U.S. President Donald Trump visited the iconic Graceland estate in Memphis, Tennessee, where he expressed admiration for legendary musician Elvis Presley, reflecting on the singer’s legacy and personal life during a tour of the historic property.
Speaking to reporters and tour guides, Trump said he had long been familiar with Presley’s work but regretted never having met him.
“I knew Frank Sinatra, I knew most of them. Unfortunately, I never met Elvis. That would be one that I would have liked a lot. I do like his music.”
The president was in Memphis as part of a visit focused on federal law enforcement efforts aimed at addressing crime levels in the city.
Reuters cited that during the tour, Presley’s music was played in the background, and Trump frequently referenced his admiration for the singer.
“Elvis would be very happy about that,” Trump said in reference to falling crime rates, adding repeatedly, “I love Elvis!”
He also noted Presley’s enduring popularity and compared generational timelines, pointing out that Presley was born in 1935, just 11 years before Trump.
“All my life I have heard about Graceland,” Trump told guides. “I was around with Elvis in his semi-prime, at least, right?”
The president was accompanied by senior administration officials, including US Attorney General Pam Bondi, during the visit. At one point, he remarked on her connection to Presley’s music, to which she responded that her mother was a fan.
Trump, who in his first term posthumously awarded Presley the Presidential Medal of Freedom, showed interest in various artefacts at Graceland, including a green military helmet and details about Presley’s personal life.
“Really? I didn’t know. That’s great,” he said upon learning that Presley’s natural hair colour was blonde.
Reflecting on the singer’s personal relationships, Trump commented on Presley’s bond with his mother.
“He loved his mom, so much. He really loved his mom. When his mom went, it was very hard for him, right?” he asked tour guides.
During the visit to the so-called Jungle Room, known for its distinctive interior design, Trump remarked on Presley’s unconventional style choices.
“He was way before his time, look, he put carpet on the ceiling,” he said.
The president also participated in a brief signing moment when presented with a replica guitar from one of Presley’s concerts. He described the request as an honour while joking about testing his pen before signing.
“Has anyone tested this pen yet? Give me a piece of paper just to make sure at what level the ink is. It’s a lot easier to do it that way than ruin the guitar,” he said.
“You never know, these are hard to sign, but that came out pretty good. Now Biden couldn’t do that, he’d have to send it out.”
When asked about Presley’s respect for the presidency and law enforcement, Trump responded with curiosity.
“Did he really?” he said.
Asked later by reporters to name his favourite Elvis song, Trump singled out a track from Presley’s later career.
“‘Hurt’ is great,” he said. “He did nothing bad.” - March 24, 2026
