President Trump Says Most Voters Don't Care Pete Buttigieg is Gay

President Trump is NOT taking homophobic potshots at Pete Buttigieg -- instead, he's saying the Democratic candidate's sexual preference won't be a factor ... for most Americans, anyway.

The door was opened wide for POTUS to make a wisecrack about Buttigieg when he was a guest Thursday on Geraldo Rivera's iHeart radio show. Geraldo asked, "Would Americans vote for a gay man to be President?"

Trump quickly said, "I think so." He went even further down the high road when he acknowledged it would be an issue for some voters, but added ... "I wouldn't be among that group to be honest with you."

Let's keep it real ... most Democratic supporters have been waiting for, and even expecting, Trump to weaponize Buttigieg's sexuality. Well, no dice. Prime example of the Prez zigging when everyone thought he'd zag.

Of course, the same can't be said for the man he honored with the Medal of Freedom ... Rush Limbaugh. When the Buttigieg subject came up on his show Wednesday, Limbaugh went on a disgustingly homophobic rant about Trump and Buttigieg appearing on a debate stage together.

He said, "Okay, how's this going to look, 37-year-old gay guy kissing his husband on stage next to Mr. Man Donald Trump? What's going to happen there?"

Limbaugh even added, "Can you see Trump have fun with that?" Clearly, he expected the President to follow in his homophobic footsteps.