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Ric Grenell joins RNC as senior adviser for LGBTQ outreach

Former ambassador has turned attack dog for Trump

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Ric Grenell, Richard Grenell, gay news, Washington Blade
Richard Grenell has joined the RNC as head of voter outreach. (Photo public domain)

Richard Grenell, the former acting head of national intelligence under President Trump, has joined the Republican National Committee as a senior adviser focusing on LGBTQ outreach, an RNC official confirmed to the Blade on Thursday.

“As America’s first openly-gay cabinet member, I can confidently say that President Trump has done more for gay and lesbian Americans than any other president, and it is not even close,” Grenell said in a statement to Fox News, which was first to report the development.

It’s a new role for the Republican Party, which has a documented history of being hostile to advancing LGBTQ rights. In many ways, that still continues. The Republican National Committee renewed for the 2020 election cycle its 2016 platform, which calls for a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, objects to use of federal law to ensure transgender people can use the restroom consistent with their gender identity and makes veiled support for widely discredited conversion therapy.

As acting head of intelligence under Trump, Grenell has the distinction of being the first openly gay Cabinet member in history, although he never sought or obtained Senate confirmation for the role, and also served as U.S. ambassador to Germany. Grenell also spearheaded the global initiative to decriminalize homosexuality in the 69 countries where it remains illegal.

Upon leaving the federal government, Grenell has been active in efforts to re-elect Trump, including by being an attack dog on Twitter denouncing LGBTQ rights advocates he sees as shills for the Democrats and journalists he sees as biased against Trump.

The news Grenell has joined the RNC comes on the heels of his appearance in a Twitter video produced by Log Cabin Republicans highlighting Trump as the “most pro-gay president” ever. The video undercuts Joe Biden’s record on LGBTQ rights by claiming he’s fallen short, despite the general perception he’s been a champion, and promotes Trump, despite the actions his administration has taken widely deemed anti-LGBTQ.

Grenell joins the RNC after a report in Politico months ago he had joined the Trump re-election campaign, which Grenell vehemently denied. It wouldn’t have been Grenell’s first stint on a presidential campaign. Grenell was tapped as foreign policy spokesperson for the Romney campaign in 2012, but after social conservatives blew a fuse, the relationship was ended after only 12 days.

Christian Berle, a gay D.C. political consultant and former staffer with Log Cabin Republicans, said “it’s great to see” the RNC seeking votes from LGBTQ people, that won’t be enough for him in the coming election.

“President Donald Trump and his administration’s horrific record on matters of equality negate any foundation for gay voters backing him for a second term,” Berle said. “Whether it’s a heightened animus towards transgender individuals or arguing for the right to discriminate in adoption and in the workplace, his administration has been a giant step backwards from the previous administration. My husband and I will be crossing party lines to vote for Biden this year, because another four years of Trump will only make lives worse for LGBTQ people.”

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Hungary

New Hungarian prime minister takes office

Péter Magyar’s party defeated anti-LGBTQ Viktor Orbán last month

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Péter Magyar votes in Budapest, Hungary on April 12, 2026. He has been sworn in as the country's new prime minister. (Screen capture via APT/YouTube)

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar took office on Saturday.

Magyar’s center-right Tisza party on April 12 defeated then-Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz-KDNP coalition. Vice President JD Vance less than a week before the election traveled to Budapest, the Hungarian capital, and urged Hungarians to support Orbán.

Orbán had been in office since 2010. He and his government faced widespread criticism over its anti-LGBTQ crackdown.

The European Commission in 2022 sued Hungary, which is a member of the EU, over the country’s anti-LGBTQ propaganda law. The European Union’s top court, the EU Court of Justice, on April 21 struck down the statute.

The EU while Orbán was office withheld upwards of €35 billion ($41.26) in funds to Hungary in response to concerns over corruption, rule of law, and other issues.

Hungarian lawmakers in March 2025 passed a bill that banned Pride events and allowed authorities to use facial recognition technology to identify those who participate in them. MPs later amended the Hungarian constitution to ban public LGBTQ events.

Upwards of 100,000 people last June defied the ban and marched in Budapest’s annual Pride parade.

“Congratulations to [Péter Magyar] on becoming prime minister of Hungary,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on X.

“This Europe Day, our hearts are in Budapest,” she added. “The hope and promise of renewal is a powerful signal in these challenging times.”

“We have important work ahead of us,” noted von der Leyen. “For Hungary and for Europe, we are moving forward together.”

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Comings & Goings

Whitman-Walker honors Rep. Sarah McBride

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U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.) (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

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]

Congratulations to Congresswoman Sarah McBride (D-Del.) on being honored with this year’s Stonewall Award from Whitman-Walker Health. Amy Nelson, senior director of Legal Services, said, “Congresswoman Sarah McBride is working to make healthcare accessible to all, and this award recognizes her support of healthcare as a human right. Our legal program supports families facing unprecedented challenges to stay healthy and safe – families that Congresswoman McBride champions with a deep understanding of the issues they face and the legislative expertise of how to support them.”  

McBride, in a press release, said, “I am honored to accept this year’s Stonewall Award from Whitman-Walker Health — an organization that has spent 40 years doing vital work to ensure every person can access the dignity of care. In the wealthiest and most developed nation on earth, the ability to receive care should not be a matter of luck—it should be the law of the land. I am proud to be recognized as a partner in this work and to support Whitman-Walker Health in their mission to build a healthier society for all.”

Congratulations also to Wes Drummond who will join Clear Space Theatre Company in Rehoboth Beach, Del., as its third artistic director. Managing Director Joe Gfaller said, “This is an exciting moment of growth for Clear Space as we welcome Wes to join our remarkable team. I am confident he will be an excellent partner as we work with our entire staff, board, and committed team of volunteers, to ensure Clear Space can achieve its full potential in pursuit of our mission to unite and enrich our community through every production on stage, and every arts-based learning program we offer throughout our community.” 

On accepting the position Drummond said, “I’m honored to join Clear Space Theatre Company as artistic director, and beyond excited for what we’re about to create together. Clear Space has established itself as a vital and vibrant part of the cultural life of coastal Delaware, and I feel incredibly fortunate to step into this next chapter alongside such a passionate and dedicated team. Rehoboth Beach is a place defined by creativity and community, and I look forward to listening, learning, and building meaningful relationships across the region in the months ahead. My vision is to help Clear Space continue to grow as a bold, forward-thinking, cultural force, that champions fearless storytelling.”

Wes Drummond

Drummond served in leadership roles at Duluth Playhouse in Duluth, Minn., from 2021 to 2026, including four years as executive director followed by one year as executive producing artistic director, guiding the organization through a period of significant transformation and stability in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a director, he has worked extensively in New York City, Chicago, and at regional theaters across the country, directing both musical theater and plays with a focus on storytelling that bridges classical works with contemporary perspectives. He has collaborated with leading figures in the industry, including Tony Award-winning director Matthew Warchus, and Tony-nominated director Michael Greif. He is an associate member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

Wes earned his MFA in directing, Penn State University, where he studied under Tony-nominated director, Susan H. Schulman. 

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Virginia

Va. Supreme Court invalidates Democrat-backed redistricting plan

Voters narrowly approved new congressional districts last month

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Virginia Supreme Court (Photo by sainaniritu/Bigstock)

The Virginia Supreme Court on Friday struck down a Democrat-backed redistricting plan that voters approved last month.

Ten of 11 of Virginia’s congressional districts favor Democrats in the plan that passed by a 51-48 vote margin in last month’s referendum.

The Human Rights Campaign PAC is among the groups that support it. The court by a 4-3 majority invalidated the referendum results.

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