Donald Trump says trans people can’t serve in the US military ‘in any capacity’
Trump says the military 'cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender (sp) in the military would entail.'
By Ross Semple
US President Donald Trump has confirmed that transgender Americans will not be allowed to serve openly in the US military.
Taking to Twitter today (July 26), Trump wrote: “After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military.
“Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender (sp) in the military would entail. Thank you.”
After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow……
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017
An existing ban against trans Americans serving in the military was lifted in 2016 during the Obama administration.
Announcing the lifting of the ban, then-Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said: “Our mission is to defend this country, and we don’t want barriers unrelated to a person’s qualification to serve preventing us from recruiting or retaining the soldier, sailor, airman or Marine who can best accomplish the mission. We have to have access to 100% of America’s population for our all-volunteer force to be able to recruit from among them the most highly qualified — and to retain them.”
The move is an unsurprising one when considering Trump’s previous record on LGBT+ rights. Earlier this year he gutted a federal order protecting LGBT+ workers. He also failed to acknowledge LGBT+ Pride Month in June, an event that his predecessor Barack Obama marked during every year of his presidency.
Trump also revoked landmark guidance on bathroom use for transgender students earlier this year.
Responding to Trump’s announcement, GLAAD released the following statement:
“President Trump today issued a direct attack on transgender Americans, and his administration will stop at nothing to implement its anti-LGBTQ ideology within our government – even if it means denying some of our bravest Americans the right to serve and protect our nation,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of GLAAD. “Today further exposed President Trump’s overall goal to erase LGBTQ Americans from this nation. Trump has never been a friend to LGBTQ Americans, and this action couldn’t make that any more clear.”