Trump turns Michigan rally into a spectacle of body-shaming, crude jokes, and self-congratulation
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At a Michigan rally for Senate candidate Mike Rogers, President Donald Trump again used a political stage to deliver crude comments about Ohio Senator Jon Husted’s body and to gush over rapper Nicki Minaj, drawing cheers from a crowd that seemed eager for the chaos. He also repeated hardline tariff claims against Canada while the White House stayed silent about his remarks.
President Donald Trump addressed a crowd in Michigan on Sunday during a rally for Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers, once again converting a political event into a performance built on vulgarity and spectacle. While discussing Ohio Senator Jon Husted’s athletic background, Trump said he had examined the senator’s body, including his rear, and described the observation as a first for him. He later tried to laugh it off by saying the comments were made "in fun" and insisted he had not made similar remarks about men before.
"I looked at his ass, and I’ve never done that with a man before. It’s true. Off the record, women yes, men no, OK," Trump said.
Trump then pivoted to rapper Nicki Minaj, making a remark about her appearance that was, by his own standards, impossible to miss and clearly intended to provoke applause from the audience. He claimed the comments were not meant as an insult and repeated his support for the artist, as if that somehow excused the display.
"We love Nicki. She’s been with us for a long time," Trump added.
The rally also featured remarks on trade policy, with Trump again presenting his economic theatrics as tough leadership and saying the United States would soon resolve its dispute with Canada over tariffs.
"Canada has been ripping off the US for years. I had to do it. We’ll have that settled pretty soon," he said.
The White House did not immediately respond to inquiries about the president’s comments on individuals’ bodies.