The Trump administration launched Pride Month by launching a series of actions that undermine the profits LGBTQ+ Americans have gained over the past decades.
Organizers say political pressure is the motivation to celebrate pride
Organizers say political pressure is a motivator to continue organizing and congratulating pride, but some business support is declining.
The Trump administration has launched Pride Month in the last few decades by launching a barrage of actions that undermine the interests of LGBTQ+ Americans.
The Department of Defense said it would change the name of the ship honoring the gay rights icon. The National Park Service has tried to avoid the iconic park in a gay neighborhood in Washington, D.C., a host city for World Pride. The FBI sought tips on healthcare providers who provide gender-affirming care. The president has vowed to cut funds to California after allowing trans athletes to compete at high school track events.
The celebration of pride took place long before they were recognized by the federal government, and was a key moment in the birth of the national gay rights movement, commemorating the Stonewall riots in June 1969.
The federal government first recognized Pride Month on Stonewall’s 30th anniversary in 1999 under President Bill Clinton.
Under the next two Democratic administrations, the federal government has recognized June as Pride Month, raising rainbow flags in several government buildings, highlighting the contributions of LGBTQ+ people. Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump did not recognize this. But this year, the Trump administration strengthened its position and gave the month a new moniker and trumpet policy that would be considered “bullying.”
“Both protest, joy and love, these attacks on our communities we gather together make our communities and allies more visible and engaged. “This country knows this is bullying. It’s simple and simple.”
Trump, like young President Bush, refused to issue a Pride Month Declaration. However, the term appears to amplify the president’s rancor against the policy of increasing LGBTQ+ rights. White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt told reporters on June 3 that he “has no plan” to recognize June as Pride Month. She said, “The President is extremely proud to be the president of all Americans, regardless of race, religion or belief.”
Below are some of the recent actions taken by the administration in June, targeting LGBTQ+ Americans.
Remove LGBTQ+ icon Harvey Milk name from naval ship
Defense Secretary Pete Hegses has instructed the US Navy to change the name of the oil tanker, named after Harvey Milk, the leader of Slain LGBTQ+ ICON.
A civil rights activist and naval veteran, Milk is frequently cited as the first openly elected official in the United States. Due to his sexual orientation, milk was pushed out of the Navy in the mid-1950s.
He won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. The following year, Milk was assassinated at City Hall along with the city’s progressive mayor, George Moscon.
“We are committed to ensuring that the names attached to all DOD installations and assets reflect the commander’s priorities, the history of our nation, and the spirit of the warriors,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told USA Today Hegseth.
Stuart Milk, executive chair and milk nephew at Harvey Milk Foundation, said he was “grief” to hear the Pentagon recommendation.
“Harvey Milk’s legacy is certainly strengthened and celebrated by US Navy ships, but his legacy is not silenced or reduced by changing the name of that navy ship,” he wrote.
Jennifer Pike Bailey, director of government affairs for the Human Rights Campaign, is known as The Move Political.
“At all angles, when this country faces national security threats, it’s dishonorable that our Secretary of Defense is wasting time and taxpayer dollars in hopeless attempts to divide our country and politicize our military,” she said.
Education Department announces “Title IX Month”
On June 2, the Education Bureau announced it would celebrate June as “Title IX month” in an attempt to “reverse” the Biden administration rules that redefine gender to enthrob the protection of transgender people, including “gender identity.”
Republican lawmakers have criticized Biden’s rules significantly when introduced last year, forcing women to “share bathrooms, locker rooms and other private spaces with biological men,” allowing people who are present at birth to compete in women’s sports.
“June is dedicated to commemorating women and celebrating the struggle and achievements for equal educational opportunities,” the U.S. Department of Education said in a statement.
The department also directed the Civil Rights Office to begin an investigation into the University of Wyoming and Jefferson County Public Schools in Colorado, and “is said to have allowed men to participate and live in the community spaces only women.” The government appeared to refer to trans women and girls in both cases.
“Title IX provides gender-based protection for women in all educational activities, including the right to equal opportunities in sports and intimate spaces of gender separation, such as sororities and living accommodations,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement.
Renna, the National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund, called the month’s name “simply strengthening the ‘anti-trans agenda’.”
DOJ threatens fines after CAs are able to compete for trans athletes
On May 31, a 16-year-old trans athlete competed in two events at the California State Athletics Championships, finishing first. Trump responded to the news with the threat of “large” fines in a post about the true society.
The event had two first-place finishers due to new rules adopted by the California Inter-Government Federation, the state’s governing body for high school athletics. This rule allows girls to receive medals based on where they ended if the trans girls were not competing in the same event. The rules apply only to young women.
