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Alan Cumming says Trump condoning hate crime attacks with his silence

Alan Cumming
Alan Cumming blasted Trump as an "embarrassment to America" in an interview with CBS News. Photo: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

Alan Cumming is set to host the first ever Village Voice Pride Awards in New York on June 21. The bisexual entertainer shared his thoughts in an interview with CBS News about a number of topics ahead of the event, including President Trump, whom he calls “an embarrassment to America.”

He also says Trump has blood on his hands for the uptick in violence against minorities, including LGBTQ people, supporting it by not loudly condemning it.

Related: Police arrest Trump supporter wanted in attack on gay couple in Key West

“He’s an embarrassment to America for people looking at us, but I think certainly his lack of interest in continuing the process of supporting equality in all areas is something that people will look at,” Cumming said. “That obviously has an effect in America and around the world. Hate crimes against LGBT people — especially transgender people, especially against people of color — have rocketed, and of course they would because you have someone who condones those attacks through silence.”

He also made the point that it was not just a racist, but also a homophobic and transphobic backlash that helped sweep Trump into the White House.

“I just feel that when you have someone as irrational and pandering to anyone who will keep him in his place of power, that’s a very dangerous place if you’re in a minority group that recently just had a big surge in equality. If you think the reasons why we have Trump is a massive backlash against people of color in the White House, it’s also a backlash against laws during [President Barack] Obama’s time and a lot of laws pertaining to the LGBT community.”

Related: Trans woman Sherrell Faulkner dies from injuries sustained in November attack

Cumming also said he worries about the type of role model Trump presents.

“I worry about young kids who are in an environment that says if the president is a bully, then why shouldn’t you be?” he said.

In addition to hosting the Pride Awards, Cumming just wrapped The Good Wife, and is appearing on the TV show Instinct. He is also currently on his “Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs” tour.

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