Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Jim Vondruska
In a startling revelation from his upcoming book, All in the Family: The Trumps and How We Got This Way, Fred Trump III, nephew of former President Donald Trump, alleges that his uncle proposed abandoning people with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic to save costs. This controversial remark reportedly occurred during a private meeting in May 2020, which included high-ranking administration officials and disability rights advocates.
Fred Trump III, the eldest son of Fred Trump Jr. and brother of psychologist Mary Trump, recounted attending the meeting with then-President Trump, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, and Dr. Brett Giroir from the White House COVID Task Force. The discussion, centered on the needs of individuals with disabilities, was particularly significant to Fred III due to his son William’s rare seizure disorder, which results in severe cognitive and physical impairments.
As per the reports of Raw Story, following the meeting, President Trump reportedly summoned Fred III back to the Oval Office. During this subsequent encounter, Trump allegedly remarked, “Those people … The shape they’re in, all the expenses, maybe those kinds of people should just die.” Fred III recounted, “I truly did not know what to say. He was talking about expenses. We were talking about human lives. For Donald, I think it really was about the expenses, even though we were there to talk about efficiencies, smarter investments, and human dignity.”
This shocking comment adds to the list of contentious statements previously made by Trump regarding people with disabilities. In 2016, during his presidential campaign, Trump drew criticism for mocking reporter Serge Kovaleski, who has arthrogryposis, a condition affecting joint movement. Despite the backlash, Trump claimed he was merely criticizing Kovaleski’s journalism, not imitating his disability, as reported by The Independent.
The Independent reported that in response to Trump’s explanation, Washington Post fact-checker Glenn Kessler stated, “Trump’s explanation in Colorado is simply not credible… Trump is clearly imitating Kovaleski’s disability — the reporter has arthrogryposis, which visibly limits the functioning of his joints.”
Additionally, Fred Trump III’s book exposes other controversial episodes from Trump’s past. An excerpt reported by The Guardian reveals that in the 1970s, Trump used a racial slur after discovering damage to his Cadillac convertible. Fred III recounted Trump saying, “‘Nirs,’ I recall him saying disgustedly. ‘Look at what the nirs did.’” These revelations from Fred Trump III’s book paint a troubling picture of the former president’s views and behavior, highlighting longstanding controversies and personal biases.
