Trump Tells Local Anchor He Was Pals With ‘Elvis Has Left the Building’ Hotel Manager

President Donald Trump told a local news anchor he was friends with the hotel manager whose venue popularized the iconic phrase, “Elvis has left the building!”

Trump held an event in Memphis, Tennessee on Monday, during which Trump urged Republicans to pass a package of legislation “for Jesus.”

After the roundtable, the president granted an interview to Good Morning Memphis anchor Valerie Calhoun of WHBQ-TV Fox 13 Memphis.

Calhoun asked Trump about his visit to Graceland, which was to take place shortly thereafter. Trump told Calhoun that he “never met” Elvis Presley, but was friends with the manager of the Hilton Hotel where the phrase “Elvis has left the building” gained popularity:

LOCAL ANCHOR VALERIE CALHOUN: Mr. President, I hear you’re going to Graceland today.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I am. You know, okay. They all ask. They all think I knew Elvis, and I wish I did.

But I didn’t know him. I knew Sinatra. I knew everybody. I never met Elvis.

But I love Elvis. He was a great character. He would sing at the Hilton. The manager of the Hilton was a friend of mine. He said “There was nothing like it. They’d say ‘Elvis has left the building’ because they’d rip the theater apart.'”.

They say “He has left the building.”.

So they asked me, go to Graceland. I said, absolutely.

LOCAL ANCHOR VALERIE CALHOUN: Would it be fair to say that you brought the Jailhouse Rock to Memphis?

Well, maybe a little bit. But we brought a lot of criminals out of Memphis. That’s important.

You know, we removed over 3,000 criminals. And they caused a lot of problem. And we’re getting more out.

You’re going to have a very safe city. I mean, it is now, but you’re going to have a really safe city very shortly.

Watch above via WHBQ-TV Fox 13 Memphis.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!