Trump Joked About Sending 'Gays for Palestine' Where Crowd Applauded Remarks During Alabama Rally

US President Donald Trump joked about sending people he described as 'Gays for Palestine' to negotiate in the region during a midterm campaign rally in Mobile, Alabama, on 2 October, implying they might not return, as the audience laughed during the exchange.

'Do you know what they do to gay people in that part of the world?' Trump said. 'Let's send them over someday to negotiate. Let's see. You'll never see them again.'

Trump made the remarks during a rally at the University of South Alabama's Mitchell Center. In a transcript of the speech, he said, 'And I love the guys also that're out there politicking, gays for Palestine. How about that?'

He then questioned what happened to gay people 'in that part of the world' before adding, 'Let's send them over someday to negotiate. Let's see. You'll never see them again.' Trump then moved on to other campaign issues without announcing a diplomatic initiative.

The Wider Debate

Trump's remarks echoed an argument made by some critics of pro-Palestinian LGBTQ+ activism, that support for Palestinian rights conflicts with concerns about the treatment of LGBTQ+ people in Palestinian territories.

Supporting Palestinian rights does not necessarily amount to endorsing Palestinian authorities or their record on LGBTQ+ rights. Some pro-Palestinian LGBTQ+ activists have campaigned against Israeli military actions and US support for Israel, while making that distinction.

Critics of the framing argue that it reduces Palestinian society to a single stereotype and can obscure the experiences of queer Palestinians.

Sa'ed Atshan, a professor of anthropology and peace and conflict studies at Swarthmore College, has argued that queer and Palestinian liberation are closely interconnected.

'It's very dangerous to pathologise Palestinian society as uniquely homophobic,' Atshan said. He argued that questions about the treatment of queer people should also be considered in the context of military occupation and broader restrictions on Palestinian freedom.

Atshan also said that portraying Palestinians as uniquely hostile to LGBTQ+ people can erase queer Palestinians and obscure the history of LGBTQ+ activism within Palestinian society.

What is Known About Gaza

Same-sex sexual activity between men remains prohibited in Gaza under a provision of the 1936 British Mandate Criminal Code Ordinance. The Human Dignity Trust says the provision is not in force elsewhere in Palestine and that little evidence shows it is enforced.

The organisation also reports allegations of discrimination and violence against LGBTQ+ people in Palestinian territories. Those claims should be distinguished from the legal status and enforcement of the Gaza provision.

The available evidence does not support treating all Palestinians, or all Palestinian institutions, as having the same policies or practices towards LGBTQ+ people.

'Pinkwashing and Homonationalism'

Critics of Israel's use of LGBTQ+ rights messaging have described the practice as 'pinkwashing,' a term used to allege that LGBTQ+ rights are being highlighted to divert attention from the treatment of Palestinians. The term is contested and is used differently by activists and scholars in debates over Israel and Palestine.

Some scholars and critics describe similar rhetoric as 'homonationalism.' The academic concept concerns the incorporation of LGBTQ+ inclusion into nationalist projects and, in some formulations, the exclusion or marginalisation of groups portrayed as less tolerant.

Trump has also invoked the treatment of gay people when discussing Iran. In March, he said that Iranians 'throw gays off the buildings' while discussing US military action against the country.

The two remarks share a similar rhetorical feature: Trump invoked alleged abuses against LGBTQ+ people while discussing US military action in the Middle East. However, the comments alone do not establish his broader intent or policy position.

There are documented concerns about the treatment of LGBTQ+ people in parts of the region. Those concerns can be acknowledged without treating Palestinian society as uniformly hostile to LGBTQ+ people.