Trump mimics and mocks transgender athlete participating in weightlifting: ‘It’s crazy'

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump recently drew attention with comments mocking transgender athletes during a public appearance. On Tuesday, January 6, at the House GOP’s annual retreat, Trump performed an impression of a transgender woman competing in a weightlifting event.

Trump also noted that First Lady Melania Trump disapproves of both his dancing and his impersonations.

Donald Trump on Melania Trump disapproving of his impressions

During the event, Trump mimed the actions of a transgender weightlifter, exaggerating movements and grunting as if struggling to lift weights. Trump also commented on Melania, saying, “And my wife, by the way, my wife hates when I do this."

He continued, "She said, you know, she's a very classy person, right? She said, it's so unpresidential. I said, but I did become president." He then said, "She hates when I dance. I said, everybody wants me to dance. Darling, it's not presidential."

Trump recalled his wife’s remark about past presidents, saying, "She actually said, could you imagine FDR dancing? She said that to me. And I said, there's a long history that perhaps she doesn't know."

Trump went on to defend former president Franklin D. Roosevelt, saying, "Because he was an elegant fellow, even as a Democrat, right? He was the attack by Japan. You know, he was quite elegant, but he wouldn't be doing this. But nor would too many others."

He then said, "The weightlifting is terrible. And I have to say this, the dancing they really like." He continued quoting Melania saying, "They don't like it. They're just being nice to you. I said, that's not right. The place goes crazy. They're screaming, dance, please."

Trump then restrained himself saying, "But the weightlifting. But no, the girl gets up. And you see, I want to be more, but I have somebody watching. I want to be more effusive."

 Donald Trump’s imitation of trans athletes

Trump then painted a picture of the weightlifting scenario, saying the girl "dropped the thing, walks off the stage crying. Her mother's crying. Her father's crying."

He then compared her to a trans athlete at the event, saying, "Guy gets up. He said, have you lifted before?" to which she replied, "A little bit."

The president then began to imitate another athlete who could easily lift the weights, saying, "He walks up, bing. He could have gone ding, ding." He concluded, "I think it was 112 pounds. It's crazy.”

CNN’s Fact Check noted that he was likely referring to Olympic gold medalists Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting, both of whom were identified as female at birth and competed as women.

This is not the first instance of Trump mocking transgender weightlifters. In May, while speaking at the University of Alabama, he made a similar impression, saying, "Then a guy comes along, or a gal, or whatever. A transitioned person comes along, and he was a failed weightlifter as a man, but he comes along, 206 pounds...and he breaks the record."