Two days before the U.S. midterm elections, President Donald Trump once again falsely told a rally crowd that schools in blue states were stealing children away and transitioning their genders. The late midterms pitch underscored just how much Republicans have invested in a strategy of targeting youth— and some critics say it also shows Trump’s rhetoric losing touch with reality.
The widely debunked claim came during at a Nov. 1 rally in Iowa, home to a critical Senate race. In Dubuque, he told the hypothetical story of a school-age child who unexpected turns from a boy named Tim to a girl named Sally — a talking point that has shown up in Trump’s speeches with regularity since the 2024 presidential election.
“Think of it, your beautiful son leaves the house. His name is Tim,” Trump said. “Goodbye, Tim. I’ll see you. Thank you, mommy. Thank you. And you don't see Tim for four days. Four days later, Tim comes back as Sally.”
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The story drew laughs at the crowd, but Trump insisted it was true. “No, we have states that are allowed to do that,” he said.
Progressive commentators reminded their audiences that the story isn’t grounded in fact at...
Two days before the U.S. midterm elections, President Donald Trump once again falsely told a rally crowd that schools in blue states were stealing children away and transitioning their genders. Th...