On Saturday, former US President Donald Trump gave a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Dallas, Texas. In his address, he discussed his intent to ban transgender women from competing in women’s sports.

To support his notion, he invited University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines onstage. Their exchange, however, made headlines for a different reason. Consequently, Gaines took to social media to clear up the misunderstanding.

Swimmer Riley Gaines defends Donald Trump

On the topic of trans athletes competing in women’s sports, Riley Thomas claims that the integrity of single-sex sports should be protected. Former President Donald Trump invited Gaines to share those sentiments with the audience in his speech. Her approach to the podium, however, was interpreted as an awkward moment. 

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Many media outlets noted that Gaines seemed to flinch away when Trump apparently tried to kiss her on the cheek. So Gaines took to social media to set the record straight. “Also worth noting that this is a prime example of the left media pushing propaganda to fit their narrative,” she wrote on Instagram.

“In no way, shape, or form did I ‘dodge a kiss’ from Trump nor was I uncomfortable on that stage with him at any point in time.” she continued. She clarified that the misconstrued gesture had been simply an attempt from Trump to communicate with her amid the noise. Gaines also warned that the media doesn’t always prove trustworthy.

READ MORE: Trans Swimmer Lia Thomas Announces Goals for Competing in Olympics Ahead of US Team Qualifiers

“I slightly turned my head so I could hear what he was saying to me. Proof that not everything you read is factual. But keep clutching at straws, it’s almost comical,” she concluded. In the same post, she also reiterated her stance that her disapproval of letting trans athletes compete in women’s sports isn’t anti-trans.

Lia Thomas became the face of the debate

In March, Riley Gaines tied with Lia Thomas for fifth place in the 200-meter freestyle NCAA championships and has loudly criticized Thomas since then. Thomas, who swam for the University of Pennsylvania, also caught heat when her college nominated her for NCAA’s 2022 “Woman of the Year” award.

Thomas started making headlines when she joined the women’s swim team at Penn after competing in the men’s field for three years before transitioning. Ever since, she has been at the center of a national debate over who gets to compete in women’s sports. She talked to ESPN about her views on the matter.

“Trans women competing in women’s sports does not threaten women’s sports as a whole,” Thomas said. “Trans women are a very small minority of all athletes. The NCAA rules regarding trans women competing in women’s sports have been around for 10-plus years. And we haven’t seen any massive wave of trans women dominating.”

The NCAA required trans athletes to undergo 12 months of hormone therapy to qualify for competitions. Thomas started, who began hers in May 2019 and had completed 30 months of hormone therapy before her senior season. But her critics still argue that her participation remains unfair.

WATCH THIS STORY: How Far Is Controversial Transgender Swimmer Lia Thomas From Breaking US Star Katie Ledecky’s NCAA Records