Gaetz Unapologetic For Offensive Remarks About Pro-Choice Advocates

TAMPA, FL — Florida Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz said he's not sorry for distasteful remarks he made at Saturday's Turning Point USA Student Action Summit in Tampa regarding abortion rights protesters.

During his "Firebrand" podcast on Rumble Tuesday, he responded to criticism of his speech at the summit by adopting the catchphrase he used when a reporter asked him what he would say to people who think his comments are offensive.

"Be offended," he said.

Sounding more like a conservative version of controversial comedian Lewis Black than a U.S. congressman, Gaetz performed a stand-up routine before a packed crowd of mostly young adults at the Tampa Convention Center in which he said "Bans Off My Body" demonstrators are too fat and ugly to get pregnant.

The speech was broadcast live on Rumble.

"Have you watched these pro-abortion, pro-murder rallies?” Gaetz asked. “The people are just disgusting. But why is it that the women with the least likelihood of getting pregnant are the ones most worried about having abortions? Nobody wants to impregnate you if you look like a thumb. These people are odious on the inside and out. They’re like 5 feet 2 inches, 350 pounds, and they’re like, ‘Give me my abortion or I’ll get up and march and protest.’ I’m thinking, march? You look like you got ankles weaker than the legal reasoning behind Roe v. Wade. A few of ‘em need to get up and march. They need to get up and march for like an hour a day, swing those arms, get the blood pumping, maybe mix in a salad.”

Students for Life of America President Kristan Hawkins and follow right-to-life leaders shrugged off Gaetz's vitriol.

"That is so childish," Hawkins tweeted. "It's the kind of thing trolls DM me daily."

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Gaetz's third term in the House has been mired in controversy, including an ongoing Department of State investigation into accusations that Gaetz trafficked a 17-year-old girl across state lines.

Then, as the jury was still deliberating in the November trial of Kyle Rittenhouse who was accused of shooting three people at a protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Gaetz told reporters that Rittenhouse would be a good candidate to be one of his congressional interns.

Gaetz represents District 1 in Florida's Panhandle, which includes Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach, where Gaetz grew up.