News
Trump names Grenell as director of intelligence
Gay appointee would be charged with oversight of U.S. agencies
President Trump announced on Wednesday he has named Richard Grenell, who was the highest-ranking openly gay member of his administration, as acting director of intelligence.
I am pleased to announce that our highly respected Ambassador to Germany, @RichardGrenell, will become the Acting Director of National Intelligence. Rick has represented our Country exceedingly well and I look forward to working with him. I would like to thank Joe Maguire….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 20, 2020
The move puts Grenell — now the U.S. Ambassador to Germany — in charge of overseeing U.S. intelligence agencies and advising Trump and the national security adviser on measures related to national security.
Grenell arguably will be the most senior openly gay official of any administration in U.S. history, or the first openly gay Cabinet member, although as an appointee in an acting role, his job would technically be temporary and wouldn’t require Senate approval, so his claim to that distinction is dubious.
(UPDATE: Although Trump has a predilection for naming appointees on an “acting” basis even for permanent roles, Grenell confirmed on Thursday his appointment would, in fact, be temporary.)
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, took issue with Grenell in a statement, saying Trump’s pick lacks experience and sidesteps the confirmation process.
“The intelligence community deserves stability and an experienced individual to lead them in a time of massive national and global security challenges,” Warner said. “And at a time when the integrity and independence of the Department of Justice has been called into grave question, now more than ever our country needs a Senate-confirmed intelligence director who will provide the best intelligence and analysis, regardless of whether or not it’s expedient for the president who has appointed him.”
Angering many in Germany, Grenell has built a reputation for his combative style as a diplomat. Just this week, Grenell singled out in a series of three tweets targeted European politicians for complaining about the Trump’s administration’s approaches to NATO and the European Union.
No one is threatening you. I could say you are threatening the US that we must continue as usual even when you make dangerous mistakes. We get to have our own policy too. Don’t assume we don’t get to react to your policy. https://t.co/BAIqeQ3IPQ
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) February 17, 2020
No one is threatening you. I could say you are threatening the US that we must continue as usual even when you make dangerous mistakes. We get to have our own policy too. Don’t assume we don’t get to react to your policy. https://t.co/BAIqeQ3IPQ
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) February 17, 2020
You want a US that doesn’t pressure you to pay your NATO obligation, looks the other way when you buy too much Russian gas, doesn’t demand you take back your Nazi prison guard living in NYC, accepts your higher car tariffs and still sends 50,000 troops to your country. https://t.co/d7lze5TISc
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) February 17, 2020
The appointment of Grenell, a Trump loyalist, would be a change from former DNI director Dan Coats, who had a frosty relationship with Trump.
Coats, for example, went on the record to contradict Trump after a widely panned performance in 2018 during a joint news conference with Russian Vladimir Putin. After a meeting with Putin, Trump undermined assessments Russia interfered in the 2016 election, but later recanted. Coats stepped down from the role in the months that followed.
Highly critical of the decision to name Grenell as head of intelligence was Samantha Power, who served as U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. during the Obama administration.
One by one, day by day, @realDonaldTrump is taking steps to destroy America’s fact-based institutions, at the same time he eviscerates rule of law. Appointing as @ODNIgov @RichardGrenell, who has politicized every issue he has touched & has contempt for facts, would be a travesty
— Samantha Power (@SamanthaJPower) February 19, 2020
In his capacity as U.S. ambassador to Germany, Grenell has spearheaded an initiative to decriminalize homosexuality in the more than 70 countries around the world where it remains illegal. Earlier this year, he held an event at the United Nations on the initiative and named each of those countries, although other human rights groups in attendance were dubious about the Trump administration’s initiative.
Grenell, who had concurrently served as U.S. envoy for Serbia-Kosovo peace negotiations, is also credited with helping to negotiate with Kosovo President Hashim Thaci the first steps in the creation of a presidential commission on LGBTQ rights.
It remains to be seen what the state of the global initiative to decriminalize will be in the aftermath of Grenell’s appointment as head of U.S. intelligence.
Closely tied to Grenell is Log Cabin Republicans, which praised news Grenell would be appointed to the senior role on Twitter.
We’re excited that @realDonaldTrump has appointed the first openly gay presidential cabinet member. @RichardGrenell is totally qualified and we’re exciting that he’ll be making history. https://t.co/rcTsY7V7Y8
— LogCabinRepublicans (@LogCabinGOP) February 20, 2020
Trump reportedly has an affinity for Grenell, whose name has repeatedly come up in news reports as a possible picks for more senior roles in the administration. Grenell reportedly was on the short list for Trump’s choices as the next national security adviser and secretary of state.
