I actually believe that he believes this statement. This is something that we have to be cautious about. If one lies repeatedly or surrounds himself with sycophants who sing nothing but praises for the person (i.e darbari). He starts believing the alternate reality.
One scholar I was listening to said that Firaun initially used to exchange sick cows etc of his people, with the healthy ones that looked like the sick animal, and the claim was made that Firaun cured it. That got to the point that when the ponzi scheme (no more healthy cows left) failed, he was beyond himself because by this time he had started believing that he was actually curing cows, although initially he knew that his ministers were doing a cow-swap.
May Allah protect us from incessant lies and give us friends that correct us for the sake of Akhira.