Trump Says Jerusalem Embassy Plan Made Him Look ‘Cheap’
Donald Trump Image by Getty Images
Donald Trump reportedly told a dinner for supporters of his fundraising group, America First, that back and forth on the Jerusalem embassy cost made him look “cheap,” Axios reports.
At the dinner, held at Trump International Hotel, Trump spoke for about 40 minutes on various topics, including the embassy. He said initially, “They told me it’d cost $1 billion” to build a Jerusalem embassy.
“I’m about to sign it — Donald J. — then said: ‘This is way too expensive; not a Trump deal.’ I call David Friedman [his ambassador to Israel]. He says, … ‘I can do it for $180,000.’ I said, ‘David’ — I’ve never said this — ‘you’re making me look cheap. Get the good marble! Spend $400,000,’” Trump said, according to Axios.
It’s evocative of a beloved Saturday Night Live sketch in which Scarlett Johansson played the late-night television spokeswoman for the downmarket but striving “Mike’s Marbleopolis.”
Trump announced the controversial embassy move back in December. The embassy officially opened in May to both protest and fanfare.
Juliana Kaplan is a news intern at The Forward. Email her at kaplan@forward.com
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