Donald Trump Once Made A Bizarre Promise To Richard Simmons While Campaigning
When first running for president in 2016, some of Donald Trump's list of campaign promises included not taking a salary, ending birthright citizenship, and, rather inexplicably, rescuing fitness legend Richard Simmons from his alleged home confinement — add that to the list of presidential firsts for Trump.
Simmons, who sadly passed away on July 13, 2024 at the age of 76, had been out of the public eye for almost two years when Trump was asked about him during a March 2016 interview on the "Jonathon Brandmeier Show." The rumors were that Simmons was being forced to stay at home by his housekeeper.
When Trump was questioned about what he'd do about the reported Simmons situation if he was elected president, Trump said, "We have to get him out. We have to get him out. No question," (per The Hollywood Reporter). But it turns out that Trump's promise was an empty one, in that Simmons apparently didn't need any help getting out of anywhere.
Richard Simmons was out of the limelight for a decade before his death
Starting in 2014, Richard Simmons did indeed start keeping to himself, but it was of his own volition. In a March 2016 phone interview on "TODAY," Simmons said, "No one is holding me in my house as a hostage." He also urged people to believe him and not pay attention to rumors, "You know, I do what I want to do as I've always done so people should sort of just believe what I have to say because like I'm Richard Simmons!" The speculation as to what happened to Simmons when he decided to step back from his public life was so great that it even spawned a podcast.
Despite him leading a more reclusive life in his later years, he was still beloved by many. Even while out of the limelight, he still posted on Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter, occasionally sharing memories and updates with his followers. Since the news of his death broke, heartfelt comments from fans have poured in on social media. In his tribute on X, bowling journalist Lucas Wiseman wrote: "Richard Simmons always just seemed like he was a genuinely good person. He made so many people laugh over the years. RIP." On Reddit, one fan wrote: "RIP – heaven just got an exercise class."