Donald Trump sat down with 60 Minutes over the weekend for his first televised interview since last Tuesday’s election, where he was asked about a whole slew of topics, including gay marriage.
On the campaign trail, the reality-TV-star-turned-President-elect had expressed a desire to overturn the Supreme Court’s ruling on marriage equality because, hey, why not? His running mate, Mike Pence, is also vehemently opposed to same-sex marriage, or any law offering protections, or as he likes to call them “entitlements,” to LGBTQ Americans.
Related: 4 Early Signs The Trump Presidency Will Be A Disaster For All Things LGBTQ
When asked on 60 Minutes about undoing marriage equality last weekend, he said it’s no longer an issue he cares to pursue.
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“It’s irrelevant because it was already settled,” Trump said. “It’s law. It was settled in the Supreme Court. I mean it’s done… these cases have gone to the Supreme Court. They’ve been settled. And… I’m fine with that.”
But that logic doesn’t apply to all Supreme Court rulings, like, for instance, Roe V. Wade. When asked about a that, Trump implied a woman’s right to make her own decisions about her healthcare is still up for debate.
“I’m pro-life,” he said. “The judges [I appoint] will be pro-life.”
Related: 8 Obama-Inspired Equality Measures That Face The Trump & Pence Axe
He went on to say that if Roe V. Wade were overturned, “it would go back to the states” but said that it “has a long, long way to go” before reaching that point.
Watch Trump talk about marriage equality below. Or don’t.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlpaTRe6fO8
h/t: LGBTQNation
Josh447
There is no “for now” regarding Trump and gay marriage. Never has been never will be. It’s in the bag. Drop it. It’s done.
Xzamilloh
Stop reaching, Queerty… Trump’s “anti-gay marriage” stance was one that was clearly feigned to gain approval from his base, and when that stopped being such a forefront issue, he dropped it. I don’t think Trump has ever cared if gays and lesbians could marry. The Roe v. Wade stance is the real problem here, although he’s a fucking hypocrite for even trying to insert the law into a woman’s uterus. I guess he’ll use SCOTUS to “grab ’em by the p*ssy”. I don’t believe he is pro-life at all. Imagine all the Trumps that would be running around had he not paid off some skanks to “take care of it”
Mo Bro
I’m with Josh447 and Xzamilloh.
This is nothing but a hate-piece, the same type of hysterical propaganda you would decry an opponent for resorting to.
Juanjo
This all so much bull shit from Donald. It is true that he does not give a damn one way or another about this issue. But over one third of the Republican base does and they are adamant on this issue. Pence is their man in the White House and they will continue to push the Republican leaders on this issue. They will replace Scalia with a far right judge. Then they just need one of the liberal judges to retire or die. Ginsburg and Breyer are both up there in age and neither is in perfect medical condition. One more judge appointed and Roe falls as well as Obergefell.
Trump won’t stop it because he neither cares nor has any inclination to stop it.
Heywood Jablowme
@Xzamilloh: LOL. But the anti-abortion mantra nowadays (not historically) is that the woman who gets an abortion is merely a “victim” so she doesn’t need to be punished at all.
Trump took a wild guess at the “official” answer to this one, and guessed wrong. Who could blame him, it’s ridiculous.
Essentially they want to “outlaw” abortion but they haven’t bothered to think this through or even look at the history. So apparently after Roe v. Wade is overturned, a woman who aborts with a coathanger is in the clear!
Invest in a wire coathanger factory. Made in USA!
MarionPaige
NYC Centric Media continues trying to breathe life into “The Gay Marriage Propaganda Machine” but notice …
No one is talking about how many / how few same-sex couples there are, because,
compared to the number of people affected by a Republican controlled government, the number of same-sex couples don’t even rate as a concern.
Gay Marriage was a fabricated cause and a Republican controlled federal government is the result.
dwes09
@MarionPaige: No, marriage equality is a huge issue for soe of the trumpsters, and those he has chosen for his inner circle consider both marriage equality and reproductive choice to be important issues. The major anti-marriage and “family values” groups have all fired up their fundraising and other activities just waiting for the appointment of “non-activist” judges to roll back social progress and make the country into what the evangelists wish it was. Trump has specifically promised to cater to their whims, and there is no indication at all that he won’t. They comprise between 25%-35% of the electorate. We don’t.
Kieran
Never mind Trump making it clear to everybody that gay marriage is settled law in America as far as he’s concerned. (Kim Davis must have thrown up a little in her mouth hearing that) What the activist gay community really wants to know is: Will he fight for transgender bathroom rights? That’s what the GLBT fight is all about now.
Kieran
Trump is also fine having gays on his team. At least the ones who supported him.
Breaking: Peter Thiel is taking an official role working with Donald Trump.
Thiel, the billionaire investor who clashed with Silicon Valley by endorsing Trump early, will join the president-elect’s transition team.
wizbang_fl
Trump is just saying that for now to keep the number of protests from growing. So much crap comes out of his mouth that his ass is jealous.
