WATCH: Trump says Caitlyn Jenner can use ‘whatever toilet she wants’, blasts anti-trans law
The wannabe presidential candidate called the anti-trans bathroom bill ‘discriminatory’ and ‘expensive’.
Donald Trump has criticised a transphobic bathroom bill recently passed in North Carolina, by claiming he it is bad for business.
The Republican presidential candidate also said he would let reality star use whichever toilet she wanted to on a visit to Trump Tower, before branding trans-specific toilets “discriminatory”.
Trump’s comments come in the midst of a nationwide controversy over bills passed in Mississippi and North Carolina, limiting the rights of transgender people.
The bills mainly target the right of trans people to use a gender-appropriate bathroom.
“North Carolina did something that was very strong,” Trump told the show, “and they’re paying a big price. There’s a lot of problems.”
The candidate said his preference would be to “leave it the way it is,” seemingly intending to say “was” or simply referring to how things are elsewhere.
“There have been very few complaints the way it is. People go; they use the bathroom that they feel is appropriate. There has been so little trouble.”
Trump said it wasn’t worth “what they’re going through with all the business that’s leaving, all of the strife,” noting the “economic punishment that they’re taking.”
Hundreds of business leaders have urged the repeal of North Carolina’s HB2, and multiple celebrities have pulled out of appearances, including Ringo Starr and, Bruce Springsteen.
Although he later admitted he was unaware if he had any transgender employees, Trump went on to say that he would be happy for Jenner to whichever toilet she felt comfortable with during a trip to Trump Tower.
He added that plans to introduce trans-specific toilets would be “discriminatory” and “incredibly expensive for business”.
In stark contrast, his main opponent Ted Cruz last week claimed the bill was “perfectly reasonable”.
“As the father of daughters, I’m not terribly excited about men being able to go alone into a bathroom with my daughters,” he said.
“Men should not be going to the bathroom with little girls,” he added. “It is a perfectly reasonable determination for the people to make.”
Watch a clip of Trump’s interview below:
