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Trump names gay nominee as U.S. ambassador to Germany

Grenell is first major openly gay appointment of current White House

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Ric Grenell, Republican Party, gay news, Washington Blade

Ric Grenell (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

President Trump made one of his last acts before the Labor Day weekend nominating foreign policy expert Ric Grenell as U.S. ambassador to Germany, the first openly gay major appointment of the current administration.

The White House announced Trump had named Grenell to the post, which requires U.S. Senate confirmation, in a statement late Friday along with scores of other nominees.

The nomination was expected. Media reports in July indicated Trump would tap Grenell for the post, but Trump hadn’t formally made the designation until this time.

According to his bio, Grenell founded the international consulting firm Capitol Media Partners in 2010 and served in various roles as a public communications adviser for nearly two decades. Under the George W. Bush administration, Grenell was the longest serving U.S. spokesperson at the United Nations and served four United States Ambassadors.

For a period of less than two weeks, Grenell served during the 2012 presidential election as a foreign policy spokesperson for Republican nominee Mitt Romney, but resigned amid pressure from social conservatives over his sexual orientation. Grenell never had the opportunity to speak publicly in the role.

Grenell, who has described himself as a gay conservative Christian, has a same-sex partner, Matt Lashey. According to The Atlantic, the two have been together 15 years and Lashey himself is a conservative Christian who graduated from Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University.

At times, Grenell has supported LGBT rights, endorsing the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in 2013 and supporting same-sex marriage. Grenell hailed Trump for saying he’s “fine” with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling for marriage equality, although the president’s words seemed to fall short of a full endorsement.

On the other hand, Grenell has expressed skepticism over the Student Non-Discrimination Act and former President Obama’s 2014 executive order against anti-LGBT workplace discrimination among federal contractors.

But Grenell is perhaps best known on Twitter for his combative relationship with reporters, including those from the Washington Blade. Taking a cue from Trump, who has declared war on the media, Grenell often accuses reporters of harboring biases that undermine their reporting.

Grenell is named as U.S. ambassador to Germany at a time of continued cooperation between the United States and Germany, but also tension. Merkel has criticized Trump for his approach to climate change and North Korea. Trump, in turn, has called on Germany, which spends 1.2 percent of its gross domestic product on defense, to double its expenditures in this area.

Gregory Angelo, president of Log Cabin Republicans, hailed the news Grenell was confirmed nomination as U.S. envoy to Germany.

“It’s exciting to see Mr. Grenell nominated to such an important post at such an important time,” Angelo said. “As a member of our Los Angeles Chapter, working to ensure his confirmation will be a priority of Log Cabin Republicans in the weeks ahead.”

Grenell earned his bachelor’s degree from Evangel University in Springfield, Mo., and his master’s in public affairs at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Aisha Moodie-Mills, CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Institute, said although her organization normally favors LGBT appointments, she has strong reservations about Grenell.

“LGBTQ presidential appointees can be critical difference-makers when they hold a broad vision of equality and are empowered to enact it,” Moodie-Mills said. “Unfortunately, past statements by Richard Grenell make clear he is not supportive of the entire LGBTQ community – including LGBTQ Muslims, immigrants and people of color. His praise for President Trump as a ‘historic’ pro-LGBTQ president is completely delegitimized by Trump’s appointment of an almost entirely anti-LGBTQ cabinet, as well as his actions attacking trans students and military members.

Nonetheless, Moodie-Mills said Grenell has a real opportunity to make change upon his confirmation as U.S. ambassador to Germany.

“The LGBTQ community is watching Grenell as he takes his post in Germany,” Moodie-Mills said. As Trump’s first openly LGBTQ appointee, he has an opportunity to influence the administration and play a meaningful role in a country that just passed marriage equality. But his blind loyalty to Trump and his hateful policies give us little hope. Only Grenell can decide whether to stand up for equality, or continue his delusions about Trump’s intentions for our community.”

Grenell wasn’t the only openly gay appointment Trump made on Friday. Trump also nominated James Abbott to membership of the Federal Labor Relations Authority for a five-year term expiring July 1, 2020. A member of D.C. Log Cabin, Abbott currently serves as counsel to the Federal Labor Relations Authority

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District of Columbia

Laverne Cox, Reneé Rapp, Deacon Maccubbin named WorldPride grand marshals

Three LGBTQ icons to lead parade

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Deacon Maccubbin attends the 2024 Capital Pride Parade. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

WorldPride organizers announced Thursday that actress and trans activist Laverne Cox, powerhouse performer Reneé Rapp, and LGBTQ trailblazer Deacon Maccubbin will serve as grand marshals for this year’s WorldPride parade.

