Quotes by Donald Trump on the Term ‘American Exceptionalism’
#DonaldTrump 8/30/15: "‘American exceptionalism’ — I don’t like the term…I never liked it…I don’t think we should say it." » #TrumpAgenda 8/23/20: "Teach American Exceptionalism" Click To Tweet
Quotes by Donald Trump on the Term ‘American Exceptionalism’
THEN
2013 - 2015

“I thought [Putin’s New York Times OpEd] was amazingly well crafted… And when he criticizes the president for using the term ‘American exceptionalism,’ if you’re in Russia, you don’t want to hear that America is exceptional. And if you’re in many other countries, whether it’s Germany or other places, you don’t want to hear about American exceptionalism because you think you’re exceptional. So I can see that being very insulting to the world.
“And that’s basically what Putin was saying is that, you know, you use a term like ‘American exceptionalism,’ and frankly, the way our country is being treated right now by Russia and Syria and lots of other places and with all the mistakes we’ve made over the years, like Iraq and so many others, it’s sort of a hard term to use.
“But other nations and other countries don’t want hear about American exceptionalism. They’re insulted by it. And that’s what Putin was saying.”
- Sept 12, 2013
Fox News, Sept 12, 2013
Trump: 'Embarrassing' how Putin has 'played' Obama
- Sept 13, 2013
Mediaite, Sept 13, 2013
Donald Trump to Piers Morgan: Obama ‘Can’t Compete’ with Putin’s ‘Amazing’ Op-Ed
“And I can tell you that there are many countries throughout the world that are extremely angry with that term ‘American exceptionalism.’ Countries that are doing better than we are—far better than we are. You’re looking to get along with the world, and you say you’re exceptional? So I never particularly like the term. I think you can think it, but I’m not sure it’s something that you should necessarily be talking so much about. By the way, when Reagan used it we were a more exceptional country, OK? We were a more exceptional country. When Reagan used it you had no idea that China would be beating us economically and taking over in two months the mantle of being the great economic power.”
- June 20, 2014
American Spectator (via Archive.org), June 20, 2014
A Trump Card
“When you’re doing business–I watch Obama every once in a while saying ‘American exceptionalism,’ it’s — I don’t like the term. Because we’re dealing—First of all, I want to take everything back from the world that we’ve given them. We’ve given them so much. On top of taking it back, I don’t want to say, ‘We’re exceptional. We’re more exceptional.’ Because essentially we’re saying we’re more outstanding than you. ‘By the way, you’ve been eating our lunch for the last 20 years, but we’re more exceptional than you.’
“I don’t like the term. I never liked it. When I see these politicians get up [and say], ‘the American exceptionalism’ — we’re dying. We owe 18 trillion in debt. I’d like to make us exceptional. And I’d like to talk later instead of now. Does that make any sense? Because I think you’re insulting the world. And you, know, Jim, if you’re German, or you’re from Japan, or you’re from China, you don’t want to have people saying that.
“I never liked the expression. And I see a lot of good patriots get up and talk about Amer—you can think it, but I don’t think we should say it. We may have a chance to say it in the not-too-distant future. But even then, I wouldn’t say it because when I take back the jobs, and when I take back all that money and we get all our stuff, I’m not going to rub it in. Let’s not rub it in. Let’s not rub it in. But I never liked that term.”
- April 30, 2015
Mother Jones, June 7, 2016
Donald Trump Says He Doesn’t Believe in 'American Exceptionalism'
NOW
2020

Aug 23, 2020 -
Trump 2020 Election Campaign, Aug 23, 2020
TRUMP CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCES PRESIDENT TRUMP’S 2ND TERM AGENDA: FIGHTING FOR YOU!
Aug 31, 2020 -
White House, Aug 31, 2020
Remarks by President Trump in Press Briefing | August 31, 2020
#DonaldTrump 6/20/14: "I think ❲‘American exceptionalism’ is❳ a very dangerous term…I never particularly like the term." » #Trump 8/31/20: "We must teach our children that America is an exceptional…nation." Click To Tweet