Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign recently targeted former President Donald Trump for his past support of the LGBTQ community. However, the campaign’s video faced significant backlash after going viral.
The controversial video, which has been viewed over 18 million times, features Trump being labeled as “the politician who did more than any other Republican to celebrate” Pride month. It criticizes him for his statement at the 2016 Republican National Convention, where he vowed to protect LGBTQ citizens following the tragic shooting at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Florida.
The video, originally created by another account, has a sarcastic and dramatic tone. It combines news footage, headlines, and clips from pop culture, showcasing various statements made by Trump supporting LGBTQ rights. These include his acceptance of transgender athlete Caitlyn Jenner and his inclusion of transgender women in his beauty pageant. The video also includes a photo of Trump holding the rainbow LGBTQ flag and a past tweet celebrating Pride.
In contrast, the DeSantis campaign highlights the governor’s support for controversial restrictions on LGBTQ people, specifically transgender individuals. This includes the banning of gender-affirming medical care for trans youth. As president, Trump also supported significant restrictions on transgender individuals, such as prohibiting openly trans people from serving in the military.
The video has drawn criticism from both sides of the aisle within the LGBTQ community. Richard Grenell, a former Trump adviser and ambassador who is gay, called the video “undeniably homophobic.” The Log Cabin Republicans, a group for LGBTQ conservatives, criticized the video as “divisive” and “desperate.”
Pete Buttigieg, Transportation Secretary and a Democrat who is also gay, was asked to respond to the video. He criticized the video, stating, “I just don’t understand the mentality of somebody who gets up in the morning thinking that he’s going to prove his worth by competing over who can make life hardest for a hard-hit community that is already so vulnerable in America.”
The video’s release highlights DeSantis’ efforts to challenge Trump on issues where he may be vulnerable with Republican primary voters. However, early polls still show Trump with a significant lead over DeSantis among Republicans.
While some defended the attack on Trump as “objectively funny,” others argued that it was unnecessary and divisive. A spokesperson for DeSantis’ campaign stated that opposing the federal recognition of “Pride Month” is not homophobic and that identity politics is detrimental to the country.
The backlash faced by the viral campaign video demonstrates the complexity and sensitivity surrounding LGBTQ issues in politics. As the presidential race continues, candidates will need to navigate these issues carefully to appeal to a broad range of voters.