Donald Trump, the 45th US president, turns 80 on Sunday. While many recall his relentless attacks on Joe Biden's age during the 2024 campaign, a more entertaining exercise is to examine how Trump views himself. He frequently likens himself to historical figures like Ronald Reagan, Abraham Lincoln, and Nelson Mandela, but his comparisons often go further into the bizarre. Here are some of the strangest.
Jesus Christ
Trump has a history of comparing himself to Jesus. In April 2024, he shared an AI-generated image on Truth Social showing him healing the sick, though he later claimed he thought it depicted him as a doctor after backlash from Christians. During his hush money trial, he quoted a supporter saying, "It's ironic that Christ walked through His greatest persecution the very week they are trying to steal your property from you." Trump later appealed his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records.
The Mona Lisa
In 2023, Trump compared his rallies to the Mona Lisa, claiming fans arrive four days early to see him. "The front row Joes get it and they see it. You have people that go to the Mona Lisa and they will see it hundreds and hundreds of times and it gets better every time," he said.
Elvis Presley
Trump has repeatedly claimed he looked like Elvis Presley as a young man. In 2018, visiting Tupelo, Mississippi, he said, "Other than the blond hair, when I was growing up they said I looked like Elvis. Can you believe it? I always considered that a great compliment."
Mother Teresa
During his 2024 hush money trial, Trump compared himself to Mother Teresa, claiming, "Mother Teresa could not beat those charges. But we'll see. We'll see how we do." He omitted that the nun never engaged in hush money payments or document tampering.
Al Capone
Trump has often invoked Al Capone in response to his legal troubles, claiming politically motivated prosecutions. In a speech last year, he said, "Alphonse Capone — the great Alphonse Capone, legendary Scarface — was attacked only a tiny fraction of what Trump was attacked."
Winston Churchill
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Trump compared his downplaying of the virus to Churchill's wartime leadership, saying, "It was very well known that he was standing on buildings, and they were bombing. And he says everyone's going to be safe. I don't think that's being necessarily honest, and yet I think it's being a great leader."
