First openly trans politician in Congress has blunt response to Trump’s controversial executive order
The ‘anti-LGBTQ+’ policies of Trump were strongly criticized by Sarah McBride, a politician and activist who serves as the representative for Delaware in Congress.
Sarah McBride, the first transgender person ever elected to the US Congress, has boldly spoken out against a series of “anti-LGBTQ+” laws recently signed into law by President Donald Trump. Her public opposition adds a powerful voice to the ongoing fight for LGBTQ+ rights and equality.
During his speech at the HRC Greater New York Dinner on Monday, February 3, Sarah McBride delivered a powerful message about the future of America, while taking a sharp jab at Republican officials in Trump’s administration, noting how LGBTQ+ individuals seem to be living “rent-free” in their minds.
Trump’s Latest LGBTQ+ Policies
Since taking office, President Trump has signed several executive orders targeting the LGBTQ+ community. Among them, his first major directive declared that the government would officially recognize only two genders—male and female—stating that these identities were “not changeable.” This move has sparked widespread controversy and intensified the ongoing battle for LGBTQ+ rights.
Trump’s latest executive decree, framed as a move to “defend women from gender ideology extremism,” also vows to eliminate what he calls “wasteful” government initiatives aimed at promoting diversity and inclusivity.
In a sweeping rollback of civil rights policies, Trump repealed the 1965 Equal Employment Opportunity Act, a landmark law that had long championed opportunities for women, racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and other marginalized groups.
Adding to the administration’s restrictive measures, newly appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that transgender and non-binary individuals would no longer be able to select ‘X’ as their gender on passport applications. Meanwhile, the Department of State has banned U.S. consulates from displaying any flags other than the official American flag—explicitly prohibiting the Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ+ Pride flags.
Further escalating his administration’s stance on LGBTQ+ rights and healthcare, Trump signed an executive order last week aimed at blocking what he called “chemical and surgical mutilation” of minors—sparking a fierce national debate over transgender healthcare access.
Trump has doubled down on his stance against transgender athletes, announcing plans to strip federal funding from schools that allow them to compete on women’s sports teams. On February 5, he officially enacted a new law prohibiting such participation—escalating an already heated national debate.
Sarah McBride Takes a Stand
Sarah McBride, who made history last month as the first transgender person sworn into the U.S. Congress, isn’t staying silent. The 34-year-old Delaware representative delivered a passionate speech at the HRC Greater New York Dinner, condemning Trump’s policies and reaffirming her commitment to protecting LGBTQ+ rights.
“I enter Congress at a moment of uncertainty and fear for so many in our country—a time that will test our Constitution, our progress, and our very compassion,” McBride declared, standing before an audience deeply invested in the fight for equality.
Her words served as both a rallying cry and a warning, signaling that the battle for LGBTQ+ rights is far from over.
Sarah McBride Slams Trump’s Aggressive Anti-Trans Policies
In a fiery speech at the HRC Greater New York Dinner, Congresswoman Sarah McBride condemned the Trump administration’s swift and sweeping attacks on transgender rights, calling out its blatant overreach into the lives of LGBTQ+ Americans.
“This new administration has redirected federal resources to target transgender individuals in less than two weeks—at a time when our country faces both domestic and international crises,” McBride declared.
She criticized Trump’s orders, which she argued force the outing of transgender individuals through government records, interfere with parental rights, and directly harm transgender youth. “They’re violating parental rights by putting the government between patients, parents, and providers,” she said, emphasizing the devastating impact of these policies.
McBride also took aim at Trump’s move to purge transgender service members from the military, despite their dedication and qualifications. “These are patriotic individuals who have met the same standards as their colleagues—who have committed their lives to something this president will never understand: selfless public service.”
Her speech further highlighted the administration’s push to police bathrooms at federal institutions, barring transgender individuals from facilities they had been using without issue. “Across the federal government, he has deputized Republican politicians and appointees to be bathroom police,” she declared.
McBride’s words underscored the growing resistance against Trump’s policies, signaling that the fight for LGBTQ+ rights is far from over.
McBride Condemns Trump’s Anti-LGBTQ+ Agenda: “We Live Rent-Free in Their Minds”
Congresswoman Sarah McBride didn’t hold back as she tore into the Trump administration’s relentless attacks on LGBTQ+ rights, warning that the newly enacted bans put all women at risk of harassment and invasive scrutiny.
“These bans open up all women to harassment and potentially gross and invasive inspections,” McBride declared at the HRC Greater New York Dinner, highlighting the far-reaching consequences of the administration’s policies.
She went on to expose the administration’s obsession with erasing LGBTQ+ identities from public life. “We live rent-free in their minds; they’re obsessed,” she said. “They’re censoring content and freezing funding to make sure words like ‘transgender’ aren’t included in any federally funded program.”
McBride further called out Trump’s efforts to dismantle public education by punishing schools that support LGBTQ+ students. “They’re saying that if schools dare to accept LGBTQ students, they will destroy public education. All inside a fortnight.”
Emphasizing the need for strategic resistance, McBride urged the audience to stand firm. “They’re obsessed—we live rent-free in their minds,” she repeated, before rallying supporters to “fight smarter” in the battle for the country’s future.
Her powerful message made one thing clear: the fight for equality is far from over, and the LGBTQ+ community refuses to be erased.
McBride Calls for Unity and Action: “I Won’t Be a Pawn”
Sarah McBride delivered a passionate call to action, urging allies to return to the core principles of outreach and empathy in the fight for equality.
“We must be honest about the necessity of going back to the fundamentals—extending invitations to people, transforming their perspectives, and opening their hearts,” she declared. “This work is about meeting people where they are, not trying to pitch them.”
But McBride didn’t stop there. She exposed the deeper motives behind the Trump administration’s relentless targeting of transgender individuals.
“We must reveal the truth: they are exploiting transgender individuals as pawns in a larger scheme to dismantle the federal government—all at the expense of working people—to enrich Donald Trump’s closest pals.”
With unwavering conviction, she made one thing clear: “I’m not going to be a pawn. I won’t provide them that authority, and I won’t allow them to get away with it either.”
McBride’s speech was more than a call for resistance—it was a rallying cry for strategic action and solidarity in the ongoing fight for justice.
