For years, a claim has circulated online that former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal once bought President-elect Donald Trump a $325,000 Rolls-Royce Phantom car as a wedding gift when he tied the knot with his now-wife Melania Trump in 2005.
One November 2024 X post, which had amassed more than 18,000 views as of this writing, featuring the rumor read:
Shaquille O'Neal knows how to make a grand gesture! When Donald Trump married Melania Knauss in 2005, Shaq gifted them a Rolls-Royce Phantom worth $325,000—a gift that went above and beyond typical wedding presents. Shaq joked that Trump could swing by his house to use it whenever he needed.
The claim also appeared in numerous news articles in mid-November 2024.
Such reports had been published as early as January 2005. These outlets claimed that the former basketball player (also known as Shaq), who was reportedly one of the guests at the wedding, said that he gifted the newlyweds the car and stated: "It'll be parked in my driveway, whenever he [Trump] wants to use it."
However, there is no concrete evidence to confirm that O'Neal actually bought the luxury vehicle for Trump.
On Jan. 24, 2005, The Miami Herald said of the story: "O'Neal, who said he has known Trump for 12 years and consults Trump's 'people' concerning some real estate decisions, jokingly said he got Trump a white Rolls-Royce Phantom as a wedding gift. 'It'll be parked in my driveway, whenever he wants to use it,' O'Neal said."
Similarly, the Los Angeles Times said on Jan. 24, 2005, that Shaq told The Associated Press (AP) that he bought the luxury car for the Trumps. However, that AP report is not available online.
Snopes has reached out to O'Neal and his then-wife, Shaunie Henderson, for comment. We will update this article if we receive a response.
Were Shaq's Comments Said in Jest?
According to Newspapers.com, two
Following the Miami Heat's NBA game against the Toronto Raptors in late-January 2005, The Sault Star interviewed O'Neal, who shared his thoughts on Trump's wedding. He quipped, "I bought him a Rolls Royce but it's parked at my house. When he comes over he can borrow it. But other than that he can't take it to West Palm, he can't take it to Atlantic City. It has to stay in Miami cause my name is on the registration." The outlet noted that O'Neal appeared to be joking.
ShaqFu Radio, the online radio station and podcast network created and owned by O'Neal, wrote in a November 2024 blog post about this alleged purchase, with the author saying "not sure" if O'Neal ever handed over the car keys to Trump.
Representatives for The Mar-A-Lago Club (the location of the Trumps' 2005 wedding reception) declied to comment on the alleged Rolls-Royce gift. Snopes also reached out to Trump's team and a spokesperson for Melania Trump. We will update this article if we receive a response.
Snopes has previously fact-checked rumors regarding O'Neal, including the satirical claim he threw Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz out of his Atlanta restaurant, and the false claim he saved a family from a life-threatening situation.