Donald Trump’s Team Rejects Plan to Ban Military on Transgender People

President-elect Donald Trump‘s transition team rejects report that it plans to oust all transgender people US military.

england newspaper Times On Monday, citing unnamed defense sources, it reported that Trump was considering an executive order that would lead to the medical discharge of about 15,000 active-duty transgender service members. The decision will also ban transgender individuals from joining the military.

During his first term, Trump prevented trans people from serving in the military but allowed those already serving to continue.

Trump’s transition team denied that any decisions had been made on the matter. Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said: news week He said unnamed sources were “speculating and had no idea what they were actually talking about.”

“No decisions have been made on this matter. No policy should be considered official unless it comes directly from President Trump or his authorized spokespeople,” he said.

Apparently unaware of the transition team’s denial, Republican Congressman Marjorie Taylor Greenea prominent Trump supporter, responds to previously reported ban on X excitement“This will increase recruitment and save money,” he writes.

Rachel Branaman, executive director of the charity Modern Military Association of America, was quoted as saying: Times The article warns that if such an order were implemented, it would undermine unit cohesion and aggravate “critical skills gaps.” The charity campaign is on behalf of LGBTQ+ military personnel and veterans.

“If the transgender ban is implemented from day one of the Trump administration, it will undermine the military’s readiness and create an even greater recruitment and retention crisis, not to mention the vulnerability to America’s enemies,” he said.

“The sudden discharge of more than 15,000 soldiers places an administrative burden on combat units, especially considering that the army fell short of its recruitment targets by 41,000 men last year.

“There would be a significant financial cost, as well as a loss of experience and leadership that would likely take 20 years and billions of dollars to replace.”

If Trump reinstates the ban, it would mark years of back-and-forth on the issue between successive administrations.

Transgender people were able to serve in the army for the first time Barack Obama. Trump later reimposed the ban in 2018, preventing transgender people from participating. Joe Biden it later lifted the ban in 2021.

Pete Hegseth’s stance on women in war

Earlier this month, Trump nominated Pete Hegseth, a former military officer who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, as secretary of defense.

Featured in podcast The Shawn Ryan Show In early November, Hegseth said women should not serve in combat.

“I’m telling the truth, I’m saying women shouldn’t be in combat roles. It hasn’t made us more effective, it hasn’t made us more lethal, it’s made it more complicated to fight,” she said.

Republicans and transgender issues

Meanwhile, Republican Party is involved in other legislative fights against transgender people Congress.

Republican Speaker of the House mike johnson Last week, she announced a policy banning transgender women from using women’s restrooms in the Capitol and House office buildings.

The move comes just days after the GOP South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace He introduced a bill to enact the ban following the election of Sarah McBride, the first transgender woman elected to Congress.

Mace also proposed broader legislation that would apply to every federal building and federally funded school.