Realitycheck
Marriage equality is a done deal, and as far as religious conservatives and pro life, that is NOT what Trump was elected for, that is what Trump got close to, to get support from the extreme religious bigoted right, I would be very surprised if the extreme rights can get anything done.
I am more concerned about what Ben Carson will do if appointed as anything.
We already see Trump turning around on Obama care because…. I think 20 millions upset subscribers could
bee dangerous for mid term elections.
I suspect Trump will spend a lots of time on Twitter and trying to make “Great Deals” and you know what? If Trump can make better deals and improve our economy, that is fine.
The 3 major possible problems with the Trump administration would be.
LGBT rights – we can fight that in the court system
Stem Cells and Genetic research – We don’t need to go back to G. W. Bush time.
SCOTUS – I am hoping the elected judge will rule by the constitution and logic not by the bible
sean005
Trump says marriage equality is safe and I halfway believe him but here’s what he’s not saying on the subject. When President Obama is not around to protect our rights and the Supreme Court once again tilts to the right marriage equality will face the same as Roe v Wade i.e. “death by a thousand cuts”. First, I expect the republican-led congress to send Trump a “religious freedom” bill to sign into law. Trump will probably bow to pressure and veto it but it will not end there. Just like the recent court cases limiting the Roe decision, they cases currently heading to the Supreme Court aimed at gutting Obergefell and they will succeed with Trump’s court pick in place. So your same-sex marriage will once again be not equal to opposite-sex marriages. Also, any business that claims religiously-held belief will be able to ignore our marriages. The Equality Act will remain in limbo for the next four years and Obama’s executive orders granting federal employees protection in the workplace will be withdrawn. Next, I suspect that transgender military service may be ended.
midknightryder13
@sean005:
What entirely too many people fail to realize is that it will be extremely difficult for the SCOTUS to affect only same-sex couples.
See, there is no such thing as “gay marriage”. There is “civil marriage”. What Obergefell changed was who had access. That is it.
My point is that is will be extremely difficult to make one set of rules for same-sex couples and another set for opposite-sex couples.
Rob91316
@dwes09: You nailed it! Trump’s true feelings about the LGBTQ community (whether he has any at all) are irrelevant. He made promises to the alt-right and evangelicals to secure their votes, and he has to deliver on those promises. Building a wall to the heavens along the Mexican border, deporting 11+ million illegal aliens as well as ALL those of the Muslim faith, regardless of whether they were born here or overseas (notwithstanding that Muslims make up the largest religious affiliation globally), and bringing back manufacturing jobs in a globalized economy that there is no turning back from are all FANTASIES that, even with his best efforts, he will never come close to fulfilling. To secure re-election in 2020 — and for the Republicans to continue to control Congress — he has to deliver on at least some of the promises he made, and overturning Roe and Obergefell, though it will be extremely difficult to do, are at least within the realm of possibility, especially if he appoints a hard right judge to SCOTUS.
Xzamilloh
@sean005: You do realize that Anthony Kennedy, a conservative judge, was the swing vote, correct? So unless he changes route, I’m not seeing how he would suddenly go back on his own decision and side with the conservative side of the justices.
sean005
@Xzamilloh: I was thinking that Kennedy might be swayed by a religious freedom argument. The people that are being these cases to the courts have to believe so too otherwise they are just wasting their time and money. Although, I seem to recall Kennedy swatting away these claims during Obergefell.
Billysees
@wizbang_fl:
” So much crap comes out of his mouth that his ass is jealous. ”
Hehehe. Cute…
Billysees
@sean005:
” I was thinking that Kennedy might be swayed by a religious freedom argument. ”
No way. Any justice that said this is ‘not’ going to change his mind…no way…ever —
No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were. As some of the petitioners in these cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death. It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.
Justice Anthony Kennedy
June 26, 2015
Herman75
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Bob LaBlah
The cave man and the neanderthal (which has been proven that we ALL evolved from) seemed to have no problem mating, producing children and living in a some what community environment.
So why is it that we, modern man, who has set foot on the moon, learned there are over one hundred and twenty BILLION galaxies in space must make a pledge to a god and have a legal commitment SIGNED by both parties as to what is going to be? I sure miss the days when being gay meant that “marriage” was out of the question. Things seem so gay back in those days as compared to now.
Paco
@Rob91316: The alt-right and evangelicals have a list of “others” they want dealt with. In case anyone has forgotten, we are also on that list. Any group with political power over others that scapegoat other groups of people as the cause of all that is wrong with society, should be rightfully feared. History has already taught that lesson.
cholo
Do not be fooled! Any pro-life judge he appoints will undoubtedly be against equality.
jenbird
The problem isn’t a President elected through saying whatever dropped through his brain from moment to moment, it’s the way the USA is a more effective theocracy than Iran could ever hope to be.
Just picture what it would take to get a rational atheist elected President – someone who didn’t finish every speech with “and God bless these United States of America” because they weren’t obliged to talk about their imaginary friends to be socially acceptable.
Cos for things like trans, bi and gay people to be secure in being treated no differently from cis, straight people, we have to get to there.