President-elect Donald Trump reportedly will reinstate a ban on transgender people in the U.S. military.
A trans military ban initially took effect during the first Trump administration in 2019 but was reversed by President Joe Biden.
The Times of London, citing Defense Department sources, reported Sunday that Trump plans to sign an executive order that would lead to the removal of all transgender members of the military.
The order could come as quickly as Jan. 20, the day Trump will be sworn into office.
Newsmax reached out to Trump's team seeking comment about the report.
About 15,000 active service trans personnel would be medically discharged, The Times reported.
Weeks before winning the Nov. 5 election, Trump took to X to post a campaign video in which he promised to make the military more like that seen in the 1987 film "Full Metal Jacket" and not like the one showcasing pride month and transgender soldiers under the Biden administration.
During his first term, Trump prevented trans people from joining the armed forces, but allowed those already serving to keep their jobs.
This time, Trump's executive order is expected to oust current trans members.
"These people will be forced out at a time when the military can't recruit enough people," a source told The Times. "Only the Marine Corps is hitting its numbers for recruitment and some people who will be affected are in very senior positions."
Rachel Branaman, executive director of Modern Military Association of America, said a trans ban "would undermine the readiness of the military and create an even greater recruitment and retention crisis, not to mention signaling vulnerability to America's adversaries."
"Abruptly discharging 15,000-plus service members, especially given that the military's recruiting targets fell short by 41,000 recruits last year, adds administrative burdens to war fighting units, harms unit cohesion, and aggravates critical skill gaps," said Branaman, whose organization campaigns on behalf of LGBTQ+ military personnel and veterans, The Times reported.
"There would be a significant financial cost, as well as a loss of experience and leadership that will take possibly 20 years and billions of dollars to replace."
Trump nominated Pete Hegseth, a decorated combat veteran and a Fox News host, to be defense secretary.
Hegseth has said medical care for trans personnel is an extravagance the Pentagon cannot afford, adding that focusing on the issues that affect only a small number of people in the military is an example of "trans lunacy," The Times reported.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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