THE newly-inaugurated US President Donald Trump has announced that the United States government will henceforth recognise only two genders: male and female.
The declaration, made during his inaugural address on Monday, January 20, attracted wide reactions, particularly among people on social media and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or questioning (LGBTQ+) rights groups who argued that it threatened the recognition and rights of transgender and non-binary individuals.
Trump’s declaration came amidst a broader series of ‘controversial’ policies aimed at curbing immigration and challenging progressive reforms.
His return to office has already brought a wave of anxiety, particularly among immigrants and LGBTQ+ communities, who fear further restrictions under his administration.
“It will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders: male and female,” Trump said.
The ICIR reports that the pronouncement aligns with Trump’s campaign stance, where he criticised gender inclusivity measures and promoted a more traditional view of gender roles.
During his electioneering, his policy agenda was getting “transgender insanity out of our schools.”
Trump’s inauguration ceremony, held in the Capitol Rotunda due to freezing weather conditions, was attended by political leaders, including Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Barack Obama, allies, and thousands of supporters.
The ICIR reports that Trump’s path to re-election was fraught with legal and political challenges. In 2024, he was convicted of concealing a “hush money” payment aimed at suppressing a scandal during his 2016 campaign.
Trump also faced more than 30 counts related to business fraud, incitement of the January 6 attack on Congress, his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election result in Georgia and his retention of classified records.
This was aside from the two assassination attempts on his life, the first of which occurred in July 2024 when he was shot in the right ear during a political rally. He was rushed off stage by the Secret Service immediately after the shooting.
“I was saved by God to make America great again,” Trump said while speaking about the assassination attempt during his inaugural speech, adding “Those who wish to stop our cause have tried to take my freedom and my life”
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M