Former President Donald Trump misinterpreted transgender athlete Lia Thomas when he said he would ban transgender women from participating in women’s sports.
The former president held a rally in Waukesha, Wis., on Friday where he took on his favorite Republican candidates in this month’s primaries and November’s midterm elections.
“We are also going to exclude men from women’s sports,” he said. Mr Trump then cited the example of Ms Thomas, the University of Pennsylvania swimmer who made the transition and went on to win first place in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I swimming championship. .
Many conservatives have since used her as an example to say she had an unfair advantage. Mr Trump said a swimmer was deprived of breaking a record because of Ms Thomas.
“And she just got female athlete of the year, by the way, did you know that,” Mr. Trump told the Waukesha crowd to the heckling and booing. “Is our country going to hell or what? “
Mr Trump continued to dismiss it, saying “he had a wingspan like this”, showing how tall she was.
Mr Trump also cited another transgender athlete, this time a weightlifter, who he said had an unfair advantage and again misinterpreted it.
The former president’s remarks come as many Republican governors have signed legislation banning transgender women from participating in women’s sports. He also criticized teachers for talking to students about gender and sexuality.
“No teacher should ever be allowed to teach transgender to our children without parental consent,” he added. “What they’re doing to your kids basically behind your back is crazy.”
Mr Trump added that when Republicans win a majority, they must crack down on drug companies for giving out puberty blockers “to maim our youth”.
“We will save our children and every federal bureaucrat who is complicit in this travesty must be fired immediately,” he said.
Mr. Trump also campaigned with his favorite gubernatorial candidate Tom Michel and spoke about his endorsement of the candidate to challenge Wisconsin House Speaker Robin Vos, whom Mr. Trump allegedly tried to pressure to decertify the 2020 election results.
The rally takes place the same day the Republican National Committee announced it would hold its 2024 convention in Milwaukee.
The Independent Gt