Meet the Press host Chuck Todd and panelists on his NBC show cited Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump's claim that he opposes anti-LGBT "bathroom bills" as evidence that Trump is moderating his views as he looks toward the general election. But at no point was it mentioned that Trump backpedaled later, saying that states should decide whether to enact "bathroom bills" that discriminate against their LGBT residents.
"Bathroom bills" -- legislation that often aims to ban transgender people from public restrooms that do not correspond with the gender on their birth certificate -- are increasingly in the news as 44 bills in 16 different states targeting transgender people have been introduced as of February 2016. An anti-LGBT "bathroom bill" in North Carolina, HB 2, has come under particular scrutiny.
Trump commented on North Carolina's law during an April 21 appearance on NBC's Today, apparently opposing the law by stating, "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. ... . Leave it the way it is." But he reversed himself during an appearance on Fox News' Hannity later that day, stating, "I think that local communities and states should make the decision." In Trump's new view, states would be within their rights to pass discriminatory anti-LGBT legislation.
Media coverage which cites Trump's first position on "bathroom bills" while omitting his later comment comes as Trump tries to convince the media that he will be more "presidential" throughout the rest of his presidential campaign.
NBC's Meet the Press seemed to fall for Trump's ploy, with Todd referencing Trump's first answer to NBC to ask, "Is Trump pivoting to a general election?"
During a panel discussion of Trump's comment to NBC, Republican strategist and NBC News political analyst Nicole Wallace said, "Trump's answer made so much sense, and I think what is also on the line in this cycle is the power and the saliency of social issues, and I think if Trump wins it delivers a massive blow to the idea that you have to be up and down on social issues to be the Republican nominee."
Robert Costa, a reporter for The Washington Post, added, "Trump's answer tells us a lot about how he would be in a general election, this is someone who has not climbed the ladder, forming relationships with social conservatives along the way."
Costa went on to claim of Trump, "he has relationships with all kinds of people, he's not just someone who surrounds himself with Republicans and conservatives, and that actually strangely worries Democrats, that he would be appealing to moderates."
Wallace ended the segment by saying, "Trump's answer got him a lot of credit with a lot of people," with Todd agreeing, "It did."
During the segment an on-screen graphic read, "Trump Campaign: More Accepting On 'Bathroom Laws'."
At no point was there mention that Trump had amended his stance to favor allowing states to pass discriminatory anti-LGBT laws or that Trump has for months said that as president he would sign into law the First Amendment Defense Act, a piece of Republican-sponsored legislation that would nullify existing federal LGBT protections and allow anti-LGBT discrimination by federal contractors.
