Olympic legend Simone Biles, fresh off a gold medal win at the 2024 Paris Games, took a playful jab at former President Donald Trump on X, referencing his controversial "Black jobs" comment from a 2020 presidential debate.
Biles, a two-time gold medallist in Paris, responded to a post by singer Ricky Davila which read, "Simone Biles being the GOAT, winning Gold medals and dominating gymnastics is her black job." In a Friday morning post, Biles wrote, "I love my black job."
Biles' remark was a tongue-in-cheek reference to a moment during the June 27, 2020 debate between then-President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden. While discussing the impact of immigration on the U.S. economy, Trump made the inflammatory statement: "They're taking Black jobs now and it could be 18, it could be 19 and even 20 million people. They're taking Black jobs, and they're taking Hispanic jobs, and you haven't seen it yet, but you're going to see something that's going to be the worst in our history."
The comment was widely criticised, with many questioning the meaning of "Black jobs" and highlighting the racial stereotyping inherent in the statement. Former Trump aide Omarosa Manigault Newman told TMZ after the debate, "What is a Black job? I don't know where he got that from unless he's taking it all the way back to slavery because you know the only 100% Black job in this country was back during slavery time. The Black and Hispanic community are not monolithic."
Biles' post received widespread support, with U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who represents Texas's 30th congressional district, commenting, "And BABY GIRL, you are good at it! Sooooo damn proud!" Davila also chimed in, saying, "And we all love you." The post has garnered over 614,000 likes, 73,000 reposts and 8,500 comments as of Friday afternoon.
Trump's use of the term "Black jobs" was further clarified during a speech at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention in Chicago. Asked to define the term, Trump replied, "I will tell you that coming from the border are millions and millions of people that happen to be taking Black jobs."
When pressed further by ABC News senior congressional correspondent Rachel Scott, Trump stated, "A Black job is anybody that has a job," which drew laughter from the audience.
Biles' lighthearted jab at Trump comes amidst a whirlwind of excitement surrounding her performance in Paris. Her diamond-studded "GOAT" necklace, a testament to her status as one of the greatest gymnasts of all time, has also garnered significant attention on social media.
"My GOAT necklace is just kind of an ode because some people love it and some people hate it, so it's like the best of both worlds," Biles said at Bercy Arena. "I was like, 'OK, if it goes well, we'll wear the GOAT necklace. I know people will go crazy over it.'"
The necklace, featuring 546 diamonds, was crafted at Biles' request by California jewellery company Janet Heller Fine Jewelry. "Crafted with meticulous precision, this piece reflects her dedication, perseverance, and the spirit that has inspired generations," the company wrote on Instagram.
With nine Olympic medals, including six golds, Biles continues to cement her place amongst the "greatest of all time," or GOAT. "It is crazy I am in the conversation of the greatest of all time," she said on Thursday. "I just think Iâm still Simone Biles from Spring, Texas, who loves to flip."
Biles has three events remaining at the Paris Olympics: the vault final on Saturday and the balance beam and floor exercise finals on Monday.