Donald Trump is more pro-LGBT than Barack Obama, gay Republican group leader says
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The leader of LGBT group the Log Cabin Republicans has insisted that Donald Trump is a pro-LGBT President.
Last year, Log Cabin Republicans’ head Gregory T. Angelo said that Trump was “the most pro-LGBT Republican president in history.”
The Log Cabin Republicans group claims to advocate for LGBT rights within the Republican Party.
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The group has repeatedly opposed decisions on LGBT issues taken during the Trump administration’s time in office.
It has spoken out against banning transgender people from the military, attempts to stop anti-discrimination protections for gay workers, and the revocation of civil rights protections for transgender school students.
This last protection was put in place by President Barack Obama’s administration.
Despite its stated opposition, the group still held a gala dinner at a Trump-owned hotel in August.
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And now, Angelo has not just maintained this position but built on it, by implying that Trump is even more pro-LGBT than his Democratic predecessor and Hillary Clinton, who lost the 2016 election despite winning three million more votes.
The Log Cabin Republicans leader said: “This president is the first president to enter the White House who believes that marriage equality is settled law of the land,” according to HuffPost.
Angelo was referring to Trump’s 60 Minutes interview, given soon after he won the election, in which the President called same-sex marriage “law” and said it was “settled,” adding: “And I’m fine with that.”
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Angelo added: “Barack Obama didn’t believe that when he entered the White House.
“Hillary Clinton only came around to that position in 2013.”
Same-sex marriage was made legal in the US in 2015 – under Obama – making it impossible for any other President to have entered the White House believing marriage equality was law.
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Trump also did not say in the interview whether he was a supporter of same-sex marriage.
His administration has refused to join a statement supporting equal marriage that has been signed by all seven other countries in the Organisation of American States LGBTI Core Group.
Angelo added: “The facts speak for themselves.
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“I don’t want to keep belabouring these points, but: [Trump] entered the White House as first president saying he supports that marriage equality is settled law of the land, sent a letter of congratulations and commemoration [on Log Cabin Republicans’ 40th anniversary], and has people in his Cabinet who support marriage equality.”
This letter was sent to Angelo’s group the day after Trump signed a Presidential proclamation on religious freedom that appeared to back the freedom to discriminate against LGBT people.
