Donald J Trump, the President of the United States of America, is described in many ways by his critics.
People say:
He is a liar. He is a grifter. He is a bully.
However, one of the most common words to describe the man and his presidency, would have to be “hypocrite.” Websites have sprung up just to track times Trump does something he railed against on Twitter in the past.
And now, in a display of blatant capitalism and a rather impressive lack of self-awareness, the President’s online shop sells “LGBTQ for TRUMP” shirts.
This is not a joke.
The Trump Pride shirt? What the hell?! https://t.co/Wt1zKACCvb pic.twitter.com/L2fBORcebx
— Dallas Voice (@DallasVoice) May 24, 2019
Can't wait to buy Trump's pride shirt, right after I eat a delicious meal at Chick-fil-A and visit all my homies at the Westboro Baptist Church
— Citlali Salazar (@CIDPLAYSLEAGUE) May 24, 2019
Proving once again that he knows no bounds to his pandering, hypocrisy or general odiousness, Donald Trump is selling shirts for Pride month. https://t.co/D3CtUQdsfp
— Debbie Walton (@debky) May 24, 2019
The shirts feature a rainbow background that looks like it was painted in watercolor, with the words in white over it. It would appear that it retails for $30 but act fast and you can get a $6 discount.
The fact he sells this is as unsurprising as it is infuriating for LGBTQ equality advocates.
While Trump made promises on the campaign trail to be the most LGBTQ positive candidate, many didn’t take him seriously. And after he took office, they were proven right.
Trump has a track record of hurting the rights of LGBTQ people whenever he can. He enacted a ban of transgender people being able to serve in the military, a move which caused his generals concern.
This month, he rolled back legal provisions in the Affordable Care Act that protected people based on gender identity and whether or not they’ve received an abortion in the name of religious rights. The Daily Beast even had an exposé on the change in enforcement of a policy that is making it harder for the children of LGBTQ couples to become citizens.
And most recently HUD announced they plan endorse housing discrimination against transgender people. Although to be fair, the shirt says LGBTQ for Trump, not Trump for LGBTQ.
Maybe it’s for only LGBTQ people who think access to healthcare, housing and equality of treatment is overrated?
Selling these shirts, you would think it’d be easy to forget the numerous insults the administration has given to an entire subset of American citizens, right?
The same @realDonaldTrump who won't name June Pride Month, whose White House wants to discriminate against homeless trans ppl, and who is fine with businesses refusing to serve LGBTQ people is selling Pride tees. This is not a fever dream. #PrideMonth https://t.co/3PxWx27Kvb
— Tracy E. Gilchrist (@TracyEGilchrist) May 23, 2019
After banning transgender ppl fr9m the military and allowing federally funding adoption agencies to deny gay couples @realDonaldTrump is offering his #LGBTQ Pride shirts at a discount in honor of Pride month https://t.co/1vU49pnmet
— Tell It Like It Is! (@Jeres_Rant) May 25, 2019
You can still buy a Pride shirt from Trump campaign’s online store (fittingly, they’re trying to get rid of inventory) pic.twitter.com/6dhe52CMRK
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 24, 2019
pence supports conversion therapy, the administration wants to make it legal to discriminate against us, to deny us shelter, deny us jobs, deny us basic fucking equality, trump has yet to acknowledge june as pride month, but he'll damn sure throw a shirt together to profit off us
— UltraMantis Zac (@chxmicalwarfare) May 24, 2019
Admittedly, it was easy to forget about this shirt. It was pointed out by a reporter back in October, and according to the Internet Archive, has been around since at least May of last year.
If he genuinely has been selling it since May 2018, then it’s a little impressive that he has the guts to still sell this shirt, especially right before Pride Month. Although unsurprisingly, Trump has yet to declare June as Pride Month even once during his presidency.
This probably goes without saying, but do not buy this shirt.
If you bought that LGBTQ for Trump shirt do not attend pride this year https://t.co/kqwHi0q8RA
— [email protected] (@mateobreen) May 24, 2019
SO the Trump campaign is selling pride shirts... Please my fellow LGBTQ+ people, if you support that trash heap, wear one, so we all know not to date you. Like seriously, if you voted for him or support him, just let the other gays know for our sakehttps://t.co/yl6Eie62n7 pic.twitter.com/i8M37ws6px
— Taylor K Elkow (@TKElkow) May 23, 2019
@ anyone who wears an 'LGBTQs for Trump' shirt at pride:
— Bi-Trans Alliance (@BiTransAlliance) May 24, 2019
Hope you like pie! pic.twitter.com/IzhEitnh08
imagine showing up to pride wearing an "LGBTQ for Trump" shirt directly after this administration took steps to bar trans folks from homeless shelters.
— caleb (@calebsaysthings) May 24, 2019
picture that. try to envision being a person who wants their ass beat that badly. https://t.co/ULS0ksRMb9
Donald Trump’s history with the LGBTQ community is obviously a one-way street. He’ll say he’s a friend, get some people to vote for him, and then remove all references to LGBTQ equality from the White House website.
This shirt is the perfect summation of that exchange.
It’s lip service. It’s a baseless lie.
And everyone who examines the Trjmp administration’s record on LGBTQ equality can see how blatantly dishonest it truly is.