Tuesday’s White House fitness proclamation signing focused on youth athletics and the revival of the Presidential Fitness Test Award. A group of children stood in the Oval Office as the president signed the paperwork.
After signing, Trump turned to a young girl who played volleyball and suggested that, based on her height, soccer might suit her better.
The exchange was brief and its brevity made it worse. “I play volleyball and in the summer I’m trying to get into soccer,” the girl said.
Trump responded by visually sizing her up. “And with your height, do you smash the volleyball. Can you get up high? Can you jump high?” When she replied “not very,” Trump delivered his verdict: “Soccer might be better.”
Trump just mocked a little girl for being short, and stomped on her ambitions.
Little Girl: “I play volleyball and in the summer I’m trying to get into soccer.”
Trump: “And with your height do you smash the volleyball. Can you get up high? Can you jump high?”
Little Girl: “Not… pic.twitter.com/V5YfG1Eof4
— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) May 5, 2026
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The clip circulated widely, and opinions surfaced.
OMG he’s out of his mind.
— Suzie rizzio (@Suzierizzo1) May 5, 2026
You are really reaching on that one. Seriously, seek help.
— BigMoneyGrip (@WTGardner) May 5, 2026
He’s a freak show and such a piece.
— Brad (@222222brad) May 5, 2026
A child sharing her dreams doesn’t need a talent scout’s assessment. She needs a “That’s awesome, go get ’em.”
— Opoku Boadi (@thep_royal1) May 5, 2026
Bullying a child to score cheap laughs ,this is who he is. Petty, insecure, and completely unfit for any position of leadership. Kids deserve encouragement, not humiliation from a grown man.
— Amar Singh Chouhan (@amar_4inc) May 5, 2026
Her parents are to blame for letting her get near this guy.
— Morris Wilson (@MorrisW2246) May 5, 2026
I wouldn’t put children anywhere near him.
Let’s get back to the Epstein Files. That’s all gone a bit quiet since he tried to start World War 3.
— The Dimarco (@thedimarco76) May 5, 2026
It’s disheartening to see someone in that position belittling a child’s dreams. Kids should be encouraged, not mocked.
— Daily Updates (@DailyUpdat98058) May 5, 2026
He fails to realize that some shorter kids can experience significant growth after puberty. Let children enjoy the sports they love, simply for the joy of it.
— Hangool (@Adam20073132780) May 5, 2026
The volleyball remark was not the only moment that stood out from the event.
At one point Trump looked at two boys and told one he would be faster than the other, adding “he was known for his speed, by the way.” He then spotted a boy who said his mother had not signed him up for sports but he wanted to try gymnastics, which Trump did not address.
The same event also featured Trump telling the children about Iran’s obliterated navy, warning them about nuclear annihilation, describing women being shot during protests, repeating his election fraud claims and invoking “Barack Hussein Obama.”
He briefly acknowledged the content might be too mature, then kept going for another forty minutes.
The Presidential Fitness Test Award, which Trump signed into restoration on Tuesday, is a school-based initiative recognizing students who meet a series of athletic benchmarks.
Featured image via X screengrab
