Trump rejects 'phony' claims that Queen Elizabeth found him 'rude', says he was her 'favorite president'
LONDON, UK: Former President Donald Trump unleashed a fiery rebuttal on Wednesday, August 21, vehemently denying "phony" allegations made in an explosive new biography that Queen Elizabeth II found him "very rude" during their meetings.
Branding the author as a "sleazebag" out to sell books, Trump strongly defended his relationship with the late monarch saying, "I heard I was her favorite president."
Trump dismisses 'totally false' claims that Queen Elizabeth questioned his marriage
In the upcoming biography 'A Voyage Around the Queen,' author Craig Brown claims that Queen Elizabeth II privately expressed her displeasure with Donald Trump's behavior and "particularly disliked" his tendency to look over her shoulder.
The book also suggests that the Queen speculated about the nature of the GOP presidential nominee's marriage to Melania Trump.
The author writes in published excerpts, "She also believed President Trump 'must have some sort of arrangement' with his wife Melania, or else why would she have remained married to him?"
Trump, however, has flatly denied these claims, calling them "totally false" and insisting that his relationship with the Queen was "just the opposite."
"I had a great relationship with the Queen. She liked me, and I liked her," the twice impeached former president said while speaking after a campaign rally in Asheboro, North Carolina, reported Daily Mail.
Queen Elizabeth reportedly found Donald Trump and family ‘gracious'
Moreover, Donald Trump's claims are supported by a former aide with intimate knowledge of Queen Elizabeth's views, who stated that the monarch found him to be "a really gracious and wonderful guest" during their state visit.
Trump was hosted by Queen Elizabeth twice during his presidency: first in July 2018 for a working visit, and again in June 2019 for an official state visit, when he was accompanied by his wife Melania and four of his five children—Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump and Tiffany Trump.
“She said they were a lovely family to have in the palace,” added the ex-staffer, per New York Post.
Despite the pomp and ceremony, Trump made headlines for breaking royal protocol on both occasions. In July 2018, he walked ahead of the Queen while inspecting the Guard of Honor at Windsor Castle.
A year later, during a state dinner, he placed his hand on her back while toasting her as a "great, great woman."
Despite these breaches, Trump's enthusiasm for the British Royal Family remained undiminished. He attributes his fondness to his Scottish mother and childhood memories of watching the Queen's coronation.
Donald Trump slams author as a 'sleazebag' trying to sell books
Despite the controversies, Donald Trump remains adamant that his interactions with Queen Elizabeth were overwhelmingly positive.
During the state visit, the longest-reigning Queen gifted Trump an abridged first edition of Winston Churchill’s book on World War II and presented Melania with a "specially commissioned silver box" featuring a “handcrafted enamel lid” that matched the ceiling of Buckingham Palace’s music room.
Trump expressed, "It's a shame that a sleazebag can write an article that's totally false. She said to friends of mine that 'President Trump was my favorite president.'"
"And then you have this guy looking for some publicity for a book that probably is phony, and a lot of other ways too. We had an unbelievable relationship. She was an amazing woman," he added.
Trump, whose poll numbers have declined since President Joe Biden exited the race, discussed national security, Afghanistan, and his campaign against Democratic frontrunner Vice President Kamala Harris in a wide-ranging interview on Wednesday. This came after his first outdoor rally since being shot.
