This story originally appeared on The Advocate.
Right now, Republicans are likely licking their wounds in the post-blue wave reality they now find themselves in while analyzing what went wrong. Possibly at the top of this list? President Donald Trump’s attempt to keep Congress from slipping through his fingers by lavishing praise on the physiques of the conservative politicians he endorsed.
The lead-up to the midterms brought renewed attention to Trump’s obsession with the male physique because he wouldn’t stop complimenting Sen. Jon Husted’s body — particularly his butt — in his speeches while stumping for Republican candidates.
Trump spent so much time gushing about the conservative politicians he considered to be “handsome guys,” with a particular focus on Husted’s muscular backside, that CNN host Anderson Cooper dubbed Trump the “assman-in-chief” and called him a “derriere efficianado” before playing a compilation of Trump’s comments about how handsome he finds male politicians on his show.
Spending so much time talking about how attractive men are is a strange election strategy from a president who is obsessed with masculinity and has used a good deal of his political capital to strip LGBTQ+ people of their rights.
Trump’s political instincts seem questionable, but he has a clear track record that shows his often bizarre remarks at press conferences and rallies work for his Republican base. But his strategy to compliment men’s bottoms and call them “beautiful” didn’t lead to the victories Republicans were hoping for in the midterms.
But it’s not just men in politics who Trump can’t help but lavish praise on; he also has a thing for athletes, including golf legend Arnold Palmer, whose infamous genitalia Trump took notice of.
Keep scrolling to see all of the times Trump heaped praise on the male form.
Jon Husted
U.S. Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) speaks during a Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on September 17, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
No one has received Trump’s strange, effusive compliments more than Sen. Jon Husted. While campaigning for the Ohio Republican, Trump repeatedly complimented his butt, calling it “a very powerful ass,” and made comments about the size of his hands and feet, which are frequently pointed to as being correlated with genitalia size.
“I examined his ass,” Trump said at an October 17 rally in Kentucky. "I never did that with a man before. I examined his ass. And then I looked at his shoulders. I looked at his feet. I looked at his hand. I looked at his jawline.”
Trump claimed his bizarre remarks about Husted’s butt boosted the Ohio senator’s polling numbers by 12 points, but that didn’t equal a win for the republican. Democrat Sherrod Brown flipped the Senate seat, ousting Husted.
Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer tees off on the 10th hole with a good margin of lead over Phil Rodgers and Jacky Cupit at the World Series Playoff.
Bettman/Getty Images
In a 2024 speech at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, Trump not only went on a tirade about transgender women in sports, gender-affirming care, and “open borders,” but also went on a 12-minute monologue about late golf legend Arnold Palmer’s “unbelievable” genitalia. As The Advocate previously reported, Trump called Palmer “all man” before recounting locker room rumors he’d heard about him.
“When he took showers with other pros, they came out of there, and they said, ‘Oh my God. That’s unbelievable,’” Trump said, adding, “I had to say it. We have women that are highly sophisticated here, but they used to look at Arnold as a man.”
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during an event at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) building on October 05, 2026 in Washington, DC.
Finn Gomez/Getty Images
Trump used a rally in Florida on October 23 to praise the physique of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health and human services secretary who has posted shirtless workout videos on social media and had a pull-up contest with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy at a news conference.
“Seriously, did anybody ever see the build, the body on Bob — did anybody ever see this?” Trump asked the crowd. “He’s got the body of a 30-year-old.”
Mike Collins
Georgia Republican Senate candidate, Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) speaks to members of the media on the last day before Election Day, on November 2, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Megan Varner/Getty Images
While attempting to drum up support for transphobic Georgia Rep. Mike Collins ahead of the midterm election race he just lost to Sen. Jon Ossoff, Trump sang his praises at a rally in Dalton, Georgia, on October 16 by pointing out that Collins is “all man,” and complimenting his “white hair” and “big, strong build.”
