Trump says crowds call him ‘GOAT’ when asked if he would be compared to Washington and Lincoln
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump brushed aside questions about his place in history during an NBC Nightly News interview with anchor Tom Llamas.
The Republican responded with laughter when asked if he might one day be compared to former presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
Instead of embracing the comparison, Trump pointed to public reaction, saying people often chant “GOAT”, acronym for 'greatest of all time' when they see him.
NBC: "Do you think, at one point, people will talk about you when they talk about presidents like Washington and Lincoln?"@POTUS: "Well, all I know is this, it's such an honor... everyone's screaming, 'GOAT! GOAT!'... I hope they're right—not for me, but for the country." pic.twitter.com/CzlbMclH2c
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 5, 2026
Trump laughs at potential for Washington, Lincoln comparison
During the conversation, Llamas asked Trump whether he believed people would someday talk about him in the same breath as America’s first president and the leader who guided the nation through the Civil War.
Trump responded with laughter before describing how he is greeted in public.
“All I know is this, it’s such an honor but - all I know walking down and everyone’s screaming, ‘GOAT, GOAT.’ I said, ‘What are they talking about?’” Trump said.
He quickly shifted the focus away from himself, adding that any praise only matters if the country is doing well.
“I hope they’re right, not for me, but for the country. Because if I do a great job that means the country’s doing well,” he continued.
Legacy projects, glamour and Trump’s vision for national prestige
Llamas also asked Trump about several high-profile construction projects he has spoken about, including a new ballroom, a large arch, and what Trump has referred to as a “Garden of Heroes.”
The NBC anchor questioned whether these efforts were designed to ensure the country would never forget him.
Trump firmly rejected that idea.
“No,” he said, before explaining his broader vision.
“I think we need glamour brought back to our country. We need prestige. We need beauty brought - I mean, in addition to everything else we need strength, we need all of those things,” Trump said.
He went on to describe plans for what he called a triumphal arch, noting that similar structures exist across the world.
“Like, I’m doing an arch, a triumphal - they call it a triumphal arch. Fifty-seven cities have archs,” Trump added.
Not the first time Trump has invoked Washington and Lincoln
This is not the first time Trump has addressed comparisons to Washington and Lincoln, though the context has differed. In the NBC interview, he was asked whether future generations might place him alongside the two former presidents.
Previously, during an Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in March 2025, Trump jokingly raised the same names himself when questioned about his place in world history.
When asked what position in history he would like to occupy and whether he associated himself with any famous figures, Trump responded by naming George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
He then jokingly said he would claim he was “far superior” to them, before immediately clarifying that he was kidding.
Trump went on to say that if he made such a claim seriously, “fake news would spread,” stressing that he never compares himself to anyone.
He said he is focused on doing his job and pointed to what he described as a strong first 35 days or month, marked by significant accomplishments.
He added that it would be especially meaningful if he could help stop the war and bring about normalization, something he said he hopes will happen soon.
