Trump calls Olympics opening ceremony a 'disgrace', 'Last Supper' drag show a 'terrible thing'. Here's why
This drag set at Olympics opening ceremony is being slammed for being a depiction of Last Supper of Jesus Christ, which the organisers rejected. Photograph:( X )
Story highlights
A section of the Christian community is outraged at what it thought was a mockery of the Last Supper of Jesus Christ at the Olympics opening ceremony in Paris this weekend. Now, Donald Trump has also joined in slamming the opening ceremony. Was it really a mockery of Jesus Christ? What did Trump say? And what are Olympics organisers saying?
A section of the Christian community is outraged at what it thought was a mockery of the Last Supper of Jesus Christ at the Olympics opening ceremony in Paris this weekend. Now, Donald Trump has also joined in slamming the opening ceremony. Was it really a mockery of Jesus Christ? What did Trump say? And what are Olympics organisers saying?
Donald Trump has joined the bandwagon of criticism against the Olympics opening ceremony in Paris, calling it a "disgrace" and describing the drag performance that appeared to some as mocking the last supper of Jesus Christ a "terrible thing".
"I thought that the opening ceremony was a disgrace, actually," Trump, the Republican candidate for US presidential race in November, said on Fox News.
Also read: Trump agrees to sit with FBI for ‘victim interview’ about assassination attempt
The contentious display which appeared to a section of Christian community as depicting the famous painting 'Last Supper' by Leonardo Da Vinci has become a talking point since the Olympics opened in Paris this past weekend.
Asked if he would allow such a ceremony in 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles if he is the president at the time, Trump answered in the negative.
“We won’t be having a ‘Last Supper’ as portrayed the way they portrayed it the other night," Trump told the Fox News host. "Look, I’m for everybody. I’m very open-minded...but what they did was a disgrace.”
“I mean, they can do certain things. I thought it was terrible,” Trump added.
'Last Supper' drag show in Olympics: What is the controversy all about?
A section of the Christian community and some right-wing groups felt that the display which included drag performers was mocking Jesus Christ and depicted the Last Supper.
However, the Olympics ceremony's art director Thomas Jolly told French news channel BFM TV that the drag set was based on Greek mythological characters including the God of mirth, Dionysus.
Dinysus is considered the god of alcohol, fruits and festive spirit among other things.
The Olympics organisers on an X post said the interpretation of the Greek God Dionysus "makes us aware of the absurdity of violence between human beings."
The interpretation of the Greek God Dionysus makes us aware of the absurdity of violence between human beings. #Paris2024 #OpeningCeremony pic.twitter.com/FBlQNNUmvV
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) July 26, 2024
“There is Dionysus who arrives on this table. He is there because he is the god of celebration in Greek mythology,” Jolly was quoted as saying.
“The idea was to have a pagan celebration connected to the gods of Olympus. You will never find in me a desire to mock and denigrate anyone.”
(With inputs from agencies)
