Donald Trump flip-flops on LGBT equality again as he claims to have ‘no opinion’ about trans rights
Donald Trump has changed his stance on LGBT rights yet again, hitting out at Barack Obama after the federal government advised schools not to discriminate against trans people.
A wave of Republican-backed ‘bathroom bills’ have spread across the US aimed at rolling back LGBT rights protections, ostensibly to stop transgender people from using their preferred bathroom.
Amid a tangle of lawsuits over North Carolina’s ‘bathroom’ law HB2, the federal government this week wrote to every school in the nation, advising educators to take steps to ensure trans students are catered for and not discriminated against.
But presumed Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump – who just last month claimed trans people should be allowed to use the bathroom that they want – has changed his stance again, and now appears to support HB2 remaining in place.
Speaking on Fox & Friends this morning, Mr Trump claimed states should be allowed to introduce bathroom bans – and claimed to have “no opinion”.
He said: “I think this should be a states issue. It’s become a huge story, and yet it affects… everybody has to be protected… but it’s a tiny tiny portion of the population, and it’s become a massive story.
“I think this should be a states issue as many other things should be, and the states should decide.”
Asked whether transgender people should be allowed to use the bathroom of their choice, he said: “It’s a new issue and right now I just don’t have an opinion, but what I would like to do is see the states make that decision.”
The comments mark a turnaround from just last month, when Trump said Caitlyn Jenner could use any bathroom she likes.
Asked if he would be fine with Caitlyn Jenner using the women’s bathroom at Trump Tower, he replied: “That is correct”.
Despite now claiming the issue should be left up to states, he previously said North Carolina was “paying a big price” because “there’s a lot of problems” with the law they passed.
He said just last month: “There have been very few complaints the way it is. People go; they use the bathroom that they feel is appropriate. There has been so little trouble.”
Of course, Mr Trump is no stranger to a shamelessly changing opinion…
