Trump - no transgender people will serve in U.S. military: Twitter

[snoop1130]

Trump - no transgender people will serve in U.S. military: Twitter

 

U.S. President Donald Trump holds a rally with supporters in an arena in Youngstown, Ohio, U.S. July 25, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would not allow transgender individuals to serve in the U.S. military in any capacity.

 

"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 in a series of Twitter posts.

 

"Our military must be focussed on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail," the Republican president wrote.

 

The Pentagon ended its ban on openly transgender people serving in the U.S. military in 2016 under Democratic President Barack Obama's administration. It was expected to start allowing transgender people to begin enlisting this year, provided they had been "stable" in their preferred gender for 18 months.

 

Last month, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis approved a six-month delay in allowing transgender recruits to join the U.S. armed forces.

 

The delay alarmed transgender advocates.

 

Last year, then-Defense Secretary Ash Carter cited a study by the RAND Corporation think tank saying there were about 2,500 transgender active-duty service members and 1,500 reserve transgender service members.

 

(Reporting by Susan Heavey and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-7-26

[darksidedog]

Well, if you were ever looking for evidence that America was a progressive and forward thinking society, that ship just sailed.

At this rate the Yanks will be back living in caves by 2024.

Edited July 26, 2017 by darksidedog

[iReason]

[Jingthing]

Sounds like another diversion.

Throw a misunderstood minority that is unpopular with his moronic bigoted  base under the bus with a lame excuse.

Russia scandal to the back burner for awhile.

The POTUS is such a dangerous creep. 

Everyday a new outrage. 

Edited July 26, 2017 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

4 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Well, if you were ever looking for evidence that America was a progressive and forward thinking society, that ship just sailed.

At this rate the Yanks will be back living in caves by 2024.

Understood, but his antics don't really have majority support. He's all about his base now. He only enjoys enthusiastic support from 25 percent of Americans. 

[Scott]

Will the transgenders presently serving be discharged?   Will they get an honorable discharge?   Will they get Vetran's Benefits?

[bendejo]

20 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Sounds like another diversion.

Throw a misunderstood minority that is unpopular with his moronic bigoted  base under the bus with a lame excuse.

Russia scandal to the back burner for awhile.

The POTUS is such a dangerous creep. 

Everyday a new outrage. 

 

Absolutely.  Gives the social media-sphere something to be outraged about.  Another attempt to keep his name constantly mentioned (it works!) and hopefully a distraction from the ever-developing real scandals.  And the yokels can laugh at the drag queens in the news coverage, so he keeps his base entertained.

Recently, in a, umm, discussion with a Trumpster/Fox News faithful type, he told me that the gays were accomplishing lots of things until they got mixed up with "this LGBTQ" stuff.  I had no idea what he was alluding to, and neither did he: as with all else he had to say it was just stuff he was repeating from FN.

 

 

[Caps]

The BBC are also mentioning that the US Military have spent $84million for treating erectile dysfunction in contrast to the spending on Transgender medical treatment, must be all those special forces  

[webfact]

Trump to ban transgender U.S. military personnel, reversing Obama

By Phil Stewart and Doina Chiacu

 

Crowds of people seen protesting U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement that he plans to reinstate a ban on transgender individuals from serving in any capacity in the U.S. military, in Times Square, New York, U.S., July 26, 2017. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would ban transgender people from the U.S. military, an action appealing to some in his conservative political base but sowing confusion about the fate of thousands of transgender service members.

 

Trump's surprise announcement, in a series of Twitter posts, drew condemnation from rights groups and some lawmakers in both parties as discrimination with purely political motives. But it was praised by conservative activists and some Republicans.

 

Trump spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said the administration has not yet decided whether transgender service members already in the military would be immediately thrown out, saying the White House and Pentagon would have to work that out.

 

The action, reversing Democratic former President Barack Obama's policy, halted years of efforts to eliminate barriers to military service based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

 

"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 tweeted, without naming any of the generals or experts.

 

"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," added Trump, who as a presidential candidate last year vowed to fight for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people.

 

Sanders said Trump had "extensive discussions with his national security team" and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was informed after the president made the decision on Tuesday.

 

"This was about military readiness," Sanders told a briefing. "This was about unit cohesion. This was about resources within the military, and nothing more."

 

Some White House officials were caught by surprise. A senior administration official said Trump had been determined to act for a while, but the question was the timing, with advisers split on whether to conduct reviews before announcing the move.

 

The Pentagon earlier referred questions about Trump's decision to the White House.

 

The announcement at least temporarily changed the subject in Washington with Trump's administration mired in investigations into his presidential campaign's contacts with Russia and struggling to win approval of any major legislation.

