Donald Trump Says Complimenting a Woman Could Be 'Immediate End' to Political Career Before Calling Sean Duffy's Wife 'Very Beautiful'

During an event celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, President Donald Trump called Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s wife, Rachel Campos-Duffy, and her sister "beautiful" before clarifying that talking about women’s beauty could be the "immediate end" of a politician's career.

During the Wednesday, September 30 event, Trump directly addressed Fox News host Campos-Duffy and her sister, Leah Campos, who is the U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic.

While speaking at the podium, Trump looked toward the sisters and the Transportation Secretary, saying, "I’m looking at Sean and Rachel, and your sister is here too, Rachel. I hear… Oh, there she… Oh, I don’t know. Who’s more beautiful? I can’t know. You know, you’re not allowed to talk. As a politician, you’re not allowed to talk about the beauty of a woman because it’s the immediate end of your political career. But you’re both very beautiful. So."

When Trump made the remarks, the Duffy sisters, along with the rest of the audience, laughed and took the comment in stride, treating it as a joke.

Critics and media outlets like The Daily Beast labeled the remarks "tone-deaf," saying the president "thirsted" over the sisters, arguing it took away from the actual focus of Hispanic Heritage Month.

This is a recurring comedic trope for Trump, who has frequently used variations of the "immediate end of a political career" joke to justify his comments when publicly complimenting women's physical features at official events.

During a White House event with Irish leader Micheál Martin, Trump nearly introduced an attendee named Kelly as "beautiful" before stopping himself. He told the audience, "You're not allowed to say that about women anymore, but I say it anyway. Usually, it's the end of your career.”

While hosting a White House event honoring women, Trump praised the attendees by saying, "They are so powerful and so important and so beautiful."

He immediately followed it up with the trope: "I'm not allowed to use the word 'beautiful,' but I'm using it anyway… Usually, it's the end of your political career. If you say a woman's a beautiful woman, they say that's the termination of his career."

He then introduced Olympic gold medalist Kaillie Humphries as a "beautiful woman with blonde hair.”

During a Young Black Leadership Summit, Trump praised far-right commentator Candace Owens from the podium, telling the crowd, "Under the 'MeToo' generation, we're not allowed to say it. So all of you young brilliant guys, never, ever call a woman beautiful, please... And I've kept doing it.”

During a speech to law enforcement officers, Trump repeatedly referenced "young, beautiful girls" who visit the White House and thank him for making them feel safe. He paused to tell the crowd that he knows he is "not supposed to say beautiful," but chose to call them "gorgeous, beautiful girls" anyway.

He additionally sparked media attention by publicly gushing over former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, complimenting her "beautiful face.”

In another instance, after a female reporter asked a question, Trump told her she was beautiful.

He then looked at the room and said, "I'm not allowed to say that; you know that could be the end of my political career, but I said it anyway.”