US President-elect, Donald Trump is said to be preparing to sign an executive order aimed at removing all transgender personnel from the United States military when he assumes office.
This move is expected to raise significant concerns within the LGBTQ+ community.
According to reports from Daily Mail, sources within the state have indicated that transgender service members would be discharged on medical grounds, citing their inability to serve, which would deem them “unfit” for military duty.
This policy mirrors one introduced during Trump’s first term, which banned new transgender recruits from joining the armed forces but allowed those already serving to remain.
When President Joe Biden took office in 2021, he reversed the policy, issuing an executive order that restored the rights of transgender individuals to serve openly.
However, with Trump’s anticipated return to the White House, transgender military rights could be once again under threat.
The proposed order, as it is understood, would mandate the removal of all transgender personnel, regardless of their current status in the military.
It is expected that this order would be signed on Trump’s first day in office, January 20, 2025.
If enacted, it could be more sweeping and contentious than the previous ban, potentially affecting approximately 15,000 transgender individuals currently serving in the US military.
This development also comes amid ongoing political tensions regarding transgender rights in other areas.
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