Donald Trump’s vulgar anecdote about the late golfer Arnold Palmer during his rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday raised eyebrows – but it is reportedly not the first time the former president shared the innuendo.
The first time Trump went to campaign in Latrobe, Pennsylvania – Palmer’s hometown – in September 2020, he is said to have recounted a story of admiring the legendary golfer’s naked body to his team before traveling to the city.
New York Times political correspondent Maggie Haberman detailed it in the paperback introduction of her 2022 book on the former president, Confidence Man.
“There were the countless stories attesting to Trump’s prurience, indulging in gossip and obsessing over others’ looks. In one of the most memorable, as he prepared for a trip to Latrobe, Pennsylvania, for a rally in late 2020, Trump recounted for Oval Office guests the time he had seen hometown golf legend Arnold Palmer disrobed at the Latrobe Country Club, and the size of his genitalia.”
Trump retold the story to rallygoers over the weekend, claiming when Palmer showered with other golf pros “They came out of there they said, ‘Oh my God. That’s unbelievable’.”
“This is a guy that was all man,” Trump added – an innuendo about Palmer’s genitalia.
The former president an avid golfer, has always expressed admiration for Palmer. He once called him, “a very good friend” and often recalled playing golf with him.
Trump often tributed Palmer in his social media posts on X, formerly Twitter. He wished Palmer a happy birthday in 2014 and paid tribute to him after he died in 2016.
Donald Trump spent over 10 minutes reminiscing about the late golf star Arnold Palmer during an event in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. His remarks included commentary about Palmer’s genitalia https://t.co/0hjFkEmtQx pic.twitter.com/YkpCvaanbu
— Reuters (@Reuters) October 20, 2024
Trump’s Saturday anecdote is the latest in a string of strange, rambling stories he’s shared with his supporters while on the campaign trail. In recent weeks, Trump has significantly ramped up his number of rallies – focusing on swing states like Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan and Arizona.
In each city or town, Trump tries to relate to voters by sharing a story of his previous time there or bringing up a significant aspect of the area. For Latrobe, that was admiring Palmer.
But Palmer’s family did not find the remarks endearing. Peggy Palmer, the daughter of the late golfer, told The Independent she thought it was “an unfortunate way to remember my dad.”
“My father was very modest,” Peggy continued. “We’ve lost our sense of outrage in this country over just about everything, and I’m not sure that’s OK… There are other things about my dad that would be better to focus on.”