“The biological men competed in the Women’s State Finals in California and won a big win despite the fact that I was warned not to do so,” Trump wrote. “A massive fine will be imposed, as Governor Gavin Newscum fully understands!!!” he added, laughing Gavin Newsom’s name.
Trump’s Justice Department followed up, threatening legal action and saying it was unconstitutional for a girl to compete.
“Depriving female students of athletic opportunities and benefits under the sexual protection clause would constitute unconstitutional sex discrimination under the sexual protection clause,” the letter said.
Looking for tips on FBI gender maintenance care
The administration’s actions also cover health care for LGBTQ+ youth.
On June 2, the FBI posted to X to ask the public for tips on healthcare providers that provide gender-affirming care to minors.
“Please help the FBI protect children. As the Attorney General has made clear, we are responsible for those who protect children and hurt them by pretending to be gender-affirming care,” Post says. “Please report your child any tips from the hospital, clinic or practitioner performing these surgical procedures.”
The outreach follows Trump’s January 28th executive order, which directs federal agencies to take action against hospitals that continue to provide care, including adolescent blockers and hormone therapy. The order characterizes minors’ gender-maintaining care as “chemical and surgical amputations” and “sterilizing” children.
Several hospitals, including Denver Health in Colorado, said the policy prompted them to stop performing gender-affirming surgeries for patients under the age of 19. Other facilities, such as Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, said they are reevaluating care programs that affirm the gender-affirming of patients under the age of 19.
“Healthcare for trans youth is just that — it’s healthcare,” said Laurel Powell, communications director for the Human Rights Campaign. “Threatening to weaponize the FBI against American doctors who are pursuing medical best practices will undermine parents who want their children to flourish.”
US Park Service Order Dupont Circle will be closed and subsequently cancelled decision
The U.S. Park Service announced on June 2 that it will close Dupont Circle Park over the final weekend of WorldPride 2025 DC to prevent “destructive and disorderly behavior.”
WorldPride is a series of international LGBT+ pride events to promote visibility and awareness. The event is hosted every year in various cities.
“The decision was based on a history and patterns of destructive and disorderly behavior from activities that were not taking place in the park, including the 2023 vandalism that took place over the past DC Pride weekend.
The day after the announcement, Washington, DC Council member Zachary Parker posted to X that Police Chief Pamela Smith asked the Parks Bureau to withdraw its plan, in response to his request. The Parks Department agreed to cancel the request, he said.
Continuous focus on transgender youth
The repeated goals of the president’s policy during Pride Month, and the stable drumbeat throughout his second term, suppressing young people from going out as transgender (threatening high school track participation), and preventing adults from supporting them (examining providers who provide gender-affirming care).
He emphasized this on the first day of the oval office, declaring that there are only two genders, male and female.
He repeated it at the White House gathering for Women History Month, saying, “No matter the number of surgeries you have, no matter what chemicals you inject, if you were born with male DNA in every cell in your body, you can never be a woman, you are not a woman.”
A report from the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles Law, examined fallout from another early executive order by Trump that imposed restrictions on transgender students from kindergarten to high school.
According to the report, Trump’s policies are restricted as follows:
- Use of Priority Names and Pronouns: Federal agencies can reduce funding for schools that recognize priority names and pronouns for trans students.
- Access to shared toilets for schools: The government can suspend funds for schools allowing them.
- Participation in sports: If school students can play on teams consistent with their gender identity, the school may lose funds.
- Privacy: Schools that don’t expel children from parents can lose funds.
- LGBTQ+ Education: Schools may be punished if they teach about gender identity.
Punitive social and policy measures are linked to reduced mental and physical health outcomes for LGBTQ+ people, the report states. The report highlights research on young adults who show that trans students participating in university sports are less likely to experience pain, self-harm, or suicide thoughts.
Repeated history
Trump is not historically extraordinary, said John Damilio, professor emeritus of history, women’s and gender studies at the University of Illinois in Chicago and author of Field’s book.
“This is not the first time there has been a hostile, aggressive response to the LGBTQ community,” he said.
In the early 50s, the federal government banned LGBTQ+ people from working in the federal government. The FBI investigated them and the troops left them hospital. In the 1980s, amid the growth of the AIDS epidemic, President Ronald Reagan told reporters that gays pose a threat to the general population. In the 90s, under Clinton, Congress passed the Marriage Defense Act, with many states banning same-sex marriage.
In every era, D’Emilio said, “These hostile and oppressive actions sparked a response from the LGBTQ community.”
“It’s too early to tell us what the response to the Trump administration’s actions will be,” he said. “However, history suggests it motivates and provokes a high level of organisation in response, mobilizing not only the community but allies as well.”
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House correspondent for USA Today. x You can follow her at @swapnavenugopal
