US President Donald Trump has sparked fresh controversy at a rally in Corpus Christi by suggesting that Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico is secretly vegan, despite Talarico's denials. Trump claimed the Democrat had suffered food poisoning at barbecues while trying to appear enthusiastic about meat.
Claims of Hidden Veganism
Speaking to supporters, the 80-year-old president said Talarico had been 'going around to so many barbecues' and suggested he had fallen ill. Trump added: 'You ever see him go to a barbecue and he's trying to show, "I love the meat. Ahhh." And then you see him – where is he? He's behind the tent puking. He's sick as a dog.'
Talarico has denied being vegan, but the rumours have persisted among GOP supporters. The speculation began after a 2022 speech in which Talarico addressed an animal rights group, advocating for reduced meat consumption. He described it as the 'right thing to do' in response to concerns about animal welfare and the climate, and suggested people should 'only buy vegan products from our local vegan businesses.'
Trump assured his audience that he could never adopt a vegan lifestyle, stating: 'I really do like the meat.'
Further Rally Remarks
At the same event, Trump also floated the idea of making Venezuela the '51st state' and claimed that animals 'jump on' solar panels and 'fry' as part of a push against clean energy.
The president's focus on meat extended beyond Corpus Christi. In Lubbock, he revisited his recent comments about Republican Ohio senator John Husted, this time discussing his 'sausage-like' fingers. Trump said: 'I made the mistake of saying – that I started off by studying his a**. And then I looked at his feet, and they were massive. Then I looked at his hands… He has fingers like sausages.'
He had previously described Husted's hands as 'like claws', admitting he had 'started examining his body'. Trump said: 'I didn't know he was a great athlete. And I looked and I watched up and down. I looked at his a**, and I looked at the whole…' He then diverted to Nicki Minaj's 'beautiful' bum before complimenting Husted's jawline and shoulders made of 'steel'.
Husted responded to the presidential praise, saying: 'The president is coming in tomorrow again to Ohio. Don't worry, I was in the weight room this morning working out. I don't want to let him down.'
Midterm Context
Trump has been seeking to rally support for the Republican party ahead of midterm elections, following a record-low approval rating last week. The vote determines which party controls Congress, and an Ipsos poll showed registered voters broadly favoured Democrats over Republicans by 47% to 36%. Losing control of the chamber could complicate Trump's plans for his final two years in office, as he cannot be elected for another term under the Constitution.
