President Donald Trump will give this
year's commencement speech at Liberty University, the evangelical
university known for its opposition to LGBT rights.
Speaking to the Christian Broadcasting
Network (CBN), Trump said that he's looking forward to “speaking to
this amazing group of students,” calling it a “momentous
occasion.”
“Our children truly are the future
and I look forward to celebrating the success of this graduating
class as well as sharing lessons as they embark on their next chapter
full of hope, faith, optimism and a passion for life,” Trump added.
Founded in 1971 by Jerry Falwell, a
Southern Baptist pastor and a co-founder of the Moral Majority,
Liberty University is now helmed by Jerry Falwell, Jr., also a
prominent evangelical leader and a Trump supporter. The younger
Falwell has condemned
the Democratic Party's support for LGBT rights.
Liberty University, a private
institution in Lynchburg, Virginia, forbids openly gay students from
attending.