White House: Donald Trump supports shop signs saying “We don’t bake cakes for gay weddings”
Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed Trump's support for "religious liberty" during press briefing
Donald Trump’s definition of “religious liberty” includes allowing bakers to put up signs saying “We don’t bake cakes for gay weddings.”
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed Trump’s stance on the issue during Tuesday’s press briefing.
It came after oral arguments started earlier today at the Supreme Court in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case, which questions the legality of a baker refusing to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding.
Trump’s Solicitor General said at the Supreme Court that, should the baker prevail, it would be legal to put a sign in a bakery window informing same-sex couples that they would be refused service. Sanders was asked if Trump supports that outcome.
“The President certainly supports religious liberty,” she said. “And that’s something that he talked about during the campaign and since upheld since taking office.”
Asked to clarify if that included signs in windows, she said, “I believe that would include that.”
.@PressSec says that @realDonaldTrump's support of "religious liberty" would include a baker putting a sign in the window saying, "We don't bake cakes for gay weddings" #MasterpieceCakeshop pic.twitter.com/BES376f2V8
— GLAAD (@glaad) December 5, 2017
GLAAD shared the exchange, then tweeted to the Alliance Defending Freedom, who are defending Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips, saying, “Now, tell us again how this isn’t about discrimination.”
Now, tell us again how this isn’t about discrimination @AllianceDefends?
— GLAAD (@glaad) December 5, 2017
We’ve been saying all along that the #MasterpieceCakeshop case is not about cake or “religious freedom.” It’s about anti-LGBTQ discrimination, plain and simple. https://t.co/u7oo2Q2ddk
— GLAAD (@glaad) December 5, 2017
Earlier today, GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis slammed the Department of Justice for supporting Masterpiece Cakeshop in its quest to legalize discrimination against LGBTQ people.
“The Department of Justice will pretend that this case is not about discrimination as they argue in front of the Supreme Court today, but that could not be further from the truth. While freedom of religion is paramount to our nation’s success, it does not give anyone the right to impose their beliefs on others, to harm others, or to discriminate,” Ellis said. “There is no sugar-coating the blatant and ugly agenda to discriminate against LGBTQ people at the core of this case, which is about seeking religious exemptions from non-discrimination laws for the singular purpose of refusing service to people simply because who they are.”
Reaction to Sanders’ comments on Twitter was strong.
If you’re ok with that sign then you are ok with a White Only sign in the same window. Discrimination is Discrimination.
— BayouBogeyGuy (@BogeyGuyC) December 5, 2017
Why do these people even give a shit who they bake a damn cake for?
— Jim “bake me a cake breeder” Morrissey A1 🖖 (@heimaeyus) December 5, 2017
Didn’t we already go over this? “Religious Liberty” was cited in these cases too… pic.twitter.com/vj69DYGgux
— Chris Aquino (@THEaquino) December 5, 2017
Subsitute the word “black” for the word “gay”. Would Trump support that too?
— FakeDonaldTrump (@fake_donald_t) December 5, 2017
Yes
— Della Dillon (@DellaHaralson) December 5, 2017
Catch up on all of our coverage of the Masterpiece Cakeshop case here.
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