Throughout his run for the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada, O'Leary was compared in the press to U.S. President Donald Trump. Commentators noted that both were wealthy businessmen who gained greater fame as a result of appearing on reality television, prior to running for office, on a platform that included lowering taxes and regulations. Some commentators also found similarities in what they called both men's brash, outspoken style, though various also stated that O'Leary's bluntness, unlike Trump's, was simply part of a "carefully-cultivated persona".