Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Trump Tried to Give George Washington Posthumous Advice on What He Should Have Done 'If He Was Smart' and People Are Dragging Him

Trump Tried to Give George Washington Posthumous Advice on What He Should Have Done 'If He Was Smart' and People Are Dragging Him
NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images, Library of Congress/Getty Images

Yikes.

President Trump toured George Washington's historic Mount Vernon compound last year, and had some sage advice for America's first president. "If he was smart, he would’ve put his name on it."

Mount Vernon was home to George and Martha Washington. According to a recent report from Politico, Trump seemed less interested in the rich history of the compound and more interested in why Washington hadn't thought to secure his legacy via a personal brand. Trump reportedly said:


“If he was smart, he would’ve put his name on it. You’ve got to put your name on stuff or no one remembers you.”

In case you need a reminder, Washington's face is on the dollar bill, his visage is one of four likenesses carved into Mount Rushmore, and he did have the state capital named after him. "Good point," laughed Trump.

People couldn't even.

What's more, George Washington was unlikely to have named any of his real estate ventures after himself.

He was notoriously reticent to flaunt the extravagance of his presidency, claiming he was unfit to hold the office and insisting on staying in public lodgings during the trip from Mount Vernon to New York, where he was to be inaugurated. "He asked his countrymen not to make a fuss over his inauguration and they repeatedly, resolutely, and resoundingly ignored him," wrote Slate's John Dickerson.

Trump, on the other hand, has given his name to many of his real estate ventures. Trump Tower may be the most infamous, but others include Trump International Hotels, Trump Plaza, several golf courses, and even steaks.

Joining the Trumps on the tour was French president Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte. The tour was led by Mount Vernon president and CEO himself, Doug Bradburn, who struggled to maintain the attention of President Trump. According to Fox News, "Bradburn reportedly said the Macrons were more knowledgeable about the estate than the commander-in-chief."

The Macrons may have known more about U.S. history than America's president, but Trump was an expert in one thing: money. He reportedly asked if Washington was "really rich," and expressed admiration for his real estate dealings.

As for the Mount Vernon estate itself, Trump was unimpressed. He criticized the 18th century architecture, claiming "the rooms were too small, the staircases too narrow, and he even spotted some unevenness in the floorboards," reported Politico. "He could have built the place better, he said, and for less money,"

George Washington will probably be remembered despite Trump's concerns. Not everyone needs eponyms to secure their legacy.

More from News

Screenshot of Stephen Colbert
CBS

Stephen Colbert Makes Somber Plea To Americans In Wake Of Charlie Kirk's Death

Late-night host Stephen Colbert had a somber message for Americans as he addressed the assassination of far-right activist Charlie Kirk, stressing that "political violence only leads to more political violence."

Kirk died after an unidentified gunman shot him in the neck as he—ironically enough—mocked victims of gun violence at an event in Utah Valley State University. Kirk's murder has galvanized the far-right, with President Donald Trump and his surrogates claiming without evidence that rhetoric from Democrats is responsible for Kirk's death.

Keep ReadingShow less
a woman sunbathing on rocks.
a person sitting on a towel on a beach
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

People Share The Weirdest Flexes They Heard Someone Say With A Straight Face

It is never attractive to gloat.

Even so, some people can't help but brag, or "flex" as it is sometimes known, about certain accomplishments or attributes.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @thedowntheredoc's TikTok video
@thedowntheredoc/TikTok

TikToker Hilariously Calls Out Target After Champion Pants Feature Awkwardly-Placed Front Pleat

Sometimes you can just tell when something was designed *for* women, but was not actually designed *by* women.

Take, for instance, the new pleated pants available at Target from the Champion clothing line. While there's nothing wrong with pleated pants and they certainly have a suitable spot in the workplace, the latest rendition of Champion pleated pants are, shall we say, NSFW.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @kaicutch's Instagram video
@kaicutch/Instagram

Woman Flips Her Car After Belting Out Ironic Britney Spears Lyric In Wild Viral Video

Whether we want to admit it or not, we've all had our fair share of carpool karaoke and maybe even imagined our car as our own personal recording studio.

But TikToker and Instagrammer Kaitlynn McCutcheon may have gotten too into her performance of Britney Spears' classic, "Hit Me Baby, One More Time," when the road and her car both said, "Bet."

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from ​@lynnshazeen's TikTok video
@lynnshazeen/TikTok

Woman Goes Viral After Revealing How Her Obsession With Matcha Landed Her In The Hospital

Let's be honest: Too much of anything isn't good for us. It's all about the balance!

But the media and social media trends have taught us that certain things are really good for us, encouraging us to be like the "very mindful and very demure" girls and take care of ourselves. One such example is drinking more matcha, especially if you really like coffee or think you have a caffeine addiction.

Keep ReadingShow less