Donald Trump says Ronda Rousey is a fan of his — despite recent comments in which the ultimate fighter slammed the Republican presidential candidate.
In an interview with CNN’s Chris Cuomo on Wednesday, the Republican presidential hopeful said he would support women fighting in every facet of the U.S. military — and cited Rousey as a prime example of women who can be great fighters.
“I guess the answer is yes, because they’re really into it,” Trump said when asked if he supports women on the front lines.
“Some of them are really, really good,” he said. “I’ll tell you what, I know some woman that are just — Ronda Rousey is an example, who likes me. … I’d take her on my side as a fighter.”
But the candidate must have missed a recent CNN interview with Rousey, in which she summarily dismissed Trump’s campaign for president.
“I mean, I wouldn’t vote for him,” she said. “I just really wouldn’t trust the guy with running my country, that’s all. … I’m not really going to get into specifics of it, but, I mean, I don’t want a reality TV star to be running my country.”
Trump also misstated an award he received, saying it came from the Marines when it was actually the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation.
In an answer trying to bolster his military credibility, Trump referenced receiving the award in April.
“I was given the biggest award by the Marines the other day, one of the biggest civilian awards by the Marines the other day,” Trump said. “I was with all of the Marines, I was with the new head of the joint chiefs of staff, he’s a very impressive guy, at the Waldorf Astoria the other night. I was given one of the most distinguished awards, which was a great honor for me.”
Cuomo interjected: “So you’re saying they respect you.”
“I think they do,” the Republican said .”Well, I got the award from them. And they presented it to me, so I think they do.”
But the award came at a charity gala, where Trump pledged to donate $100,000 to the organization in his speech, the New York Post’s Page Six reported at the time.
Trump’s spokeswoman confirmed that was the award he was referring to.
A picture of the award from the Marine Corps clearly shows the name of the charity on the award. The Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation is a charity that gives scholarships to the children of fallen Marines and federal law enforcement officers.
The Marines also confirmed they did not give an award to Trump.
“The U.S. Marine Corps has not presented any awards to any presidential candidates this year,” said Marine Corps spokesman Maj. Paul Greenberg. “It is not customary for the Marine Corps to make such presentations.”
Greenberg said the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation is a nonprofit not officially affiliated with the Department of Defense or the government.
Trump was also apparently referring to meeting Marine Corps Commandant Joseph Dunford Jr., who was recently confirmed to be the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs, taking over in September. He was nominated by President Barack Obama days after the gala. A picture released by the Marine Corps caught their meeting.