The family of Nelson Mandela have dismissed Donald Trump’s “delusional” comparisons to the Nobel Peace Prize winner.
Trump has linked himself to Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison for opposing apartheid in South Africa, twice - claiming also to be a victim of political persecution.
Most recently the US former president mentioned Mandela following a gag order imposed to stop him verbally abusing a judge in one of the four criminal cases against him.
Trump wrote on his Trust Social platform: “If this Partisan Hack wants to put me in the ‘clink’ for speaking the open and obvious TRUTH, I will gladly become a Modern Day Nelson Mandela — It will be my GREAT HONOR.”
He has also compared his plight to the persecution of Christ and told a crowd in October: “I don’t mind being Nelson Mandela, because I’m doing it for a reason.”
Mandela’s grandson Zwelivelile “Mandla” Mandela told the Times Trump’s comments were “hard to take seriously”.
He said: “He is definitely delusional to think he can compare himself to Madiba.
“Trump is facing criminal charges while Madiba was on trial for a struggle for liberation, for the poorest of the poor.”
Following Trump’s comments, Jasmine Harris, a member of President Biden’s campaign team, said: “Imagine being so self-centred that you compare yourself to Jesus Christ and Nelson Mandela all within the span of little more than a week: that’s Donald Trump for you.”
But Mandla Mandela also highlighted that Biden had claimed he was arrested in South Africa while trying to see Nelson Mandela in the 1970s in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election.
Biden’s team later backtracked, saying he was referring to being separated from black members of his travelling party at Johannesburg airport.
Mandla Mandela added: “It cannot be that Madiba is said in the same breath as either Trump or Biden.
“They must be regarded by what they have achieved in their own lifetimes, not his.”
