Trump claims his father was born in ‘a very wonderful place in GERMANY’ – but Fred was actually born in the Bronx (it was his grandfather who emigrated)
- It was at least the third time the president has misstated the country where his father was born
- He made the statement while sitting with NATO Sec. General Jens Stoltenberg
- Trump’s father, Fred Trump, was born in New York
- Friederich Trump, his grandfather, was born in Kallstadt, Germany
President Donald Trump incorrectly stated that his father was born in Germany Tuesday while both praising the country and complaining it doesn’t pay its fair share.
Trump repeated an error he has repeated in public at least twice, this time adding to the story of his father’s supposed European birth. He made the claim while seated next to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the Norwegian politician who has publicly praised Trump for encouraging allies to spend more on defense.
Trump once again vented that some a re ‘not paying their fair share,’ then turned to German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
‘I have great respect for Angela and I have great respect for the country,’ the president said. ‘My father is German, right? Was German,’ Trump said.
President Donald Trump stated Tuesday that his father was born in Germany, though he was born in New York
‘Born in a very wonderful place in Germany, so I have a great feeling for Germany.’
‘But they’re not paying what they should be paying,’ Trump added, pointing to a goal that all allied nations spend 2 per cent of their GDP on defense.
But as the Guardian pointed out when Trump made a similar claim last year on a trip to Europe, Fred Trump was born New York. He went on to build a major real estate business and pass on great wealth to his children.
It was Fred Trump’s father, Friederich Trump, who was born in Germany, in the village of Kallstadt. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1885, entered the restaurant business, moved to Seattle, the Yukon, eventually returning to Germany.
He was expelled from Germany in 1905, documents uncovered in a German archive revealed, apparently for having failed to perform military service.
BORN IN THE USA: Fred Trump at The Plaza Hotel on June 1, 1991 in New York City
Friederich Trump was born in Germany, moved to the U.S., returned, and was expelled
Trump’s grandfather Friederich Trump was born in Kallstadt, Germany, which his son called a wonderful place
Real estate developer Fred Trump, father of Donald Trump, Queens, NY, 1980.
Trump has stated on multiple occasions that his father Fred, left, was born in Germany
Trump’s mother was born in Scotland. The president invoked his ancestry in what may have been an effort to soften the threat to impose tariffs on European countries doing business with Iran.
‘I was there many, many years ago. Meaning, my parents were born in the European Union. I love these countries; Germany, Scotland, they are still in there right?’ he said.
Trump also made the claim at the NATO summit last year in Brussels, so he at least was keeping his story straight with Stoltenberg.
‘I have great respect for Germany. My father is from Germany,’ Trump said then. Then he groused: ‘Both of my parents are from the E.U., despite the fact they don’t treat us well on trade.’
Kallstadt was formerly part of Bavaria, in southern Germany.
Oddly enough, according to earlier reports, Trump’s father had previously claimed Swedish heritage to avoid anti-German sentiment. Trump repeated the claim in ‘Art of the Deal.’