Billionaire real estate mogul, reality television star, and now pretend presidential candidate, Donald Trump claimed last week that he once took part in a devious plan to undermine Muammar Gadhafi’s power by taking his money.

“I think I probably have more experience of anybody — whether I sell them real estate for tremendous amounts of money. I mean, I’ve dealt with everybody,” the billionaire real-estate mogul told Fox News Monday morning, touting his supposed foreign policy credentials. “And by the way, I can tell you something else. I dealt with Gadhafi. I rented him a piece of land. He paid me more for one night than the land was worth for two years, and then I didn’t let him use the land.”

“That’s what we should be doing. I don’t want to use the word ‘screwed’, but I screwed him,” Trump continued. “That’s what we should be doing.”

That sounds sort of impressive, but it is not true.  In 2009, Trump came under inspection when he rented property to Gadhafi.  After a rambling, conspiracy-theory-filled speech delivered at the U.N., Gadhafi planned to spend the night in Bedford, N.Y., where his agents pitched a giant Bedouin tent on a property owned by Trump.  Local officials were unhappy at the news that their small town would be hosting an accused sponsor of terror and they ordered the tent be dismantled, claiming it violated building codes. Trump, at the time, claimed ignorance.  He said he did not know he was renting his land to a dictator.

After a day of controversy, Trump then asked Gaddafi to go elsewhere.  “We have requested that the tenant occupying the property in Bedford, N.Y. remove the tent that was erected. They have complied with this request. Additionally, Mr. Gadhafi will not be going to the property,” said Trump Organization spokeswoman Rhona Graff.

So is that how you screw a dictator, Mr. Trump?  Your version of events sounds far more impressive than what actually happened.  I guarantee Gadhafi got his money back.

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About the author

Erin Chavez
Erin Whitney-Chavez has been writing professionally since 2009. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts from St. Bonaventure University and received a Master of Arts in mental-health counseling from Argosy University. Erin Whitney-Chavez is a licensed mental health counselor and has worked in the mental-health field for more than 10 years.