Democrats fire back at Trump as transgender troop ban takes effect
President Trump’s reversal of an Obama-era policy allowing the military to retain transgender service members and to provide related medical and psychological care took effect Friday, leading many Democrats — including presidential candidates — to angrily denounce the new policy and the man responsible for it.
The administration's ban on transgender servicemembers begins today. It is abhorrent. Every American should be able to serve their country, and I can't believe we're still debating that in 2019. We have to reverse this as soon as we can.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) April 12, 2019
To the transgender Americans who serve in our Armed Forces:
You deserve better.
We stand with you in opposing Trump’s reprehensible, vile, and discriminatory ban.https://t.co/jAYb8EnnJB— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) April 12, 2019
Let me be very clear: If someone can handle the job, they should be allowed to serve—regardless of how they identify or who they love. We’ll stand with service members and fight this cruelty with everything we’ve got. https://t.co/cKPBglSBrG
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) April 12, 2019
To the trans men and women who have served or are serving our country in the military, thank you for your patriotism and bravery. I'm standing with you.
— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) April 12, 2019
Read this story and ask how we could stand for courageous service members to have their careers destroyed by a president who pretended to be disabled in order to avoid serving when it was his turn. As of today, this is not theoretical. https://t.co/JhY5x6Tzp3
— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) April 12, 2019
Our troops deserve a Commander in Chief who fights for them as fiercely as they fight for this country. President Trump's transgender military ban, taking effect today, proves he fails that standard. As president I will end this. https://t.co/Ddn3PFWugY
— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) April 12, 2019
The first flag that I raised at City Hall when I became mayor of Newark was the pride flag. As your president, I'll fight day in and day out for LGBTQ communities. pic.twitter.com/ew2jIsKGjC
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) April 12, 2019
Trump surprised the Pentagon by announcing his intention to reverse Obama’s rule in a series of tweets in 2017, leaving Defense Department officials scrambling to implement it.
Under the hastily drawn guidelines, soldiers taking hormones or who have undergone gender reassignment will not be allowed to serve in the armed forces. Any troops already serving who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria prior to Friday’s deadline will be obliged to serve in the sex of their birth and will be forbidden from further hormone treatments or from receiving gender reassignment surgery.
After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow......
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017
....Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming.....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017
....victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Thank you
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017
After three federal judges issued injunctions blocking implementation of Trump’s new policy, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 5-4 ruling issued in January, allowed it to go forward.
Transgender activists took Trump’s decision to issue the new guidelines as a betrayal of promises made during the 2016 presidential campaign.
There are 15,000 patriotic transgender Americans in the US military fighting for all of us. What happened to your promise to fight for them? https://t.co/WzjypVC8Sr
— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) July 26, 2017
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