WASHINGTON D.C., DC — One of President Donald Trump's sons found himself having to clarify comments he made during a Fox News interview -- comments that left some wondering if he was announcing he is a member of the LGBTQ community.
In a segment titled "Secret Trump Voter" with Eric Trump as a guest, Fox News host Ainsley Earhart was reading remarks from an unidentified gay woman named "Chris."
“Being a lesbian who’s voting for Trump is like coming out of the closet again," the woman was quoted as saying in a New York Times column. Earhart read the woman's comments and said, "She's in her 50s, she's gay, she said her 401k went up with your dad 19.6%, gas prices better than they were under Obama."
Eric was asked if the president would be counting on this type of "secret voter." His response launched the confusion.
“I’m telling you, I see it every day, the LGBT community, they are incredible and you should see how they’ve come out in full force for my father every single day. I’m part of that community and we love the man and thank you for protecting our neighborhoods and thank you for protecting our cities,” Eric said.
Saying he was "part of that community" led some to wonder if Eric was coming out. The New York Post said it contacted Eric who confirmed he was not and that he was just paraphrasing what voters were saying.
“As to me personally, as I think you know, I am a happily married man to my wife, Lara," Eric told the New York Post. The couple have two children together.
The moment also raised questions about where Eric's claims of large support for President Trump within the LGBT community come from.
Trudy Ring of the Advocate wrote, "In reality, most LGBTQ+ people do not love the president, no matter what unscientific, clickbait surveys may say." But Ring emphasized that there certainly are some exceptions to this.
The Advocate article says the New York Times column goes into many economic points that are highlights of the Trump administration's time in office so far, but didn't delve into many large LGBTQ social issues that have been seen by the community as systemically regressive.
Sarah Kate Ellis, the president and CEO of GLAAD, said the Trump administration has a "shameful and abysmal" record on LGBTQ issues.
Actor and advocate George Takei expressed a similar disagreement.
"Eric Trump saying he’s 'part of the LGBT' community is like me saying I’m part of the fantasy football community," Takei tweeted.
President Trump has opposed the Equality Act, which is a federal LGBTQ+ right bill that would ban anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination in employment, public accommodations, housing and other essential parts of life for LGBTQ+ people, the Advocate reports.
Other Trump administration policies seen as regressive by the LGBTQ community include reinstating a transgender military ban and reversing the Affordable Care Act's ban on anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination in health care. The Advocate reports the administration also rescinded guidance on equal treatment of transgender youth in schools and other rule changes related to discrimination in adoption and foster care services along with admission to homeless shelters.
Trump has also reportedly appointed judges seen as anti-LGBTQ by advocates.