Trump Reportedly Set to Remove All Transgender Members from US Military

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WASHINGTON: President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly planning to issue an executive order on his first day in office, which would result in the removal of all transgender members from the US military. According to The Times, the order would force the dismissal of thousands of service personnel at a time when the US military is already struggling to meet its recruitment targets. During his first term, Trump implemented a ban preventing transgender individuals from joining the armed forces, although those already serving were allowed to remain in their positions. The ban was reversed under President Joe Biden’s administration, but Trump’s reported new plan seeks to reinstate the restriction by banning both transgender individuals from joining and removing those already serving. A source familiar with Trump’s plans stated that the ban would have significant implications, particularly for the military’s recruitment crisis. “Only the Marine Corps is hitting its numbers for recruitment, and some people who will be affected are in very senior positions,” the source said.

The proposal has drawn criticism from military charities. Rachel Branaman, executive director of the Modern Military Association of America, which advocates for LGBT+ service members, warned that such a move would further exacerbate the military’s existing recruitment and retention issues. “Should a trans ban be implemented, it would undermine the readiness of the military, create greater recruitment challenges, and signal vulnerability to America’s adversaries,” Branaman said. The impact of the proposed policy could also be financial, with potential long-term costs in terms of leadership and experience lost. "Abruptly discharging 15,000-plus service members would harm unit cohesion and could take years and billions of dollars to replace," Branaman added.

Although the Pentagon does not have an exact figure for the number of transgender service members due to privacy policies, approximately 2,200 personnel were diagnosed with gender dysphoria after the previous ban was lifted.The announcement follows Trump’s nomination of Fox News host Pete Hegseth as his defense secretary. Hegseth has publicly criticized “weak” military leadership, which has raised concerns about potential changes within the armed forces. Transgender military personnel like Paulo Batista, a transgender analyst in the US Navy, warned that the proposed ban could cause severe disruptions, with leadership gaps taking years to fill. “There are junior enlisted personnel to high-end officers, and pulling us out means others have to cover. These jobs could take months or even years to fill,” Batista explained. Trump's spokespersons have yet to comment on the reports.