Trump calls supporter after mocking his weight at rally

The president left him a voicemail, a White House official said.

August 16, 2019, 12:22 PM

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, New Jersey -- President Donald Trump phoned up a supporter whose weight he mocked at a rally, a White House official said, after the president mistook the attendee for a protester.

"That guy's got a serious weight problem," Trump said during a campaign rally in Manchester, New Hampshire, on Thursday night, as a protester was removed from the arena. "Go home. Start exercising. Get him out of here please. Got a bigger problem than I do. Got a bigger problem than all of us."

But the person about whose weight Trump joked about turned out to be a supporter near a protester.

PHOTO: A Trump supporter, right, tries to grab a protesters' sign as President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019, in Manchester, N.H.
A Trump supporter, right, tries to grab a protesters' sign as President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019, in Manchester, N.H. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Patrick Semansky/AP Photo

The president called the supporter about the moment and left a voicemail during his Thursday night flight on Air Force One back to New Jersey, where he is spending the week at his golf club, the official said.

The supporter told ABC News that the president did, in fact, call him and leave a voicemail. He said Trump thanked him for his support and for coming to the rally.

U.S. President Donald Trump rallies with supporters in Manchester, New Hampshire U.S. August 15, 2019.
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

Asked if the president apologized, the supporter replied, "No, why would he apologize?"

The White House official was unaware if the supporter had been invited to the White House or to another rally, referring questions about a possible rally invite to the campaign.

Related Topics