No transgenders in US military: Trump

Washington, July 26: President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that transgender people may not serve “in any capacity” in the US military, citing the “tremendous medical costs and disruption” their presence would cause.

The announcement served as a stunning reversal for the US military, which has spent recent months working with the heads of service branches to implement a plan put in place under Barack Obama’s administration to start accepting transgender recruits.

“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 US Military,” Mr Trump tweeted.

“Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Thank you.”

Estimates of the number of transgender troops in the military vary widely.

A much-cited study by the Rand Corporation in June 2016 found there are between 1,320 and 6,630 among the 1.3 million active duty service members.

But the Human Rights Campaign civil rights organisation said there are currently about 15,000 serving transgender troops.