In April 2016 , Trump criticized North Carolina 's North Carolina House Bill 2 , which eliminates all private employment and public accommodation anti-discrimination laws not covered by statewide law , and legislates that in government buildings , individuals may only use restrooms and changing facilities that correspond to the sex on their birth certificates , saying : " North Carolina did something that was very strong and they 're paying a big price . ... You leave it the way it is . There have been very few complaints the way it is . People go , they use the bathroom they feel is appropriate , there has been so little trouble , and the problem with what happened in North Carolina is the strife , and the economic punishment that they 're taking . " Trump stated : " I fully understand if they North Carolina want to go through , but they are losing business and they are having a lot of people come out against . " The bill is controversial because it prevents transgender people who do not or can not alter their birth certificates from using the restroom consistent with their gender identity . Later that April , Trump took the position that states have the right to enact such legislation and that the federal government should not become involved . He did not express an opinion on whether the law was right or wrong . In July 2016 , Trump again emphasized a states ' rights approach regarding HB2 , saying , " The state , they know what 's going on , they see what 's happening and generally speaking I 'm with the state on things like this . I 've spoken with your governor , I 've spoken with a lot of people and I 'm going with the state . " At the July 2016 Republican National Convention where he accepted the party 's nomination , Trump acknowledged the mass shooting at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando , Florida that had occurred weeks earlier . He blamed " an Islamic terrorist " who " targeted our LGBT community . As your President , I will do everything in my power to protect our LGBT citizens from the violence and oppression of a hateful foreign ideology . " While Trump 's promise arguably focused more on combatting terrorism perpetrated by fundamentalist Muslims than it did on anything specific about LGBT rights , his words made history as the first time the acronym " LGBT " was mentioned in a presidential nomination address at the RNC
July 2016 Republican National Convention
2016 Republican National Convention
Social policy of Donald Trump