Transgenders Banned from Military Service, Announces President Trump
- Veronica Neffinger iBelieve Contributor
- Updated Jul 26, 2017
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President Trump has said that, after much consideration and discussion with military officials, transgender individuals will not be allowed to serve in the military.
The President made this announcement in a series of tweets Wednesday morning which read:
"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 in the military would entail. Thank you."
FoxNews.com reports that transgender individuals have been allowed to serve in the military since last year when Obama administration Defense Secretary Ash Carter ended the ban on their service.
Trump’s Defense Secretary James Mattis had said he would give military officials six months to conduct a review into whether or not transgender service members should be allowed in the military. The President’s tweets, however, come only a few weeks into that six-month period.
Trump has often been viewed as more friendly to the LGBT community than most Republican presidents, but this decision raises doubts regarding the President’s stance on LGBT issues.
The White House has not yet said what this policy means for transgender individuals already serving in the military.
Photo courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com
Publication date: July 26, 2017