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Down, boy: how Trump and Conan got embroiled in dog gender controversy | Down, boy: how Trump and Conan got embroiled in dog gender controversy |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Trump administration was forced to confirm the sex of a special forces dog is indeed male after flip-flopping on its gender, prompting confusion | |
The White House entered day two of an unexpected controversy on Tuesday, as the Trump administration was forced to confirma “hero” special forces dog called Conan is male – after a report cited a Department of Defense official claiming the dog was female. | |
The sex of Conan, who took part in the raid which killed the Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, first came under scrutiny following a White House ceremony on Monday. | |
The dog, a Belgian Malinois, was at the White House to be honored for its role in the October raid. Donald Trump presented Conan with a certificate and medal, using male pronouns as he praised the canine’s courage and aptitude. | |
Shortly afterwards, the White House issued a correction: Conan was actually female. | |
That prompted intrigue as to how the president could have got Conan’s sex wrong. But just two hours later, the White House issued a second correction. Conan was in fact male, an official said, meaning Trump had been right all along. | |
On Tuesday, just as the furore was beginning to die down, there was a further development: ABC News reported that Conan “is in fact a girl”. | |
The report resurfaced speculation as to Conan’s real sex – and whether Trump staff had changed their account so as to make the president appear correct. | |
In a series of emails with the Guardian, however, a White House official insisted Conan is male. This was supported by US Special Operations Command, which told the Guardian in a statement: “Conan is a male dog.” | |
On Monday, amateur sleuths had launched investigations into Conan’s gender, largely by examining photos of the dog’s crotch: | |
On Tuesday, the White House was sticking to its second version of Conan’s gender although an official offered no explanation for the confusion. | |
It also turned out the dog’s trainer, interviewed by the Dutch news organization RTL Nieuws shortly after the Baghdadi mission, referred to Conan as male. | It also turned out the dog’s trainer, interviewed by the Dutch news organization RTL Nieuws shortly after the Baghdadi mission, referred to Conan as male. |
Conan was injured in the 26 October raid but is said to have made a full recovery. Before the dog sex controversy, Monday’s ceremony had largely passed without incident. | Conan was injured in the 26 October raid but is said to have made a full recovery. Before the dog sex controversy, Monday’s ceremony had largely passed without incident. |
Trump praised Conan as “brilliant, so smart”, a “ tough cookie” and “the ultimate fighter”. In a White House transcript, Trump said he had witnessed what Conan was capable of. | Trump praised Conan as “brilliant, so smart”, a “ tough cookie” and “the ultimate fighter”. In a White House transcript, Trump said he had witnessed what Conan was capable of. |
“I got to see how fast Conan can move. I said: ‘What chance would a strong man have – really strong, tough, a fighter – what chance would this person have against Conan, without the guns? What chance?’ | “I got to see how fast Conan can move. I said: ‘What chance would a strong man have – really strong, tough, a fighter – what chance would this person have against Conan, without the guns? What chance?’ |
“And I guess the answer, pretty much, was ‘none’. He would have no chance. So, it’s amazing.” | “And I guess the answer, pretty much, was ‘none’. He would have no chance. So, it’s amazing.” |