 

It was not the first time Trump has targeted transgender people since taking office in January. In February, he rescinded protections for transgender students put in place by Obama that had let them use bathrooms corresponding with their gender identity.

 

Senate Armed Forces Committee Chairman John McCain - the most prominent veteran in Congress, who was a Navy pilot and prisoner of war during the Vietnam War - called Trump's announcement unclear and inappropriate until an ongoing Pentagon study on the issue is completed and reviewed by Mattis, the military leadership and lawmakers.

 

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council advocacy group, was among those praising Trump, saying that "our troops shouldn't be forced to endure hours of transgender 'sensitivity' classes and politically correct distractions."

 

Obama's Pentagon last year announced it was ending its ban on transgender people serving openly, calling the prohibition outdated. The Defense Department had been expected to start allowing transgender people to begin enlisting this year. But Mattis on June 30 approved a six-month delay in allowing transgender recruits to join the military.

 

'POLITICAL POINTS'

 

American Civil Liberties Union attorney Joshua Block said Trump had rejected the "basic humanity" of transgender service members.

 

"There are no cost or military readiness drawbacks associated with allowing trans people to fight for their country," Block said. "The president is trying to score cheap political points on the backs of military personnel who have put their lives on the line for their country."

 

Obama's defence secretary, Ash Carter, last year cited a study by the RAND Corporation think tank saying there were about 2,500 transgender active-duty service members and 1,500 reserve transgender service members.

 

"To choose service members on other grounds than military qualifications is social policy and has no place in our military," Carter said on Wednesday, noting there were already transgender individuals serving "capably and honourably."

 

The House of Representatives' top Democrat, Nancy Pelosi, noted that a Pentagon-commissioned study determined the cost of providing medically necessary transition-related care involving transgender service members would amount to one-100th of 1 percent of the military's healthcare budget. The study put the cost at $2.4 million to $8.4 million a year of the more than $50 billion the Defense Department spends on healthcare.

 

"Once again, President Trump has shown his conduct is driven not by honour, decency, or national security, but by raw prejudice," Pelosi said.

 

Sarah Warbelow of the Human Rights Campaign advocacy group said Trump's action amounted to "discrimination on the basis of sex and identity," and was open to legal challenge under the U.S. Constitution's guarantee of equal protection under the law.

 

U.S. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Republican whose son is transgender, said on Twitter: "No American, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity, should be prohibited from honour + privilege of serving our nation."

 

Chelsea Manning, the transgender Army soldier who served seven years in prison for leaking classified data, said Trump's action "sounds like cowardice." Transgender celebrity Caitlyn Jenner defended "patriotic transgender Americans" in the military and asked Trump on Twitter, "What happened to your promise to fight for them?"

 

But Vicky Hartzler, a Republican congresswoman, praised Trump for changing Obama's "costly and damaging policy."

 

The U.S. military's ban on gays serving openly in the armed forces ended under Obama in 2011 after Congress passed legislation in 2010 reversing a law dubbed "don't ask, don't tell" that had forced the ouster of thousands of service members and others to hide their sexual orientation.

 

The Pentagon under Obama also opened all combat roles in the military to women.

 

The U.S. military at times has been in the vanguard of social progress. Trump's action came on the 69th anniversary of Democratic President Harry Truman racially integrating the armed forces, years before the 1950s and 1960s civil rights battles.

 

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Phil Stewart in Washington; Additional reporting by Steve Holland, Lawrence Hurley and Susan Heavey in Washington, and Daniel Trotta, Andrew Seaman, Joseph Ax and Jonathan Allen in New York; Writing by Will Dunham; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-07-27

 

[tomwct]

Great Decision although it wasn't a hard one to make!

[simple1]

4 hours ago, Scott said:

Will the transgenders presently serving be discharged?   Will they get an honorable discharge?   Will they get Vetran's Benefits?

Another policy announcement via Twitter. WH Press Secretary has confirmed details need to be finalised.

Edited July 26, 2017 by simple1

[Boon Mee]

1 hour ago, tomwct said:

Great Decision although it wasn't a hard one to make!

Absolutely! 

We don't need any more Chelsea Mannings in the Military and taxpayers footing the bill for sex change operations. 

[newatthis]

I'd bet London to a brick that, despite all the reasons Trump gave, some right wing religious fanatic has been preaching in his ears about the Biblical prohibitions of homosexuality. Probably told him that God would not give them victory in any battles if they allowed gays in their ranks.

