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Back in December 1989, during Donald Trump’s previous reign as the King of Atlantic City, before he became the King of Ventilators, the Rolling Stones had been booked for a pay-per-view concert sponsored by the Trump Plaza casino. Not only would they perform, but as part of the deal, they would also hold a pre-concert press conference.
One hitch: The Stones insisted that Trump could not be there. They even had it written into their contract.
As the band prepared to meet the press, Trump walked in, ready to go to the podium too. The Stones refused to go out with him; one of their reps demanded that Trump leave per their contract.
Trump was furious and stormed out. “What the hell’s going on?” he asked Jack O’Donnell, the casino executive who recalls this story. “It’s my press conference.”
As we now know, it’s always Trump’s press conference.
“It doesn’t matter,” says O’Donnell. “He just can’t stand other people getting more attention. He’ll say anything if he thinks it will get him to where he wants to be.”
But when the President mused aloud about the healing potential of disinfectants last week, his stage caved in. He wasn’t getting the adoration he craves and believes he deserves. Doctors were pleading with people to disregard what Trump had said, and the President became a punchline. Republicans were privately fretting his daily appearances were dragging him down.
For the full story, visit CNN.com/Politics.
