- President Donald Trump said George Washington should have named his estate Mount Vernon after himself because "you’ve got to put your name on stuff or no one remembers you,"according to Politico.
- Washington is the most-recognized president in history. The city where Trump lives, Washington, DC, is named after him.
- Like Trump, Washington amassed enormous amounts of real estate to grow his wealth, but he didn't name buildings after himself like Trump did.
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President Donald Trump said that President George Washington should have named Mount Vernon after himself in order to be remembered, according to Politico.
Trump reportedly made the remarks on a visit to the sprawling plantation estate in Virginia— where Washington spent his post-presidency — last April with French President Emmanuel Macron. The two were given a tour by Mount Vernon president and CEO Doug Bradburn.
"If he was smart, he would've put his name on it," Trump said, according to Politico, citing three sources briefed on the exchange. "You’ve got to put your name on stuff or no one remembers you."
George Washington is the most-recognized president in United States history, according to surveys. Washington, DC, where Trump lives, is named after him, as is the state of Washington and hundreds of memorials across the Unites States and rest of the world.
Read more: Here’s a tour of George Washington’s estate, Mount Vernon
Trump, a reality TV star and real estate tycoon before the presidency, frequently names companies and products after himself. Many of the buildings carrying his name aren't actually owned by his companies, but are owned by others who licensed his brand name.
According to Politico, Bradburn tailored his tour of Mount Vernon to Trump's interest in real estate, since Trump has said he has little interest in history. Washington was something of a real estate mogul himself. In his lifetime, he grew Mount Vernon into a sprawling, 500-acre estate that was passed down through his family for generations.
Trump criticized Washington's 18th century mansion, saying the staircases were too small and the floorboards too uneven, and said he could have built it better for less money, according to Politico. He admired Washington's deathbed, though, according to Politico, calling it "a good bed to die in."
- Read more:
- A Trump re-election video featuring music from 'The Dark Knight Rises' reportedly got taken down after a copyright claim from Warner Bros.
- Here’s a tour of George Washington’s estate, Mount Vernon
- Here's what it was like to be George Washington, the richest president in US history
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