There Is Growing Speculation That Trump’s Francophile Friend 'Jim' Is Not Real
President Trump’s visit to France has prompted rising speculation about the identity--and even existence--of his friend Jim, who Trump claimed told him about Paris’ declining state.
President Trump’s visit to France has prompted rising speculation about the identity--and even existence--of his friend Jim, who Trump claimed told him about Paris’ declining state.
The story erupted with an Associated Press report titled, 'Trump in Paris: The curious case of his friend Jim.'
In it, journalist Vivian Salama writes, “Whether Jim exists is unclear. Trump has never given his last name. The White House has not responded to a request for comment about who Jim is or whether he will be on the trip.”
The friend was thrust into spotlight in February when Trump spoke to a crowd about the importance of U.S. border security and the problems Europe was having.
He proceeded to talk about his friend Jim who no longer visits the French capital regularly because, as Jim reportedly told him, “Paris? I don’t go there anymore. Paris is no longer Paris.”
The U.S. president’s comments caused Anne Hidalgo, the city’s mayor, to respond with a photo of herself with Mickey and Minnie Mouse and the wry caption, “To @realDonaldTrump and his friend Jim, in [the Eiffel Tower] we celebrate the dynamism and the spirit of openness of #Paris with Mickey & Minnie.”
In March, the New Yorker also tried to find out who this mysterious man may be, eliminating wealthy, high-profile Jim’s in sports, business, politics, and the society pages.
The piece concluded by calling the elusive friend “the jet-setting counterpart to those vague characters (like Joe the Plumber) with whom politicians have so long stocked their narratives of economic stagnation.”
The current speculation has not gone unnoticed in Paris; referring to a joint news conference held by Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron, NBC News’ Bradd Jaffy tweeted “Reporter asks about Trump's friend, ‘Jim,’ who says Paris is no longer Paris—and who may or may not exist. Still no confirmation from Trump.”
President Trump’s visit to France has prompted rising speculation about the identity--and even existence--of his friend Jim, who Trump claimed told him about Paris’ declining state.
The story erupted with an Associated Press report titled, 'Trump in Paris: The curious case of his friend Jim.'
In it, journalist Vivian Salama writes, “Whether Jim exists is unclear. Trump has never given his last name. The White House has not responded to a request for comment about who Jim is or whether he will be on the trip.”
The friend was thrust into spotlight in February when Trump spoke to a crowd about the importance of U.S. border security and the problems Europe was having.
He proceeded to talk about his friend Jim who no longer visits the French capital regularly because, as Jim reportedly told him, “Paris? I don’t go there anymore. Paris is no longer Paris.”
The U.S. president’s comments caused Anne Hidalgo, the city’s mayor, to respond with a photo of herself with Mickey and Minnie Mouse and the wry caption, “To @realDonaldTrump and his friend Jim, in [the Eiffel Tower] we celebrate the dynamism and the spirit of openness of #Paris with Mickey & Minnie.”
In March, the New Yorker also tried to find out who this mysterious man may be, eliminating wealthy, high-profile Jim’s in sports, business, politics, and the society pages.
The piece concluded by calling the elusive friend “the jet-setting counterpart to those vague characters (like Joe the Plumber) with whom politicians have so long stocked their narratives of economic stagnation.”
The current speculation has not gone unnoticed in Paris; referring to a joint news conference held by Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron, NBC News’ Bradd Jaffy tweeted “Reporter asks about Trump's friend, ‘Jim,’ who says Paris is no longer Paris—and who may or may not exist. Still no confirmation from Trump.”
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