Trump claims he’ll do ‘everything in his power’ to protect LGBT people despite his anti-LGBT stances
Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump has claimed he’ll do “everything in his power” to protect LGBT people – despite his actively anti-LGBT stances.
The reality TV star-turned-Presidential hopeful made the comments in his acceptance speech after officially becoming the Republican candidate for President.
In the speech he claimed to be a champion of the LGBT community in the wake of the Orlando massacre – after previously suggesting a Clinton victory would lead to the mass murder of gays.
He said: “Only weeks ago, in Orlando, Florida, 49 wonderful Americans were savagely murdered by an Islamic terrorist. This time, the terrorist targeted LGBTQ community.
“No good. And we’re going to stop it.
“As your president, I will do everything in my power to protect our LGBTQ citizens from the violence and oppression of a hateful foreign ideology. Believe me.
“And I have to say as a Republican, it is so nice to hear you cheering for what I just said. Thank you.”
Though Trump claims to have a “very good” plan to defeat ISIS, he says he can’t tell anyone what it is yet, in case other people steal his idea.
Hillary Clinton, who has the endorsements of most leading LGBT groups in the US, has a broad manifesto of detailed LGBT rights policies. Donald Trump lists no specific pro-LGBT policies anywhere.
In recent months the presumptive Republican Presidential nominee has tacked heavily against LGBT rights – pledging to appoint justices to repeal equal marriage, come out against federal anti-discrimination protections, and coming out in favour of anti-transgender laws after repeated flip-flopping.
Meanwhile he confirmed running mate would be Indiana Governor Mike Pence – who has signed a state law giving businesses the right to discriminate against gay people on the grounds of religion. Pence also proposed draining HIV prevention funding to fund ‘gay cure’ therapy.
Trump’s influence in the Republican Party has also led to one of the most regressive party platforms seen in decades: with policy planks committing to reversing equal marriage, supporting the right to ‘gay cure’ therapy, and backing ‘religious freedom’ laws to permit anti-LGBT discrimination.
