As dozens of transgender Americans and parents of trans teens brace themselves for a second Trump administration, President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly preparing to sign an executive order aimed at removing transgender individuals from the U.S. military, according to The Sunday Times.
Sources close to the situation have revealed that the new directive could affect approximately 15,000 transgender service members, forcing them out of their posts. On November 5, the Republican reclaimed the White House, beating VP Kamala Harris, and is expected to take office in January.
Trump to remove transgenders from the military? Here is what we know
On November 24, an insider shared with the outlet, “These people will be forced out at a time when the military can’t recruit enough people.” They went on to say, “Only the Marine Corps is hitting its numbers for recruitment and some people who will be affected are in very senior positions.”
The new directive if signed could be broader and more controversial than the one Trump introduced during his first term, which banned transgender individuals from joining the military but allowed those already serving to remain, especially after the President-elect had also pledged to restrict access to gender-affirming care and prevent trans athletes from competing in school sports if he signs the bill. After Trump left office, President Biden in 2021 issued an executive order to overturn the ban in his first week.
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However, the new order might lead to the total removal of all transgender individuals from across the service, regardless of their age, health, service, or other concerns. A pro-Trump supporter on X wrote, “This is not a controversial decision. Transgender soldiers do not conform to the modern needs of the military. They will absolutely get an honorable medical discharge and be thanked for their service to the country.”
Another contradicted, “Serving the country should not be a battleground for gender ideologies.” “So the military is already struggling with recruitment and he’s gonna remove those who actually wanna serve their country?” a third asked. “Good. I’m not against transgender individuals, but allowing ppl to identify as the opposite sex creates bureaucratic headaches and extra expense on top of an already bloated military budget.”
Donald Trump’s stance on Transgender rights
Trump has committed to imposing broad restrictions on transgender individuals in various sectors, including:
Education: His administration may move to exclude transgender students from Title IX protections, affecting policies on pronouns, bathrooms, and locker rooms, AP reports.
Healthcare: According to the new agency, at least 26 states have enacted laws restricting gender-affirming care for transgender minors. Trump has proposed barring doctors and hospitals from providing such care from Medicaid and Medicare.
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Sports: Trump and many Republicans oppose “boys in girls’ sports.” Currently, 24 states have laws barring transgender women and girls from competing in women’s sports. In March, 16 college athletes sued the NCAA over allowing transgender swimmer Lia Thomas to compete.
Military: Trans-rights activists fear Trump may reinstate a ban on transgender people serving openly or limit their recruitment and access to gender-affirming care for military members and veterans.
