A gay former member of the Trump administration has blasted Joe Biden for choosing a straight vice presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, for the Democratic ticket.
In a Tuesday tweet, Richard Grenell supposed that Biden "still thinks gays are security risks" since he chose the California senator instead of, say, Mayor Pete Buttigieg or Sen. Tammy Baldwin.
Grenell's tweet linked to a Fox News article questioning Biden's record on gay rights; it was based on a 1973 response to a question about whether gay people could serve openly in the military or civil service.
"My gut reaction is that [gay people] are security risks but I must admit I haven't given this much thought," he said at the time. "I'll be darned!"
This criticism is rich coming from a former member of the Trump administration, which has actively worked to undermine LGBTQ+ equality since coming into power. Trump's vice president, Mike Pence, is a homophobe whose signing of Indiana's "religious freedom" law, which gave license to businesses to deny goods and services to LGBTQ+ people -- in the 21st century -- remains one of his most notable disgraces from his tenure as governor there; another is his disastrous handling of an HIV outbreak.
The Advocateendorsed Biden in June due to his extensive pro-LGBTQ+ record, as well as his comprehensive plan that makes undoing Trump's damage a priority. In his plan, he promises to make enactment of the Equality Act during his first 100 days as president a top legislative priority; reverse the transgender military ban as well as military policies that discriminate against people with HIV; work to end suicide among LGBTQ+ youth; end the misuse of religious exemptions to enable discrimination; address violence against LGBTQ+ people (something especially affecting transgender women of color); and more.
Grenell, a gay man, worked as U.S. ambassador to Germany for two years before resigning in June. He also served as acting director of national intelligence, which made Grenell the first openly gay person to lead a Cabinet-level department in the U.S. He left once a new director of national intelligence, U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe, was confirmed.
