GREEN BAY, Wisconsin (AP) — Donald Trump He heaped praise on former NFL star Brett Favre at a rally Wednesday in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where the former Packers quarterback was campaigning for the Republican presidential candidate last week. Election Day.

“Thank you, Brett. What an honor.” “What a great champion,” Trump said shortly after taking the stage at the Resch Center. Describing Favre’s fingers as “wiener-like,” he added, “No wonder he can throw the ball.”

“I was a little upset because I think he got more applause than me, and I’m not happy,” the former president said, joking about the applause Favre received in a district that Trump narrowly won in 2020.

Trump appeared on stage wearing an orange safety vest ride in garbage truck To draw attention to an offensive comment by President Joe Biden. However, he reignited a different debate by bringing up the phrase “protecting the women of our country” again.

Complaining that his own employees told him it was “inappropriate,” Trump insisted, “I’m going to do this whether women want it or not.”

Trump rallied behind Favre in the critical battleground state just six days before the election. In a sign of the importance of the state, Trump’s Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala HarrisHe was simultaneously campaigning in Madison, about a 2 1/2-hour drive away, which votes overwhelmingly Democratic.

Favre, who won three NFL Most Valuable Player awards and a Super Bowl for Green Bay in the 1990s, praised Trump before the former president arrived, telling the crowd: “Similar to the Packer organization, Donald Trump and his organization have been winners.”

“The United States won with his leadership,” Favre said.

By relying on Favre, Trump is tapping into the state’s deep and staunch support for the Packers and the team’s onetime star quarterback. But Favre also comes with increased baggage after Mississippi was embroiled in the welfare spending scandal.

Favre, 55, is not facing any criminal charges, but he is among more than three dozen people or groups being sued as the state tries to recover money misspent. Favre has repaid just over $1 million he received in speaking fees funded by the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. Republican Mississippi Supervisor Shad White said Favre never showed up to the speaking engagements. White also said this Favre still owes money approximately $730,000 in interest.

Mississippi has been among the poorest states for decades, but only a portion of federal welfare money He was going to families. Instead, the Mississippi Department of Human Services allowed well-connected individuals to waste tens of millions of welfare dollars from 2016 to 2019, according to White and state and federal prosecutors.

A nonprofit group called the Mississippi Community Education Center made two welfare payments to the athlete’s business, Favre Enterprises: $500,000 in December 2017 and $600,000 in June 2018. TANF money, volleyball court at the University of Southern Mississippi. Favre agreed to lead fundraising efforts for the facility at his alma mater, where his daughter started playing on the volleyball team in 2017.

Nancy New, director of the Mississippi Community Education Center, pleaded guilty to the charges in April 2022. spending welfare money incorrectlySo does his son, Zachary New, who helps run the nonprofit. They are awaiting sentencing and have agreed to testify against others.

Favorite appeared in September It’s before a Republican-led congressional committee examining how states are failing to use welfare to help families in need. US House Republicans He said the welfare spending scandal in Mississippi involving Favre and others points to the need for “serious reform” of the TANF program.

Favre told the congressional committee that it was his. Parkinson’s disease was diagnosed In January.

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Wagster Pettus reported from Jackson, Mississippi. Beaumont reported from Des Moines, Iowa.