PRESIDENT-elect Donald Trump vowed to tackle what he termed “transgender lunacy” from the outset of his presidency, aligning with the Republican Party’s ongoing efforts to challenge LGBTQ rights.
This stance has sparked controversy, with many interpreting it as a threat to the transgender community and their rights, AFP reports.
Trump’s comments have been met with concern, as they may indicate a rollback of protections and support for transgender individuals.
“I will sign executive orders to end child sexual mutilation, get transgender out of the military and out of our elementary schools and middle schools and high schools,” the president-elect said at an event for young conservatives in Phoenix, Arizona.
He also vowed to “keep men out of women’s sports”.
According to Trump, “it will be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female.”
Trump addressed the AmericaFest conference in a key battleground state he won in the November election, where he reiterated his commitment to tackling “migrant crime” and restoring US control over the Panama Canal.
His speech came amidst ongoing controversy surrounding transgender issues in US politics.
Recently, Democratic and Republican-controlled states have been at odds over policies related to medical treatment and the availability of books on transgender topics in public and school libraries.
The debate intensified last week when the US Congress passed its annual defense budget, which included a provision blocking funding for certain gender-affirming care for transgender children of service members.
This move reflects the complex and divided views on transgender issues among Americans, with many favoring protections for transgender individuals but also expressing concerns about the pace of change and the impact on society.
In his speech Sunday, which amounted to something of a victory lap, Trump made expansive promises for his second term.
He faulted the situation during the four years preceding it, under President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
“On January 20, the United States will turn the page forever on four long, horrible years of failure, incompetence, national decline, and we will inaugurate a new era of peace, prosperity and national greatness,” Trump said, referring to his swearing-in.
“I will end the war in Ukraine. I will stop the chaos in the Middle East, and I will prevent, I promise, World War III.”
“I can proudly proclaim,” he said, “that the golden age of America is upon us.”
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