TRUMP BANS TRANSGENDERS FROM MILITARY
Pentagon unable to explain the ‘guidance’
President tweets new rule prohibiting transgender people from serving in the armed forces
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump abruptly declared a ban Wednesday on transgender troops serving in the U.S. military, catching the Pentagon flatfooted and unable to explain what it called Trump’s “guidance.” His proclamation, on Twitter rather than in any formal announcement, drew bipartisan denunciations and threw currently serving transgender service members into limbo.
“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,” the commander in chief tweeted.
Trump wrote that he had consulted with “my generals and military experts,” but did not mention Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who less than a month ago told the military service chiefs to spend another six months weighing the costs and benefits of allowing transgender individuals to enlist. At the time, Mattis said this “does not presuppose the outcome of the review,” but Trump’s tweets appeared to have done just that.
The Pentagon has refused to release data on the number of transgender people currently serving. A Rand Corp. study estimates it is between 1,320 and 6,630 out of 1.3 million activeduty troops.
Criticism for Trump’s action was immediate and strong from both political parties.
His action is “harmful, misguided and weakens, not strengthens, our military,” said Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York.
John McCain, the Arizona Republican and Vietnam War hero, said Trump was simply wrong. “Any American who meets current medical and readiness standards should be allowed to continue serving,” he said. “There is no reason to force service members who are able to fight, train and deploy to leave the military — regardless of their gender identity.”
Not everyone at the Capitol agreed.
Rep. Duncan Hunter, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said, “The president’s decision was the absolute right decision. … It’s about time that a decision is made to restore the warrior culture and allow the U.S. military to get back to business.”
Transgender people already in uniform were concerned about what comes next.
“Everybody is hurt, everybody is scared,” said Rudy Akbarian, 26, who is in the military, but did not want to identify his branch.
Akbarian, who said his chain of command was supportive as he transitioned from female to male, said his time to re-enlist is coming up and he might stay to ensure there is a strong voice for transgender troops like himself.