Donald Trump is more like Democratic Presidents John F. Kennedy and Bill Clinton, while Hillary Clinton is more Republican Richard Nixon, fast-food chain CEO Andy Puzder said Monday.
Comparing the candidates without mentioning their names, Puzder told CNBC's "Squawk Box": "I view one of them as a very corrupt, very dishonest, power hungry candidate — much like a Richard Nixon type."
While likening Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton to a notorious Republican, Puzder alluded to Trump as having qualities of two popular Democrats. "I view the other one as more of an alpha-male, John Kennedy-Bill Clinton type candidate."
"You can't just take Donald Trump out and look at him like there's no other candidates in the race. He's running against somebody who's got her own record and her own personality problems," said Puzder, CEO of Carl's Jr. and Hardee's parent CKE Restaurants and a senior policy advisor to the Trump campaign.
In response to a question about whether his support has wavered in the wake of the leaked "Access Hollywood" video of Trump bragging about groping women, Puzder said: "I'm not here to be a Donald Trump apologist."
He said he came on CNBC to talk about Trump's economic ideas, not tabloid fodder.