“Somebody said he’s a good-looking man,” Trump said of Ossoff, whom the president disparagingly compared to Pee-wee Herman. “I don’t think he’s a good-looking man. I actually think Mike Collins is a good-looking man – and he’s all man. He’s all man. I’m not sure about Ossoff.”
Rick Jackson
Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson speaks at his election night watch party on May 19, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images
Keisha Lance Bottoms just became the first black woman to be elected U.S. governor, but in the run-up to her decisive win against Republican Rick Jackson, Trump tried to sway voters by complimenting the 72-year-old billionaire’s looks at the same rally where the president raved about Collins.
“I actually think that Rick Jackson’s a very handsome, distinguished, beautiful-looking guy,” Trump said.
Ed Gallrein
Ed Gallrein, Republican congressional candidate for Kentucky, rises to approach the stage ahead of an America First Workers Special Event on May 18, 2026 in Hebron, Kentucky.
Jon Cherry/Getty Images
Retired Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein just won the race to represent Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District after getting a glowing endorsement from Trump, which included comments about his good looks at an October rally in the state.
“Look at this beautiful guy," Trump said of the Republican, who he remarked looked like he was right out of “central casting,” a frequent compliment Trump pays people.
Jaxson Dart
Jaxson Dart of the New York Giants throws a pass during warm ups prior to an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on September 21, 2026.
Logan Bowles/Getty Images
Trump’s well-known love of male athletes was on full display when New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart introduced him at a rally in May, and the president responded by telling the crowd that the NFL star has legs “like tree trunks.”
During a Fox News interview, Trump was even more effusive, going so far as to say he wished he looked like Dart. “Well, first of all, I wish I looked just like Jaxson," Trump said. "I said, 'Is he a male model, or what?' He's a handsome guy, like a beautiful guy, a, you know, conservative guy. He said, 'I love you, sir.’”
Matt Gaetz
Former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) walks on stage on the third day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 17, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Image
At a 2018 midterm election rally in Florida, Trump talked about the “caravan” of migrants he claimed were coming to the U.S. from Central America, his infamous wall along the southern border, and then-Rep. Matt Gaetz’s attractiveness.
“Another man, great, great talent,” Trump told the crowd. “Young, handsome, going places, you talk about defending — he’s fantastic, Matt Gaetz!"
Tim Sheehy
Montana Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tim Sheehy speaks during a rally for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump at Montana State University on August 9, 2024 in Bozeman, Montana.
Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images
At another midterm rally in Kalispell, Montana, on October 14, where Trump talked about the state’s role in creating cutting-edge military technology, the president also took time to gush about how “handsome” he finds Sen. Tim Sheehy.
“I wish Tim didn’t look that good,” the president said. “He’s a very handsome guy. I don’t like handsome guys. I never like handsome men.”
Paulo Costa
Paulo Costa poses on the scale at the UFC 327 official weigh-in at Hilton Miami Downtown on April 10, 2026 in Miami, Florida.
Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC
During a wild ringside meet-up in April 2026, Trump called Brazilian UFC fighter Paulo Costa a “beautiful guy” after he entered the arena to a Kid Rock song, accompanied by UFC boss Dana White and daughters Ivanka Trump and Tiffany Trump.
"You could be a model, you look so good! You're too good looking to be a fighter,” Trump said. “You are some fighter. Thank you, man.”
Harrison Butker
Place kicker Harrison Butker #7 of the Kansas City Chiefs sits on the team bench during the fourth quarter of an NFL preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams at Arrowhead Stadium on August 15, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri.
David Eulitt/Getty Images
Harrison Butker, the Kansas City Chiefs kicker who The Advocate previously reported gave a misogynistic and anti-LGBTQ+ commencement speech at Benedictine College in 2024, was also on the receiving end of one of Trump’s compliments.
"Handsome guy, by the way," Trump said at a July 2025 event at the White House to announce the return of the Presidential Fitness Test. "Usually not my thing, but he's a good-looking sucker."
