President Donald Trump made claims on Monday, Aug. 25, that Maryland Gov. Wes Moore privately said Trump is “the greatest president” in Moore’s lifetime
The president claimed that the governor made the remarks at the Army-Navy football game in December 2024
Moore denied the claims in an X post, saying, “Keep telling yourself that, Mr. President”
President Donald Trump claimed that Maryland Gov. Wes Moore privately told him that he’s been “the greatest president” in the governor’s lifetime.
On Monday, Aug. 25, the president was speaking to reporters in the Oval Office about Maryland’s largest city, Baltimore, saying that the “horrible death bed” is filled with crime. As Trump, 79, continued, he remarked that he met Moore, 46, at the 2024 Army-Navy football game in mid-December in Landover, Md.
There, Trump claims Moore approached him. “He came over, he hugged me, he shook my hand. He said, ‘Sir, you are the greatest president in my lifetime,’ ” Trump claimed, adding that Moore allegedly told him, “‘Sir, you’re doing a fantastic job. I just want to shake your hand.’ ”
But Moore immediately denied Trump’s claims. First, he reposted the video of Trump’s statement and simply replied, “lol.”
He then followed it up by adding a second post, writing, “Keep telling yourself that, Mr. President.”
Later, Moore spoke with local radio station WBAL and continued to deny the claims. “I’m a person who takes my integrity very seriously, and I spent the past six months before that election as to why I did not think he should be the next president of the United States.”
“So when I say that conversation never happened, that imaginary conversation never happened,” Moore continued. “I mean, it never happened.”
“Moore and the president met, but the governor did not say that,” Moore’s senior communications adviser, Carter Elliott IV, said, per The Washington Post.
On Sunday, Aug. 24, Trump threatened to send military forces to Baltimore. That same day, the president also said in a Truth Social post that Baltimore is “out of control” and “crime-ridden.”
Moore responded by inviting the president to join him and Baltimore city officials to walk the streets and discuss public safety. However, Trump declined the invite and said on Monday, “Clean up your crime, and I’ll walk with you.”
The back and forth between the two politicians also comes weeks after Trump deployed the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and the National Guard to fight crime and target the homeless in the nation’s capital.
Trump announced during a press conference on Aug. 11 that he declared a “public safety emergency.”
Since then, troops have poured into the city, leading to increased arrests. Protests have also broken out due to ICE checkpoints popping up around the city and the police increasing curfew zones for minors.
During an interview with conservative radio host Todd Starnes on Thursday, Aug. 21, Trump claimed their efforts have been successful. “So we’re going to do a job. The National Guard is great. They’ve done a fantastic job,” he said.