Biden repeals Trump s ban on transgender military service
Trump struggled to defend his discriminatory ban on transgender military service. Today, Biden put things right.
An aerial view of the Pentagon building in Washington on Dec. 26, 2011.Dan De LUCE / AFP - Getty Images file
Jan. 25, 2021, 5:41 PM UTC
BySteve Benen
The initial breakthrough came in June 2016, when then-Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced that the U.S. military was lifting a ban on transgender service members. Effective immediately, transgender Americans may serve openly, and they can no longer be discharged or otherwise separated from the military just for being transgender, Carter told reporters. He added that the decision was, among other things, a matter of principle: Americans who want to serve and can meet our standards should be afforded the opportunity to compete to do so.
White House will hold regular public health briefings starting Wednesday
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Last week, Biden signed a slew of executive orders to battle the pandemic and ramp up the distribution of vaccination.
“This is the right thing to do,” Austin said in a written statement after the order was signed. “It is also the smart thing to do.”
The order revokes Trump’s 2017 and 2018 orders banning transgender military service and directs the Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security, under which the Coast Guard falls, to ensure all policies are consistent with Biden’s order, according to the fact sheet. It also immediately bans involuntary separations, discharges and denials of reenlistment based on gender identity.
Troops will be able to serve in their gender identity when they complete their transition and their gender has officially been changed in the Defense Department’s personnel system, according to the fact sheet.
BREAKING NEWS: Biden overturns trans military ban
Jan 25, 2021 | 10
UPDATE: Quote from President Biden added.
President Biden, honoring a commitment he made during the 2020 campaign, announced today (Monday, Jan. 25) that he is reversing the ban on transgender people in the military put in place by the Trump administration.
Before signing the executive order, Biden thanked Vice President Kamala Harris, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Mark Milley and retired Gen. Lloyd Austin, who was sworn in as Secretary of Defense immediately after the bill signing ceremony.
“This is reinstating a position that previous commanders and as well as the Secretaries have supported. And what I’m doing is enabling all qualified Americans to serve their country in uniform, and essentially restoring the situation as it existed before, with transgender personnel, if qualified in every other way, can serve their government in the United States military,” Biden said. He also promised that he
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The White House announced Monday that President Joe Biden has reversed the Trump administration s military transgender ban.
The executive order signed Monday states that the president believes that gender identity should not be a bar to military service.
The decision is supported by new Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
President Joe Biden has reversed the Trump administration s controversial ban largely prohibiting transgender people from serving in the US military.
The president signed an executive order on Monday stating that all Americans who are qualified to serve in the Armed Forces of the United States should be able to serve. The order said that the president believes that gender identity should not be a bar to military service, and directs the military to immediately c