Donald Trump is reportedly planning to issue an executive order on his first day back in office that will remove transgender individuals from the military.
This move would effectively reinstate the ban he introduced in 2017, which was reversed by President Biden. Trump’s order would discharge the thousands of currently serving trans service members, a decision that could spark significant legal battles.
Trump’s stance on the issue has been clear throughout his political career. He has repeatedly cited the “tremendous medical costs and disruption” of having transgender people in the military, which led to his original ban in 2019. Now, with Biden’s policy rescinded, Trump intends to take immediate action to remove trans service members and block any future trans recruitment.
In addition to military policy, Trump has made it a key priority to revoke civil rights protections for LGBT+ individuals, targeting trans students’ access to sports and bathrooms, and even pushing to ban gender-affirming care for minors. Throughout his campaign, Trump has teamed up with Republicans to launch a significant anti-trans agenda, which includes proposals to limit transgender rights nationwide.
As Trump moves to implement this executive order, he faces pushback from groups like the Modern Military Association of America, which argues that removing 15,000 trans service members would deepen the military’s ongoing recruitment crisis and undermine its readiness. Critics also warn that such a policy would damage unit cohesion and lead to a loss of experienced leadership, with potential long-term costs in terms of both manpower and finances. Despite the opposition, Trump remains committed to his position, setting the stage for another divisive battle over transgender rights in America.
