SCOTUS urged to reverse same-sex marriage; Trump's position queried.
The U.S. Supreme Court has received a request to overturn the 2015 decision that legalized marriage for LGBTQ+ couples.
Kim Davis, a former Kentucky county clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses, filed an appeal on July 24 regarding the compensation she was ordered to pay to a gay couple she denied a license. She urged the court, which has a conservative majority, to reverse Obergefell v. Hodges.
Legal experts believe the court is unlikely to overturn the ruling. President Joe Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act in 2022, requiring all states to recognize same-sex and interracial marriages.
The White House did not comment on the appeal or the potential reversal of marriage rights. Former President Trump has expressed varying views on same-sex marriage over the years.
Trump initially supported domestic partnerships in a 2000 interview with The Advocate. However, in 2011, he stated on Fox News that he did not support gay marriage. By 2015, he told CNN he backed "traditional marriage." After his election in 2016, he expressed acceptance of same-sex marriage, diverging from the 2016 GOP platform.
During his presidency, Trump appointed individuals who opposed same-sex marriage, including Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, as noted by GLAAD.
In the 2024 presidential campaign, the GOP platform omitted explicit references to same-sex marriage, emphasizing support for family values. Trump's press secretary clarified in November 2024 that rolling back same-sex marriage was not a campaign promise.
In his second term, Trump targeted the transgender community with policies restricting military service, sports participation, and passport recognition based on birth sex. Budget cuts under his administration led to the closure of LGBTQ+ youth services in July.
While Trump pledged to improve access to in vitro fertilization, no plans have been disclosed. The Supreme Court declined to review Davis' case in 2020.
Following the Obergefell ruling in 2015, Davis, citing religious beliefs, refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples and faced legal action from a gay couple, David Ermold and David Moore. In 2022, a judge ruled against Davis, ordering her to pay $100,000 to the couple in 2023.