According to the Washington Post [1], Donald Trump reportedly referred to Rep. Jerrold Nadler as “fat Jerry” in a meeting with a group of House Republicans at the White House.
The Post said that Trump made the remark earlier this year while suggesting that Nadler is overweight despite having weight-loss surgery years ago.
“I’ve been battling Nadler for years,” Trump added.
The GOP lawmakers were embarrassed by Trump’s comments, the Post reported, citing several people who were at the meeting.
Nadler, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, has emerged as a top adversary to Trump in the new Congress as he has led an investigation into the president.
Trump has privately complained to aides about Nadler and his investigation, claiming that the congressman is out to get him, according to the Post.
The Post also noted that the feud between Trump and Nadler goes back several decades. The feud, which began when Nadler was a New York state assemblyman, stemmed from Nadler opposing a development project that Trump planned in New York City, according to the Post.
The New Yorkers, now in their 70s, first encountered each other early in Trump’s real estate career when Nadler was a state assemblyman. Trump faced opposition from New York lawmakers, including then-Mayor Ed Koch, when he wanted to develop property he purchased in 1985 on the West Side of Manhattan that required the movement of a highway.
Even after he became a congressman in 1992, Nadler was a key opponent of the project, and the years-long dispute was well-documented in local publications at the time as it faced numerous zoning and tax obstacles. The New York Times characterized Nadler as “among the project’s strongest foes” and at one point, he successfully cut off federal funds that would have allowed the development to proceed.
The highway never moved, but in a twist of irony, Nadler ultimately voted for a transportation bill in 1998 that, at the last minute, allocated $6 million in funding to Trump’s project. After the vote, Nadler told The Observer he was “absolutely livid,” criticizing Trump’s motives.
Twitter had some thoughts:
Trump's latest target, Jerry Nadler. BLOTUS has taken to calling him "Fat Jerry". 🤣😹😂If that isn't the height of absurdity, I don't know what is. Well, I guess it takes one to know one, or, some such thing. Talk about a 'playground' mentality, what an idiot. pic.twitter.com/LqGwbNXbNO [2]
— Tiggerpawz Today (@tiggerpawz2day) December 1, 2019 [3]
In the spring trump referred to #JerryNadler [4] as Fat Jerry. Is that fat president kidding me ???? Trump is so obese it’s unsettling to even look at “ Two Chins” on his campaign trail. This president loses his mind more and more as time goes by. He’s repulsive.
— L (@shadowtaps) December 1, 2019 [5]