5 Months Until the Presidential Election... Trump’s Words Fail to Persuade

Anti-LGBT Trump... Federal Supreme Court Deals Blow to Ruling Upholding Sexual Minority Rights
Conservative Court but Progressive Ruling... Rebellion of Justices
Campaign Resumption Location Tulsa Demands Campaign Adjustment
Only 63% of Americans Very Proud... Lowest Since 2001

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min, Reporter Jeong Hyun-jin] With five months remaining until the presidential election, U.S. President Donald Trump has suffered a blow to his pride amid a series of setbacks. The U.S. Supreme Court, composed of conservative justices appointed by him, issued a progressive ruling stating that firing sexual minorities such as homosexuals is unfair, and Americans' patriotism has fallen to its lowest level in 19 years.

According to U.S. media including The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 15th (local time), the Supreme Court ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on sex, also applies to homosexuals and transgender individuals. Enacted in 1964, the Civil Rights Act prohibits employers from discriminating against employees based on race, color, nationality, religion, and sex, and the court decided that sexual minorities, commonly referred to as LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender), are also covered under the law.

While the ruling itself is groundbreaking, what draws even more attention is the change of heart by the conservative justices appointed by President Trump. Six justices voted in favor of the ruling, while three dissented, with Justice Neil Gorsuch’s support playing a decisive role.

He was widely regarded as a strongly conservative figure appointed by President Trump. However, in this ruling, he stated, "An employer who fires an employee for being homosexual or transgender fires that person for traits or actions they would not have questioned in employees of a different sex," adding, "This is exactly what Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits." Since taking office, President Trump has appointed conservative justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. The nine-member Supreme Court has a 5-4 conservative majority.

Nevertheless, two conservatives broke ranks in this ruling. Besides Justice Gorsuch, Chief Justice John Roberts, appointed by former President George W. Bush, sided with the progressive bloc. The other three conservative justices argued that "the concept of discrimination based on sex is different from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity," but the ruling could not be overturned. President Trump responded cautiously yet with dissatisfaction, saying, "This is a surprising ruling. Now we have to live with it." The Washington Post assessed that President Trump, who has opposed LGBTQ rights movements, is facing challenges not only from the justices he appointed but also in the upcoming election.

President Trump's troubles do not end there. He plans to resume his presidential campaign on the 20th in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although President Trump boasted that one million people had registered to attend, according to the congressional media outlet The Hill, local health authorities in Tulsa urged rescheduling due to concerns over COVID-19 infections, dampening the event.

Trump’s pride and respect for America are also declining. According to a Gallup poll released that day, 63% of respondents said they were "extremely" or "very" proud to be American. This figure dropped sharply by 7 percentage points from last year’s 70%, marking the lowest level since the survey began in 2001. The spread of COVID-19 causing health and economic difficulties, along with ongoing protests against racial discrimination following the death of Black man George Floyd, are seen as factors reducing positive evaluations of America.

The Trump administration’s handling of COVID-19 was also disappointing. According to a survey conducted by German polling agency Dalia Research from April 20 to June 3, involving 124,000 people across 53 countries, only 34% responded that the U.S. handled COVID-19 well, which is just half of China’s 62%. With confirmed COVID-19 cases exceeding two million and concerns over a second wave growing, President Trump’s insistence on reopening the economy rather than heeding health authorities’ advice has led to increasing negative views worldwide. The British daily The Guardian analyzed, "This survey reveals the world’s deep dissatisfaction with the leadership of the United States under President Trump."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.