Three guests at a White House LGBTQ+ Pride party on Saturday have been banned from future events after posing topless on the South Lawn.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre described the behaviour as “unacceptable” and “unfair” to others.
Rose Montoya, a trans woman, influencer and advocate, was one of those banned after posting a video on social media.
In response, Ms Montoya said being topless in Washington was legal and she had no intention of being vulgar.
Ms Montoya posted a 58-second video of the White House event which included a moment where she is seen topless, with her hands over her chest, next to two shirtless trans men.
“Are we topless at the White House?,” someone off camera asks.
Ms Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday: “It was unfair to the hundreds of attendees who were there to celebrate their families.”
“This behaviour is inappropriate and disrespectful for any event at the White House. It is not reflective of the event we hosted to celebrate LGBTQI+ families or the other hundreds of guests who were in attendance,” Ms Jean-Pierre said.
“Individuals in the video will not be invited to future events.”
Ms Montoya’s video also featured US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden speaking at the podium and later greeting Ms Montoya.
After a backlash online, Ms Montoya shared a TikTok video in which she questioned why her chest was now seen by some as inappropriate when, she said, before she came out as transgender, it was not.
“My trans masculine friends were showing off their top surgery scars and living in joy, and I wanted to join them,” she said. “And because it is perfectly within the law of Washington DC, I decided to join them and cover my nipples just to play it safe.”
In the video, captioned “free the nipple”, she added: “I was simply living my joy and my truth and existing in my body.”
Hundreds of guests were in attendance at the event, which the White House said was the largest Pride party ever hosted at the official home and office of the president.