Fact Check: Did Donald Trump really refer to himself as the 'King of Israel'?
WASHINGTON, DC: A claim has been floating around the internet that President Donald Trump once referred to himself as the "King of Israel."
The claim appears to refer to a tweet Trump made during his first term about a conservative radio host comparing him to royalty and even the divine.
What really happened?
In the August 21, 2019 post, Donald Trump thanked conservative radio host Wayne Allyn Root, who gushed about the POTUS being "the greatest President for Jews and for Israel in the history of the world," and went on to declare that "the Jewish people in Israel love him like he’s the King of Israel. They love him like he is the second coming of God."
The president wrote, “Thank you to Wayne Allyn Root for the very nice words. 'President Trump is the greatest President for Jews and for Israel in the history of the world, not just America, he is the best President for Israel in the history of the world...and the Jewish people in Israel love him like he’s the King of Israel. They love him like he is the second coming of God.'"
"'But American Jews don’t know him or like him. They don’t even know what they’re doing or saying anymore. It makes no sense! But that’s OK, if he keeps doing what he’s doing, he’s good for... all Jews, Blacks, Gays, everyone. And importantly, he’s good for everyone in America who wants a job.' Wow!" he added.
Who is Wayne Allyn Root?
Wayne Allyn Root isn’t exactly your run-of-the-mill political pundit. He’s a self-described “Jew turned evangelical Christian” who proudly authored 'Angry White Male: How the Donald Trump Phenomenon Is Changing America', which features a foreword by Donald Trump’s longtime buddy Roger Stone.
According to CBS News, Root is also known for peddling some seriously fringe conspiracy theories. He once claimed that even though he and Barack Obama both went to Columbia, Obama never actually went there.
He also falsely claimed that the Las Vegas mass shooting in 2017 was committed by an Islamic terrorist, which investigators flatly debunked. The shooter wasn’t Muslim, and no motive was ever confirmed.
The 'chosen one' moment
Donald Trump's self-admiration is not exactly an unknown quality. Later that same day, he couldn't help but praise himself while defending his trade war with China in front of reporters.
“This isn’t my trade war, this is a trade war that should have taken place a long time ago. Somebody had to do it,” the president said.
He then remarked, “I am the Chosen One," while looking to the heavens.
Trump continued, “Somebody had to do it, so I’m taking on China. I’m taking on China on trade, and you know what? We’re winning.”
“I was put here by people. I was put here by people to do a great job. And that’s what I’m doing," he declared.
It's worth noting that Trump had already ruffled feathers just the day before, saying that Jewish Americans who vote for Democrats showed “either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty.”
It’s always been this way for Donald Trump
If you’re wondering whether Donald Trump's god-tier self-image is new, it’s not. He has been his own hype man long before the Oval Office.
He wrote in his 1987 book, 'Trump: The Art of the Deal' (which he ranks just below the Bible), "I like thinking big. I always have. To me, it’s very simple: if you’re going to be thinking anyway, you might as well think big. Most people think small because most people are afraid of success, afraid of making decisions, afraid of winning. And that gives people like me a great advantage."
These days, Trump’s still showing love to Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, having hosted him at the White House twice during the ongoing war in Gaza.
In February, Trump suggested that the US should take over the Gaza Strip, renovate it, and basically turn it into some sort of a Middle Eastern Mar-a-Lago.
