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Pelosi surprised Trump was upset over 'morbidly obese' jibe: 'He’s always talking about other people’s weight'

'I didn't know he would be so sensitive. He's always talking about other people's avoirdupois, their weight, their pounds,' the 80-year-old Pelosi said

BY DIVYA KISHORE

UPDATED MAY 20, 2020

Nancy Pelosi has hit back at President Donald Trump after a war of words ensued between the two with Pelosi calling the US Republican leader "morbidly obese" during a TV appearance and in response, Trump blasted the House Speaker as a "sick woman" with a lot of “mental problems”. On Tuesday, May 19, during an interview with MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace, the 80-year-old said: "I didn't know that he would be so sensitive. He's always talking about other people's avoirdupois, their weight, their pounds."

"I think he should recognize that his words weigh a ton. Instead of telling people to put Lysol into their lungs or taking a medication that has not been approved except under certain circumstances, he should be saying what your previous guest mentioned — things that would help people," Pelosi stated while referring to Trump's April advice that injecting disinfectants into a person could be a possible cure for the coronavirus.

On Monday, May 18, while talking to CNN's Anderson Cooper, Pelosi said that she was "concerned" about the 73-year-old politician's health as he shared he was taking hydroxychloroquine medication regularly as a preventative measure for Covid-19. She then went on to term the commander-in-chief as "morbidly obese". "I would rather he not be taking something that has not been approved by the scientists, especially in his age group, and in his, shall we say, weight group: 'Morbidly obese' they say," Pelosi added.

However, her comments did not go down well with many including Trump at whom her jibe was targeted. He soon blasted Pelosi, calling her a "sick woman" with a lot of "mental problems". The president also claimed that academic research proved that it was his enemies who are creating the dangers of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). "Pelosi is a sick woman. she's got a lot of problems, a lot of mental problems," Trump said during a visit to the Capitol Hill where he had lunch with Senate Republicans. He said this minutes after saying: "I don't respond to her. I think she's a waste of time."

Several people also joined the president and called out Pelosi for her hypocrisy on Twitter. "I cannot stress to you enough how harmful fat-shaming is, no matter WHO it is done to. Trump's ugliness does not come from his weight. Those who shame him for it are mocking ALL fat people, and they don't deserve this bullshit. F**k fat shaming! F**k this trend! #PresidentPlump," one wrote while another said: "#fatshaming #PresidentPlump calling trump 'Morbidly Obese' is fat-shaming, but it’s ok because he’s a political figure we don’t like?"

"When you criticize Trump for his weight, you're telling overweight people they are ultimately a punchline. You're perpetuating the lie that worth is found in a number on the scale or around the waist. You're nurturing the cheap surface bullying he traffics in. #PresidentPlump," tweeted another. "These are the people screaming #PresidentPlump. Let's see what's up when any fat liberal open their mouth again! What happened to fat-shaming. Libs are f**king confused bunch of people. These people are very sick!" added a user.