Despite reports to the contrary, President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team said he is not planning to discharge every transgender member of the military.
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. During his first term, Trump prohibited transgender individuals from joining the military but did not discharge those already serving.
Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, who will be the president-elect’s White House press secretary, told Military.com Monday that "no decisions on this issue have been made."
"These unnamed sources are speculating and have no idea what they are actually talking about," Leavitt said.
SPARTA Pride, a nonprofit organization supporting transgender service members and veterans, told Military.com there are approximately 15,000 transgender Americans serving and stationed around the world and in combat.
Transgender people were first able to serve in the military under former President Barack Obama. Trump reinstated a ban in 2018, but President Joe Biden reversed it in 2021.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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