President Donald Trump will continue enforcing an executive order signed by his predecessor protecting federal contractors from anti-LGBTQ discrimination, despite reports to the contrary.
Numerous outlets on Monday speculated that an anti-gay executive order was imminent; citing sources that said the order would affect businesses and adoptions.
"An executive order from President Donald Trump opening up discrimination against the LGBTQ community on the basis of religious belief is expected sometime this week, possibly as soon as today," reported LGBTQ Nation.
The reports were wrong. The White House issued a statement Tuesday declaring President Trump will keep a Barack Obama executive order in place that prohibited discrimination against LGBQ individuals who work as contractors for the federal government.
"President Donald J. Trump is determined to protect the rights of all Americans, including the LGBTQ community," the White House said. "President Trump continues to be respectful and supportive of LGBTQ rights, just as he was throughout the election."
Trump also took credit for being the first Republican nominee to express support for LGBT individuals at the GOP convention in Cleveland last summer.
"The president is proud to have been the first ever GOP nominee to mention the LGBTQ community in his nomination acceptance speech, pledging then to protect the community from violence and oppression," the White House said. "The executive order signed in 2014, which protects employees from anti-LGBTQ workplace discrimination while working for federal contractors, will remain intact at the direction of President Donald J. Trump."