Former president Donald Trump is facing criticism from critics for presenting what appeared to be a key to the White House to a senior Japanese official, even though Trump is not currently occupying the 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue residence.
Trump received former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso at Trump Tower on Tuesday evening, hours after the ex-president and alleged Republican The presidential candidate left the courtroom as part of his secret criminal trial underway in Manhattan.
CHRISTOPH SCHMIDT/DPA/AFP via Getty Images
At the meeting, the two men posed with a key, commemorated in an image posted by Trump on his Truth Social platform, smiling alongside the ex-prime minister who left office in 2009 but remains influential in Japan as vice-president of the country’s Liberal Party. Democratic Party. The meaning of the key is unknown.
The Trump campaign shared a readout of the two men’s discussion with News week but did not comment on the key presented to Aso.
“(Aso) is a well-respected man in Japan and beyond,” Trump told reporters when they met in the lobby of Trump Tower, according to reports. “It’s a great honor to have him.”
Trump also brought up former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a friend and ally of Trump and Aso who is credited with establishing their friendship. Abe was assassinated in 2022.
The image of the couple posing with the key attracted attention online.
“I’m not sure what gives him the right to do that.” wrote ancient BNC Mike Sington, head of Universal, on X. “Probably Citizen Trump once again pretending to be president.”
“Trump and former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso pose with a “ceremonial key” to the White House on Tuesday. It was yesterday Tuesday, not Tuesday from 01/20/17 to 01/20/21. If he thinks that he has the right to do that, what else does he give?” wrote User X @DoctorHenryCT.
“Trump is crazy. He’s living in another apartment yesterday. This is a photo of him yesterday giving… A KEY TO THE WHITE HOUSE… to the Japanese Prime Minister. He’s delusional,” a- he added. wrote user @ALT-uscis.
Jared Kushner, son-in-law of the ex-president and former White House adviser, wrote in his 2022 memoir Break the story that his father-in-law had designed keys for special guests. They were engraved with the presidential seal and the words “Key to the White House.”
One of the recipients of the key during Trump’s first term was the Israeli prime minister. Benjamin Netanyahu, who visited the United States in 2020 during the signing of the Abraham Accords. Netanyahu was not the first to receive the key, Kushner said.
“When Trump met with (Netanyahu), he brought out his signature gift: an oversized bronze ‘key to the White House’ in a wooden box engraved with the presidential seal,” Kushner writes in his memoir. “Trump designed the key himself to give to special guests.
“‘It’s the first key I give to anyone,’ (Trump) said. “‘Even when I’m no longer president, you can walk up to the front door of the White House and present it, and they will.’ let you in.’”
Kushner admits that he and fellow White House adviser Avi Berkowitz “tried to keep from laughing” at the key offer.
According to a Message During the Trump campaign, Trump and Aso discussed the enduring importance of the U.S.-Japan alliance to the physical and economic security of both countries and to stability in the Indo-Pacific.
They also discussed the challenges posed by China and North Korea, with Trump welcoming Japan’s increased defense spending.
The Trump-Aso meeting took place about two weeks after President Joe Biden received Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House, with the aim of strengthening the two countries’ military alliance in response to growing geopolitical tensions.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
