Donald Trump admits opposing equal marriage is ‘dead issue’
Donald Trump has admitted that continued opposition to same-sex marriage is a ‘dead issue’.
The Supreme Court ruled in May this year that same-sex marriage is a constitutional right, bringing equality to all 50 states.
Though a number of Republicans continue to oppose equality, Mr Trump – the frontrunner for the party Presidential nomination – has admitted that opposing it is now pointless.
The Republican – who previously opposed equal marriage because he “just don’t feel good about it” – told the Hollywood Reporter he has attended a gay wedding.
He said: “Yes, I have. [Broadway theater owner] Jordan Roth. You know Jordan, right? Great guy.”
When asked if it is a “dead issue for the GOP”, he replied: “Some people have hopes of passing amendments, but it’s not going to happen.
“Congress can’t pass simple things, let alone that. So anybody that’s making that an issue is doing it for political reasons. The Supreme Court ruled on it.”
His Damascene conversion comes just weeks after he insisted he still believes in ‘traditional’ marriage, despite being married three times.
Interestingly, though Mr Trump has always publicly claimed to oppose equal marriage, his comments are in line with what some claim has always been his real private viewpoint.
Actor George Takei said previously that Trump privately admitted he has attended a same-sex wedding and that he’d found it ‘beautiful’.
His views split from the Republican National Convention, which has redoubled its opposition to equality following the ruling.
The RNC recently passed a resolution, supporting a law that would actively permit discrimination against gay people.
The GOP’s national body threw its weight behind the ‘First Amendment Defense Act’ – a law that would prioritise religious ‘freedom’ above laws protecting LGBT people.
It would ban the government from acting against religious people refusing to serve LGBT customers – effectively stopping any action against businesses or nonprofits that discriminate against LGBT Americans, or turn away gays.
