For the first time during his term of office, President Donald Trump recognized LGBTQ Pride Monthbut many criticized the move, for several reasons.
"As we celebrate LGBT Pride Month and recognize the outstanding contributions LGBT people have made to our great Nation, let us also stand in solidarity with the many LGBT people who live in dozens of countries worldwide that punish, imprison, or even execute individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation," Trump tweeted, according to NBC News.
Trump is the first Republican president to recognize Pride Month, although he only did it in his third year in office. The move happened in the middle of much anti-LGBT activity: He has rolled back healthcare rules aimed at helping LGBTQ people, banned most transgender people from the military and opposed the passage of the Equality Act, among other actions.
Rep. David Cicilline, D-Rhode Island, tweeted a response: "Nice Tweet. Now, how about telling Mitch McConnell to bring up the Equality Act?"
GLAAD President/CEO Sarah Kate Ellis issued a press release listing what the organization said are 110 attacks the Trump administration has made against the LGBTQ community, in policy and rhetoric. (The list is at www.glaad.org/tap/donald-trump.&; Ellis added that Trump's acknowledgement of Pride Month "is gaslighting. We will be holding the media accountable to ensure that they're telling the truth about his anti-LGBTQ record."
Ellis also said that Trump must honor the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, stating, "If the president truly believes in his administration's campaigns to end global LGBTQ criminalization and stop HIV transmissions by 2030, then he should recognize those LGBTQ Americans who fought and died for these ideas to even be possible during Pride month and throughout the year."
Even celebrities decried Trump. Entertainment personality Ross Mathews, who is openly gay, tweeted, "NO. You don't get to ban trans troops, allow [healthcare] providers to discriminate based on gender identity & say it's okay for businesses to deny us service and then tweet this. NO. You don't get to do that. Your actions prove that you are an enemy to us."
The NBC item is at www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/trump-recognizes-lgbtq-pride-month-first-time-n1012611 .