On Monday, El Salvador’s president met with Donald Trump at the White House. President Nayib Bukele and Donald Trump quickly turned the official meeting into an attack on transgender people. The two were supposed to meet to discuss their controversial deportation plan openly. The plan has sent hundreds of migrants, many of whom do not have any criminal history, to the CECOT prison in El Salvador. The meeting quickly turned chaotic and was filled with transphobic rhetoric.
Trump Quickly Went Transphobic
Trump began attacking transgender people during the meeting by targeting transgender women in sports. Trump asked Bukele: “Do you allow men to play in women’s sports? Do you allow men to box your women and box? Because I know you have a lot of boxers.” “That’s violence,” Bukele replied. He smiled, acknowledging that Trump had set him up to have the transphobic talk.
“Now they have a guy come up — ping — the whole thing is crazy,” Trump said of weightlifting competitions before seemingly admitting he prefers to save the subject of transgender rights as political fuel. “I don’t like talking about it because I want to save it for just before the next election,” Trump said.
Trump’s Claims Were Unfounded
His claim that transgender women dominating women’s sports has long been debunked. Advocates for the LGBTQ+ community quickly condemned Trump’s comments. Sarah Kate Ellis, the president and CEO of GLAAD, said that the exchange between the two presidents proved just how disconnected Trump’s comments were from reality.
Allies Speak Out
“This kind of rhetoric is completely disconnected from the lives and values of everyday Americans,” Ellis said. “At the end of the day, we all want the same things — belonging, peace, and the ability to care for ourselves and our families. That’s what matters. That’s what unites us. The focus should be on the real issues that are impacting Americans right now — not manufactured outrage or divisive distractions.”
Trump’s Brutal Deportation Pipeline
The anti-trans remarks highlighted the growing alliance between Trump and Bukele, which has been built on trans hate and their brutal approaches to immigration. Trump has used his deportation pipeline as a tool to remove LGBTQ+ asylum seekers. For example, 23-year-old Andry José Hernández Romero, who is a gay makeup artist originally from Venezuela, vanished into the CECOT prison back in March.
Hernandez Romero was deported from the United States with no hearing after a private contractor for ICE flagged his tattoos. He has a tattoo with two crowns and the words mom and dad written above them. The tattoo was flagged as being gang-related.
Gay Man Deported Over Tattoos
“These are tattoos that have a plausible explanation because he worked in the beauty pageant industry,” his attorney, Lindsey Toczylowski, said. Hernandez Romero had passed his initial asylum screening when he was suddenly deported. While Trump and Bukele spewed transgender hate in the Oval Office, advocates spoke out, stating that transgender athletes have long competed in sports and only make up a minuscule fraction of all athletes.
Transgender Bans Cause Bullying
There has never been any evidence that trans women have an unfair advantage. States that allow trans athletes to participate in sports also see a higher rate of girls participating. The policies that ban trans athletes have led to bullying and intrusive gender checks that target girls who do not conform to what is considered the norms for femininity. The bans and the bullying that often come with it have, on too many occasions, led to mental health challenges and even suicide.
