Even for a man of limited oratorical flourishes, Donald Trump has one phrase he loves returning to. The New York Times reports that during a lunch meeting with TV anchors, Trump attacked Ralph Northam, the Democrat Governor of Virginia, when he tried to clear the air over an alleged photo of himself in blackface in his 1984 yearbook. "Did you see that news conference? Could you believe it? He choked like a dog," Trump reportedly told the anchors.

The Northam thing alone is bizarre in itself. He denies being the person in blackface next to someone dressed as a Ku Klux Klan member, but admitted that he did black up for a 1984 dance contest in which he was attempting to portray Michael Jackson ("I had the shoes, I had a glove, and I used just a little bit of shoe polish to put under my - or on my - cheeks").

That's pretty blatantly racist. Trump's feelings about dogs, however, aren't as well known - a quote purportedly from Trump in which he called dogs "disgusting" circulated on social media last year, and has since been debunked. This isn't the first time Trump has used the simile "like a dog" in a way that suggests he's never observed a dog in real life. If Trump wants to really disrespect someone, he says they got fired like a dog, begged like a dog, cheated like a dog, and so on. The canine world should probably consider some kind of defamation suit. Here are all the ways Trump thinks dogs can be untrustworthy.

Steve Bannon

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Michael Wolff is a total loser who made up stories in order to sell this really boring and untruthful book. He used Sloppy Steve Bannon, who cried when he got fired and begged for his job. Now Sloppy Steve has been dumped like a dog by almost everyone. Too bad! https://t.co/mEeUhk5ZV9 — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018

About 3.3 million dogs enter animal shelters in the US every year, so this rambling alliterative screed does at least highlight a very real issue. A malevolent quasi-shamanic fascist-baiting political guru is for life, not just for the first six months of your presidency.

Omarosa Manigault Newman

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When you give a crazed, crying lowlife a break, and give her a job at the White House, I guess it just didn’t work out. Good work by General Kelly for quickly firing that dog! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 14, 2018

After Omarosa's book Unhinged accused Trump of repeatedly using the n-word, which obviously incurred Trump's wrath.

Mitt Romney

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Mitt Romney had his chance to beat a failed president but he choked like a dog. Now he calls me racist-but I am least racist person there is — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 11, 2016

Dogs are most at risk of choking on splintered animal bones and small chewable balls which fit past their front teeth, neither of which Romney has had any public tussles with while in the public eye.

The Union Leader newspaper

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Union Leader refuses to comment as to why they were kicked out of the ABC News debate like a dog. For starters, try getting a new publisher! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2016

Trump claimed credit for the New Hampshire newspaper's sudden dropping from participation in a debate in January 2016. To be fair, it'd be unusual for any canine which isn't on duty as a guide or hearing dog to be in attendance at a political debate.

Mac Miller

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Little @MacMiller, I’m now going to teach you a big boy lesson about lawsuits and finance. You ungrateful dog! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 31, 2013

The late rapper named a song on his 2011 mixtape Best Day Ever, and initially Trump quite liked it. "Maybe you should pay me a lot of money, but it just did over 20 million people, tuning into Mac Miller," Trump said in a YouTube video. "So in one way, I'm proud of him. I haven't actually seen the language... Probably, it's not the cleanest language you've ever heard... But the 'Donald Trump' song just hit over 20 million, that's not so bad. I'm very proud of him." Trump later decided that he was owed royalties for the use of his name, attacking Miller on Twitter and inviting him to "kiss my ass".

Kristen Stewart

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Robert Pattinson should not take back Kristen Stewart. She cheated on him like a dog & will do it again--just watch. He can do much better! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 17, 2012

Dogs are famously loyal and averse to starting relationships with people they've just starred in young adult fantasy franchises with.

Alan Sugar

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@nieldi @Lord Sugar can't get himself arrested-but at least he's making me money-keep begging Sugar you dog! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 11, 2013

Trump's counterpart on The Apprentice in the UK isn't much of a fan of Trump, and the feeling's mutual. Trump called Sugar a "lightweight" and said that he "virtually begged my reps to have me stop mocking him" before suggesting that dogs can employ and instruct a legal team - possibly human, though it's not certain - to try and stop harassment on social media.

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