Melania Trump inexplicably hosts LGBTQ+ Republican event despite total absence from campaign trail

On Saturday, Melania Trump – who has been completely absent throughout her husband’s 2024 presidential campaign – hosted a closed-door fundraiser for the Log Cabin Republicans (LCR), a pro-Trump LGBTQ+ conservative organization. The event took place at Mar-a-Lago and had reportedly already raised $1 million in the month leading up to it.

In another rare moment, Melania also spoke to Fox News Digital ahead of the event, telling the outlet, “We must unite in our effort to establish a society where equality is the everyday experience of every American. Individual freedom provides a unifying set of principles, and ultimately establishes our American way.”

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“Together, we must nourish and safeguard the seeds of liberty,” she continued. “Because, when successful, America blossoms into a magnificent place where everyone can practice their beliefs, share new ideas, and express individualism — this is when we are our best.” 

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She also praised LCR for being “rooted in respect,” adding that “based on this central value, people thrive and exist together in a world where all are honored and celebrated.”

Not much has been publicized about what the former first lady said at the event. One video posted to X shows the first few seconds of her speech, in which she states her excitement to be in a room filled with “folks, friends, and allies who share the common goal of promoting equality for all.”

Melania Trump begins her speech last night to the Log Cabin (LBGT+) Republicans at Mar-a-Lago. pic.twitter.com/cB4EvSCVN5

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) April 21, 2024

One co-host, Bill White, posted a lengthy description of the event, which he described as “the launch of the single most important and unprecedented gay and lesbian voter outreach initiative of any Republican presidential nominee in US political history.”

He added, “Her remarks were perfectly spot on and delivered with poise and grace as always. Everyone was so honored to be with her and in her presence. She was so terrific and spent time talking with everyone and engaging on this critically important issue.”

White then went on to call Donald Trump “the most pro gay president in American history,” declaring him as “THE best choice for ALL Americans.”

Last night we attended a sold out event at Mar a Lago raising well in excess of $1 million for @LogCabinGOP. Our great former and future First Lady Melania Trump was our featured guest of honor. Mrs. @MELANIATRUMP joined our dear friend former acting DNI/Ambassador @RicGrenell to… pic.twitter.com/6ZRUrLciRT

— Bill White (@BillWhiteUSA) April 21, 2024

Donald Trump, it should be noted, is arguably the most anti-LGBTQ+ president of all time. A 2021 study found that LGBTQ+ people experienced a greater increase in extreme mental distress during the Trump presidency than non-LGBTQ+ people as a result of his extensive anti-LGBTQ+ policies.

Past studies have found that suicide hotline calls to Trans Lifeline quadrupled after Trump’s attacks on transgender people, trans teen suicide attempts may have spiked because of his tweets, and areas that voted for Trump experienced increased reports of school bullying.

Nevertheless, White’s sentiment was echoed by co-host Richard Grenell – who was Donald Trump’s ambassador to Germany and acting director of national intelligence for several weeks. Grenell told Fox News Digital that gay conservatives “made the most progress when Donald Trump and Melania Trump moved into the White House.”

“Gays and lesbians are no longer reflexively leftist,” he continued. “The gay left continues to try and convince America’s gays and lesbians that they don’t have personal freedoms — it’s absurd.” He claimed Democrats are “shamelessly defining support for trans kids as a litmus test for supporting gay rights, and it infuriates gay conservatives.” 

“Gay, Inc, and the far-Left activists who control Gay, Inc are spending millions of dollars to separate gays in America,” Grenell continued. “They tell young people they must step away from the rest of society because they are oppressed in America. They work hard to make gays angry, weird, separated, and fringe. They want separate flags, pronouns, bakeries, and bathrooms. It’s crazy.” 

Grenell also posted a photo of himself with Melania at the event and called her “an American treasure.”

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A post shared by richardgrenell (@richardgrenell)

LGBTQ Nation opinion writer John Gallagher wrote earlier this month that Melania Trump’s role in the LCR fundraiser shows that the organization is becoming largely irrelevant.

“It’s hard to know what’s more startling about the news: Melania’s emergence on the campaign trail or the fact that the Log Cabin Republicans still exist,” he said.

“In the age of Trump, LCR is little more than window dressing, an opportunity for members to content themselves in the belief that they really are part of the MAGA universe… But by and large, the new LCR holds LGBTQ+ people in the same contempt that the Trump universe does.”

He concluded, “There will always be a handful of people from every group that MAGA hates that will still long to be part of it and embrace it. But that doesn’t mean that the MAGA world will hate you any less.”