Camilla Jessen
Donald Trump’s claim about praise from Maryland Governor Wes Moore didn’t just fall flat—it drew a sharp public rebuke.
Donald Trump claimed Maryland’s governor called him “the greatest president”.
Wes Moore wasted no time in shutting that down.
Trump Claims Praise from Moore
During a press event on August 25, President Donald Trump claimed that Maryland Governor Wes Moore had called him “the greatest president” of his lifetime.
According to Newsner, the remark came as Trump once again painted Baltimore—a traditionally Democrat-leaning city—as a crime-ridden “death bed.”
Moore Fires Back
But Moore wasn’t having any of it.
Within hours, the governor shut down the claim with six words on X:
“Keep telling yourself that, Mr. President.”
“That Conversation Never Happened”
The governor didn’t stop there. In an interview with WBAL Radio, Moore addressed Trump’s comments head-on:
“I’m a person who takes my integrity very seriously,” he said. “I spent the past six months before that election campaigning as to why I did not think that he should be the next president of the United States.”
“So when I say that conversation never happened—that imaginary conversation never happened—I mean that conversation never happened.”
Meanwhile, Carter Elliott IV, Moore’s senior communications adviser, confirmed the governor and president had met, but made it clear: “The governor did not say that.”
Trump Doubles Down with More Attacks
Instead of backing off, Trump used the moment to further criticize Moore, along with other Democrat leaders like California Governor Gavin Newsom.
“Moore is doing a bad job, Newsom is doing a bad job. All of their potential candidates are doing a bad job,” Trump said during the event.
Trump claimed Moore didn’t “have what it takes” to reduce crime in Maryland, despite recent FBI data showing violent crime in the state has decreased.
2028 in Sight for Both Parties?
Wes Moore has increasingly been floated as a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, praised for his leadership style and rising national profile.
On the Republican side, Vice President JD Vance is considered the frontrunner to succeed Trump, though Trump himself may not be out of the picture just yet.
Trump 2028
Despite constitutional term limits, Trump has recently teased the idea of running again in 2028.
In March, he told supporters: “A lot of people want me to do it. There are methods which you could do it.”
Fueling that speculation further, Trump is now selling “Trump 2028” caps on his campaign website.
Trump’s Pattern of Exaggeration
The Baltimore moment follows a familiar Trump pattern, praising himself through the words of others, real or invented.
But as more political leaders push back in real time, the scrutiny around Trump’s statements continues to grow.
