Irish PM Leo Varadkar pledges to challenge Trump on LGBT+ issues

Leo Varadka, the Irish PM (or Taoiseach) has vowed to his one-on-one time with the US President to challenge him on his administration’s anti-LGBT+ policies. Varadka is openly gay – only the fourth openly gay world leader in history.

Speaking to the Irish Parliament ahead of the annual visit to American for St. Patrick’s Day, he said: “(America and Ireland) are two countries which have very strong links. They are cultural – they run in our blood, most of us have American family and many Americans have Irish family – and they are economic. They are extremely important and I want to maintain and strengthen them. They will outlast any president or Taoiseach and it is important that we see everything from that perspective.

“There are many of Donald Trump’s policies with which I do not agree. I do not agree with him on migration, climate change or trade. I am very much a supporter of free trade and the politics of Donald Trump are much closer to those of Deputy Paul Murphy on that particular issue. I also believe very strongly in individual freedom, which encompasses women’s right and the rights of people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.”

Many Irish LGBT+ groups have called on the PM to boycott the meeting entirely, Varadkar maintains he would rather use this as an opportunity for discussion.

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