Fact Check: Trump’s ‘Michigan Man of the Year’ Claim Remains Unverified After Nearly a Decade

President Donald Trump is once again repeating a long-disputed claim that he was named “Man of the Year” in Michigan before entering politics, despite years of fact checks finding no evidence that the award ever existed.

The claim has appeared during multiple presidential campaigns, with Trump telling audiences in Michigan that he received the honor decades ago. During a recent economic speech in the state, Trump added that the media initially questioned the story but later confirmed it was true.

However, no records have surfaced showing that Michigan awarded Trump a “Man of the Year” honor. The state does not have such an official award, and Trump has never provided details about the organization or event that supposedly recognized him.

A possible source of confusion dates back to a 2013 Republican event in Michigan where Trump spoke after being invited by former Congressman Dave Trott. Trott said Trump received gifts at the event, but he did not receive a “Man of the Year” award.

In 2023, a Michigan Republican group created a separate “Man of the Decade” award and presented it to Trump, but Trump has said that was not the recognition he was referring to.

The claim has continued to resurface despite repeated reviews by journalists and fact-checkers who have been unable to verify it.