Trump plans to discharge all transgender people from the military - The Times
Kyiv • UNN
Donald Trump plans to discharge all transgender members of the U.S. Army upon his return to the White House. According to estimates, this could affect about 15,000 active military personnel.
US President-elect Donald Trump plans to issue an executive order that will lead to the dismissal of all transgender people in the US military, The Times reports, citing defense sources, UNN writes.
Details
The order reportedly "could be issued on the first day he returns to the White House, January 20." "It is estimated that about 15,000 active military personnel are transgender. They will be discharged on medical grounds that will determine their unfitness for service," the publication points out.
"It would also lead to a ban on transgender service in the military, and it comes at a time when almost all branches of the U.S. military are failing to meet recruitment targets," the publication writes.
Trump, 78, reportedly spoke out against the practice of "awakening" in the military, saying that some high-ranking officers are often more interested in diversity, equality and inclusion than in combat planning.
"The ban is expected to be broader than a similar executive order issued during his first term, when Trump banned transgender people from joining the armed forces but allowed those already serving to keep their jobs. President Biden rescinded the order, but this time, according to several sources, even those who have served for decades will be removed from their posts," the publication writes.
"These people will be forced to leave at a time when the Army can't recruit enough people," said a source familiar with Trump's plans. - "Only the Marine Corps is meeting its recruiting targets, and some of the people who will be affected are in very high positions.
According to the Pentagon, privacy policies make it difficult to count the number of transgender people, but in 2021, when Trump's first ban was lifted, approximately 2,200 service members were diagnosed with gender dysphoria. There are about 1.3 million active duty military personnel in the army.
It is believed that there are thousands of other military personnel who identify as transgender.
Trump has nominated Pete Hagel, 44, to serve as his Secretary of Defense. The Fox News host and former U.S. National Guard major has publicly spoken out against "weak" and "effeminate" leadership in the military and argued in a recent book that "the next commander-in-chief will have to clean up his act.
He also said that medical care for transgender personnel is a waste that the Pentagon cannot afford, adding that focusing on issues that affect only a small number of people in the military is an example of "trans insanity.
Transgender people who already serve in the army say that the new ban will not only cause them significant personal hardship, but will also be a disaster for the armed forces.
