Donald Trump Announces that Transgender Individuals Will not be Able to Serve in the Military
President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the United States will not “accept or allow” transgender people in the United States military, saying American forces “must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory” and could not afford to accommodate them.
Trump, unsurprisingly, made the declaration in a series of Tweets, saying he had come to the decision after consulting with generals and military experts, whom he did not name.
Keep in mind, Transgender service members have been permitted to serve openly in the military since last year.
Trump's announcement came during the debate on Capitol Hill over the practice of requiring the Pentagon to pay for medical treatment related to gender transition, which was put in place during Obama's presidency. The dispute has unfolded as Congress considers a nearly $700 billion spending bill to fund the Pentagon. Representative Vicky Hartzler, Republican of Missouri, has proposed an amendment that would bar the Pentagon from spending money on transition surgery or related hormone therapy. (NYT)