Sarah Wasko / Media Matters

Trump bans transgender people from serving in the military

Wash. Post: “President Trump said he will ban transgender people from serving in the military in any capacity, a reversal of the Obama administration decision that would have allowed them to serve.” The Washington Post reported, “President Trump said he will ban transgender people from serving in the military in any capacity.” Trump tweeted on July 26 that “the United States Government will not accept or allow Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. military” because it “cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail.” From the July 26 article:

President Trump said he will ban transgender people from serving in the military in any capacity, a reversal of the Obama administration decision that would have allowed them to serve, he announced on social media on Wednesday.

Citing the need to focus on victory, Trump said that the military cannot accept the burden of higher medical costs and “disruption” that transgender troops would require.

“After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail.” [The Washington Post, 7/26/17; Twitter, 7/26/17, 7/26/17, 7/26/17]

Conservative media lauded the decision as “bold” and a “YUGE Relief”

The Right Scoop: Trump’s decision to ban transgender people from serving in the military is “the right decision” and a “YUGE relief.” “Conservative news blog The Right Scoop said the decision to ban transgender people from serving in the military “is a YUGE relief”:

After what Trump said on the campaign trail last year about transgenders, this is a YUGE relief.

I’ll give him credit for making the right decision here, a decision that the leftist media will no doubt pound him for over the next four years. [The Right Scoop, 7/26/17]

The Resurgent’s Josh Hammer:

The media will absolutely freak out at Trump's military/transgender announcement. I bet the public backs it 75-25, at minimum.

— Josh Hammer (@josh_hammer) July 26, 2017

[Twitter, 7/26/17]

The Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro:

1. The military should not accept mentally ill soldiers.

2. This should not devalue the heroism of those who want to serve. (/1)

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) July 26, 2017

[Twitter, 7/26/17]

Gateway Pundit: “Not one individual” opposing Trump's decision “provided any study or report supporting the idea that transgenders serving” in the military contribute “to its overall success.” Far-right fringe news blog The Gateway Pundit defended Trump’s decision, claiming that liberals did not provide “any study or report supporting the idea that transgenders serving in the armed forces contributes (sic) to its overall success.” From the July 26 article:  

Following the news of President Trump banning transgenders from serving in the United States military, liberals took to Twitter to lash out at the announcement.

You’ll notice not one individual provided any study or report supporting the idea that transgenders serving in the armed forces contributes (sic) to its overall success. [The Gateway Pundit, 7/26/17]

Breitbart’s Joel Pollak:

Trump's ban on transgenders in military is a bold statement that purpose of armed forces remains killing the enemy & not social engineering. https://t.co/SqjE1TTME1

— Joel B. Pollak (@joelpollak) July 26, 2017

[Twitter, 7/26/17]

Hot Air: “The duty of the the armed forces is to defend the nation … not train soldiers to shower with ‘women who have male genitalia.’” Conservative news blog Hot Air defended Trump’s decision to ban transgender people from serving in the military claiming, “The duty of the the armed forces is to defend the nation and maintain readiness at maximum efficiency, not train soldiers to shower with ‘women who have male genitalia.’” From the July 26 post:

The best argument for the policy change back to the traditional model is the one that Trump offered on Twitter. The duty of the the armed forces is to defend the nation and maintain readiness at maximum efficiency, not train soldiers to shower with “women who have male genitalia.” The counterargument is that the ban will keep talented recruits from making the service as good or better than it already is, but the additional medical costs and complications for their transgender status argues against efficiency, at least. That’s very different from having gays and lesbians serve openly, as the only difference between them and other recruits is sexual orientation, not medical issues. [Hot Air, 7/26/17]

Conservative radio host Steve Deace:

Absolutely @realDonaldTrump is correct -- military is for killing people and breaking things, not regressive Leftist social engineering.

— Steve Deace (@SteveDeaceShow) July 26, 2017

[Twitter, 7/26/17]

Alt-Right.com’s Richard Spencer:

Wait, so Trump doesn't want to march transsexual armies on Moscow and crush gender-binary fascism!?



So un-American! #Resist

— Richard Spencer (@RichardBSpencer) July 26, 2017

[Twitter, 7/26/17]

Conservative radio host and former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke:

Finally, some sanity. pic.twitter.com/dU1mQO1zsg

— David Duke (@DrDavidDuke) July 26, 2017

[Twitter, 7/26/17]

Anti-LGBTQ hate groups also applauded the decision

Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins: “The last thing we should be doing is diverting billions of dollars from mission-critical training to something as controversial as gender reassignment surgery.” Tony Perkins, president of the anti-LGBTQ hate group Family Research Council and a frequent Fox News guest, issued a statement praising Trump for “keeping his promise to return to military priorities – and not continue the social experimentation of the Obama era that has crippled our nation’s military.” He also professed, “The last thing we should be doing is diverting billions of dollars from mission-critical training to something as controversial as gender reassignment surgery.” From the July 26 statement:

“I applaud President Trump for keeping his promise to return to military priorities – and not continue the social experimentation of the Obama era that has crippled our nation’s military. The military can now focus its efforts on preparing to fight and win wars rather than being used to advance the Obama social agenda.

“President Trump recognizes what the nation's military leadership and the American people realize, this Obama policy makes no sense.

“The last thing we should be doing is diverting billions of dollars from mission-critical training to something as controversial as gender reassignment surgery. However, the cost to readiness, recruitment, retention, morale and cohesion would have been even greater under the Obama policy. As our nation faces serious national security threats, our troops shouldn’t be forced to endure hours of transgender ‘sensitivity’ classes and politically-correct distractions like this one. [Family Research Council, 7/26/17]

American Family Association: “AFA applauds President Trump for his courageous decision to end the usage of our military for social engineering and political correctness.” Tim Wildmon, president of the anti-LGBTQ hate group American Family Association, issued a statement on Facebook praising Trump for “his courageous decision to end the usage of our military for social engineering and political correctness.” From the July 26 post:

This morning President Donald Trump released a statement on Twitter which said, “After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail.”

The American Family Association has been highly critical of the transgender military policy of President Obama’s administration. AFA applauds President Trump for his courageous decision to end the usage of our military for social engineering and political correctness. American families deserve a military that is focused solely on readiness and national defense. [Facebook, 7/26/17]

Anti-LGBTQ hate group National Organization for Marriage:

Big thank you to President @realDonaldTrump for overturning Obama’s gender ideology nonsense in the military!

— NOM (@NOMupdate) July 26, 2017

[Twitter, 7/26/17]

Anti-LGBTQ hate group ProFam:

Big thank you to President @realDonaldTrump for overturning Obama’s gender ideology nonsense in the military!

— ProFam_org (@ProFam_Org) July 26, 2017

[Twitter, 7/26/17]