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Did Donald Trump gift ‘White House Key’ to ex-Japanese PM Taro Aso during NY meeting? Here's the truth
Amid his ongoing campaign for the White House, Donald Trump welcomed former Japanese prime minister Taro Aso to Trump Tower in New York on Tuesday.
Amid his ongoing campaign for the White House, former US president Donald Trump welcomed former Japanese prime minister Taro Aso to Trump Tower in New York on Tuesday.
Trump, who is currently on trial in a hush money case, presented Aso with a golden key, which appeared like a key to the White House.
Taking to his social media platform Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump shared a picture from the meeting in which the duo can be seen smiling and posing with a key. Aso resigned from his position in 2009 but his political presence remains significant in Japan as the vice president of the country's Liberal Democratic Party. It is still unclear what the key means.
During the meeting, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee brought up former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated in 2022. Abe was an ally of both Aso and Trump and was hailed for strengthening ties between the US and Japan. According to reports, Trump praised Aso as a “highly respected man in Japan”, adding that "it's a great honor to have him."
Trump under fire for gifting White House 'Key'
However, what garnered the attention of the media and Trump's critics was the ‘key’ that he gifted to Aso. The gesture raised several eyebrows, with one questioning “what gives him the right to do this”, while others pointed out that Trump was just pretending to be the president.
In a post on X, NBC executive Mike Sington wrote: “Not sure what gives him the right to do this. Probably Citizen Trump once again pretending to be President.”
"Cannot believe Trump actually gave a "Key to the White House" to former Japanese PM at the Trump Tower. He still thinks he's President," one X user quipped.
“Trump is living in an alternate reality. He's not the president anymore & definitely doesn't have the right to hand out keys to the White House. Why was the former Prime Minister of Japan at Trump Tower anyway?” another wrote.
Former federal and state Prosecutor Ron Filipkowski posted on X: “Trump presenting a ‘Key to the White House’ to the former Japanese PM at Trump Tower last night.”
Responding to Filipkowski's tweet, one of his followers made fun of Trump's recent attempts to raise money for his campaign, which have included selling $399 golden sneakers and $59.99 Bibles. “I’m guessing he’ll sell Trump keys soon at $39.95m" he wrote, while another follower said, “He's deciding that he can do whatever he pleases and that includes acting as if he is the President of the Untied States. This is beyond outrageous.”
Meanwhile, one X user pointed out that Trump gifted Aso a made up key, which is not sanctioned by the US government.
“He’s giving him a made up key. It’s a Donald J. Trump Ceremonial White House Key. Not sanctioned by our government. Selling online at auction houses. He is a conman and grifter the likes of which we have never seen before. I guarantee he charges the cost to his campaign,” Jeffrey Levy wrote.
Here's the truth behind the ‘White House Key’
Jared Kushner, former White House adviser and son-in-law of Trump, said in his 2022 memoir 'Breaking History' that the former president created such keys for special visitors. The phrases "Key to the White House" and the presidential seal were inscribed on them.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who traveled to the United States in 2020 to witness the signing of the Abraham Accords, was among the receivers of the key during President Trump's first term. However, Kushner mentioned in the memoir that Netanyahu was not the first person to receive the key.
"When Trump met with [Netanyahu], he whipped out his signature gift—an oversize bronze 'key to the White House' in a wooden box carved with the presidential seal," Kushner stated in the memoir. "Trump had designed the key himself to give to special guests.
