President Donald Trump used a law-and-order rally with New York police officers to repeatedly thirst over the “young, beautiful girls” he sees in the White House.
In a bizarre and somewhat creepy rant, the 80-year-old president suggested that young women were regularly approaching him to gush about the impact of his federal takeover of law enforcement in Washington, D.C.
Trump began by repeating his claim that the nation’s capital was “one of the most dangerous cities in the country” before he took action last year—even though violent crime rates had fallen to a 30-year low.
But things took a truly awkward turn when the octogenarian, and grandfather to 11, pivoted to an anecdote about the adoring girls he sees in the White House.
“These young, beautiful girls... These young, beautiful girls... These young, beautiful girls in the White House,” Trump said to an audience filled with mostly male police officers, as well as his new Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel.
“You know, they come in—and I’m not supposed to say ‘beautiful,’ but what the hell. These young, these gorgeous, beautiful girls... they wanna be safe. And they come in and say, ‘Mr. President, may I speak to you?’ Yes. ‘Thank you, sir. Thank you.’ I said, ‘Why are you thanking me?’ ‘Because a year and a half ago I was afraid to leave... I was afraid to open the door to my apartment. And now I walk to the White House every morning and I have absolutely no fear. Thank you sir!’”
Trump’s comments came as the president traveled to Long Island to give Republicans a campaign boost ahead of November’s midterms, including his gubernatorial pick Bruce Blakeman, who is taking on the state’s Democratic governor Kathy Hochul.
But while crime might be a GOP-friendly issue, Trump’s approval ratings are tanking badly as the war in Iran drags on and affordability remains an ongoing concern for millions of Americans.
During his speech, Trump tried to put a positive spin on the war, at one point threatening to declare the Strait of Hormuz as “a territory of the United States.”
“Essentially, that’s what it is. We have a blockade. No ships get through unless we want them to,” he said.
It was not clear if Trump’s comments signaled a serious ambition in relation to the critical oil chokepoint, which remains central to the standoff in Iran as the war drags on for its sixth month.
The human cost of the conflict also came under the spotlight moments before Trump flew to New York, when he was asked about the plight of sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln.
The carrier has been at sea for almost nine months and is currently deployed in the Middle East.
But families of the service members have raised alarms about sailors attempting to go overboard, inadequate food, as well as broken toilets and other hygiene issues.
Asked on Friday if the deployment had gone on too long given the mental health risks, Trump replied: “No, no, no. Not nearly long enough,” before walking off to board Air Force One.
