President Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday morning that he will block transgender individuals from serving in the U.S. armed forces.
Trump says he reached this decision after consulting with “Generals and military experts.”
President Trump in tweets argues that the military "cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption" that transgender service in the military would entail. Cindy Brown, a Miami-based LGBT advocate disputes that is ridiculous. She says the Obama-era about face from the Trump administration will only stir up more discrimination and hatred toward the LGBT community.
Republican Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, mother of a transgender, tweeted this message:
Senator Ben Cardin says the Trump administration is "sanctioning discrimination" by banning transgender persons from military service. The Maryland Democrat called it "disappointing." President Trump announced the ban in a series of tweets this morning. Cardin argued that the U.S. is "not safer when we sanction discrimination."
Trump added that “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.”
Members of the transgender community have been able to serve openly in the military since last year, when former Defense Secretary Ash Carter ended the ban.
The Pentagon's website says that "transgender Service members may serve openly, and they can no longer be discharged or otherwise separated from the military solely for being transgender individuals."
Military chiefs recently announced a delay on allowing transgender people to enlist.
As of now, transgender troops are already serving openly in the military.