President Donald Trump, in his first executive order on Monday, revoked the Biden-era action that allowed those who identify as transgender to serve in the military, The Hill reported.
During the signing ceremony at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., Trump revoked Executive Order 14004, signed by former President Joe Biden in January 2021.
The order, also known as Enabling All Qualified Americans To Serve Their Country in Uniform, revoked a 2018 order under Trump that barred those identifying as transgender from serving in the military.
Trump's executive order came as his White House called out diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts that have "corrupted them by replacing hard work, merit, and equality with a divisive and dangerous preferential hierarchy."
Later that evening, while signing executive orders in the Oval Office, Trump told the press, "Merit. Our country is going to be based on merit again. Can you believe it?"