President Trump on Monday made an unexpected stop at Elvis Presley’s Graceland estate in Memphis after declaring his love for the music of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Mr. Trump was given a tour of Graceland after he participated in a law enforcement roundtable discussion in Memphis on the impact of his deploying the National Guard to combat crime in the city.
The president said it was his first time visiting the famed estate where the late singer is buried alongside his mother. Mr. Trump viewed Presley’s Army helmet and dress uniform, along with a copy of a Frank Sinatra record he owned.
Mr. Trump also saw the Medal of Freedom that he awarded to Presley long after the singer’s death, and signed an electric guitar in gold Sharpie.
“I never get tired of that music. I hear it a lot,” Mr. Trump said.
When asked to name his favorite Elvis song, Mr. Trump replied that it was “Hurt,” a 1976 ballad that became a staple of his live shows. Presley died in 1977.
“I love Elvis. I never met Elvis. I met them all. I met Sinatra; I knew all of them. I never met Elvis. Sometimes I feel I should tell a little fib and say I knew him well,” Mr. Trump said earlier at the crime roundtable.
Graceland was opened to the public as a museum in 1982. The 13.8-acre estate attracts half a million visitors each year, making it one of the most popular tourist attractions in the U.S.
