Trump detours to Graceland during Memphis meeting
President Donald Trump took a surprise tour of Elvis Presley’s Graceland in Memphis on Monday, according to a report from the Associated Press. The stop came as Trump continued to address issues that ranged from the Iran war and its military spillover to a domestic effort to reduce long lines at U.S. airport security checkpoints.
The Graceland detour followed a roundtable meeting in Memphis focused on efforts to address crime in the city. The meeting was attended by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Attorney General Pam Bondi, among others, the AP reported.
During the meeting, Trump indicated he planned to go to Graceland afterward, telling those present, “I’m going to see Graceland after this, I think. Is that right?” He also said, “I love Elvis,” the AP reported.
The AP report said the Memphis tour arrived amid ongoing strain for travelers as thousands of Americans waded through long lines at airport security checkpoints. The strain was tied to a Homeland Security shutdown during which Trump sent federal immigration officers to assist the Transportation Security Administration, according to the report.
The tour also intersected with developments related to the Iran war. The AP said Trump was in Tennessee after ordering a “temporary” halt to planned strikes on Iranian power plants, while American forces remained engaged in a sprawling regional conflict.
Graceland, which opened as a museum and tourist attraction in 1982, is a short distance from the roundtable location, the AP said. The report described Graceland as a stately home with a stone facade and a white columned entrance, noting that Presley died in August 1977 at age 42.
The AP said Graceland temporarily closed so Trump could take a brief private tour that included examining items connected to Presley’s life. The report said Trump looked at an Army helmet Presley scrawled his “EP” initials on after basic training in 1958 and also examined details including a bread warmer and parts of the home such as the “Jungle Room,” known for its green shag carpet, Polynesian-style furniture, and an indoor rock waterfall.
During the tour, the report said Trump marveled at Presley’s gold-plated Social Security card, suggesting that the styling might be something authorities could consider bringing back. Later, after being shown Presley’s gold phone, Trump said, “I would like to hear some of those conversations,” according to the AP.
The AP report said the tour also included a guitar Trump was handed to sign. The guitar was described to Trump as a replica of one Presley used during his 1973 “Aloha From Hawaii” concert, and the AP said a Graceland guide used gloves while handling special objects.
After learning that Elvis had not actually played the guitar Trump signed, the AP reported that Trump became reflective and asked, “Could I have taken him in a fight?” He added that he lamented having never met Presley.
The AP report also described Trump’s longtime public comparisons to Presley, including playing Presley’s music at campaign rallies and asking audiences to consider whether he resembles the singer. It said Trump had at times posted images comparing his face with Presley’s and had also referenced Presley from the stage, including in 2018 at a rally in Tupelo, Mississippi, Presley’s birthplace.
As Trump signed the replica guitar and moved through the Graceland rooms, the AP reported him offering a closing reflection on celebrity comparisons, saying, “Who else would be more famous than Elvis?”