President Joe Biden is facing criticism from President Donald Trump and religious conservatives for declaring March 31, which falls on Easter Sunday this year, as “Transgender Visibility Day.”
WASHINGTON — WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has drawn attention from the Donald Trump campaign and religious conservatives for declaring March 31, which falls on Easter Sunday this year, as “Transgender Visibility Day.” facing criticism.
The Democratic president issued a statement Friday, urging “all Americans to join us in elevating the lives and voices of transgender people across the country and working to end violence and discrimination based on gender identity.” I called out.
However, in 2024, the designation of March 31st will coincide with Easter, one of Christianity's holiest celebrations. The Trump campaign accused Biden, a Roman Catholic, of being indifferent to religion, and his fellow Republicans also chimed in.
Trump campaign spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt said: “We want to challenge Joe Biden's failed campaign and the White House to believe that tomorrow is for one celebration only: the resurrection of Jesus Christ.'' We ask the millions of Catholics and Christians across the United States to apologize.” She attacked the Biden administration's “longstanding attacks on the Christian faith.”
“President Biden has betrayed the core tenets of Easter,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) said on social media, calling the decision “outrageous and abhorrent.”
White House press secretary Andrew Bates said Republicans who criticize Biden “are trying to divide and weaken our country with cruel, hateful and dishonest rhetoric.”
“As a Christian who celebrates Easter with my family, President Biden is in a position to unite people and protect the dignity and freedoms of all Americans,” Bates said. I will never abuse my faith.”
Biden attends Mass devoutly and considers his Catholic upbringing to be a core part of his morality and identity. In 2021, he met with Pope Francis at the Vatican and later told reporters that the pope told him he was a “good Catholic” and that he should continue receiving Holy Communion.
But Biden's political stances on same-sex marriage and support for women with abortion rights have put him at odds with many conservative Christians.
