10 Years Ago: Trump Talked About Binghamton and Spiedies

A decade ago - when Donald Trump was considering running for New York governor - he called into a radio station and wound up discussing the Binghamton area and spiedies.

The future president spoke on WNBF Radio's Binghamton Now program on January 17, 2014.

As might be expected, most of the conversation centered on politics and why he was considering a bid to be governor of the Empire State. He had plenty to say about then-governor Andrew Cuomo and the way things were going in New York.

Trump also expressed a certain fondness for the Binghamton area. When he was asked whether he had ever been to Binghamton, he replied: "Yes, I have. Many times!"

Trump said "you know, I went to camp... it was a camp called Camp Hilltop, right near Binghamton." The camp was in Hancock, about 45 miles southeast of Binghamton.

Trump said: "I went there when I was a little boy. I went to Camp Hilltop for four or five years. So I do know your area. People are shocked to hear these little things." He said he had "really great memories" of the camp. He said "my family, the kids went to Camp Hilltop. We liked it." He said he and his siblings would stay at the camp for a couple of months each summer. He said that's where he learned to play baseball.

The interview ended with an important regional question. Trump was asked whether he had ever enjoyed a spiedie. He said: "I did! I did have a spiedie." But he immediately shifted to recalling having "a good time up there." He spoke effusively about "the air" and "the woods."

Trump revealed he learned to swim at Camp Hilltop. He concluded: "It was just beautiful territory and it still is beautiful territory. Unfortunately, now it's going through a very bad period of time. There's no reason for that to happen - everything can be brought back in New York state."

Less than two months later, Trump tweeted that while he would not be running for governor, he had "much bigger plans in mind- stay tuned, will happen!"

LISTEN: Hear what Donald Trump said on News Radio WNBF about the Binghamton area and spiedies in this edited recording from January 17, 2014.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.