John Kerry joked about Trump's 'girth certificate' at an elite Washington banquet

Former Secretary of State John Kerry is the new president of the Alfalfa Club, a Washington organization that exists to throw an elite annual banquet for the wealthy and well-connected. Kerry took the reins from former club president Michael Bloomberg at the Alfalfa Dinner Saturday evening, and he also took a swipe at President Trump.

"Despite the pressure he's under, the White House physician says President Trump is in great shape — a trim 239 pounds," Kerry said in reference to the president's recent physical exam results. "Personally, I just won't believe him until he produces his long-form girth certificate."

Kerry seems to have joined the ranks of the "girthers," who question Trump's reported height and weight with allusions to his past questioning of former President Obama's place of birth. Were Trump one pound heavier (240 rather than 239) or one inch shorter (6 foot 2 inches rather than 6 foot 3 inches) than reported, he would be considered obese instead of overweight.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Kerry also joked about his own loss in the 2004 presidential race, his former running mate John Edwards, and fellow Massachusetts politician Mitt Romney. Other dinner attendees included Dick Cheney, Colin Powell, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffett, and former President George W. Bush, who introduced new club members like Apple CEO Tim Cook and Secretary of Defense James Mattis.