Rep. Matt Gaetz Matthew (Matt) GaetzLara Trump campaigns with far-right activist candidate Laura Loomer in Florida House to vote on removing cannabis from list of controlled substances The Hill's 12:30 Report: Sights and sounds from GOP convention night 1 MORE (R-Fla.) said Tuesday he can’t support a transgender rights legislation, citing as an example that President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE could declare himself “the first female president”

During a House Judiciary Committee hearing on the Equality Act, which would outlaw discrimination based on gender, Gaetz said he “can’t” support the legislation because it “would only nominally protect certain individuals while causing tremendous harm to others.”

“I strongly support the rights of transgender individuals,” he continued. “I will not denigrate or deny their struggles. But I am concerned about the potential bad actors who would exploit the provisions for their own gain.”

He asked “if President Trump were to say, ‘I’m am now the first female president,’ who would celebrate that?”

Rep. Matt Gaetz, during a hearing on transgender rights, wonders what would happen if Trump were to declare himself the first female president. pic.twitter.com/uYFheZVjUN — Alexander Nazaryan (@alexnazaryan) April 2, 2019

Gaetz repeatedly said he wants to support the legislation, but continued to bring up reasons for why he felt as though he couldn’t.

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“I want to support this legislation and in the broadest sense I do. I believe that individuals in our country should not face discrimination for their sex or their gender or their sexual orientation,” Gaetz said, before questions what would happen “when sex is defined as gender identity and gender identity is terribly vague?”

“Will all sex-based distinctions be erased?” he quipped.

During his speaking time, Gaetz clashed with committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler Jerrold (Jerry) Lewis NadlerSchumer: 'Nothing is off the table' if GOP moves forward with Ginsburg replacement Top Democrats call for DOJ watchdog to probe Barr over possible 2020 election influence House passes bill to protect pregnant workers MORE (D-N.Y.), who unsuccessfully tried to make Gaetz yield his time as he went off topic to talk about a separate piece of legislation.