[Credo]

2 minutes ago, newatthis said:

I'd bet London to a brick that, despite all the reasons Trump gave, some right wing religious fanatic has been preaching in his ears about the Biblical prohibitions of homosexuality. Probably told him that God would not give them victory in any battles if they allowed gays in their ranks.

Trump really doesn't listen to anybody.   He certainly would listen to any religious group....he thinks he is God.   

[newatthis]

1 minute ago, Credo said:

Trump really doesn't listen to anybody.   He certainly would listen to any religious group....he thinks he is God.   

Sorry Credo, I stand corrected. I forgot about that.

[ballpoint]

 

"You mean I can finally go home?"

Edited July 27, 2017 by ballpoint

[Caps]

22 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

Absolutely! 

We don't need any more Chelsea Mannings in the Military and taxpayers footing the bill for sex change operations. 

Yeah god forbid if that were to happen, then where would all the money come from to spunk  (excuse the pun) on sorting out limp d1cks? 

Edited July 27, 2017 by Caps

[Credo]

[Rancid]

20 minutes ago, Credo said:

Ha, very good. Funny how in the old days military service was expected by all, these days politicians send the troops to die but rarely ever have their relatives go with them. Also be interested to see how many bankers are on the front lines.

[Boon Mee]

Well, no one has a "right" to serve in the Military.

Transgenders can qualify to be 4F which excludes them.

[Luckysilk]

1 hour ago, Boon Mee said:

Absolutely! 

We don't need any more Chelsea Mannings in the Military and taxpayers footing the bill for sex change operations. 

The high depression rates would also be a concern with Trandgenders & cost of hormones.

 

I get that many would feel it their sense of civic responsibility to serve but I also wonder how many sign up for all the medical freebies.

 

A good decision IMO.

[Thakkar]

Jamil Smith (‪@JamilSmith‬)

27/7/17, 01:52

 

“The tweet was the first we heard about it," said a Pentagon official regarding Trump’s transgender military ban. on.wsj.com/2uZjrAn

 

 

Also, just 5 months ago:

 

Anthony Scaramucci (‪@Scaramucci‬)

4/2/17, 07:24

 

President Trump is most pro-LGBTQ rights ‪@POTUS‬ in history. Why's that story not written in mainstream media? washingtontimes.com/news/2017/jan/…

 

 

 

Edited July 27, 2017 by Thakkar

[Thakkar]

3 presidents

July 26, 1948

Executive Order 9981 was an executive order issued on July 26, 1948, by President Harry S. Truman. It abolished racial discrimination in the United States Armed Forces and eventually led to the end of segregation in the services.

 

July 26, 1963

Fifteen years after Truman's order, on July 26, 1963, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara issued Directive 5120.36 obligating military commanders not to employ their financial resources against facilities used by soldiers or their families that discriminated based upon sex or race.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directive_5120.36


July 26, 2017

Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
26/7/17, 10:55 pm
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...

[Jingthing]

It's a political decision to please his hate base of deplorables and despicables. He's not running for a second term. The majority of Americans are in FAVOR of continued expansion of CIVIL RIGHTS for ALL Americans. He only wants to keep his minority of Americans base fired up for his first term, if he lasts through it. Hopefully not. He's a fascist monster.

Edited July 27, 2017 by Jingthing

[JHolmesJr]

They're still allowed to flounce around in camouflage during mardi gras.

[mamypoko]

Trump the draft dodger. On the wrong side of history yet again.

[Boon Mee]

Well, the decision was a smart one for a lot of reasons not the least of which is, again, no one has a 'right' to be in the Armed Forces 

Plenty of other careers they can perform in with better aplomb than carrying a rifle into combat 

[Skywalker69]

1 hour ago, Boon Mee said:

Absolutely! 

We don't need any more Chelsea Mannings in the Military and taxpayers footing the bill for sex change operations. 

Transgender Navy SEAL Hero Issues A Challenge To Donald Trump 

 

Retired Navy SEAL veteran Kristin Beck responded to Donald Trump’s tweets about transgender individuals serving in the United States military.

 

http://samuel-warde.com/2017/07/transgender-navy-seal-hero-issues-a-challenge-to-donald-trump/?utm_content=buffer198c9&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

 

No heel spur here!

 

[Prbkk]

7 hours ago, Scott said:

Will the transgenders presently serving be discharged?   Will they get an honorable discharge?   Will they get Vetran's Benefits?

That's a good point: quite a few "came out" after the policy was loosened, only to find out now that maybe it would have been more prudent to stay in the cupboard.

 

[Scott]

53 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

Well, no one has a "right" to serve in the Military.

Transgenders can qualify to be 4F which excludes them.

There is no 4F as there is no compulsory conscription.