President Donald Trump signed four executive orders related to the military on Monday. One order prohibits transgender individuals from enlisting and serving in the military openly, reversing a policy from Trump’s first term and canceling the coverage of transition-related medical care for currently enlisted transgender individuals. The order aims to prioritize readiness and lethality in the military and end the use of certain pronouns and access to facilities based on gender identity. Despite the order, transgender service members will not be immediately ejected, and the implementation timeline is unclear.
Another order, titled “Restoring America’s Fighting Force,” disbands diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in the military, requiring a review of curricula at service academies to eliminate what is described as “radical DEI and gender ideologies.” Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the removal of DEI programs in a post on social media.
Transgender individuals in the military have faced restrictions on transition-related medical care and openly serving since the Trump administration’s policy in 2017. Estimates of the number of transgender service members vary, and the Department of Defense does not publicly report this information. The cost of transition-related care provided to active-duty service members has been reported at around $15 million over five years.
Advocates for transgender service members, such as Emily Shilling from SPARTA, a trans military advocacy group, express a desire to continue serving despite the restrictions. The recent executive orders related to the military reinforce Trump’s stance on transgender rights and DEI initiatives, aligning with his actions in the early days of his second term.
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