• Wes Moore denies Trump's claim of having called him the greatest president.
• Trump and Moore's feud escalates over urban crime and National Guard deployments.
• Moore describes Trump's alleged remarks as an "imaginary conversation."

Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D) has publicly contradicted President Trump's assertion that he had praised him as "the greatest president of my lifetime" during an interaction at the Army-Navy football game last year. Trump's remarks came during a press briefing where he described their interaction as warm, stating that Moore supposedly hugged him and delivered the compliment. However, Moore quickly took to social media to respond with "lol," indicating disbelief and mockery while stating, "Keep telling yourself that, Mr. President," which highlights the tension between the two leaders, according to The Hill and Newsweek.

In a subsequent radio interview, Moore emphasized that no such compliment had ever taken place, labeling Trump's account as an "imaginary conversation." He elaborated, stating, "I'm a person who takes my integrity very seriously... when I say that conversation never happened, that imaginary conversation never happened, I mean that conversation never happened," asserting his position firmly against Trump’s claims. The feud intensified as both leaders exchanged barbs regarding urban crime in Baltimore, where Moore pointed out improvements in crime statistics, including a significant drop in homicide rates during his administration, as reported by ABC News and Newsweek.

Trump retaliated, criticizing the crime situation in Baltimore, describing it as a "deathbed" plagued by "tremendous crime," and suggested that Moore should focus on cleaning it up. This back-and-forth comes amidst broader discussions surrounding the deployment of National Guard troops in response to urban crime rates, a tactic Trump has previously employed in other cities. Moore has actively invited Trump to visit and engage with Baltimore community leaders instead of just criticizing from a distance, calling for constructive action rather than political theatrics, according to The Hill and ABC News.

Moreover, tensions were further stoked by Trump's comments on his social media platform, where he questioned Moore's leadership and implied that federal assistance might be needed if crime continued to loom large in Baltimore. As the feud continues, Moore remains firm on highlighting the improvements made during his governance while challenging Trump’s characterization of the city's issues, stressing that effective leadership should focus on solutions and community engagement rather than divisive rhetoric, as noted by ABC News and Newsweek.