Ashley Biden's speech at the White House Pride Month celebration sparked controversy on social media.
According to Daily Mail, the President's daughter faced criticism after a verbal gaffe during her speech at the White House Pride Month celebration. The event also highlighted President Biden's actions to support LGBTQ rights, including pardoning veterans convicted under outdated anti-gay laws.
Ashley Biden, 43, is the only daughter of President Joe Biden from his marriage to First Lady Jill Biden. She attended the White House Pride Month celebration on the South Lawn with her mother. She wore a rainbow-colored dress during her speech and discussed the need to protect LGBTQ youth.
While delivering her speech, Ashley Biden stumbled over her words, mixing up 'T' and 'G' in LGBTQ, as captured in a video clip. Social media users quickly compared her to her father, Joe Biden, who is known for verbal gaffes despite overcoming a debilitating stutter in his youth.
One commenter remarked:
Ashley Biden...Like father like daughter. Maybe it's not the age for Joe. Whatever it is it may run in the family.
President Biden did not attend the Pride Month ceremony. Instead, his actions in support of LGBTQ rights took center stage. Biden pardoned veterans convicted under anti-gay sex laws while serving in the military.
The pardon covers service members convicted under the former Article 125 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, rewritten in 2013 to prohibit only forcible acts. This pardon allows affected individuals to receive proof of erased convictions and apply to upgrade their military discharges. Biden's use of pardon powers is part of his efforts to rally support within the LGBTQ community ahead of the presidential election.
Biden has the support of around 68% of registered LGBTQ voters, compared to 15% for Donald Trump. Biden has taken significant steps in favor of LGBTQ rights, such as rolling back a Trump-era ban on transgender people serving in the military.
Trump had rolled back healthcare protections for the transgender community early in his presidency. However, he recognized Pride Month in 2019 as his approval numbers dwindled. The White House estimates that the pardon will cover several thousand service members.
This is Biden's third categorical pardon, following actions in 2022 and 2023 for those convicted of marijuana possession. The pardon excludes service members convicted of non-consensual acts and those convicted under other military justice code articles who must seek pardon through the normal DOJ process.
Biden's administration is also focused on supporting LGBTQ rights, including ordering the VA to provide benefits to service members discharged due to sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status and hosting a high-profile fundraiser with LGBTQ donors in New York.
Ashley Biden’s speech, despite its controversy, was an earnest call for children to feel "loved, accepted and supported." She decried how "too many LGBTQ children grow up at homes that don't accept them" or are bullied.
Ashley Biden's speech at the White House Pride Month celebration became a focal point due to a verbal gaffe. The event highlighted President Biden’s ongoing efforts to support LGBTQ rights, including pardoning veterans convicted under outdated anti-gay laws. While some criticized Ashley Biden, the broader theme of the celebration was the administration’s commitment to LGBTQ issues. The controversy did not overshadow the significant policy actions taken by President Biden to support the LGBTQ community.
