Former US president Donald Trump has pledged to defund schools teaching critical race theory and “transgender insanity” if he is re-elected in 2024. At a rally in Sioux City in Iowa, Donald Trump – who has previously promised to reinstate his cruel trans military ban if elected – claimed he would clamp down on race and LGBTQ+ education in schools.
In a fiery address to supporters in Sioux City, Iowa, former President Donald Trump doubled down on his controversial stance regarding critical race theory and transgender issues in schools. Trump declared that if he were to secure a second term, he would sign a new executive order to cut federal funding for any school promoting critical race theory, what he referred to as “transgender insanity,” and any other content deemed inappropriate by his administration. Trump has been a vocal critic of critical race theory, previously denouncing it as “toxic propaganda” and claiming that it teaches people to “hate our country.”
Donald Trump has ramped up discussion on trans issues and anti-trans policy pledges since his bid to be re-elected in 2024, with the former president claiming that Republican voters care more about restricting trans rights than cutting taxes.
Since announcing his intention to run for re-election, Donald Trump has escalated his focus on transgender issues and anti-trans policy commitments. In a January campaign video, Trump threatened to ban gender-affirming care for transgender individuals of “any age,” which could potentially make medical transition inaccessible in the United States. He pledged to sign an executive order instructing federal agencies to cease all programs promoting the concept of sex and gender transition and called on Congress to permanently halt federal funding for these procedures.
LGBTQ+ activists, however, have claimed they are “battle-ready” for a potential Trump presidency, with American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) executive director Anthony D Romero claiming: “If Donald Trump believes that a second term would allow him to continue with the unconstitutional and un-American policies of his first term, the ACLU will be ready to fight back at every turn.”
Despite Trump’s renewed focus on anti-trans policies, LGBTQ+ activists have expressed their readiness to counter his agenda. The executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Anthony D Romero, stated that if Donald Trump were to secure a second term and pursue policies that they deem unconstitutional and un-American, the ACLU stands prepared to resist at every step.
In an increasingly polarized political landscape, Trump’s remarks on critical race theory and transgender issues continue to ignite debate and shape the discourse around education and LGBTQ+ rights in the United States.