Trump mistakenly thinks Republican Senator said he was the 'greatest President in history'

Orrin Hatch's office says the Senator only said Mr Trump 'could be' the greatest

President Donald Trump has claimed a Senator told him he is the "greatest President in the history of our country," but it turns out the President misquoted him.

"I said, 'does that include Lincoln and Washington?' He said, 'Yes.' I said, 'I love this guy,'" Mr Trump said of Senator Orrin Hatch.

A spokesman for Mr Hatch clarified quickly, noting that the Senator said Mr Trump "can be" the greatest leader, but "that he would like to work with the President to make this the greatest presidency in history for the American people."

While Mr Hatch did not offer the effusive level of praise Mr Trump claimed during a speech at the Republican National Committee retreat, the Senator has previously commented that Mr Trump was "the best president I’ve served ‘under’ in terms of line of succession" in November 2017.

The 83-year-old Senator has lasted through seven administrations - the longest-serving Republican Senator in history - and said after the controversial Republican tax bill passed that Mr Trump's time in office had the makings to become "the greatest presidency that we've seen, not only in generations, but maybe ever."

Mr Hatch is retiring from the Senate after his current term expires and it is rumoured that former Massachusetts Governor and presidential candidate Mitt Romney could run for the vacant seat in Utah.

The President referred to Mr Hatch as a "spectacular guy" in front of the friendly crowd.