The White House found itself mired in controversy on Monday, over the sex of a “hero” dog that took part in the special forces raid which killed the Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
The dog, a Belgian Malinois named Conan, was at the White House for a theoretically straightforward ceremony, honoring 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.
But shortly afterwards the White House issued a correction: Conan was actually female.
Hunter Walker
(@hunterw)Very important correction to my earlier poll reports. Conan The Dog is a very good girl. pic.twitter.com/jWv82ox0MJ
It prompted intrigue as to how the president could have got Conan’s sex wrong.
Just two hours later, however, the White House issued a second correction. Conan was in fact male, an official said, meaning Trump had been correct all along.
The flip-flop prompted speculation as to Conan’s real sex – and whether Trump officials had changed their account so as to make the president appear correct.
Glenn Kessler
(@GlennKesslerWP)Trump suggested Conan is male (“himself”). Then WH officials say the dog actually is female. Forgive me for appearing cynical, but has Conan magically now become male again in order to not make the president wrong? It’s happened before…. https://t.co/6HAUnZa28P
Amateur sleuths launched investigations into Conan’s gender, largely by examining photos of the dog’s crotch:
(@LauraK9doc)Gender reveal: girl dog#ConanTheDog #Conan #dogs
Just because Trump called it a boy, you can’t rewrite biology. pic.twitter.com/j6ZGAsZWT7
Louise Mensch
(@LouiseMensch)Here is a photo of Conan. Next to it is a close up showing that SHE is a female.
Please, @hunterw @markknoller and all poolers, stop carrying Trump’s water on this. #BadBitchesForAmerica pic.twitter.com/sXhdXkAbEP
On Tuesday, the White House was sticking to its second version of Conan’s gender. An official told the Guardian Conan was male, but 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.
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.
“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.”
