 "Donald Trump's team denies any plan to ban transgender military personnel")
A day after reports emerged about US President-elect Donald Trump’s alleged intention to remove all active transgender personnel from the armed forces, his team has denied any plans for such a ban. The claims, initially reported by The Times, suggested that the president-elect was planning an executive order to expel transgender service members.
Trump’s incoming press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, dismissed the allegations as speculative and unfounded. “These unnamed sources are speculating and have no idea what they are actually talking about. No decisions on this issue have been made. No policy should ever be deemed official unless it comes directly from President Trump or his authorised spokespeople,” she said in an official statement.
Reports of Trump planning to ‘dismiss’ transgender personnel
On November 24, the UK-based outlet alleged that Trump’s administration was considering expelling approximately 15,000 transgender personnel by declaring them unfit for service. The report also claimed that the proposed order would prohibit the future recruitment of transgender individuals into the military.
An unnamed source reportedly stated, “These people will be forced out at a time when the military can’t recruit enough people,” highlighting recruitment challenges across all branches except the Marine Corps. The insider added that some affected individuals hold senior positions.
Speculation about the executive order, which rumours suggested could be signed shortly after Trump’s inauguration in January, sparked widespread backlash. Trump’s team clarified that no such plans are under consideration. The alleged directive would have represented a broader policy than Trump’s 2017 ban, which barred new transgender recruits but allowed those already serving to remain. That ban was later reversed by President Joe Biden in early 2021.
Trump’s Defence Secretary pick and transgender concerns
Concerns over potential policy shifts were heightened by Trump’s nomination of Fox News commentator and army veteran Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defence. Hegseth has expressed strong views on military readiness, reportedly arguing that policies allowing transgender individuals to transition while serving could hinder operations. He cited issues such as hormone therapy, which he claimed could render service members non-deployable for extended periods.
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In a recent appearance on The Shawn Ryan Show, Hegseth also voiced opposition to women serving in combat roles, stating, “It hasn’t made us more effective, it hasn’t made us more lethal; it has made fighting more complicated.”
Meanwhile, Trump has been advocating for broader restrictions on transgender rights across various sectors, including education, healthcare, sports, and the military. His proposed policies could potentially exclude transgender students from Title IX protections, limit access to gender-affirming care, and bar transgender individuals from competing in women’s sports, among other measures.