During his campaign for the presidency, former U.S. president Donald Trump hosted ex-Japanese prime minister Taro Aso at Trump Tower in New York on Tuesday. Trump gifted Aso a golden key, which appeared like a key to the White House.
On his platform Truth Social, Trump posted a photo on Wednesday showing both of them smiling and holding the key. Although Aso stepped down in 2009, he continues to be a prominent figure in Japanese politics as the vice president of the Liberal Democratic Party. The significance of the key remains a mystery. In their discussion, Trump reminisced about former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated in 2022 and was a mutual ally of both Trump and Aso, noted for enhancing U.S.-Japan relations. Trump commended Aso, calling him a “highly respected man in Japan” and expressed it was an honor to meet him.
Trump under light 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. On the social media platform X, NBC executive Mike Sington criticized Trump, implying he was masquerading as the president again. Similarly, another user on X humorously noted Trump’s apparent confusion about his presidential status. The controversy extended to other users who criticized Trump for his actions and questioned the reason behind Aso’s visit to Trump Tower, suggesting Trump was not accepting his current status as a former 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.”
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 United 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.
The truth behind the ‘White House Key’
Jared Kushner, Trump’s former White House adviser, and son-in-law, revealed in his 2022 memoir Breaking History that Trump had designed these ceremonial keys for special visitors, with Netanyahu being one of the notable recipients during the signing of the Abraham Accords in 2020, though he was not the first to receive such a gift. “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.