Trump downplays transgender bathroom debate as the issue rips through Congress
President-elect Donald Trump said he agrees with incoming Rep. Sarah McBride — who is set to become the first transgender member of Congress — that lawmakers should focus on more important issues than which bathrooms trans people should use.
President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday that he agrees with incoming Rep. Sarah McBride — who is set to become the first transgender member of Congress — that lawmakers should focus on more important issues than which bathrooms transgender people should be allowed to use.
Trump’s comments come amid an ongoing quarrel over whether trans people should be permitted to use restrooms that align with their gender identity in the Capitol building.
The controversy began last month when Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., introduced a resolution to prohibit House members and congressional staff from “using single-sex facilities other than those corresponding to their biological sex.” Mace then told reporters the resolution, which has the support of Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La, was “absolutely” targeting McBride, who was elected to Congress last month. McBride, a Delaware Democrat, previously described the resolution as an “attempt to misdirect” attention away from other policy priorities.
In a wide-ranging interview with Time magazine, which just named Trump its “Person of the Year”, the president-elect was asked if he agreed with McBride that, as Time phrased it, “we should all be focused on more important issues” than which bathrooms trans people use. Trump replied: “I do agree with that. On that — absolutely.”
McBride and Mace did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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