Holding Forth: Trump's A-gays

Here’s a transcript of the video:“About fifty years ago — I can’t believe I’m saying that — when I started writing Tales of the City for the San Francisco Chronicle, I created a chorus of men, obnoxious gay men, that I called the ‘A-gays.’ They were definitely meant to be obnoxious.When we came around to filming it for television, I insisted that only out-of-the-closet actors play those roles — because of the heinous nature of those people. Consequently, Ian McKellen was in it, and Lance Loud, and a number of other actors who were known to be gay and were open about it.I was kind of horrified to read a recent New York Times article by Shawn McCreesh about the A-gays who are part of Trump’s coterie in Washington. There are some interesting names there — Richard Grenell, an openly gay Republican who held senior roles as ambassador and special envoy in the Trump orbit; and Scott Bessent, cited as one of the most powerful gay men in the Trump administration, working at the Treasury Department.There are others. Anyway, I don’t really want to write about these a******s. I don’t want to give them credit. There are lots of gay men who are willing to sell their soul, move to Washington, and worship at the feet of that man — and they’re referred to in the piece as A-gays.I can understand certain people — well, dumb rednecks, if I may use that term (and I think I will) — who support Trump. But the thought that there are a group of pissy queens in Washington riding on the glory of being protégés of Donald Trump really does me in. This would be a good place to insert the vomit emoji.It’s boring to keep on stating your position on things, but I must — because it has to be clear that whoever these queers are in Washington, the ones getting mileage out of being handmaidens to Trump, need to be mocked as much as possible.We’re fighting against a guy who wants to destroy democracy — who’s planning to destroy democracy. And the people on his side are bigots and pissy queens. Those two things.“I don’t care if they’re queer — it only matters that they’re indecent human beings following the instructions of a very indecent man.”I can understand the bigots — they’re always going to be here, probably illiterate, probably falling for everything Trump says. But the idea that a bunch of rich A-gays — if we must call them that — are supporting him and getting mileage out of it in Washington just disgusts me to my core.We know who these people are. We know what they’re like. We know what their selfishness is like. And those of us who are still fighting for some degree of humanity mustn’t put up with them — mustn’t give them legitimacy in any way.I don’t care if they’re queer. It doesn’t matter to me. It only matters that they’re indecent human beings following the instructions of a very indecent man.Now, I know that most queers are on the side of decency. I know that about our people, if I must call them that, because we’ve lived with each other for a long time — and I know that decency is prevailing.We must not listen to the voice of these so-called A-gays, because they’re on the wrong side of history — and everyone who is a Trump supporter is on the wrong side of history.It’s as simple as that. There’s no voting about this attitude. If you’re helping that monster, you are on the wrong side of history — and eventually, you will be shown out.”Here’s the New York Times article that Armistead mentions: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/style/gay-men-trump-administration-republicans.html This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit armisteadmaupin.substack.com/subscribe

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