Donald Trump’s past television appearance is making the rounds online again for reasons he likely didn’t anticipate — or approve of.
A 1987 interview from CNN’s “Crossfire” has resurfaced like an unwelcome ghost from the past, revealing what many are calling a textbook example of Trump being caught in an embarrassing lie about his reading habits.
The clip, featuring a much younger Trump attempting to navigate questions about literature with hosts Pat Buchanan and Tom Braden, has become a viral sensation that’s reigniting long-standing questions about the 47th president’s relationship with the written word.
The interview began innocently enough when Buchanan asked Trump about his favorite authors. With characteristic confidence, Trump declared that he had a “number of favorite authors,” but Tom Wolfe was “excellent” among his preferred writers.
But when Buchanan pressed further, asking specifically about “Vanity the Bonfires” – his mispronunciation of “The Bonfire of the Vanities” – Trump firmly stated, “I did not” read it.
Co-host John Sununu asked what book he was reading at the moment, the president said, “I’m reading my own book again because I think it’s fantastic.”
However, just moments later, when asked about the best book he’d read besides his own “Art of the Deal,” Trump enthusiastically praised “Tom Wolfe’s last book,” saying he did a “beautiful job.”
When Buchanan clarified he was referring to “Bonfire of the Vanities,” Trump quickly agreed, saying, “Yes. And the man has done a very, very good job.”
The contradictory statements didn’t go unnoticed when the clip made its rounds on social media.
One Instagram user didn’t mince words, declaring, “He has never read a book,” while another added with biting sarcasm, “I don’t believe he can read at all. But boy can he lie comfortably – badly but comfortably.”
The online commentary grew increasingly pointed, with one person joking, “He doesn’t read, ever. Even the crap he signs.”
Another observer noted with apparent frustration, “He didn’t even know the name of the book because he can’t read!!”
Perhaps most tellingly, someone else concluded, “Omgsh they 100% knew Trump is illiterate. Trolled him so hard. Would love to watch them laughing backstage after the show.”
The resurfaced interview has breathed new life into persistent rumors about Trump’s literacy that have followed him throughout his political career.
These whispers gained particular traction when comedian Pete Davidson shared his firsthand experience working with Trump during the politician’s 2015 hosting stint on “Saturday Night Live.”
In a 2016 interview with Opie Radio that has since recirculated, Davidson made startling claims about Trump’s behavior during rehearsals.
Most everyone that’s worked with Trump says he can’t read including those from the Apprentice! Watch what he does in this video it’s pathetic.Imagine being the U.S and having a President like this. pic.twitter.com/TZsMwU53Zq
— Suzie rizzio (@Suzierizzo1) May 8, 2025
Davidson alleged that Trump struggled with the script readings, explaining, “He doesn’t really know how to read, and he loves to improv.”
The comedian described how, during table reads, Trump would consistently say, “Uh, I’m not going to say this. I think I’m gonna say this the way I would’ve said this. Is that OK?”
Davidson’s most memorable anecdote involved a Disneyland skit where Trump was supposed to say, “OK, let’s get out of here. Turkey legs?” Instead, according to Davidson, Trump’s reading difficulties led him to call his daughter “turkey legs,” completely missing the context while everyone laughed at his expense.
Despite the mounting questions about his literacy, Trump has consistently maintained his intellectual superiority.
Characteristically, he once tweeted, “Sorry losers and haters, but my I.Q. is one of the highest -and you all know it! Please don’t feel so stupid or insecure, it’s not your fault.”
Sorry losers and haters, but my I.Q. is one of the highest -and you all know it! Please don’t feel so stupid or insecure,it’s not your fault
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2013
He frequently reminds audiences of his education at the prestigious Wharton School of Finance and Commerce at the University of Pennsylvania, name-dropping the institution 52 times between June 2015 and January 2018, according to Penn’s student newspaper.
However, Trump’s academic records remain sealed, and according to Reader’s Digest rankings of presidential intelligence, he doesn’t crack the top tier of America’s smartest commanders in chief.
The publication lists John Quincy Adams at the peak with an estimated IQ of 175, followed by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison at 160, and John F. Kennedy and Bill Clinton at 159.8 and 159, respectively. Trump, despite his boasts about his intelligence, has never publicly released his IQ scores or academic transcripts.
Questions about whether Trump can actually read keep popping up — and clips like his 1987 appearance on “Crossfire” only add fuel to the fire.
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