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Trump Signs Executive Order Banning ‘Transgender Ideology’ in Military
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at removing “transgender ideology” from the military, sparking concerns over LGBTQ rights.
The order, signed on Monday, is part of a series of directives related to the military.
“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 stated during a Republican congressional retreat in Miami.
The order claims that the armed forces have been “afflicted with radical gender ideology to appease activists” and that “many mental and physical health conditions are incompatible with active duty.” It also asserts that adopting a gender identity inconsistent with one’s sex conflicts with a soldier’s commitment to an honorable and disciplined lifestyle.
“A man’s assertion that he is a woman, and his requirement that others honor this falsehood, is not consistent with the humility and selflessness required of a service member,” the order adds.
In a separate order, Trump prohibited the defense department and armed forces from promoting “un-American” theories suggesting America’s founding documents are racist or sexist or advancing discussion on “gender ideology.”
The orders have been met with criticism from LGBTQ rights groups and some lawmakers. Biden’s defense secretary, Lloyd Austin, had earlier stated, “Any military that turns away qualified patriots who are eager to serve is just making itself smaller and weaker.”
The move is seen as a significant setback for LGBTQ rights, particularly for transgender individuals serving in the military. Estimates suggest that around 15,000 transgender troops serve in the US military, out of over two million uniformed service members.
Trump has also ordered the reinstatement of service members dismissed for refusing to take the Covid vaccine and the construction of a US version of Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system.
“We need to immediately begin the construction of a state-of-the-art Iron Dome missile defense shield,” Trump said in Miami, adding that it would be “made right here in the USA.”
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