Fact-Checking Trump’s Claims: The Real Story Behind the Arizona Trail Record

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 womenโ€™s sports. In his speech, transcribed byย The Associated Press, he cited an example of a cycling record that he claimed was proof of the problem.

Trump stated, โ€œAnd if you really want to see numbers, just take a look at what happened in the womenโ€™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. Itโ€™s demeaning for women, and itโ€™s very bad for our country. Weโ€™re not going to put up with it any longer.โ€

The problem? His example wasnโ€™t just misleadingโ€”it was factually incorrect.

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

But what Trump conveniently left out is thatย Killipsโ€™ time was beaten later that yearย byย Justinas Leveika, a male cyclist, who set the current record inย October 2024, completing the AZT800 inย 7 days, 19 hours, and 48 minutesโ€”beating Killips’ time by over a full day.

So, if Trumpโ€™s goal was to suggest that womenโ€™s cycling is being unfairly dominated, why did he ignore the most recent and fastest racerโ€”who is not transgender? Because that wouldโ€™ve disrupted the narrative.

Austin Killipsโ€™ Response

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

What the Arizona Trail Race Actually Is

For those unfamiliar, theย Arizona Trail Race (AZTR)ย is anย unofficial, self-supported bikepacking event where riders tackleย 800 milesย of some of the toughest terrain in the country. Itโ€™s not a sanctioned race, meaning there areย no cash prizes, no official governing body, and no gender-based restrictions on participation.

In other words, Killips didnโ€™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 untilย Leveika broke it a few months later. Thatโ€™s just how endurance racing worksโ€”people ride, people set records, and then someone else comes along and breaks them. Thatโ€™s not political. Thatโ€™s sport.

The Bigger Picture

Trumpโ€™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 affectsย an incredibly small number of actual competitors. The idea that trans women are dominating womenโ€™s sports is a myth that has been debunked repeatedly byย actual dataย (Source: The Washington Post).

Meanwhile, actual issues affecting womenโ€™s sportsโ€”pay inequality, lack of sponsorship opportunities, and abuse scandalsโ€”remain largely ignored by those who claim to be โ€œprotectingโ€ female athletes. Funny how that works.

Shoutout to Coach Jackie J

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

Final Thoughts

If we let this slide, whatโ€™s next? This isnโ€™t just about one misleading statementโ€”this is a calculated effort to divide, distract, and demonize. Trump doesnโ€™t care about womenโ€™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:ย fact-check everything.ย Trumpโ€™s claim about the Arizona Trail 800 wasnโ€™t just misleadingโ€”it was an outright lie. And yet, millions will hear it and believe it because they wonโ€™t take the time to look it up. Thatโ€™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.