NBC Reporter Calls It ‘Transphobic’ To Say Men Are Competing In Women’s Sports

NBC News Washington Correspondent Yamiche Alcindor said Wednesday that former President Donald Trump is “transphobic” for saying men are competing in women’s sports.

Alcindor was discussing Trump’s speech Tuesday at the America First Policy Institute in which Trump touched on a wide range of issues, including the transgender athlete debate. Trump said “we should not allow men to play in women’s sports,” leading to raucous applause.

Alcindor claimed his comments are “transphobic.” (RELATED: Trump: ‘Execute A Drug Dealer And You’ll Save 500 Lives’)

“Cultural issues were very popular in that room, former President Trump went on a long rant about transgender Americans, and he used transphobic language, in particular, and was talking about trans women competing in sports saying they were men trying to compete against women, which of course is not the right way to talk about that issue.”

WATCH:

A Washington Post poll from June found less than one-third of Americans think transgender women should be allowed to compete in women’s sports. A majority said trans women should not be allowed to compete in women’s sports at a professional, collegiate or high school level, according to the poll.

The debate has ramped up in recent months, with FINA, the governing body for international swimming, banning nearly all biological males from competing in women’s sports. The policy effectively bans University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas, a biological male, from competing in the women’s competition. Thomas gained attention after dominating the swimming competition against female competitors, winning the 500 free event at the NCAA Women’s Championship by 1.75 seconds in March.