
Donald Trump was the commencement speaker at the University of Alabama on Thursday, where 3,000 students and their families roared their approval of the president’s performance with chants of “USA! USA!” when he entered Coleman Coliseum.
The president basked in the adulation as he slow-walked to the podium, before telling graduates they were lucky to be living in the “golden age of America.”
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They would be the “greatest generation,” Trump assured them.
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But the rally-style appearance at the home of the Crimson Tide was short on inspiration and long on grievance; the president spent much of his address attacking political opponents, demonizing immigrants, and mocking the transgender Americans he’s used to stoke cultural divisions and help rile up his base.
Trump earned 64% of the vote in Alabama in last year’s election.
One chestnut in Trump’s rally repertoire is a bit illustrating what he believes is the unfairness of trans women in women’s sports: a weightlifting competition where a cisgender female weightlifter is bested by a trans opponent.
The details change and the story’s inspiration is unclear — he could be referring to Olympic weightlifter Lauren Hubbard, who competed in the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021 — but it’s been an audience favorite among the MAGA faithful for years.
And according to Trump, Melania is not a fan.
“Should I imitate him? My wife gets very upset when I do this. She says, ‘Darling, it’s not presidential.’ I say, ‘Yeah, but people like it,'” Trump told the crowd.
“Should I do it or not?” he asked his audience.
“Do it!” came shouts from around the arena.
“All right, I’m in trouble when I get home, but that’s OK, what the hell. I’ve been in lots of trouble before,” he said with a laugh.
With that, Trump launched into an impression of a young cisgender athlete attempting to lift, moaning and raising “her” hands and “the bar” futilely.
The President’s “greatest generation” lapped it up.
Trump buttoned the story with the trans competitor lifting with no trouble at all.
“It’s insane,” he said.
Ironically, Trump’s biggest laughs in the routine come at the expense of the supposed victim.
Comedian Jimmy Kimmel recognized early on in last year’s campaign that the bit called for a montage.
“Melania’s a lucky lady, isn’t she?” Kimmel asked, the wailing still ringing in his ears.
Trump’s signature female weightlifter bit has been killing!
Source: LGBTQ Nation