Caitlyn Jenner Says 'I Was Wrong' to Support Trump: He's 'Made Trans People Into Political Pawns'
Caitlyn Jenner is slamming Donald Trump for the second time in a week.
Jenner, 68, revealed she no longer supports the president, whom she backed during the 2016 presidential campaign, declaring “I was wrong” in an op-ed published by the Washington Post on Thursday.
“Trump was the first Republican presidential candidate to claim to support this valuable, vulnerable community, and I was encouraged by the applause he received when he said at the Republican National Convention in July 2016 that he would stand up for the LGBTQ community,” the Olympian-turned-reality star wrote.
“Sadly, I was wrong,” continued Jenner, who confirmed she underwent gender confirmation surgery in January 2017 after revealing her new identity as Caitlyn in June 2015.
RELATED VIDEO: Why Caitlyn Jenner Didn’t Tell Kardashians About Reassignment Surgery: I Didn’t ‘Trust’ Them
“The reality is that the trans community is being relentlessly attacked by this president. The leader of our nation has shown no regard for an already marginalized and struggling community. He has ignored our humanity. He has insulted our dignity,” the I Am Cait star said.
“He has made trans people into political pawns as he whips up animus against us in an attempt to energize the most right-wing segment of his party, claiming his anti-transgender policies are meant to ‘protect the country.’ This is politics at its worst. It is unacceptable, it is upsetting, and it has deeply, personally hurt me,” she added.
During the early period of the Trump presidency, Jenner revealed she “remained hopeful for positive change” but recent actions have led the former Keeping Up with the Kardashians star make a complete 180-degree in her political stance. This follows her disdain over a possible new policy, which would link gender to one’s genitalia at birth, affecting the recognition of transgender people.
RELATED: Kim Kardashian Recalls ‘Hysterically Crying’ After Seeing Caitlyn Jenner Dressed as a Woman
“One doesn’t need to look back far to witness the president assault our nation’s guardians with a ban on trans people serving in the military or assail our nation’s future with a rollback of Obama-era protections for trans schoolchildren,” Jenner said. “It’s clear these policies have come directly from Trump, and they have been sanctioned, passively or actively, by the Republicans by whose continued support he governs. My hope in him — in them — was misplaced.”
The former athlete further emphasized her change of heart, writing, “I cannot support anyone who is working against our community. I do not support Trump. I must learn from my mistakes and move forward.”
Though she no longer endorses Trump, Jenner shared how she would continue to champion for LGBTQ rights. “The world needs to hear us. The world needs to know us. We will not be erased,” she concluded.
