A CNN analyst called President Donald Trump’s masculinity into question by saying that he “looks like the beta” for accepting a $400 million jet from Qatar as a gift.
Trump sparked outcry—from critics and supporters alike—when news broke Saturday that he would accept the plane to use as Air Force One. He defended the decision on the basis that his current Boeing 747 is “much smaller” than newer models.
CNN senior political analyst Nia-Malika Henderson argued on the Wednesday edition of Inside Politics that accepting the lavish gift might be damaging to the strongman image Trump has sought to project.
“It also sort of makes Donald Trump look like the beta,” she said. “We‘re going across the world because we‘re too poor to get a plane from somebody else.”
Henderson observed the contradiction of Trump’s emphasis on America’s power while “taking handouts” from an “authoritarian nation” like Qatar.
“The optics of it is really, I think, contradicting what Trump’s idea of America is and himself as the great salesman in bringing America back to greatness,” she said. “If our greatness is relying on another country‘s largesse, it seems to be a contradiction.”
The White House did not immediately return the Daily Beast’s request for comment on the criticism.
The word “beta” is a popular insult to a man’s masculinity on alt-right corners of the internet, which are home to many of the president’s supporters. In contrast to an alpha, a beta is someone who is weak and submissive.
The digital manosphere—where designations of alpha and beta run rampant—emerged as key campaigning ground for Trump in 2024. His appearances on podcasts popular with young men, like Joe Rogan’s, have been credited with fueling his victory.
Trump has sought to defend his masculinity since long before he entered into politics. Famously, the oft-repeated jab that he has small hands—which dates back to the 1980s—has seemed to generate a considerable amount of insecurity for the now-president.
Trump is currently on a visit to the Middle East and attended a state dinner with Qatari royalty on Wednesday evening.
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