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US President Donald Trump on Monday announced his intention to sign an executive order eliminating what he described as "transgender ideology" from the military, a move that could represent a significant rollback of LGBTQ rights in the armed forces.
Speaking at a Republican congressional retreat in Miami, Trump declared the policy as one of "four new executive orders" he plans to enact related to the military.
"To ensure that we have the most lethal fighting force in the world, we will get transgender ideology the hell out of our military," Trump said, reiterating his long-standing opposition to allowing transgender individuals to serve.
Dramatic policy shifts over past decade
This announcement reignites a contentious debate over the inclusion of transgender Americans in the armed forces, an issue that has seen dramatic policy shifts over the past decade. The ban on
transgender service members
was first lifted in 2016 during the then President Barack Obama's administration, allowing them to serve openly and paving the way for transgender recruits to join starting in 2017.
However, Trump's first administration delayed the implementation of that policy before ultimately reversing it entirely, citing concerns about costs, disruptions, and military readiness. Critics of the reversal, including
LGBTQ rights groups
, argued that it was discriminatory and undermined the principle of equality in military service.
Biden restored the Obama-era policy
In contrast, Joe Biden restored the Obama-era policy just days after taking office in 2021, asserting that all qualified Americans who wished to serve should be able to do so. This policy change allowed transgender troops to serve openly and provided protection against discrimination.
Trump's renewed push to ban transgender individuals from the military aligns with broader efforts by some Republicans to restrict transgender rights across the country. States controlled by Republican lawmakers have enacted legislation limiting access to gender-affirming care, barring transgender athletes from competing in school sports, and regulating what books on the topic can appear in public and school libraries.
Number of transgender in US military
The number of transgender service members in the US military is relatively small, with estimates suggesting around 15,000 out of more than two million uniformed personnel. Nonetheless, their removal could have a tangible impact on the military's capacity, particularly at a time when recruitment challenges are mounting.
Lloyd Austin appeared to take aim at Trump's plans in a recent farewell address, warning of the potential consequences of excluding qualified Americans from military service. "Any military that turns away qualified patriots who are eager to serve is just making itself smaller and weaker," Austin said.
English (US) · 