Sun. March 4, 2018
Gregory T. Angelo, who helms the gay GOP group Log Cabin Republicans, has asserted that President Donald Trump is a "pro-LGBT" president.
Less than two months after the president's inauguration, Angelo told HuffPost's Michelangelo Signorile at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) that Trump was "the most pro-LGBT Republican president in history."
In an interview from CPAC over the weekend, Angelo stood by his claim and suggested that Trump was stronger on LGBT rights than President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, at least on the issue of marriage equality.
"This president is the first president to enter the White House who believes that marriage equality is settled law of the land," Angelo said. "Barack Obama didn't believe that when he entered the White House. Hillary Clinton only came around to that position in 2013."
Trump has on many occasions said that he's opposed to extending marriage rights to gay and lesbian couples. Calling the issue "settled" is not the same as supporting marriage equality. Obama and Clinton celebrated the Supreme Court's 2015 landmark ruling that struck down state marriage bans. During a Fox News debate in early 2016, Trump called the court's ruling an "illegitimate and wrong ruling." In an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network's (CBN) David Brody, then-candidate Trump said that opponents of marriage equality can trust him on the issue.
(Related: Donald Trump: Gay marriage is a like an unattractive golf putter.)
Angelo added that the media neglects to mention the "pro-LGBT things [Trump] has done."
"The facts speak for themselves. I don't want to keep belaboring these points, but: [Trump] entered the White House as first president saying he supports that marriage equality is settled law of the land, sent a letter of congratulations and commemoration [on Log Cabin's 40th anniversary], and has people in his cabinet who support marriage equality," Angelo said.
It's also worth noting that many members of Trump's cabinet are vocally opposed to LGBT rights, including Vice President Mike Pence, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Housing Secretary Ben Carson, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and Energy Secretary Rick Perry, to name a few.
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