The Capital Pride Alliance, which is organizing WorldPride 2025 in Washington, D.C., revealed the honorees in a press release, noting that each has made a unique contribution to the fabric of the LGBTQ community.

Laverne Cox (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Cox made history in 2014 as the first openly transgender person nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in an acting category for her role in Netflix’s “Orange Is the New Black.” She went on to win a Daytime Emmy in 2015 for her documentary “Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word,” which followed seven young trans people as they navigated coming out.

Rapp, a singer and actress who identifies as a lesbian, rose to prominence as Regina George in the Broadway musical “Mean Girls.” She reprised the role in the 2024 film adaptation and also stars in Max’s “The Sex Lives of College Girls,” portraying a character coming to terms with her sexuality. Rapp has released an EP, “Everything to Everyone,” and an album, “Snow Angel.” She announced her sophomore album, “Bite Me,” on May 21 and is slated to perform at the WorldPride Music Festival at the RFK Festival Grounds.

Deacon Maccubbin, widely regarded as a cornerstone of Washington’s LGBTQ+ history, helped organize D.C.’s first Gay Pride Party in 1975. The event took place outside Lambda Rising, one of the first LGBTQ bookstores in the nation, which Maccubbin founded. For his decades of advocacy and activism, he is often referred to as “the patriarch of D.C. Pride.”

“I am so honored to serve as one of the grand marshals for WorldPride this year. This has been one of the most difficult times in recent history for queer and trans people globally,” Cox said. “But in the face of all the rhetorical, legislative and physical attacks, we continue to have the courage to embrace who we truly are, to celebrate our beauty, resilience and bravery as a community. We refuse to allow fear to keep us from ourselves and each other. We remain out loud and proud.”

“Pride is everything. It is protection, it is visibility, it is intersectional. But most importantly, it is a celebration of existence and protest,” Rapp said.

The three will march down 14th Street for the WorldPride Parade in Washington on June 7.

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Congress

House passes reconciliation with gender-affirming care funding ban

‘Big Beautiful Bill’ now heads to the Senate

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U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) (Washington Blade photo by Michael. Key)

The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday voted 215-214 for passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” reconciliation package, which includes provisions that would prohibit the use of federal funds to support gender-affirming care.

But for an 11th hour revision of the bill late Wednesday night by conservative lawmakers, Medicaid and CHIP would have been restricted only from covering treatments and interventions administered to patients younger than 18.

The legislation would also drop requirements that some health insurers must cover gender-affirming care as an “essential health benefit” and force states that currently mandate such coverage to find it independently. Plans could still offer coverage for transgender care but without the EHB classification patients will likely pay higher out of pocket costs.

To offset the cost of extending tax cuts from 2017 that disproportionately benefited the wealthiest Americans, the reconciliation bill contains significant cuts to spending for federal programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

The Human Rights Campaign criticized House Republicans in a press release and statement by the group’s president, Kelley Robinson:

“People in this country want policies and solutions that make life better and expand access to the American Dream. Instead, anti-equality lawmakers voted to give  handouts to billionaires built on the backs of hardworking people — with devastating consequences for the LGBTQ+ community.

“If the cuts to programs like Medicaid and SNAP or resources like Planned Parenthood clinics weren’t devastating enough, House Republicans added a last minute provision that expands its attacks on access to best practice health care to transgender adults.

“This cruel addition shows their priorities have never been about lowering costs or expanding health care access–but in targeting people simply for who they are. These lawmakers have abandoned their constituents, and as they head back to their districts, know this: they will hear from us.”

Senate Republicans are expected to pass the bill with the budget reconciliation process, which would allow them to bypass the filibuster and clear the spending package with a simple majority vote.

Changes are expected as the bill will be reviewed and amended by committees, particularly the Finance Committee, and then brought to the floor for debate — though modifications are expected to focus on Medicaid reductions and debate over state and local tax deductions.

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Photos

PHOTOS: D.C. Trans Pride

Schuyler Bailar gives keynote address

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D.C. Trans Pride 2025 was held at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library on May 17. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

2025 D.C. Trans Pride was held at Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library on Saturday, May 17. The day was filled with panel discussions, art, social events, speakers, a resource fair and the Engendered Spirit Awards. Awardees included Lyra McMillan, Pip Baitinger, Steph Niaupari and Hayden Gise. The keynote address was delivered by athlete and advocate Schuyler Bailar.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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