"2 of his 3 wives are immigrants" - Martina Navratilova reacts to Donald Trump's remarks on immigrants 'poisoning the blood of our country'
Martina Navratilova has called attention to Donald Trump's marriages to two immigrant women in response to the former US President's controversial remarks about immigrants in America.
Trump married his first wife, Czech model Ivana Zelnickova, in 1977. Following their nuptials, she moved from Canada to the US and became a naturalized American citizen in 1988. The couple divorced in 1990.
Following that, Trump wed American actress Marla Maples in 1993, with the couple divorcing in 1999. In 2005, the former US President tied the knot with Slovenian model Melania Trump, who had relocated to New York City in 1996. She gained American citizenship in 2006.
During a recent rally in Durham, New Hampshire, as part of his 2024 presidential election campaign, Trump stated that immigrants entering the US were detrimental to the country's well-being. He likened their impact to "poisoning the blood" of the nation.
"They let — I think the real number is 15, 16 million people into our country. When they do that, we got a lot of work to do. They’re poisoning the blood of our country. That’s what they’ve done," he said (via NBC News).
"They poison mental institutions and prisons all over the world, not just in South America, not just to three or four countries that we think about, but all over the world. They’re coming into our country from Africa, from Asia, all over the world," he added.
Martina Navratilova, who has been a vocal critic of Donald Trump and his administration for years, expressed disapproval of his comments on social media. She pointed out that two of his three wives were immigrants themselves and sarcastically questioned whether they had 'poisoned his blood.'
"Also 2 of his 3 wives are/were immigrants. Did they poison his blood?" Martina Navratilova posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Martina Navratilova on voicing her political opinions on social media: "Gives you the opportunity to speak your mind, without being censored"
Martina Navratilova is known for voicing her political opinions on social media. She recently attributed this outspokenness to her deep appreciation for freedom of speech, a right she was denied in the country of her birth, the present-day Czech Republic.
"Well, I left my country because I couldn't speak my mind. That was one of the reasons I wanted to be free to say what I want. And then I get here and then I say what I want, and then I get excoriated for it for different reasons," Martina Navratilova said on the On With Kara Swisher podcast.
The 18-time Grand Slam champion further stated that the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) provided users with the opportunity to speak their minds freely without fear of censorship.
"Twitter [X] gives you the opportunity to speak your mind, without being censored. Because all the interviews that I've ever done, it was through the lens of that writer. And then they cut out half the stuff that I say. This is a chance to have no filter and no censorship," she added.
Despite her appreciation for X, Martina Navratilova has aired her grievances with the platform in recent times, following its acquisition by Elon Musk.