Five Times Former President Donald Trump Brushed Off His Career-Ending Statements

Five Times When Donald Trump Brushed Off His Controversial Comments

Former president Donald Trump has made countless controversial statements throughout his political career. As per Newsweek, his political durability begs the question of what American voters really care about. His amazing ability to weather controversies has earned him the title 'Teflon Don,' given nothing adheres for too long. Trump "has been judged from the beginning by a separate set of standards from regular politicians," states Larry Sabato, founder of the Center for Politics. "Even though he spent his pre-presidential life in New York, he benefits from 'Hollywood metrics,"' Sabato said. "Multiple wives, sordid affairs, anything-goes ethics—most people assume this is the norm for the star of The Apprentice." Here are some of his most scandalous remarks that somehow failed to put a dent in his career. 

1. Made Fun of a Reporter With Disability 

Trump impersonated Serge Kovaleski, a journalist with a congenital joint ailment, in a 2015 rally. His evidence for his much-disputed assertion that 'thousands and thousands' of Muslims in New Jersey cheered the 9/11 attacks, came from a 2001 article written by Kovaleski. Trump later deemed Kovaleski 'a nice reporter' while addressing the crowd in South Carolina. "Now the poor guy, you gotta see this guy," he continued as he waved his arms around, making an awkward angle, seemingly imitating Kovaleski. According to BBC, Kovaleski's right arm and hand are affected by arthrogryposis, a disorder that impairs joint mobility. A New York Times spokeswoman told Politico, "We think it's outrageous that he would ridicule the appearance of one of our reporters." 

2. Controversial Political Debate With Megyn Kelly 

The same year, political commentator, Megyn Kelly, questioned Trump during the presidential debate about his past sexist and misogynistic remarks, including insulting certain women as “fat pigs, dogs, slobs, and disgusting animals.” In response, Trump criticized Kelly and deemed her inquiries 'ridiculous' and 'off-base.' “You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever,” Trump told CNN’s Don Lemon. He later claimed that by 'wherever' he meant her nose and not her menstrual cycle. As per CNN, he asserted, “Only a deviant would think anything else.”

3. Openly Claiming He Could Shoot Someone and Get Away With It 

"I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn't lose any voters, okay?" Trump stated boldly during a 2016 campaign stop at Sioux Center, Iowa's Dordt College. He added, "It's like, incredible." When CNN contacted Trump after the event, he refused to elaborate on his remarks. However, on X, he penned, "Just left Sioux Center, Iowa. My speech got a great reception. Amazing individuals! Full house — surplus!" NPR's Don Gonyea stated, "His audiences love it. His opponents try to use it against him — but so far, to no avail...I talked to some of his supporters and they say, 'Yeah, sometimes he makes me cringe, but I still like him and I still think he's the right thing for America.'" 

4. Demeaning Sexist Slurs 

Before the 2016 election, The Washington Post was able to obtain a 2005 recording in which Trump discussed women indecently with Billy Bush, the host of Access Hollywood at the time. "I better use some Tic Tacs just in case I start kissing her. You know, I’m automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab ’em by the pussy. You can do anything," the former president can be heard saying in the lewd tape. As reported by Vox, Trump issued an apology in response to the footage. “This was locker room banter, a private conversation that took place many years ago. Bill Clinton has said far worse to me on the golf course — not even close,” he said in a statement to The Washington Post. “I apologize if anyone was offended.”

5. Degrading a Gold Star Family 

In 2016, Trump insulted the parents of a Muslim soldier who was killed in a car bomb in 2004 while stationed in Iraq. During the DNC convention that year, Khizr Khan, the soldier's father criticized Trump's calls for a ban on Muslim immigrants. In response, Trump pointed to Khizr's wife, who stood silently beside her husband and remarked, "If you look at his wife...she had nothing to say...Maybe she wasn't allowed to have anything to say." "Who wrote that? Did Hillary's scriptwriters write it?" Trump said in an interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos. In an interview, Ghazala Khan later clarified that she was unable to speak because she was in pain. "Please. I am very upset when I heard what he said that I didn't say anything. I was in pain. If you were in pain, you fight or you don't say anything. I'm not a fighter. I can't fight. So the best thing I do was quiet."