In an article about Ivanka Trump’s tweets wishing her followers a “joyful” Pride month, ABC News failed to fact-check President Donald Trump’s frequent claims that he’s a supporter of LGBTQ equality, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. The article also uncritically parroted a Trump talking point attempting to smear then-Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton as less of a friend to LGBTQ people.  

On June 1 -- the start of LGBTQ Pride month -- first daughter Ivanka Trump tweeted that she was “proud to support” her “LGBTQ friends” and wished her followers a “joyful #Pride2017.” The tweets prompted heavy criticism from LGBTQ advocates on Twitter, who pointed out that her message contradicts the anti-LGBTQ actions of the Trump administration. Trump has long opposed same-sex marriage, and in early 2016 he said he would “strongly consider” appointing Supreme Court justices who would overturn marriage equality. On the campaign trail, he repeatedly surrounded himself with anti-LGBTQ extremists and hate group leaders. Since being sworn into office, the Trump administration has rolled back Obama-era guidance protecting transgender students from nondiscrimination, issued an anti-LGBTQ “religious freedom” executive order that was initially pushed by hate groups, and sent an anti-LGBTQ hate group to represent the U.S. at the annual session of United Nations’ Commission on the Status of Women.

In a June 2 article about Ivanka’s tweets, ABC News described Trump’s attempt to position himself as a “friend” to the LGBTQ community without any mention of his administration’s anti-LGBTQ actions or assocation with anti-LGBTQ extremists. Throughout the Trump campaign, journalists -- including ABC’s Jonathan Karl -- repeatedly ran with baseless claims that Trump is an advocate for the LGBTQ community.  

The report also uncritically parroted Trump’s attempt to smear Clinton by scandalizing donations to the Clinton Foundation from countries with anti-LGBTQ policies, saying that “they kill gays in these countries … who's better for the gay community or for women than Donald Trump.” ABC failed to point out that Trump himself has financial ties to the same countries. Trump’s talking point about the Clinton Foundation was heavily pushed by Fox News host and conspiracy theorist Sean Hannity. The article also neglected to mention that Trump has yet to issue a declaration recognizing LGBTQ Pride month.

From the June 2 ABC News article:

After being silent on social media for a few days, first daughter Ivanka Trump emerged on Twitter Thursday night following the conclusion of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, to wish her followers a “joyful” Pride month.

“Logging back on after Shavuot, wishing everyone a joyful #Pride2017,” she tweeted. “This month we celebrate and honor the #LGBTQ community.”

A subsequent tweet read, “I am proud to support my LGBTQ friends and the LGBTQ Americans who have made immense contributions to our society and economy.”

[...]

During the presidential campaign, Donald Trump positioned himself as a friend of the LGBTQ community.

At a rally in June in Dallas, Trump said the “LGBT community is starting to like Donald Trump very, very much lately,” and claimed that his then-Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, accepted donations from Middle East countries, which oppress LGBT citizens and women.

“As far as gays are concerned they throw them off buildings,” Trump said. “They kill gays in these countries. So you tell me who's better for the gay community or for women than Donald Trump.”