Donald Trump on Thursday hammered a controversial North Carolina law that requires transgender people to use bathrooms that correspond with the gender listed on their birth certificate.
Trump told NBC that North Carolina is “paying a big price” for the controversial legislation, and said the state has created problems that did not previously exist.
“There have been very few problems; leave it the way it is. North Carolina, what they’re going through with all of the business that’s leaving and the strife, you leave it the way it is,” Trump said. “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.”
When Trump was asked if he had transgender individuals working for him, Trump responded that he probably did but did not know.
“So if Caitlyn Jenner were to walk into Trump Tower and want to use the bathroom, you would be fine with her using any bathroom she chooses?” asked NBC’s Matt Lauer.
“That is correct,” Trump answered. “You know there’s a big move to create new bathrooms. Problem with that is, for transgender, that would be a, first of all, I think that would be discriminatory in a certain way. It would be unbelievably expensive for businesses and for the country. Leave it the way it is.”
Trump’s answer puts him at odds with rival Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz, who backed the restrictions contained in the controversial North Carolina bill.
After leaving the set of NBC’s “TODAY” show, Trump will campaign in Pennsylvania ahead of the state’s primary on Tuesday.
