Trump apparently once burst into a White House meeting to rave about a picture of Abraham Lincoln

President Trump really loves a good photo of Abraham Lincoln, and he'll interrupt whatever you're doing to share one, evidently.
A new Politico report on the early days of the Trump presidency describes an informal meeting in then-National Security Adviser Michael Flynn's office, which the president apparently "burst into." Trump "apologized for interrupting but said he wanted to show them something," the report said.
An aide then brought in a picture of Abraham Lincoln, which Trump described by saying, "Abraham Lincoln. President Abraham Lincoln. They've got all kinds of cool stuff here." Trump would later add a painting of himself drinking a Coke sitting across from Lincoln and other past Republican presidents to this collection of "cool stuff."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
This instance is included as an example of what Politico calls Trump's "disbelief that he, of all people, was now occupying such a weighty office," not an unbelievable claim considering Trump has expressed similar sentiments publicly, such as when he famously said in May 2017, "I'm president. Can you believe it?"
Trump has also praised Lincoln fairly randomly on a number of occasions as well, like when he declared in 2017, "With the exception of the late, great Abraham Lincoln, I can be more presidential than any president that's ever held this office."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
'More must be done'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Are masked ICE agents America's new secret police?
Today's Big Question Critics say masks undermine trust in law enforcement
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidents
The Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidents
The Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
Senate advances GOP bill that costs more, cuts more
Speed Read The bill would make giant cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, leaving 11.8 million fewer people with health coverage
-
Canadian man dies in ICE custody
Speed Read A Canadian citizen with permanent US residency died at a federal detention center in Miami
-
GOP races to revise megabill after Senate rulings
Speed Read A Senate parliamentarian ruled that several changes to Medicaid included in Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" were not permissible
-
Supreme Court lets states ax Planned Parenthood funds
Speed Read The court ruled that Planned Parenthood cannot sue South Carolina over the state's effort to deny it funding
-
Trump plans Iran talks, insists nuke threat gone
Speed Read 'The war is done' and 'we destroyed the nuclear,' said President Trump
-
Trump embraces NATO after budget vow, charm offensive
Speed Read The president reversed course on his longstanding skepticism of the trans-Atlantic military alliance
-
Trump judge pick told DOJ to defy courts, lawyer says
Speed Read Emil Bove, a top Justice Department official nominated by Trump for a lifetime seat, stands accused of encouraging government lawyers to mislead the courts and defy judicial orders