Retired general rips Ivanka over children’s fitness tweet: No one is on President’s Council anymore

A retired Lieutenant General ripped first daughter Ivanka Trump on Sunday for a tweet on children’s fitness. 

“We need to promote healthy lifestyles for America’s youth,” Ivanka Trump, a White House adviser, tweeted. “In a recent survey, 9.5 million U.S. children reported that they did NOT once participate in any of over 100 sports or activities listed.”

Retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling was quick to respond that there is an existing council to encourage healthy lifestyles that has stalled under her father’s administration.

“Ummm…there’s this thing called the President’s Council on Fitness, Sport, and Nutrition. Been around 60 years,” Hertling tweeted on Sunday. “Used to have 25 appointees…I was one of them. @MichelleObama helped & generated momentum in this area. No one is on the Council now. @FitnessGov. Check it out.”

Hertling was appointed to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition in 2013 under former President Obama. 

Last year was the 60th anniversary of the council, which was established under former President Eisenhower.

In February, President Trump expanded the number of council members, from 25 to 30, but has yet to appoint any members. Holli Richmond was appointed as executive director last month. 

The council serves under the secretary of Health and Human Services and the website still lists members as “to be announced” as of Monday afternoon.

Hertling pointed out on Twitter that former first lady Michelle Obama advocated for healthy school lunches and active lifestyles while in the White House. She founded the “Let’s Move” initiative in 2010.

In 2017, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue took steps to roll back Obama’s healthy school lunch standards program.  

Other social media users were also quick to mock Ivanka Trump’s tweet.