The White House says President Donald Trump will leave in place a 2014 order by former President Barack Obama that created new workplace protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
In a statement issued in response to growing questions about whether Trump would reverse the Obama order, the White House says the president is proud to embrace gay rights, The New York Times reports.
“President Trump continues to be respectful and supportive of L.G.B.T.Q. rights, just as he was throughout the election,” the statement says. “The president is proud to have been the first ever G.O.P. nominee to mention the L.G.B.T.Q. community in his nomination acceptance speech, pledging then to protect the community from violence and oppression.”
The decision to keep the order, the statement adds, was Trump’s. The Obama order banned companies that do federal work from discriminating against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees. It was the first time the government explicitly protected federal workers from discrimination based on gender identity.
Gay rights advocates seem unimpressed with the White House announcement. Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, says Trump is setting a low bar by claiming credit for not overturning the actions of his predecessor.
“L.G.B.T.Q. refugees, immigrants, Muslims and women are scared today, and with good reason,” Griffin says. “Donald Trump has done nothing but undermine equality since he set foot in the White House.”
