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Trump ignores Log Cabin endorsement

Log Cabin downplays anti-LGBT record

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mainstream media, CPAC, gay news, Washington Blade
President Trump ignored Log Cabin’s endorsement (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

After nearly a full day passed following Log Cabin Republicans’ endorsement of President Trump for re-election in 2020, neither Trump himself nor his campaign has issued a public acknowledgement of the LGBT Republican group’s support.

Trump ā€” who’s never shy to brag about his support on Twitter ā€” has said nothing about Log Cabin on social media accounts, nor has the Trump campaign. The Trump campaign also didn’t respond to multiple requests from the Washington Blade to comment.

Log Cabin declined to endorse Trump in 2016. Cited as reasoning for the 2020 endorsement, which was announced in an op-ed for the Washington Post, was Trump “taking bold actions that benefit LGBT community.”

The op-ed downplays an anti-LGBT record that includes a transgender military ban and administrative actions undercutting LGBT rights in the name of “religious freedom.”

In contrast to Trump, Romney in 2012 signaled public appreciation for Log Cabin’s support, even though as a candidate he backed a U.S. constitutional amendment that would have banned same-sex marriage throughout the country.

ā€œGov. Romney is pleased to have the support of the Log Cabin Republicans and looks forward to working together for the future of our country,ā€ Romney spokesperson Andrea Saul said at the time.

Charles Moran, a Log Cabin spokesperson, said in response to a Blade question on whether they privately obtained a response the Trump campaign was involved with Log Cabin in the process leading up to the endorsement.

“We had multiple meetings with senior campaign officials at HQ in Arlington before we started this process and they were enthusiastic,” Moran said. “We discussed coordinating volunteer efforts, media surrogates, political priorities and messaging for the LGBTQ community. We walked them through the endorsement process, and once it became clear the endorsement would pass, we informed them how we would be communicating this to our membership, stakeholders and the public. Throughout this process, they were welcoming of our support, were desiring of our endorsement and offered technical assistance if needed.”

UPDATE: In a statement first given to the Washington Examiner, a conservative news outlet, the Trump campaign responds to the Log Cabin endorsement without explicitly acknowledging the organization.

ā€œPresident Trumpā€™s policies are working for all Americans, and this is more proof that the American people recognize his successes,ā€Ā said Trump campaign national press secretary Kayleigh McEnany.


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Comings & Goings

Ryan Levi to lead D.C. chapter of NLGJA

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Ryan Levi

The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at [email protected].Ā 

Congratulations to Ryan Levi on assuming the presidency of the D.C. chapter of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association (DCNLGJA). 

“I’m incredibly excited to take on this new leadership role with an organization full of incredible journalists,ā€ Levi said. ā€œIn these uncertain and challenging times for many in our queer and trans community, I hope NLGJA can continue to be a space for queer and trans D.C. journalists to connect with their peers, find support, grow in their careers, and build community.”

Leviā€™s background includes being a reporter and producer with Tradeoffs Washington, D.C., where he reported and produced podcast episodes for the national nonprofit health policy news organization. Topics included ransomware attacks on hospitals, bias and AI in health care, and bringing Medicaid to incarcerated people. He was the lead reporter on The Fifth Branch, a special three-part series on mental health crisis response. His reporting was featured on NPR, PBS NewsHour, The Marshall Project, and Slate. He was a producer for KQED News, San Francisco, where he reported and produced sound-rich feature stories, developed, and executed engagement strategy, provided editorial feedback, and mixed pieces for the weekly Bay Curious podcast. Before that he was a producer and reporter at KBIA News in Columbia, Missouri. 

Levi earned his bachelorā€™s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri, and a bachelorā€™s degree in Spanish, College of Arts and Science. He has won numerous honors and recognition for his work, including: Region 2 Edward R. Murrow Best News Series award for Three Refugees, Three Journeys to California; and second place 2017 Hearst Journalism Awards Radio Competition (reporter).

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Canada

Canadian LGBTQ group cancels WorldPride participation over Trump policies

Egale Canada cites need to ā€˜safeguard our trans and nonbinary staffā€™

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(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Egale Canada, one of Canadaā€™s largest LGBTQ advocacy organizations, announced in a Feb. 6 statement that its members will not be attending any events in the U.S., including WorldPride set to take place in Washington from May 17-June 8, because of policies put in place by President Donald Trump.

The statement says the decision not to come to the U.S. resulted in its cancellation of plans to attend a meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women at U.N. headquarters in New York in March, at which it planned to discuss LGBTQ related issues.

ā€œAfter deep consideration, we have decided not to engage in-person in this yearā€™s Commission on the Status of Women or any other UN, OAS (Organization of American States) or global convergings, including WorldPride, taking place in the United States in the foreseeable future,ā€ the statement says.

ā€œThis decision is foremost based on the need to safeguard our trans and nonbinary staff who would face questionable treatment at land and aviation borders to attend such convenings, and to stand in solidarity with global colleagues who are experiencing similar fear around entry to the U.S.,ā€ the statement continues.

ā€œIt is also founded in the unique situation that has been thrust on Canadians (and citizens of other countries) regarding economic warfare and threats to our national sovereignty,ā€ according to the statement. ā€œWe cannot in good conscience engage in a process of disentangling our organization from the U.S. goods and services (as we have recently released in a statement) and then proceed to travel to the U.S.ā€

The Egale Canada statement marks the first known time that an international LGBTQ rights organization has declared it will not come to the U.S. to attend WorldPride because of the controversial policies adopted by the Trump-Vance administration, which so far have included a roll back of programs and policies in support of transgender people.   

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State Department

Protesters demand US fully restore PEPFAR funding

Activists blocked intersection outside State Department on Thursday

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HIV/AIDS activists block an intersection outside the State Department on Feb. 6, 2025. They were demanding the Trump-Vance administration to fully restore PEPFAR funding. (Photo courtesy of Housing Works)

Dozens of HIV/AIDS activists on Thursday protested outside the State Department and demanded U.S. officials fully restore President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief funding.

The activists ā€” members of Housing Works, Health GAP, and the Treatment Action Group ā€” blocked an intersection for an hour. Health GAP Executive Director Asia Russell told the Washington Blade that police did not make any arrests.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Jan. 24 directed State Department personnel to stop nearly all U.S. foreign aid spending for 90 days in response to an executive order that President Donald Trump signed after his inauguration. Rubio later issued a waiver that allows PEPFAR and other ā€œlife-saving humanitarian assistanceā€ programs to continue to operate during the freeze.

The Blade on Wednesday reported PEPFAR-funded programs in Kenya and other African countries have been forced to suspend services and even shut down because of a lack of U.S. funding.

ā€œPEPFAR is a program that has saved 26 million lives and changed the trajectory of the global HIV/AIDS epidemic,” said Housing Works CEO Charles King in a press release. “The recent freeze on its funding is not just a bureaucratic decision; it is a death sentence for millions who rely on these life-saving treatments. We cannot allow decades of progress to be undone. The U.S. must immediately reaffirm its commitment to global health and human dignity by restoring PEPFAR funding.” 

ā€œWe demand Secretary Rubio immediately reverse his deadly, illegal stop-work order, which has already disrupted life-saving HIV services worldwide,” added Russell. “Any waiver process is too little, too late.”

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