Trump's top general tells him to drop his bigoted military ban
Trump’s hand-selected military officials are pushing back on his bigoted proposed ban of transgender service members.
The officials Trump installed at the Pentagon are pushing him to dispense with his bigoted ban on transgender service in the military.
The Washington Post reports that Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is planning to propose that transgender service members be allowed to continue their service.
Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has put a freeze on implementing any changes until a new military policy on the issue has been adopted. That move was backed by Mattis.
Trump called for a ban on transgender service, apparently acting on a story he saw on Fox News. The ban is part of Trump’s ongoing campaign to undo the legacy of President Barack Obama.
President Obama opened up military service to transgender Americans in June 2016. The policy followed President Obama getting rid of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” a decision that allowed gay men and women to openly serve their country.
Unlike President Obama, Trump did not consult with the military ahead of his sweeping announcement, and military leaders said they were blindsided by it. Dozens of retired generals slammed the decision. A nominee to the Department of Homeland Security withdrew his name from consideration in protest of the ban.
At the time of Trump’s announcement, an administration official admitted it was a “political attempt to put Democrats in the position of defending the rights of transgenders.”
In the meantime, practically ignoring Trump, the military has been admitting transgender recruits. It has even given guidance to recruiters on how to enlist transgender people.
Testifying before Congress, Dunford admitted that transgender troops have served the country with honor.
Dunford also said he’d recommend to Trump that existing service members not be removed.
Trump’s attempt to hurt the military by embracing bigotry has run into a roadblock. The very people Trump put in place to run the organization.
Recommended
Here are some of the most openly anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans in Congress
Nearly the entire House and Senate Republican caucuses oppose equal rights. These 17 lawmakers take bigotry to an even higher level.
By Will Fritz and Josh Israel - June 02, 2023
LGBTQ Voices in Politics: Tiffany Muller
'Twenty years ago, when I started in politics, obviously, our community was being used as a punching bag to juice Republican turnout,' the End Citizens United president recalled, 'And we're seeing that history repeat itself right now.'
By Will Fritz - May 31, 2023
The dark money funding conservative anti-trans groups
Secretive right-wing donors and foundations have given millions of dollars to prominent anti-trans groups.
By Nick Vachon and Matt Cohen - May 31, 2023
