While prominent Republicans continue to come out in favor of anyone but Donald Trump for president, GOProud founder Chris Barron appears to believe the candidate when he says he’s good for “the gays” and is throwing his support behind the presumptive Republican nominee.
Barron’s fledgling group, LGBTrump, is even hosting a party in conjunction with the Republican National Convention called “Shoot Back.” The event popped up on Monday, according to Joe.My.God, and hasn’t gained much traction yet, with just two people invited and four “interested” in attending on Facebook.
The event is free to attend and promises “unity through defiance (and cocktails!):
#ShootBack is a party taking place during the GOP Convention. Organized by a coalition of gay Republicans who — like all Americans — were shaken by the tragic massacre in Orlando, our vision is to bring together the GOP community in a show of unity through defiance (and cocktails!) in support of Donald Trump.
The party’s theme echoes what little messaging is currently found on the group’s website: “Only Donald Trump understands the threat LGBT people face worldwide from radical Islam! Only Donald Trump has pledged to keep LGBT Americans safe!”
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That messaging could have come directly from Trump himself.
“Hillary Clinton can never claim to be a friend of the gay community as long as she continues to support immigration policies that bring Islamic extremists into our country and who suppress women, gays and anyone else who doesn’t share their views or values,” Trump said in a post-Orlando speech, trying to draw a connection between the threat posed by international terrorist groups and the anti-LGBTQ massacre at the Pulse nightclub on its Latin night.
Trump’s past comments about LGBTQ issues reveal a mixed bag of support and opposition and political positions that appear subject to change. He has called himself a “traditionalist” in his opposition to nationwide marriage equality and said he would “strongly consider” appointing judges to overturn the Supreme Court’s historic ruling. Trump has also indicated he would overturn President Barack Obama’s executive orders, many of which increased protections for LGBTQ people. But he’s also shown some support for including sexual orientation in the Civil Rights Act and criticized so-called “bathroom bills” targeting transgender people.
His opinions are clearer, however, on Muslims and Latinx folks, who are, of course, part of the LGBTQ community too.