US President Donald Trump mocked transgender athletes on Tuesday (January 6) while addressing Republican members of the US House of Representatives, using examples from weightlifting and boxing as he argued against transgender participation in women’s sports.
During the remarks, Trump referred to Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif, describing a bout in which he said a fighter who had transitioned overwhelmed a female opponent. Khelif, who won gold at the Paris Olympics in 2024, has always competed in women’s boxing, and no medical evidence has been published indicating that she is transgender or that she has XY chromosomes.
Trump also claimed that two transgender athletes won gold medals at the Paris Games, calling the situation “ridiculous,” and said the issue was “demeaning to women.”
The president’s comments came during a wide-ranging speech in which he warned Republicans they must win the 2026 midterm elections or risk his impeachment, saying Democrats would “find a reason” to remove him if the party lost control of Congress.
He urged lawmakers to present a more unified front on issues including gender policy, healthcare and election reforms, and said he plans to meet with health insurance company executives in the coming days as healthcare costs loom as a key midterm issue.
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