Caitlyn Jenner issued an apology this weekend after being photographed in a red “Make America Great Again” baseball hat on Thursday, explaining that her decision to wear one of President Donald Trump’s signature campaign hats was all a big misunderstanding.
The reality TV star and former Olympic gold medalist came under intense fire on social media Thursday after a photographer snapped a picture of her wearing the recognizable cap while driving in a convertible near her Malibu home.
In a follow-up statement to TMZ, Jenner said that she had simply grabbed the hat from a closet before heading out to the driving range, without realizing what it said.
After hitting golf balls, Jenner said she got back in the car, reached down for the hat, and realized it was the “Make America Great Again” hat. She said she opted to wear the hat rather than have the wind ruin her hair, and believed she could make it home to Malibu without being seen. Jenner added that she stopped at a Starbucks before heading for home, and even switched to a golf visor before entering the store so as not to cause a stir; but the trouble began when she left her wallet at the store.
Jenner said that in a mad dash to retrieve the wallet, she forgot she had been wearing the hat, went inside, then back outside to her car to drive home. Jenner said the picture was taken sometime during the drive from Starbucks to Malibu.
“I apologize to all of the trans community,” Jenner said in a statement to TMZ. “I made a mistake. I will never do it again and I’m getting rid of the hat.”
Caitlyn Jenner attends WORLDZ Cultural Marketing Summit at Hollywood and Highland on August 1, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Jerod Harris/Getty Images for PTTOW!)
Jenner — formerly known as Bruce Jenner — came out as transgender in a blockbuster interview with Diane Sawyer in 2015. In the same interview, the reality star also discussed her conservative political beliefs; in several interviews since her transition, she has said it was more difficult to come out as a Republican in Hollywood than as a transgender person.
Jenner appeared to endorse Trump early on during the 2016 presidential race, explaining that the Republican appeared to be “very much for women” and “very much behind the LGBT community,” even more so than Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Jenner also attended Trump’s inauguration in January.
But the I Am Cait star appeared to toughen her position on Trump earlier this year, telling Diane Sawyer in a follow-up interview that she would criticize any Republican who does not give transgender people “a fair shot.”
Trump’s recent announcement that transgender people would no longer be able to serve in the military also angered her: “What he’s doing to our community is absolutely f*cking awful,” she told TMZ.
Of course, Jenner could decide to take on Trump directly — as an elected official. The reality star said in a radio interview last month that she is in the “process of determining” whether to run for office.
Follow Daniel Nussbaum on Twitter: @dznussbaum