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When Donald Trump held a ceremony for Paralympic athletes, the honorees didn’t expect to be told that their performances were “tough to watch.” But that’s what the president said \u2013 and the Twittersphere isn’t too happy about it.<\/p>\n
All of the Olympic and Paralympic athletes who competed in Pyeongchang were invited to the White House for the Friday ceremony. It included a speech on the Paralympic Games from President Donald Trump, which was riddled with certain words you might expect, including “incredible”<\/em> and “inspiring.”<\/em><\/p>\n But then it all went downhill. “It’s a little tough to watch too much, but I watched as much as I could, it was really fantastic, and I want to thank you,”<\/em> the president said.<\/p>\n The remark has unsurprisingly garnered its fair share of reaction online, including from US figure skater Adam Rippon. He tweeted before the event that he would be skipping it because he “will not stand with people who discriminate against those that they perceive as different.”<\/em><\/p>\n Olympians from the 2018 Games have been invited to go to the White House today. I will not be going. I will not stand with people who discriminate against those that they perceive as different. In lieu of going to DC, I have donated to a few of my favorite causes 🙆🏼♂️❤️ https:\/\/t.co\/qDXqswTHdF<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Adam Rippon (@Adaripp) April 27, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/center><\/div>\n He tweeted later after Trump’s remark, reiterating that he had “no regrets about missing this trip.”<\/em><\/p>\n Comedian Sarah Silverman also chimed in, saying she wished there was someone in that exact moment who could have responded to the “tough to watch”<\/em> remark by asking Trump: “How so?”<\/em><\/p>\n I wish there was someone there in that moment to immediately say, \u201chow so?\u201d when he says these insane things. He is never held accountable in the moment. Honestly just a, \u201cWait- what?\u201d would go miles I think. Instead we complain to each other, later, in our echo chambers https:\/\/t.co\/oQLbPKBpPy<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) April 28, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/center><\/div>\n Other social media users were just as angry at the US president’s comment. “Nice job insulting the Paralympic athletes by telling them they are tough to watch. You are tough to watch all the time,”<\/em> Twitter user Michael Leegan wrote.<\/p>\n Nice job insulting the Paralympic athletes by telling them they are tough to watch. You are tough to watch all the time.<\/p>\n \u2014 Michael Leegan (@Mleegan) April 28, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/center><\/div>\n Another said that Trump “cannot hold a candle”<\/em> to Paralympians. “They beat Trump in every way possible. Trump is overweight and lazy!”<\/em><\/p>\n Trump cannot hold a candle to these brave men and women who have trained long and hard to be part of the Paralympic Games. They beat Trump in every way possible. Trump is overweight and lazy!<\/p>\n \u2014 Sharon Caliendo (@PhiKapMom) April 28, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/center><\/div>\n Others took the opportunity to remind about what happened on the campaign trail, when Trump came under fire for allegedly mocking<\/a> a disabled reporter \u2013 a claim which a campaign official reportedly said wasn’t true, noting that Trump was unaware of his condition when he mocked him.<\/p>\n During the campaign, Trump showed us his prejudice against people with disabilities, as he mocked a physically disabled reporter. \u2014 Margaret Nielsen (@msunielsen) April 27, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/center><\/div>\n Another person called on Trump to “apologize to the Paralympic movement and all of the athletes who participate in it.”<\/em><\/p>\n President Trump called the Paralympics “tough to watch”…the Paralympics is one of my favorite sporting events.<\/p>\n Trump should apologize to the Paralympic movement and all of the athletes who participate in it. https:\/\/t.co\/jdBj2jKEzO<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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But an award ceremony for American Paralympic athletes is an odd place to express his prejudice out loud.
It’s #offensive<\/a> .<\/p>\n\n