Earlier this week, a leaked copy of President Trump’s upcoming “religious freedom” executive order revealed that the administration plans to give the religious right a license to discriminate against LGBT people. The order, titled “Establishing a Government-Wide Initiative to Respect Religious Freedom,” is worse than anything you feared.
It was widely expected that Trump would publicly announce the order at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. this morning. While that did not happen, he did pledge his commitment to protecting “religious freedom.”
“Freedom of religion is a sacred right,” Trump said. “But it is also a right under threat all around us, and the world is under serious, serious threat, in so many different ways. And I’ve never seen it so much and so openly as since I took the position of president. The world is in trouble but we’re gonna straighten it out, okay? That’s what I do, I fix things.”
“My administration will do everything in its power to defend and protect religious freedom,” Trump pledged.
Sources in Washington have been aware of the possibility of such an order, prompting a statement from a White House spokesperson, saying that wasn’t the plan “at this time.” The White House then released a statement saying the Trump administration had no intention of undoing Barack Obama’s executive order protecting federal employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Late last night a draft copy of a drastic executive order that would give the religious right a license to discriminate against LGBTQ people and women was leaked by White House staff. Ahead of Trump’s speech, White House spokesperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders told BuzzFeed News today when asked if there were plans to issue an executive order on “religious freedom,” that, “We still have no plans to take any action on this topic at this time.”
“I hope to be here seven more times with you,” Trump said shortly after taking the podium, following a host of religious speakers, calling the event “a testament to the power of faith.”
