Donald Trump’s impression of transgender weightlifter goes viral
Donald Trump has sparked laughter among sports fans as a video of his impression of a transgender weightlifter circulates widely online, reports BritPanorama.
The White House’s “Rapid Response 47” social media account shared footage on X, captioning it with Trump’s remark on his imitation of “trans athletes” in women’s sports: “‘My wife HATES when I do this.'” The post included three laughing-crying emojis.
During the routine, Trump acknowledged that First Lady Melania Trump is not fond of his dancing or weightlifting performances. He quoted her, saying, “Could you imagine FDR dancing?” before launching into his routine.
In his act, Trump mimicked a weightlifter seemingly struggling to lift weights, complete with exaggerated grunts and gestures. He added that the competitor “drops the thing, walks off the stage crying. Her mother’s crying, her father’s crying.”
The President then portrayed a second athlete who apparently handled the weights with ease, stating, “Guy gets up. He said, ‘Have you lifted before?’ ‘A little bit,’ and he walks up, ‘bing.’ He could’ve gone ‘ding, ding,'” while pantomiming effortless lifting movements. The performance quickly garnered attention on social media platforms.
Riley Gaines, a former swimmer advocating against transgender participation in women’s sports, shared the clip on X, writing: “Trump’s imitation of a trans weightlifter. No, I don’t regret my vote. This is perfect.”
Others have taken a more critical stance regarding the spectacle. Trump also claimed during the performance that “two transitioned people” have claimed Olympic boxing gold medals, likely referring to Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting, both identified as female at birth and who competed in women’s categories.
This was not the first instance of Trump performing such an impression; he delivered a similar act at the University of Alabama in May. The routine comes amid broader efforts by the administration to impose restrictions on transgender rights, including a military ban that has received tacit approval from the Supreme Court during ongoing legal challenges, as well as actions to limit citizens’ ability to select passport sex markers aligned with their gender identity.
In an era where sport and politics continually intertwine, this incident serves as yet another reminder of the complex conversations surrounding inclusion and representation in athletics.
