WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 20: Former president Barack Obama places his hand on his heart as Jackie Evancho sings the national anthem on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2017 in Washington, DC. In today's inauguration ceremony Donald J. Trump becomes the 45th president of the United States.  (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Inauguration singer calls out Trump policy
01:13 - Source: CNN

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Jackie Evancho says she's disappointed in the Trump administration's transgender policy

The singer's sister came out as transgender in 2015

CNN  — 

She sang the national anthem at his inauguration, but on Wednesday, Jackie Evancho spoke against President Donald Trump’s politics.

”.@realDonaldTrump u gave me the honor 2 sing at your inauguration. Pls give me & my sis the honor 2 meet with u 2 talk #transgender rghts ❤” she tweeted, minutes after the Department of Justice withdrew Obama-era guidance on transgender bathroom use in public schools.

The “America’s Got Talent” star’s older sister, Juliet, came out as transgender in 2015.

“She told me she was transgender, and I was actually very happy for her because she finally found herself, and she can be who she wants to be,” Jackie Evancho told People Magazine at the time.

The singer wrote earlier Wednesday that she was “obviously disappointed” by the forthcoming decision.

“I am obviously disappointed in the @POTUS decision to send the #transgender bathroom issue to the states to decide. #sisterlove,” she tweeted.

Evancho expanded on those tweets in an interview with CNN affiliate KDKA on Wednesday night.

“When I heard the news I was just thinking about my sister and the things that she’s gone through, and the struggles that we’ve all had to deal with,” she said. “Me watching her suffer like that is really hard to do.”

Juliet Evancho seconded her sister’s disappointment in the decision.

“In order to make a huge decision like that, you need people who live it every day. I feel like it was a little rushed and I feel like there wasn’t a lot of planning that went into it,” she said.

The White House did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.

Evancho faced backlash for accepting the Trump transition team’s invitation to perform at the inauguration, but the then-President-elect said in an early January tweet that her album sales skyrocketed after the announcement.

“Jackie Evancho’s album sales have skyrocketed after announcing her Inauguration performance. Some people just don’t understand the “Movement,” he wrote.

Evancho dismissed criticism that her performance signaled support for the incoming administration, telling CNN she wasn’t getting involved with politics.

“[Fans] are upset for the wrong reasons. I’m not involved in politics,” she said ahead of her January performance. “I’m doing this because it’s a privilege and an honor to perform for my country.”

CNN’s Eric Levenson contributed to this report.