UPDATE: Annise Parker, CEO of the LGBTQ Victory Institute, issued a statement Friday on Grenell’s appointment, dubbing him the highest-ranking openly LGBTQ presidential appointee in U.S. history.
“A little over sixty-five years ago, President Eisenhower signed an executive order barring LGBTQ people from serving in the federal government, resulting in the dismissal of hundreds of dedicated LGBTQ employees solely because of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” Parker said. “The ‘lavender scare’ originated in the idea that LGBTQ people were a national security risk – and that ludicrous notion persisted well into the 1990s. For an openly LGBTQ person to be appointed to the most important intelligence position in the U.S. government exemplifies how far we’ve come.”
Parker also pointed out the anti-LGBTQ policies of the Trump administration and urged Grenell to use his newfound influence to call them out.
“Acting Director Grenell has remained loyal to Trump throughout his ambassadorship, and now is the time to cash-in and use that influence to confront the administration on its anti-LGBTQ policies,” Parker said. “Representation in government is invaluable when people speak out, take on discriminatory voices and advocate for change. It takes courage – especially in an administration stocked with anti-LGBTQ activists – but we hope Grenell proves up to the challenge. If Trump believes an openly LGBTQ person can lead our national security apparatus, one would think Trump should also support that person’s right to live free of discrimination in the country he serves.”
Congress
Top Democrats re-introduce trans bill of rights
Lawmakers spoke outside US Capitol on Wednesday
U.S. Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and U.S. Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), and Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) announced the reintroduction of a “Trans Bill of Rights” on Wednesday.
Despite chilling winds and snow on the ground, transgender activists, LGBTQ rights advocates, and trans-supporting lawmakers gathered outside the U.S. Capitol to announce the reintroduction of the “Transgender Bill of Rights” resolution to protect trans Americans, as the Trump-Vance administration continues to target LGBTQ Americans.
About 30 people gathered outside to hear from legislators and individuals impacted by recent White House policies.
“Today we say loud and clear that trans rights are human rights, and they must be protected every single day of every single year,” Markey told the crowd. “We stand together in solidarity with the trans community and with those who have too often been left behind by a system that refuses to recognize their humanity. We are here to ensure that every trans and gender-diverse person in America can live freely and safely and authentically. That’s what the Trans Bill of Rights is all about.”
Markey is leading the resolution on the Senate side, while Jayapal is pushing it forward in the House.
“With the Trans Bill of Rights, we are laying out a comprehensive vision to provide protections for transgender and nonbinary people — a vision that ensures every single person has a chance to thrive,” Jayapal said. “A vision that says: you are us, you belong, and you are worthy of the same rights as everyone else. This bill supports amending the Civil Rights Act to ensure that trans people have the same rights and protections as all other Americans. It creates a level playing field where trans people no longer have to fight tooth and nail to get the same treatment as their cisgender friends.”
The resolution for House and the Senate reads:
“Recognizing that it is the duty of the federal government to develop and implement a Transgender Bill of Rights to protect and codify the rights of transgender and nonbinary people under the law and ensure their access to medical care, shelter, safety, and economic security.”
Trans Legislation Tracker, an independent research organization that collects data on anti-trans legislation from the hyper-local level to the floor of the U.S. Senate, found that in 2025, 1,022 measures were proposed across the country to restrict the rights of trans Americans — from health care removals to bathroom bans.
Markey directly called out those lawmakers for what he described as discriminatory actions taken against trans Americans who, as he pointed out, are fighting for rights that everyone else is inherently given.
“Trump and MAGA Republicans have used the power of government to spread fear and hate across our country. They have tried to ban lifesaving and medically necessary health care, strip anti-discrimination protections, and turn trans lives into political talking points for their benefit. Well, we have a message for them: we are louder, we are stronger, and we are not going anywhere. We’re in this fight for the long term,” the Massachusetts senator said.
Jacobs, a co-chair of the Transgender Equality Task Force within the Congressional Equality Caucus, also spoke at the event.
“Trans Americans are being targeted just for being who they are — by laws and court decisions that try to erase them from classrooms, from courts and fields, from health care and public life. These attacks aren’t about safety or fairness,” Jacobs said. “They’re about hatred and instilling fear. And we know how quickly fear can warp into suspicion and violence with deadly consequences.”
In addition to lawmakers, trans Americans and supporters spoke.
Olivia Hunt from Advocates for Trans Equality, LaLa Zannell from the American Civil Liberties Union, as well as three additional people who have been actively harmed by the ongoing wave of anti-trans legislation, shared their stories.
Hunt emphasized the staggeringly high number of anti-trans bills being introduced in statehouses across the country — despite trans adults making up less than 1 percent of the population, according to the Williams Institute’s 2025 data.
