Share
News

Gym Owner Tells Army Veteran Not To Wear 'Racist' Trump Shirt

Share

An Army veteran who wore a Trump shirt to the gym he’d attended for eight years, was allegedly labeled a racist and asked not to don the apparel again.

Staff Sgt. Jake Talbot wore a “2016 Trump for President” shirt to CDY Fitness in Troy, Missouri, and was quickly told by gym owner Liz Drew that the shirt was racist and offensive, The Washington Post reported Thursday.

Talbot says he began working out before being approached by Drew who told him the shirt was offensive.

“It’s offensive to her and others. It represents racism, and it’s racist,” Drew reportedly told him, according to Talbot.

Talbot continued working out and soon after posted a video on Facebook describing the encounter.

Trending:
Lib Host Jon Stewart Overvalued His Home By 829% After Saying Trump Civil Case Is 'Not Victimless'


Drew maintains that she did not allege the shirt was offensive but approached Talbot after a number of gym members expressed concern about the shirt.

“I (told Talbot) it could be construed as racist and several of my members had complained about feeling uncomfortable when he wore that,” Drew said, according to The Washington Post.

Drew claims she didn’t ask Talbot to leave the gym or to change his shirt, but privately took him aside and asked him not to wear it again, according to KSDK News.

Do you think the gym was in the wrong?

“It didn’t seem like a big deal to talk to him about a shirt,” she said.

Her request was not, according to Drew, about anti-Trump sentiment, but rather an attempt to keep the gym “a politics-free zone,” The Washington Post reported.

Drew alleges she would have asked the same of a patron sporting a Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama T-shirt.

Talbot served in Afghanistan and is in the National Guard. He describes himself as very patriotic.

“I love this country,” Talbot said.

Related:
California Judge Rules Trump Ally Should Be Disbarred for His Role in 2020 Election

Talbot also said he would not have asked another person what Drew asked of him.

“I would never turn anyone away from anything because of their beliefs, their religion, their opinions, anything,” Talbot told The Washington Post. “It’s a free country.”

Drew released a statement clarifying her intent and making clear that she meant no ill will towards Talbot.

“I have much respect for all of our service members. I regret that some were offended by this misunderstanding. I was simply attempting to ensure that all of my members felt safe and unthreatened,” Drew said, according to KSDK News.

Drew declined to be interviewed by theDCNF.

“I’m tired of the split, the divide in the country. We need to come together,” Talbot said.

Unifying the country is America’s third-largest issue, according to a December Gallup poll.

Talbot says he will no longer give business to the Missouri gym.

Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

A version of this article appeared on The Daily Caller News Foundation website.

Truth and Accuracy

Submit a Correction →



We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:
, , ,
Share
Founded by Tucker Carlson, a 25-year veteran of print and broadcast media, and Neil Patel, former chief policy adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney, The Daily Caller News Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit providing original investigative reporting from a team of professional reporters that operates for the public benefit. Photo credit: @DailyCaller on Twitter




Conversation