One of Donald Trump's top allies says it was President Obama's mockery of the billionaire at the 2011 White House Correspondents' Dinner that motivated the businessman to run for president.

Previewing Frontline's new documentary 'The Choice 2016,' journalist Michael Isikoff points to a quote from the billionaire's close pal, political operative Roger Stone.

'I think that is the night that he resolves to run for president,' Stone said in the film. 'I think that he is kind of motivated by it. 'Maybe I'll just run. Maybe I'll show them all,'' Stone continued, outlining Trump's thinking.

Today Donald Trump is edging ahead of Hillary Clinton in many swing state polls, but back in 2011 the was the butt of jokes from President Obama, which may have motivated him to run

President Obama, forced to release his longform birth certificate three days prior, ripped into Donald Trump for his 'birther' theories at the 2011 White House Correspondents' Dinner

Prior to the dinner, Trump had been beating the 'birther' drum so loudly that on April 27, 2011, three days before that fateful night, the White House had released the president's long form birth certificate.

When the president took over the podium at the annual star-filled dinner, the birth certificate controversy was front and center – and so was Trump, sitting at a table in the audience as a guest of the Washington Post.

'Tonight for the first time, I am releasing my official birth video,' Obama told the audience, the the packed ballroom of the Washington Hilton.

The beginning scene of Disney's 'The Lion King' – set in Africa – began to play, dated with Obama's birthday, August 4, 1961.

Moving on Obama said, 'I know he's taken some flak lately, but no one is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than "The Donald,"' Obama said.

Donald Trump, accompanied by his wife Melania, had a sour expression on his face through President Obama's comedy routine, which mocked his reality TV career

Comedian Seth Meyers followed President Obama's act and also made fun of Trump, calling his presidential aspirations a 'joke'

'And that's because he can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter, like: Did we fake the moon landing? What really happened in Roswell? And where are Biggie and Tupac?' the president continued.

The president had the audience in stitches.

Obama also mocked one of Trump's great sources of pride, his show 'The Apprentice,' and his role as a ratings-heavy reality television host.

'For example, on a recent episode of "Celebrity Apprentice," at the steakhouse, the men's cooking team did not impress the men from Omaha Steaks,' Obama began.

'And there was lots of blame to go around, but you, Mr. Trump, recognized that the real problem was a lack of leadership,' the president continued.

'And so ultimately you didn't blame Lil Jon or Meatloaf, you fired Gary Busey,' Obama said.

Longtime Trump ally Roger Stone, a Republican political consultant, suggested in a new Frontline documentary that the 2011 WHCD was when Trump decided to run for president

'These are the kinds of decisions that keep me up at night. Well handled, sir, well handled,' the president added.

Trump, of course, denies that this moment humiliated him into seeking the nation's highest office, even as he remained stone-faced as the president, and then comedian Seth Meyers, mocked him throughout their sets.

'Donald Trump has been saying he will run for president as a Republican — which is surprising, since I just assumed he was running as a joke,' Meyers zinged.

Trump spoke with the Washington Post's Roxanne Roberts to mark this year's White House Correspondents' Dinner, so the longtime style writer could do a piece on sitting next to Trump at the dinner five years before.

'It's such a false narrative,' Trump told Roberts in April. 'I had a phenomenal time. I had a great evening.'

'The president was making jokes about me,' he added. 'I was having a great time. I was so honored. I was actually so honored. And honestly, he delievered them well.'

As for Meyers?

'I didn't like his routine. He was too nasty, out of order,' Trump said.

But some of Trump's closest observers doubt that evening was much fun for the billionaire.

'Donald dreads humiliation and he dreads shame,' said Michael D'Antonio, who wrote 'Never Enough: Donald Trump and the Pursuit of Success.'

D'Antonio was also interviewed for 'The Choice.'

'And this is why he often attempts to humiliate and shame other people,' the author continued. 'So in the case of the president ridiculing him, I think it was intolerable for Donald Trump.'



