Donald Trump has sharply criticized the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics for a performance that many claimed parodied the Last Supper. The former president is one of several public figures who have voiced their disapproval of the controversial act.
In an interview with Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle on July 29, Trump condemned the performance, calling it a “disgrace.” He remarked, “I thought that the opening ceremony was a disgrace, actually. I thought it was a disgrace.”
The performance featured drag performers and artists gathered around a table alongside Barbara Butch, a French DJ and lesbian activist. Butch, wearing a halo-like headpiece, and the group sailed down the Seine on a boat. Thomas Jolly, the artistic director of the ceremony, explained that the scene drew inspiration from Greek mythology and the Feast of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine. The Greek god was portrayed by singer Philippe Katerine, who was nearly naked and painted blue. Jolly emphasized that his intent was not to reference the biblical Last Supper.
“My wish isn’t to be subversive, nor to mock or to shock,” Jolly stated. “Most of all, I wanted to send a message of love, a message of inclusion and not at all to divide.”
Despite Jolly’s intentions, many Christians felt that the performance resembled Leonardo da Vinci’s famous fresco of Jesus Christ’s Last Supper and found it offensive.
Trump criticized the performance for its lack of taste, saying, “I mean, they can do certain things. I thought it was terrible. Look, I’m for everybody. I’m very open-minded… but I thought what they did was a disgrace.”
In response to the backlash, Olympic organizers issued an apology to those who felt disrespected. Anne Descamps, a spokesperson for the event, stated, “Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group. On the contrary, I think [with] Thomas Jolly, we really did try to celebrate community tolerance.” She added, “Looking at the result of the polls that we shared, we believe that this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offense we are, of course, really, really sorry.”
