Trump and Vance are making anti-LGBTQ+ attacks central to the campaign

ATLANTA — Donald Trump has made his opposition to transgender rights front and center in his closing arguments before Election Day, using derogatory language and misrepresentations to portray an exceedingly small portion of the U.S. population as a threat to national identity.

The former president and Republican candidate campaign and aligned political action committees have spent tens of millions of dollars on advertising attacking the Democratic nominee and vice president Kamala Harris for her previous statements in support of transgender rights.

His rally speeches now include a parody video mocking transgender people and their place in the U.S. military. The assembly, alternated with clips from the Vietnam War film “Full Metal Jacket,” typically draws loud boos at his rallies, just like Trump’s false claims about female athletes and his mocking impression from what he says is a trans woman lifting weights.

“We will take transgender insanity out of our schools, and we will keep men out of women’s sports,” Trump said during his recent speech. Madison Square Garden meetingwhich drew a roar of approval from the more than 20,000 people.

His running mate, J.D. Vance, claimed Thursday that “middle- or upper-middle-class” white teens can identify as transgender to gain easier access to elite universities. In doing so, Vance cited conservative anger over affirmative action and other programs targeting historically disenfranchised groups.

“Is there a dynamic going on where if you become trans, that’s the way to reject your white privilege?” Vance said in conversation with podcaster Joe Rogan. “That is the only social meaning, the only one available in the hyper-woke mindset, when your gender becomes non-binary.”