President Trump is confirmed as the keynote speaker at the upcoming Values Voters Summit in D.C. hosted by the anti-LGBT Family Research Council, marking the first-time ever a sitting U.S. president has spoke at the annual event.
Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, announced late Tuesday in a statement Trump would speak on Friday at the conference, which is taking place over the weekend at the Omni Shoreham Hotel.
“Values voters have waited eight years for a leader who puts America’s mission first and respects the values that made America into a great nation,” Perkins said. “Values voters are coming to our nation’s capital thankful to hear from a president who is fulfilling the promises that he campaigned on. Since the early days of the campaign, President Trump allied himself with values voters, promising to put an end to the 8 years of relentless assault on the First Amendment.”
It’s not the first time Trump has spoken at the Values Voter Summit. According to the Family Research Council, Trump has delivered remarks at the event three times, including last year when he was the Republican presidential nominee.
Perkins praised Trump for his actions of the course of his administration, including “religious freedom” guidance from the Justice Department seen to enable anti-LGBT discrimination.
“President Trump’s executive order on religious liberty and the follow up actions last week by HHS and DOJ, demonstrate that he is committed to undoing the anti-faith policies of the previous administration and restoring true religious freedom,” Perkins said.
Other speakers at the event are a virtual who’s who of the conservative movement — many of whom are known to have anti-LGBT views. They include House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), RSC Chairman Mark Walker (R-N.C.), “Duck Dynasty’s” Phil Robertson, former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore and former White House aide Sebastian Gorka.
