Donald Trump Falsely Brags “I Beat Our Honest Abe” In Popularity Poll

In a stunning statement, President Donald Trump proudly asserted that at this point in his presidency, he is more popular than President Abraham Lincoln.

During Thursday’s interview with British tabloid The Sun he said, “You know, a poll just came out that I am the most popular person in the history of the Republican Party.”

He then added, “Beating Lincoln. I beat our Honest Abe.”

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It is difficult to ascertain the basis for the claim, given that presidential polling wasn’t even invented 80 years after Lincoln’s term. But, some have speculated that the basis for his assertion was a recent Gallup poll which found that 90 percent of Republicans approve of Trump’s job performance. This still fails to validate the president’s claim. According to the New York Times, President George W. Bush was even more popular among Republicans at this point in his presidency, peaking at 98 percent according to Gallup polls. His popularity was lifted on a wave of renewed patriotism in the wake of 9/11.

This didn’t stop the president from boasting about it via Twitter.

Trump also took the opportunity to emphasize his popularity among people of the U.K., noting that “if you had an honest poll, I’d be very strong,” Trump told The Sun. “They want the same thing I want. I love the U.K.”

A YouGov poll conducted for ITV revealed quite the opposite: 77 percent of Brits have an unfavorable view of Trump while 49 percent believe that he should not meet the Queen.

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The remarks were also made amidst ongoing demonstrations in London to protest the president’s visit, the pièce de résistance being a 20-foot-tall angry “Trump Baby” blimp mocking the president. In a earlier interview, Trump had said the caricature had made him feel “unwelcome.”

“I guess when they put out blimps to make me feel unwelcome, no reason for me to go to London,” Trump said.

The president is set to make his official visit to the Queen Friday.

Article by Cathryn Casatuta