Featured Image Credit: Tom Brenner for The Washington Post via Getty Images/Pool
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, Politics
Rhianna Benson
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, Politics
The US President has found himself in hot water after poking fun at a young child.
Donald Trump invited several young athletes to the Oval Office on Tuesday (5 May) to celebrate the return of the Presidential Physical Fitness Award, which he recently revived as part of his plan to bring back a fitness test in schools.
Several athletes were also in attendance, including Bryson DeChambeau, Gary Player, Amani Oruwariye and Noah Syndergaard.
During the get-together, the 79-year-old focused his attention on one young girl, asking her which sports she likes to play.
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"I play volleyball, and then in the summer I’m trying to get into soccer," the child replies, shyly.
Surprisingly, however, Trump then put a slight downer on the conversation, pointing out that the girl might struggle to continue playing volleyball as she ages, given her rather petite size.
"And with your height, do you smash the ball, the volleyball. Do you get up high? Can you jump high?" he questioned the girl.
Hesitantly, she answered, 'Not very', to which the Republican leader quipped: "Soccer might be better."
After his remark was met with a roar of laughter from older attendees, Trump went on to add: "I’m just looking, I think she’d be a great soccer player."
Despite the politician going on to tell the little one, 'That’s good. Good luck, OK?', he was subsequently subjected to mass criticism.
Footage of the strange interaction began circulating on social media, prompting backlash from those who accused Trump of quashing the girl's ambitions.
"Trump just mocked a little girl for being short, and stomped on her ambitions," one X user hit out.
Another wrote: "Maybe not everyone can be a volleyball player. Maybe suggesting an alternative isn’t the horror you think it is. When you’re little and wanted to be Troy Aikman, who deflected you to 'internet douchebag'?"
"Imagine someone told Ivanka she was too short to play a sport she loved. Trump would've lost his mind," a third alleged. "But for this little girl? Just another joke. Another audience to perform for. Another chance to remind everyone that he doesn't lift people up.
"He pushes them down to feel taller. That's not a leader. That's a bully."
Another continued: "The way my heart actually broke for her... kids should be told they can do anything, not that they’re 'too short' for their dreams. Literally so unnecessary."