Substack (March 5, 2025) by Greg Runge

On March 4, 2025, former President Donald Trump addressed a joint session of Congress, and among the topics he touched on was the supposed unfairness of transgender athletes in women’s sports. In his speech, transcribed by The Associated Press, he cited an example of a cycling record that he claimed was proof of the problem.

Trump stated, “And if you really want to see numbers, just take a look at what happened in the women’s boxing, weightlifting, track and field, swimming, or cycling, where a male recently finished a long-distance race five hours and 14 minutes ahead of a woman for a new record by five hours. Broke the record by five hours. It’s demeaning for women, and it’s very bad for our country. We’re not going to put up with it any longer.”

The problem? His example wasn’t just misleading—it was factually incorrect.

The cyclist he was referring to is Austin Killips, a transgender woman who set a new fastest known time (FKT) on the 800-mile Arizona Trail Race (AZT800) in May 2024. Killips completed the grueling race in 8 days, 23 hours, and 27 minutes, improving upon the previous record by five hours and 14 minutes—which is likely where Trump got his number.

But what Trump conveniently left out is that Killips’ time was beaten later that year by Justinas Leveika, a male cyclist, who set the current record in October 2024, completing the AZT800 in 7 days, 19 hours, and 48 minutes—beating Killips’ time by over a full day.

So, if Trump’s goal was to suggest that women’s cycling is being unfairly dominated, why did he ignore the most recent and fastest racer—who is not transgender? Because that would’ve disrupted the narrative.

Austin Killips’ Response

Killips responded to the rhetoric in an op-ed for The Guardian, calling out the former president’s misrepresentation of the event and the broader issue of weaponizing trans athletes for political gain. You can read her full response here: Trump wants to make trans athletes his new boogeyman. Here’s why he’s wrong.

What the Arizona Trail Race Actually Is

For those unfamiliar, the Arizona Trail Race (AZTR) is an unofficial, self-supported bikepacking event where riders tackle 800 miles of some of the toughest terrain in the country. It’s not a sanctioned race, meaning there are no cash prizes, no official governing body, and no gender-based restrictions on participation.

In other words, Killips didn’t take away a victory from another woman, nor was she competing in a field of women-only racers. She completed an individual time trial (ITT), a self-paced attempt outside of the formal group race. Her record stood until Leveika broke it a few months later. That’s just how endurance racing works—people ride, people set records, and then someone else comes along and breaks them. That’s not political. That’s sport.

The Bigger Picture

Trump’s strategy here is nothing new. Trans athletes have become a culture war rallying cry for conservatives looking to enrage their base over an issue that affects an incredibly small number of actual competitors. The idea that trans women are dominating women’s sports is a myth that has been debunked repeatedly by actual data (Source: The Washington Post).

Meanwhile, actual issues affecting women’s sports—pay inequality, lack of sponsorship opportunities, and abuse scandals—remain largely ignored by those who claim to be “protecting” female athletes. Funny how that works.

Shoutout to Coach Jackie J

This post was inspired by Coach Jackie J on TikTok, who helped point me in the right direction when I was trying to figure out what Trump was even talking about. Even Under The Desk News initially got it wrong because, frankly, it was such a bizarre and random example to use.

Final Thoughts

If we let this slide, what’s next? This isn’t just about one misleading statement—this is a calculated effort to divide, distract, and demonize. Trump doesn’t care about women’s sports. He cares about using fear and misinformation to rally his base. And we cannot let it continue.

If you take one thing from this, let it be this: fact-check everything. Trump’s claim about the Arizona Trail 800 wasn’t just misleading—it was an outright lie. And yet, millions will hear it and believe it because they won’t take the time to look it up. That’s how propaganda works.

We have a choice: either sit back and let these lies spread or push back with the truth.

 

To read the article online, click here.