President Trump detoured to Memphis during a trip amid a government shutdown and tensions with Iran to visit Graceland, the estate of Elvis Presley. The visit coincided with a show of federal force in the city, where the National Guard and agents displayed seized weapons. Trump, accompanied by Pam Bondi, praised Elvis’s legacy and signed a replica guitar with a golden Sharpie, insisting on verifying the pen’s functionality to avoid damaging the instrument.

He remarked, “Biden couldn’t do this,” referencing his predecessor’s use of an autopen, and noted he never met Presley despite knowing other figures. Trump, 79, admitted he “didn’t know why with Elvis” and mused about fibbing to claim familiarity. The trip highlighted his focus on law enforcement and cultural symbolism, though the estate’s staff gently corrected his assumptions about Presley’s martial arts prowess.