US Democratic President Joe Biden criticized on Saturday the entry into force of a ban sought by the Republican opposition in Congress on flying the rainbow flag, the standard of the LGBT community, at the front of US embassies. UNITED STATES.
This measure was ratified on Saturday with the promulgation by the American president of the law on the American budget, a text adopted a few hours earlier by Congress and validating the high financing of 1,200 billion dollars of the federal state until the 30 september.
By thus avoiding a paralysis, a
“shutdown”
, of public services.
The Republicans included in this 1,100-page budget text the ban on American embassies around the world from flying the LGBT flag.
“President Biden finds it inappropriate to take advantage of the need to let the government function to include this measure which targets LGBTQI+ Americans
,” a White House spokesperson said on Saturday.
“We managed to defeat more than 50 other measures attacking the LGBTQI+ community that Congressional Republicans were trying to include in the law
,” added the spokesperson, emphasizing that
“the president is committed to fighting for equality of LGBTQI+ in his country and abroad”
.
The law stipulates that only the American Stars and Stripes and official flags can benefit from funding to fly on the masts of chancelleries.
The measure is part of a long-running cultural battle between Democrats and Republicans.
Under the presidency of Donald Trump, the head of diplomacy Mike Pompeo ordered that only the American flag be hung on the pediments of embassies, provoking strong protests from the
“LGBT community”
.
In power since 2021, Joe Biden has made the defense of sexual minorities a strong axis of his diplomacy.
His Secretary of State Antony Blinken not only authorized but encouraged American missions to raise the rainbow standard in June,
“Pride Month”
.