Donald Trump Wants to ‘Ride Like Vladimir’ in Queen Elizabeth’s Golden Carriage

X Facebook Email Flipboard Pinterest Print Reddit

Kids in the U.S. used to want to “be like Mike.” Donald Trump has very different aspirations, as we’ve all noticed by now. He wants to be like Vladimir.

The Times of London says Donald Trump has insisted on a ride in Queen Elizabeth’s golden carriage when he visits the United Kingdom in October.

The White House has made clear it regards the carriage procession down the Mall as an essential element of the itinerary for the visit currently planned for the second week of October, according to officials.

It was a task the times says President Obama “spared his hosts” during his own visit, riding in an armored limousine instead. Some of us never leave childhood behind, it seems. Like Trump’s hero, Vladimir Putin, who rode in the royal carriage when he visited in 2003.

To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.

With a big ole smile on his face.

The New York Daily News is characterizing the White House insistence as a “demand.” So the Donald is willing to stomp his little feet if he has to, apparently, to enjoy the same experience.

Well, like sugar daddy like son, I guess. If it helps to further understand Trump’s motivation here, Chinese President Xi Jinping also used the golden carriage during his 2015 visit.

Things become much clearer indeed.

The ride would be from the Royal Mews down The Mall to Buckingham Palace. It would be a very slow, very exposed ride, in a flimsy cart pulled by horses. If someone starts shooting, it won’t stop bullets, and horses don’t make much of a getaway vehicle.

And Trump is not very popular in Great Britain. When Trump starts to realize the danger, perhaps he will change his mind?

Or perhaps the allure of the thing for a man with a golden potty but no access to a golden carriage will override caution. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Photo: Vladimir Putin and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II shared a carriage (the 1902 State Landau) from Horse Guards Parade to Buckingham Palace, in London. Wikimedia Commons

Hrafnkell Haraldsson

Hrafnkell Haraldsson, a social liberal with leanings toward centrist politics has degrees in history and philosophy. His interests include, besides history and philosophy, human rights issues, freedom of choice, religion, and the precarious dichotomy of freedom of speech and intolerance. He brings a slightly different perspective to his writing, being that he is neither a follower of an Abrahamic faith nor an atheist but a polytheist, a modern-day Heathen who follows the customs and traditions of his Norse ancestors. He maintains his own blog, A Heathen’s Day, which deals with Heathen and Pagan matters, and Mos Maiorum Foundation www.mosmaiorum.org, dedicated to ethnic religion. He has also contributed to NewsJunkiePost, GodsOwnParty and Pagan+Politics.