Fact check: Did Donald Trump ever refer to himself as king?

1. Summary of the results

The question of whether Trump referred to himself as king requires nuanced analysis. While Trump never directly proclaimed himself king, there have been several incidents involving royal rhetoric:

• Trump shared Wayne Allyn Root's quote comparing him to the "King of Israel" and "second coming of God", though this was him reposting someone else's words rather than a direct self-proclamation ^[1]
• He used the phrase "LONG LIVE THE KING!" in a social media post about New York congestion pricing ^[2]
• In February 2025, Trump-affiliated accounts posted content featuring "Long Live the King" alongside AI-generated imagery of Trump wearing a crown ^[3]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements need to be considered:

• The "King of Israel" reference was part of a larger quote Trump shared, not his own words, and was meant metaphorically to describe his popularity among Israeli people ^[1]
• The congestion pricing-related "king" reference prompted a direct response from NY Governor Kathy Hochul, who emphasized America's rejection of monarchy ^[2]
• Trump's political rhetoric and communication strategies have been described as "hyperreal" by analysts ^[4]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question oversimplifies a complex issue:

• Simply asking if Trump "referred to himself as king" lacks the necessary nuance to understand the context of these incidents
• Different groups benefit from different interpretations:
• Trump's critics benefit from portraying these incidents as literal claims to monarchy
• Trump's supporters can argue these were merely rhetorical devices or quotes from others