added, which was a knock on Bloomberg's short stature. 

President Trump spoke to reporters before taking Air Force One to the west coast on Tuesday. He had no advice for Michael Bloomberg who will join Democrats on the debate stage in Las Vegas Wednesday night

President Trump spoke to reporters before taking Air Force One to the west coast on Tuesday. He had no advice for Michael Bloomberg who will join Democrats on the debate stage in Las Vegas Wednesday night 

President Trump lashed out at Mike Bloomberg on Twitter once he was en route to California Tuesday, claiming that Bloomberg self-funding his campaign was illegal and making fun of the ex-mayor for being short

President Trump lashed out at Mike Bloomberg on Twitter once he was en route to California Tuesday, claiming that Bloomberg self-funding his campaign was illegal and making fun of the ex-mayor for being short 

2020 hopeful Mike Bloomberg will join his Democratic rivals Wednesday night on the debate stage in Las Vegas. Trump wished him good luck onstage, but added, 'no standing on boxes!'

2020 hopeful Mike Bloomberg will join his Democratic rivals Wednesday night on the debate stage in Las Vegas. Trump wished him good luck onstage, but added, 'no standing on boxes!'   

Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg responded to President Trump's tweets by asking why he wanted to run against Sen. Bernie Sanders, one of the most liberal presidential candidates

Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg responded to President Trump's tweets by asking why he wanted to run against Sen. Bernie Sanders, one of the most liberal presidential candidates 

President Trump, still flying across the country on Air Force One, wrote back telling Mike Bloomberg 'I would rather run against you!'

President Trump, still flying across the country on Air Force One, wrote back telling Mike Bloomberg 'I would rather run against you!' 

Mike Bloomberg then said that President Trump couldn't be trusted as he teased, 'See you in November'

Mike Bloomberg then said that President Trump couldn't be trusted as he teased, 'See you in November' 

President Trump retweeted an animated video that showed 2020 Democratic hopeful Mike Bloomberg peering over a podium

President Trump retweeted an animated video that showed 2020 Democratic hopeful Mike Bloomberg peering over a podium 

Then a giant shoe pops out of the ceiling and crushes the former New York City mayor, the video that President Trump tweeted shows

Then a giant shoe pops out of the ceiling and crushes the former New York City mayor, the video that President Trump tweeted shows 

Trump's tweets started a brief Twitter spat between the Republican president and the Democratic hopeful. 

'Why do you want to run against Bernie so badly?' Bloomberg asked his followers, pointing to Trump's second tweet that referenced Sanders. 

Trump then responded with, 'Mini Mike. No, I would rather run against you!' 

'Can't trust a word you say - and now you want us to believe you?' Bloomberg wrote back. 'See you in November,' the ex-mayor tweeted.  

Trump also retweeted a video animation that showed a too-short Bloomberg speaking behind a podium being crushed by a giant Trump foot.  

Trump had originally been asked on the tarmac if he had any advice for Bloomberg, who qualified for Wednesday night's Democratic debate in Las Vegas early Tuesday morning. 

At that point, Trump declined. 

'He doesn't need that kind of advice,' Trump answered. 'He's been doing it for a long time.' 

The president preferred to talk about Sanders instead.     

'It seems that Bernie Sanders and that whole big section of the Democratic Party - or as I call it, the Democrat Party, which is really the correct name - it seems they're being taken advantage of like they were four years ago,' Trump said. 

The president had been asked if he had any advice for presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg who's about to participate in his first Democratic debate, Wednesday night in Las Vegas

On the tarmac President Trump focused on Sen. Bernie Sanders as he suggested that the Vermont senator and his supporters were being treated unfairly by establishment Democrats. 'It seems they're being taken advantage of like they were four years ago,' Trumps aid

On the tarmac President Trump focused on Sen. Bernie Sanders as he suggested that the Vermont senator and his supporters were being treated unfairly by establishment Democrats. 'It seems they're being taken advantage of like they were four years ago,' Trumps aid 

President Trump was alluding to the narrative that the Democratic National Committee tipped the scales in favor of Hillary Clinton four years ago when the two were running against each other for the Democratic nomination

President Trump was alluding to the narrative that the Democratic National Committee tipped the scales in favor of Hillary Clinton four years ago when the two were running against each other for the Democratic nomination  

'He doesn't need that kind of advice,' Trump answered. 'He's been doing it for a long time,' the president said of the former New York City mayor. 

Trump then turned to Sanders, who should be considered the party's frontrunner for getting the most votes in Iowa, winning New Hampshire and for his strong showing in the 2016 primary campaign. 

'It just seems unfair what's happening to Bernie Sanders, to be honest with you,' Trump said. 'I watched it four years ago,' the president said. 

In 2016, the Democratic National Committee was criticized for being too pro-Hillary Clinton during her primary race against Sanders. Overall, Sanders didn't take the nomination because he didn't have diverse support, especially among black Democrats in the south. 

Still, behind-the-scenes sniping about Sanders and his allies by DNC officials whose emails were then hacked firmed up the narrative that the party tilted the scale on Clinton's behalf. 

Trump has long complained about the way establishment Democrats treated Sanders, though with the motive to suck away some of the Vermont senator's supporters. 

The president is also trying to get his supporters engaged while the Democrats hold their primary contests. 

Trump held rallies in both Iowa and New Hampshire leading up to the first two state's caucuses and primary race. 

This week he's making Nevada - where Democrats caucus Saturday - his homebase as he does a multi-state tour though California, Arizona and Colorado. 

Trump will fundraise in California Tuesday and then hold a rally in Phoenix Wednesday night that will conflict with the Democrats' debate in Las Vegas. 

Trump will hold another rally in Colorado Springs, Colorado Thursday. 

He will hosts a noon-time rally Friday in Las Vegas.  

Trump is staying at his Las Vegas hotel property for the entirety of the trip, which means tying up traffic in the city daily while Democrats try to campaign.  

The president called his tactics 'pretty effective.'  

'We got more votes than any incumbent president in history in both Iowa and in New Hampshire as you saw,' Trump told reporters outside of Air Force One. 

He pointed a finger at the Secret Service when asked why he's flying to Nevada every night. 'Largely the schedule is set by the Secret Service,' Trump answered. 'We do what they want us to.'

And while the president will spend several days in India early next week, he promised he'd do a South Carolina event before the Democrats vote in that state on Saturday, February 29. 

'So I'll be going to South Carolina, I'm working that out now, probably the day before,' he said, teasing a Friday rally.

'Look, we have a big voice and we might as well use it,' Trump added.   

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.