US President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order aimed at eliminating what he termed “transgender ideology” from the US military, sparking widespread concern among LGBTQ advocates.
The order, part of a series of military-related actions, includes reinstating service members dismissed for refusing COVID-19 vaccines and expanding a crackdown on diversity initiatives within the armed forces.
“To ensure that we have the most lethal fighting force in the world, we will get transgender ideology the hell out of our military,” Trump declared at a Republican congressional retreat in Miami.
While details of the order remain unpublished, a White House official described it as targeting “gender radicalism” within the military.
The order marks a significant reversal of policies implemented by Democratic administrations.
Transgender Americans have faced fluctuating rights in military service since a 2016 Obama-era policy allowed them to serve openly.
Trump’s first administration imposed a ban on transgender troops, which President Joe Biden later repealed in 2021.
Rights groups and former officials voiced alarm over the new directive. Former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had earlier warned against excluding qualified individuals, stating:
“Any military that turns away qualified patriots who are eager to serve is just making itself smaller and weaker.”