Mike Pence has backed a ban on Pride flags being flown in US embassies.
After Trump’s administration denied several embassies in countries including Brazil, Germany and Israel the right to fly a rainbow flag on their flag poles for Pride Month, Vice President Pence has expressed his support for the decision.
“I’m aware that the state department indicated that on the flag pole of our American embassies that one flag should fly, and that’s the American flag, and I support that,” he told NBC News.
Asked what he would say to LGBTQ people disappointed in the ban, especially after Trump sent a tweet in celebration of Pride Month which takes place throughout June, Pence argued that it was “the right decision” to make.
“Well, look, as the president said on the night we were elected, we’re proud to be able to serve every American, and we both feel that way very passionately,” he said.
“But when it comes to the American flag pole in American embassies in capitals around the world, having the one American flag fly I think is the right decision, and we put no restrictions on displaying any other flags or any other displays at our embassies beyond that.”
Related: GLAAD slams Trump for selling ‘LGBTQ For Trump’ t-shirts for Pride
NBC reports that the denials to fly the rainbow flags come from the State Department’s Undersecretary for Management, Brian Bulatoa. The new orders also rollback another Obama-era policy which permitted embassies to fly the rainbow flag.
“As we celebrate LGBT Pride Month and recognize the outstanding contributions LGBT people have made to our great Nation, let us also stand in solidarity with the many LGBT people who live in dozens of countries worldwide that punish, imprison, or even execute individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation,” Trump tweeted ahead of Pride Month.
“My Administration has launched a global campaign to decriminalize homosexuality and invite all nations to join us in this effort!”
Despite this, GLAAD have currently counted 113 attacks against the LGBTQ community from Trump’s administration – you can read all about them in the charity’s Trump Accountability Project.
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