Overview
- During remarks to House Republicans on Jan. 6, President Trump mimed a female weightlifter struggling and a transgender competitor lifting with ease, repeating a routine he has used before.
- The White House’s Rapid Response 47 account posted the video, which quickly spread online as GOP lawmakers in the room laughed at the bit.
- Supporters such as women’s sports activist Riley Gaines praised the performance, while critics on social media called it embarrassing and questioned his fitness for office.
- Trump also claimed that two transitioned athletes won boxing gold medals, a statement CNN’s fact-check linked to Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting, who were identified as female at birth and competed as women.
- The episode fits a broader policy push that includes a Title IX–linked executive action aimed at restricting transgender women from girls’ and women’s sports, and echoes a similar routine he delivered in May 2025.