Topline
Former President Donald Trump has used multiple rallies in the last week to blast transgender rights—a persistent 2024 political tactic among Republicans—extending his rhetoric to incorrectly target female Olympians who captured gold in Paris this summer amid an intense gender debate over their eligibility.
Trump delivered remarks in Las Vegas on Friday night. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Key Facts
Trump said he would keep “transgender insanity the hell out of our schools” at rallies in Wisconsin and Nevada within the last week, using the commitment to segue into the performances of women’s boxing gold medalists Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting in at least four rallies in the last five weeks—though he didn’t mention the fighters by name.
Trump falsely claimed two boxers “transitioned from men to women” and won gold medals, characterizing their victories as “demeaning to women,” though Khelif and Yu-Ting have participated in women’s boxing for the entirety of their careers, which date back to 2018 and 2013, respectively.
Speaking in Arizona on Thursday, the former president referred to Khelif’s preliminary round win over Italian boxer Angela Carini, who abruptly withdrew from the match in round one after a strike to the nose, saying “this beautiful young woman from Italy” fought against a “man.”
At the time, Carini said she “never felt a punch like this,” but she later told reporters she had no opinion on Khelif’s eligibility and apologized for not shaking Khelif’s hand after the bout.
Trump said in Wisconsin that Carini was “a real threat for the medal,” though the Italian boxer was an unseeded fighter while Khelif was assigned as the fifth-ranked seed.
Both Khelif and Yu-Ting insist they were born women, and no evidence has been provided by critics to suggest otherwise.
Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you’ll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here.
Khelif Has Filed A Cyber-Bullying Suit Against Critics
After the Olympics, Khelif filed a cyberbullying complaint against X, formerly known as Twitter, reportedly targeting X owner and the wealthiest man in the world Elon Musk and author J.K. Rowling, who both made disparaging tweets questioning Khelif’s gender. Trump is reportedly also part of the investigation, according to Variety, which noted the former president tweeted a picture of Khelif’s fight with Carini alongside a caption promising to “keep men out of women’s sports!”
Crucial Quote
“[Carini] was fighting [Khelif] who was a man and transitioned into womanhood and [Khelif] looked like if Muhammad Ali in his prime saw him, Muhammad would be afraid,” Trump said in Nevada.
Where Did The Claims Against Khelif And Yu-Ting Start?
Scrutiny began when both women were disqualified from at the 2023 International Boxing Association’s World Boxing Championships over a mysterious failed eligibility test, though“the specifics remain confidential” except that it did not include a testosterone test, according to the IBA. The IBA only would say the “conclusively indicated that both athletes did not meet the required necessary eligibility criteria and were found to have competitive advantages over other female competitors.” But the IBA is a heavily criticized group banned by the Olympics with close ties to Russia (Khelif was disqualified after she beat a previously unbeaten Russian boxer).
Chief Critic
International Olympic Committee spokesperson Mark Adams said that Khelif is not a transgender athlete and added every person competing in the Olympics’ women’s competitions complied with eligibility rules, noting Khelif and Yu-Ting are identified as females on their passports.
Tangent
Trump targeted other athletes at the three rallies, referring at one point to trans-woman swimmer Lia Thomas, who controversially captured an NCAA Division I women’s title in 2022. Trump said Thomas looked like basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain “on steroids.” Trump also called back to a long-running, grunt-filled bit about an unnamed transgender weightlifter while in Arizona, mimicking a female lifter failing to lift a bar that is later cleared by the transgender athlete. The bit does not seem to be grounded in reality, as Trump does not refer to real athletes or a legitimate competition when acting it out.
Key Background
Trump has championed anti-transgender policies, vowed to remove transgender athletes from women’s sports and committed to rolling back protections transgender students have under Title IX, a federal civil rights law. The former president said in March he would “cut federal funding” for schools promoting “critical race theory, transgender insanity, and other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content on our children.” Trump has also pledged to prohibit doctors who provide gender-affirming care through Medicare and Medicaid, though doctors in several states already face punishments, such as losing their medical licenses, for providing such care.
Why Was Imane Khelif Falsely Labeled A Trans Man?
The controversy around Khelif was linked to her dominant victory over Carini and her failing of the International Boxing Association’s unspecified gender eligibility test in 2023. International Boxing Association President Umar Kremlev told reporters during the Olympics the eligibility test showed Khelif had elevated testosterone levels. However, the claim seemingly conflicted with the International Boxing Association’s statement issued days before Kremlev’s comment, noting Khelif “did not undergo a testosterone examination.” The statement also said specifics of the test “remain confidential.” Khelif, who lost to Irish boxer Kellie Harrington in the quarterfinals of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, appealed her disqualification from the tournament held by the International Boxing Association and called it a “big conspiracy,” according to NBC News. The International Boxing Association is not recognized by the International Olympic Committee in part due to a “total lack of financial transparency,” according to a committee statement.
Further Reading
Boxer Imane Khelif Wins Gold Medal As Gender Eligibility Debate Rages (Forbes)
What To Know About Olympics Gender Debate As Imane Khelif Wins Women’s Boxing Final (Forbes)
