Preacher who praised Putin’s anti-gay laws to lead prayers at Trump’s inauguration
Notorious anti-LGBTQ preacher Franklin Graham to lead prayer at Trump’s inauguration (Drew Angerer and Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Notoriously anti-LGBTQ+ preacher Franklin Graham will lead the prayers at Donald Trump’s inauguration, according to the Washington Blade.
The American pastor, who has praised Vladimir Putin’s anti-gay laws, claimed that same-sex marriage was orchestrated by Satan, and called trans rights “evil”, will deliver the invocation in Washington DC on 20 January.
Graham, who was ordained by the non-denominational Grace Community Church, in Tempe, Arizona, in 1982, is also known for his attacks on gay former presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg, taking aim at same-sex marriage and calling homosexuality sinful.
“Mayor Buttigieg says he’s a gay Christian. As a Christian I believe the Bible, which defines homosexuality as sin, something to be repentant of, not something to be flaunted, praised or politicised,” he wrote on Twitter/X in 2019.
Graham, the president and chief executive of evangelical aid organisation Samaritan’s Purse, also read prayers at Trump’s inauguration in 2017.
He has campaigned in favour of LGBTQ+ conversion therapy and supported Trump on the campaign trail.
Trump’s victory was a “big win for Christians, for evangelicals”, he said, adding that the president-elect would “defend religious freedom where the Democrats would not”.
Others set to perform at Trump’s inauguration include the Village People and Carrie Underwood. Country music star Underwood has previously backed LGBTQ+ rights and her decision to appear prompted outrage from fans. Referring to her 2018 song, one person said: “Trump? So I guess ‘Love Wins’ was just about pandering. Bye.”
Meanwhile, the Village People, who are best-known for their 1978 hit “YMCA”, which has been widely adopted as a gay anthem, have seen accused of ‘selling out’ by enraged LGBTQ+ fans.
Among the VIPs expected to attend are Brazil’s former president and self-proclaimed “proud homophobe” Jair Bolsonaro, Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ+ prime minister Viktor Orbán and Italian PM Giorgia Meloni.
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