The White House press secretary, Carolyn Leavitt, announced on Tuesday that President Trump has “no plan” to declare June as Pride Month or to acknowledge it for any other groups or causes.
During a media briefing, Leavitt stated, “We have no plans for a June declaration.”
Although Trump did not officially recognize Pride Month during his first term, he made some references on social media back in 2019, highlighting his administration’s attempts to decriminalize homosexuality globally.
He wrote, “Celebrating LGBT Pride Month and acknowledging the remarkable contributions of LGBT individuals to our great nations, we stand in solidarity with many LGBT people living in various countries who face punishment, imprisonment, and even execution based on their sexual orientation.” This was posted on his social media account six years ago. He added, “My administration has launched a global campaign to decriminalize homosexuality and engage all nations in this effort!”
The first presidential proclamation of “Gay and Lesbian Pride Month” came from former President Bill Clinton in June 1999, with Barack Obama expanding it in 2011 to include transgender individuals.
This announcement from the White House occurs amid a growing backlash against pride celebrations and a political climate that appears increasingly hostile toward the LGBTQ community, particularly transgender individuals.
Recently, opponents of LGBTQ rights have targeted US companies for showing support for pride on social media. A group of Republican lawmakers has criticized PBS, accusing it of “grooming” after “Sesame Street,” a leading program within public television.
Representative Mary Miller (R-Ill.) is among those criticizing PBS. She introduced a resolution on Tuesday proposing to designate June as “family month.”
Miller remarked, “American families are under relentless attacks from radical leftist agendas that seek to erase the truth, redefine marriage, and disrupt their children,” during an interview with a conservative news outlet published on Tuesday.
On Monday, the Education Department declared June as “Title IX month,” honoring the 1972 law against sex discrimination, following allegations that the Trump administration banned transgender women and girls from participating in sports at women’s institutions.
Trump’s choice to forgo officially recognizing Pride Month coincides with WorldPride, an international LGBTQ pride event scheduled to take place in Washington this month.
