Trump calls to reverse Obama transgender directives

But Trump nevertheless took a moderate tone on the issue, saying it was important for government to protect even small minority populations. He added that he expected the states to get it right most of the time.

Trump told the Washington Post in an interview Monday that he would rescind the directives, which would allow transgender students to use the bathroom of their choosing in schools and forbid insurers from denying coverage to transgender individuals based on their sexual identity. However, Trump did argue that the government needs to “protect all people,” despite his objections to the directives.

“It is a very, very small portion of the population, but as I said, you have to protect everybody, including small portions of the population,” Trump said, adding that he didn’t believe the issue had been overblown.

“I don’t think so, because you’ve got to protect all people, even though it’s a tiny percentage of 1 percent. I think from that standpoint, [states] should come up with a policy that’s going to work for everybody and protect people.”

The presumptive GOP nominee also argued that he didn’t view the issue through the prism of civil rights, but rather as an issue to help people overall.

“I think we have to help people,” Trump said. “I don’t view it as civil rights or not civil rights. I think it’s something where we have to help people — and hopefully the states will make the right decisions.”

The real estate mogul added that he hasn’t knowingly come into contact with a transgender individual, but he is anxious to learn more as it becomes a bigger issue.

“I have not had any exposure to it at all,” Trump said. “Now, I may not know about it, but I do not think I have any exposure to it from the standpoint of knowing people.

“It’s actually a very interesting subject to me,” Trump said. “It’s certainly an issue that’s getting a lot of play,and it’s an issue that I’m studying very closely.”