Occupying the White House doesn’t appear to have tempered Donald Trump’s abrasive personality much, so when he had the pleasure of meeting French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, he was unduly forward in commenting on the French first lady’s physical appearance.
His exact words, speaking as the president of the United States of America?
“You’re in such good shape.”
Doubling down on the inappropriate comment, Trump then turned to President Macron, offering what one could construe as some sort of approval, repeating, “She’s in such good physical shape.”
The words, while sadly not surprising, still left many all over the world taken aback, especially given Trump’s lengthy history of harassing and criticizing women on their physical appearance in public. Social media responses ranged from criticism to embarrassment at Trump’s comment on an international diplomatic stage. Many pointed out that this type of comment is offensive in most any situation, not just public ones.
To drive the latter point home, international sportswear giant Reebok quickly crafted a flowchart that answers the question “When is it appropriate to say ‘You’re in such good shape … beautiful’?” As one with any modicum of decency would expect, very few situations warrant that type of comment.
Reebok is not the first company to use its platform to denounce Trump’s actions nor will it be the last. But if there is one aspect of this situation that we can find heartening, it’s that companies are continuing to risk alienation or boycotts by pro-Trump customers to raise their hands and condemn his ugly behavior.
