A former spokesman for four U.S. ambassadors to the United Nations praised Donald Trump for courting gay voters, chiding political media for ignoring the "historic" move because "it didn't fit the narrative of what a Republican is supposed to look like."
In an op-ed piece for the Washington Times, Richard Grenell said Trump "made history" last Sunday for holding up a rainbow flag with the words "LGBT for Trump" at a rally in Greeley, Colo.
"It was an historic moment for gay equality and the Party of Lincoln as the 2016 GOP nominee for President of the United States held high the flag for gay equality," he wrote. "No other Republican Presidential nominee in history has embraced the LGBT community in such a loud and proud way."
Yet, he added: "The political media barely noticed."
"Or maybe they did see it — but since it didn't fit the narrative of what a Republican is supposed to look like they decided to ignore it."
"While it has been mostly unreported, Mr. Trump has embraced the LGBT community like no other GOP nominee in history," Grenell added. "His rainbow flag waiving in Colorado was only the latest sign of his continued support for gay equality."
"Whatever happens on November 8, 2016 in the presidential race, Mr. Trump has forever changed the Republican party's support for LGBT equality and future Republican leaders will have a difficult time not meeting the new standard."
Among the times Trump has publicly shown his support of gay issues was at the Republican National Convention, Grenell wrote.
"It was the first time a GOP nominee embraced the gay and lesbian voter and appealed for their support in their nomination speech," Grenell writes, adding that he also invited PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel to speak at the convention, at which he publicly announced he was proud to be gay.
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