US President Donald Trump drew criticism after making remarks about Iran and US elections while addressing a group of children during a White House ceremony. According to reports by The Mirror US and The Independent, the event marked the reinstatement of the Presidential Fitness Test Award.
This is a program recognizing students who meet physical benchmarks such as sit-ups, pull-ups, push-ups and running. Trump was joined by athletes including Bryson DeChambeau, Gary Player, Amani Oruwariye and Noah Syndergaard, along with members of his Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.
‘You might be too young’: Nuclear weapons remark
During the ceremony, Trump also spoke about Iran, directly addressing the children present.
“We can’t let Iran have a nuclear weapon… You might be too young for this… But you can’t let a bunch of lunatics have a nuclear weapon or the world would be in trouble,” he said, according to a video shared on X.
In separate remarks cited by The Mirror US, Trump added: “They don’t like playing games with us… We’ve basically wiped out their military in about two weeks.”
Trump also described violence involving Iranian protesters in graphic terms, saying people were shot “right between the eyes” and claiming large numbers had been killed.
Election claims repeated
The president also revisited his claims about past US elections during the event.
“I thought I’d easily win the election, which, by the way, I did… It was a rigged election,” Trump said, adding that he had won “every single swing state” and the “popular vote.”
These claims have been disputed.
Children yawning
Several children present appeared disengaged, with some seen yawning and fidgeting as Trump continued speaking.
Clips from the event circulated online, drawing criticism from social media users. Some expressed concern about the nature of the remarks being made in front of school-aged children, while others questioned the appropriateness of the setting.
“The kids are getting bored and starting to fidget. A photo op with the president isn’t worth this torture,” read one comment on X. “Doesn’t stop him from rambling on. Talking is his top priority,” read another.
