Historical figures Trump has invoked over the years

Former President Trump has invoked a variety of historical figures when attacking his legal and perceived political opponents, most recently claiming that Mother Teresa could not have defeated the charges he faces in his New York hush money trial.

During his campaign, Trump often cited prominent historical figures to boost his popularity, comparing himself to several former presidents, including Ronald Reagan and Abraham Lincoln, when talking about his accomplishments and policies.

Below are some of the historical figures he and his allies have referenced over the years.

Mother Teresa

Speaking to reporters shortly after a jury in the New York hush-money lawsuit began deliberations this week, Trump referenced Mother Teresa, a Roman Catholic nun who dedicated her life to charity work.

“Not even Mother Teresa could overturn these charges. These charges are fraudulent. We have a country in turmoil over the border and a fake election, and trials like this one where judges are so conflicted they can’t breathe,” Trump said.

Jurors are in their second day of deliberations in the New York trial, where former President Trump faces 34 charges of falsifying business records. Including the Manhattan trial, the former president faces a total of 88 criminal charges across four trials.

Trump has frequently complained that the cases against him are unfair and politically motivated, and while he has denied any wrongdoing, he has repeatedly said his legal woes are part of a “rigged” system.

Al Capone

Trump has repeatedly mentioned Al Capone at rallies, noting that he has been indicted more times than the notorious Chicago mob boss.

“Has anybody heard of the great Alphonse Capone, Al Capone? Scarface. He had scars from here to here, and he didn’t care. But he was a rough guy,” Trump told supporters in December.

“I heard he was indicted once, and then some people told me he was indicted a few more times. But I was indicted four times,” Trump added, noting Capone was a “dangerous” man.

Jesus Christ

The former president said in 2020 that the only person more famous than him is Jesus Christ.

“Someone said to me the other day, ‘You’re definitely the most famous person in the world,’ and I said, ‘No, I’m not.’ And they said, ‘Who’s more famous?’ and I said, ‘Jesus Christ,'” Trump said at the time.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) also likened Trump to Jesus Christ last year as former President Trump was being indicted in the New York hush-money case, poking fun at the comparison on “Saturday Night Live.”

Ronald Reagan

In a 2015 interview with then-CNN anchor Don Lemon, Trump compared himself to former President Ronald Reagan, saying that, like Reagan, he had once been a registered Democrat.

“You look at Ronald Reagan. He was a Democrat, but he had very liberal, or at least fairly liberal, tendencies. And then he became a Republican with some conservative tendencies. I wouldn’t say very conservative, but he was a conservative Republican,” Trump said at the time.

“Over the years, as Ronald Reagan changed, I changed too,” he added.

Some members of Reagan’s family have sought to distance themselves from Trump and other Republicans, with Reagan’s daughter Patti Davis saying earlier this year that the late president would not have a place in the Republican Party today.

Winston Churchill

The Trump White House likened Trump’s 2020 photo op outside St. John’s Episcopal Church to former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s 1941 trip to view the damage caused by World War II bombings.

“Throughout this time, we’ve seen presidents and leaders around the world demonstrate their leadership and create very powerful symbols that are important for the nation to see at any time and send a message of resilience and resolve,” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said at the time.

“Like Churchill, we saw him inspect the bomb damage, which sent a powerful message of leadership to the British people,” she added.

Abraham Lincoln

Trump has often compared himself to former President Abraham Lincoln and claimed he has done more for the black community than any president since.

“I’ve done more for black Americans than anybody except Abraham Lincoln, and nobody even comes close,” Trump said in 2020.

He also mentioned Lincoln at a 2017 rally, saying, “I am more presidential than any president that has ever served, except for the late, great Abraham Lincoln.”

Earlier this year, Trump suggested he had been treated worse than any president in history.

Elvis Presley

The former president said he felt like rock star Elvis Presley after a song with a group of men convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol topped the music charts last year.

“It’s big news, it’s No. 1 on iTunes, it’s big news on Amazon, it’s big news on Billboard. It’s Donald Trump,” he said in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity last year. “So right now I feel like I’m Elvis.”

Nelson Mandela

As his legal troubles continue, Trump has repeatedly brought up anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela, suggesting he could one day end up in prison like the former South African president.

“I don’t care if I’m Nelson Mandela, I’m doing it for a reason,” Trump said at a campaign event in New Hampshire last year. “We’ve got to save our country from these fascists, these lunatics that we’re dealing with. They’re horrible people, and they’re destroying our country.”

Mandela, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, was imprisoned for 27 years for his opposition to South Africa’s apartheid system. Authentic Social Posts Earlier this year, Trump said it would be a “great honour” to serve time in prison for violating a gag order in the hush money case, and said he would “gladly like to be a modern-day Nelson Mandela”.