In the closing weeks of his campaign, former President Donald Trump has stirred controversy yet again, this time with unusual and vulgar remarks about late golf legend Arnold Palmer during a rally in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. While Trump spoke highly of Palmer as a champion and a role model, he also made inappropriate references to Palmer's physique in a speech that has drawn sharp reactions, including from Palmer's daughter, Peg Palmer Wears.
On Saturday, during the rally held at Latrobe's airport-named in Palmer's honor-Trump spent more than 10 minutes talking about the legendary golfer, who was born in Latrobe in 1929. Initially, Trump's comments about Palmer were respectful, with the former president praising him as an "incredible man" and an "incredible champion." However, Trump soon deviated from his prepared remarks, sharing an anecdote that included an inappropriate reference to Palmer in the showers.
"This is a guy that was all man," Trump said. "When he took showers with other pros, they came out of there, they said, 'Oh my God. That's unbelievable,'" Trump continued, to laughter from the crowd. "I had to say it," he added.
Peg Palmer Wears, 68, responded to Trump's comments in an interview with the Associated Press, expressing her disappointment with the former president's approach to remembering her father. "There's nothing much to say. I'm not really upset," Wears said. "I think it was a poor choice of approaches to remembering my father, but what are you going to do?"
Wears said she had only crossed paths with Trump at a few events over the years, describing her father's connection with Trump as primarily based on a mutual love of golf. Palmer, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 87, was known to be a political conservative who supported the Republican Party, though Wears declined to say whom she would be voting for in the upcoming election. "The people of western Pennsylvania are very smart people, and they're very hardworking, and they'll make their own decisions, as I will make my own decision, using all the history and awareness I have," Wears said.
Trump's comments have not only drawn the attention of Palmer's family but also political figures from both sides of the aisle. On Sunday, House Speaker Mike Johnson was repeatedly asked to comment on Trump's remarks during an interview on CNN's "State of the Union." Johnson, however, deflected the questions, saying, "Don't say it again. We don't have to say it. I get it."
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, speaking on ABC's "This Week," criticized Trump's comments, although he downplayed their significance in the upcoming election. "I mean, it's just par for the course. He speaks in hyperbole. He gets his crowds riled up," Sununu said.
However, not all reactions were as dismissive. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent, sharply criticized Trump's remarks, suggesting they demonstrated the former president's lack of focus on pressing national issues. "I think you have a lot of Americans, whether you are conservative, whether you're progressive or moderate, who say, 'Really?'" Sanders said during an appearance on CNN. "We have major issues facing this country. Is this the kind of human being that we want as president of the United States?"
Trump's rally comments extended beyond Palmer, as he also used the platform to lead his supporters in an expletive-laden critique of the Biden-Harris administration. Trump spoke about Vice President Kamala Harris, saying, "You have to tell Kamala Harris that you've had enough, that you just can't take it anymore. We can't stand you. You're a s--- vice president. The worst." He also called for Harris to be "fired" if the current administration fails in the election.
Trump's controversial remarks have added a layer of discomfort to the closing days of the campaign, with critics questioning the former president's focus on personal attacks rather than policy issues. As Sanders noted, "This shouldn't be about personalities, it should be about policies," a sentiment that House Speaker Johnson also echoed in his CNN interview.
While Peg Palmer Wears did not indicate any strong political alignment, she spoke emotionally about her late father, noting his love for the United States and his belief in the importance of public service. "A day doesn't go by that I don't think about what my father would say about something or what's happening," Wears said. "We didn't always agree on things, but he was a quintessential American who believed fervently in this country, even when he questioned its direction."