“Since 2020, thousands of anti-LGBTQIA+ bills have been introduced in statehouses across the country,” Hunt said. “It’s a veritable tidal wave of political bullying disguised as legislation, and most of these bills specifically target transgender and nonbinary people — especially trans youth and their families. This is a moment that demands action.”
Hunt, who is trans, helps trans people in D.C. obtain legal documents that match their gender identity — something the Trump-Vance administration has stopped.
“Trans youth deserve to be protected by their government. They shouldn’t have to be protected from their government,” she said. “It’s long past time that our federal laws reflect and protect the reality and dignity of all people. Trans people have always existed — we are your neighbors, your family members, your community — and we belong.”
Zannell, who spoke proudly about her trans identity, explained why the bill is necessary and how it would protect trans people in all facets of their lives.
“I stand here as an unapologetic Black trans woman who has led this movement for over a decade to get us to moments like this. The reintroduction of the Trans Bill of Rights will aim to protect access to gender-affirming care, prevent discrimination in housing and public spaces, and preserve legal recognition,” Zannell said. “My hope is that this affirms our government’s duty to protect all trans and nonbinary people.”
The Transgender Bill of Rights is cosponsored in the Senate by U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.).
In the U.S. House of Representatives, the resolution is led by Jayapal, co-led by Jacobs and U.S. Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), with nearly 100 other representatives signing on as co-sponsors.
“To all trans people across the United States: you are seen, you are valued, and you are loved,” said Markey. “And I want you to know there are people who will fight for you every single day on the floor of the House and Senate to win those rights for you.”
Senegal
A dozen Senegalese men arrested for ‘unnatural acts’
Popular journalist and musician among those taken into custody
Senegalese police have charged a dozen men with committing “unnatural acts.”
The New York Times reported Pape Cheikh Diallo, a popular television reporter, and Djiby Dramé, a musician, are among the men who authorities arrested. They appeared in court in Dakar, the Senegalese capital, on Monday.
Le Soleil, a Senegalese newspaper, reported authorities arrested the men on Feb. 6 “for intentional transmission of HIV, unnatural acts, criminal conspiracy, and endangering others.” The newspaper further notes the men have been placed in “pre-trial detention.”
Senegal is among the countries in which consensual same-sex sexual relations remain criminalized.
Police in Kaolack, a town that is roughly 135 miles southeast of Dakar, in 2015 arrested 11 people who allegedly engaged in same-sex sexual acts during “a celebration of a gay marriage.” The National Assembly in 2021 rejected a bill that would have further criminalized homosexuality in the country.
Local
Local LGBTQ groups, activists to commemorate Black History Month
Rayceen Pendarvis to moderate Dupont Underground panel on Sunday
LGBTQ groups in D.C. and elsewhere plan to use Black History Month as an opportunity to commemorate and celebrate Black lives and experiences.
Team Rayceen Productions has no specific events planned, but co-founder Rayceen Pendarvis will attend many functions around D.C. this month.
Pendarvis, a longtime voice in the LGBTQ community in D.C. will be moderating a panel at Dupont Underground on Sunday. The event, “Every (Body) Wants to Be a Showgirl,” will feature art from Black burlesque artists from around the country. Pendarvis on Feb. 23 will attend the showing of multimedia play at the Lincoln Theatre that commemorates the life of James Baldwin.
Equality Virginia plans to prioritize Black voices through a weekly online series, and community-based story telling. The online digital series will center Black LGBTQ voices, specifically trailblazers and activists, and contemporary Black queer and transgender people.
Narissa Rahaman, Equality Virginia’s executive director, stressed the importance of the Black queer community to the overall Pride movement, and said “Equality Virginia is proud to center those voices in our work this month and beyond.”
The Capital Pride Alliance, which hosts Pride events in D.C., has an alliance with the Center for Black Equity, which brings Black Pride to D.C. over Memorial Day weekend. The National LGBTQ Task Force has no specific Black History Month events planned, but plans to participate in online collaborations.
Cathy Renna, the Task Force’s director of communications, told the Washington Blade the organization remains committed to uplifting Black voices. “Our priority is keeping this at the forefront everyday,” she said.
The D.C. LGBTQ+ Community Center is also hosting a series of Black History Month events.
The D.C. Public Library earlier this year launched “Freedom and Resistance,” an exhibition that celebrates Black History Month and Martin Luther King Jr. It will remain on display until the middle of March at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library at 901 G St., N.W.
Top Democrats re-introduce trans bill of rights
A dozen Senegalese men arrested for ‘unnatural acts’
Meet D.C.’s Most Eligible Queer Singles
Local LGBTQ groups, activists to commemorate Black History Month
