‘Serious weight problem': Trump mocks supporter at rally, apparently mistaking him for protester

MANCHESTER, N.H. - President Donald Trump body-shamed his own supporter during a New Hampshire rally on Thursday, telling him to “go home, start exercising.” 

The president’s rally at Southern New Hampshire University Arena was interrupted by protesters who were holding two banners that read “Jews Against the Occupation” and another disparaging Trump’s policies, according to the Washington Post. The man, who was wearing a “Trump 2020” shirt, was seated nearby and grabbed one of the protest banners and threw it over the balcony, the report said.

Trump then halted his speech, turned around and looked at the commotion behind him. Security had arrived to escort the protesters out of the venue. 

“That guy’s got a serious weight problem,” Trump said, apparently singling out the man who he thought was a protester. “Go home, start exercising.”

The crowd erupted in laughter. 
 
“Get him out of here please. Got a bigger problem than I do. Got a bigger problem than all of us,” Trump added. “Now he goes home and his mom says, 'What the hell have you just done?'"

The man Trump insulted remained at the rally, the paper reported.

According to a senior administration official, Trump called the supporter he mocked on Thursday and left a message, according to the Hill. The president phoned him from Air Force One on the way back to Bedminster, N.J.

The supporter was identified as Frank Dawson, who is a law enforcement and U.S. Navy veteran. Fox News interviewed him on Thursday night after the rally. 

“He (Trump) didn’t see me rip the signs away from those three people that were sitting near us, and they were trying to cause a ruckus,” Dawson said. “It wasn’t going to happen beside me because I’m trying to listen to my president.”

“I think he thought I was part of it, but I wasn’t. I was the good part of it,” Dawson added.

This story was reported from Los Angeles.