On Jan. 27, President Donald Trump signed four executive orders that will transform the military—including banning transgender service members from serving in the armed forces, media outlets reported.
Trump also signed orders erasing the military’s DEI programs and and reinstating service members who were discharged for refusing to get COVID-19 vaccinations (with back pay), according to CNN. New Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had stated that he wanted to install major cultural changes to the military, including ending DEI practices.
Trump had banned transgender individuals from serving in the military in 2017 during his first administration; however, then-President Joe Biden issued an order in 2021 repealing the ban. Hours after being sworn in for his second term, Trump signed an order revoking Biden’s repeal; however, the order Trump announced he had signed on Jan. 27 reportedly goes even further and includes new military standards regarding gender pronouns.
The military has about 1.3 million active-duty personnel, according to the Department of Defense data; trans-rights advocates say there are as many as 15,000 transgender service members, although officials say there are significantly fewer, per Reuters.
The newest executive order, “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness,” states that the “policy is inconsistent with the medical, surgical, and mental health constraints on individuals with gender dysphoria,” according to The Advocate. It adds that it “is also inconsistent with shifting pronoun usage or use of pronouns that inaccurately reflect an individual’s sex.”
The order also questioned the fitness of trans individuals, saying, “It can take a minimum of 12 months for an individual to complete treatments after transition surgery, which often involves the use of heavy narcotics. During this period, they are not physically capable of meeting military readiness requirements and require ongoing medical care. This is not conducive for deployment or other readiness requirements,” reportedly citing a fact sheet.
In a statement that Windy City Times received, SPARTA Pride—a group of transgender people who have served in the military—criticized the new policy. The organization said, in part, “Transgender service members currently fill critical roles in combat arms, aviation, nuclear engineering, law enforcement, and military intelligence, many requiring years of specialized training and expertise. Transgender troops have deployed to combat zones, served in high- stakes missions, and demonstrated their ability to strengthen unit cohesion and morale.
“While some transgender troops do have surgery, the recovery time and cost is minimal, and is scheduled so as not to impact deployments or mission readiness (all of which is similar to a non-emergent minor knee surgery). The readiness and physical capabilities of transgender service members is not different from that of other service members.”
In addition, Lambda Legal and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) announced their intent to take legal action against the Trump administration to block implementation of the anti-transgender order. “We have been here before and seven years ago were able to successfully block the earlier administration’s effort to prevent patriotic, talented Americans from serving their country,” Lambda Legal Counsel Sasha Buchert said. “Not only is such a move cruel, it compromises the safety and security of our country and is particularly dangerous and wrong. As we promised then, so do we now: we will sue.”
HRC Vice President of Legal Sarah Warbelow added, “Our military servicemembers, including thousands of transgender troops, wear the same uniform, take the same oath, and meet the same rigorous standards. They are heroes who put their lives on the line to protect our country—and we owe them all a debt of gratitude. Instead, this discriminatory ban insults their service and puts our national security at risk. Expelling highly trained members of our military undermines military readiness and wastes years of financial and training investments.”
The Congressional Equality Caucus also criticized the president’s move, with Chair and U.S. Rep. Mark Takano saying, “It’s beyond shameful that one of President Trump’s most pressing priorities is to disrupt our military’s readiness by forcing qualified and dedicated servicemembers out of the military. Our military has invested millions of dollars into training these brave Americans who signed up to serve their nation. Now, despite their sacrifices, President Trump is unlawfully and unconstitutionally calling for them to be kicked to the curb simply because he doesn’t like who they are.”
And on the local front, Equality Illinois CEO Brian C. Johnson said in a statement, “By directing the Department of Defense to adopt policies and regulations that will make it impossible for trans servicemembers to serve openly, the president has barred talented individuals from defending their country. This administration’s obsessive attacks on trans people not only harm the LGBTQ+ community; they undermine our national wellbeing and security. We are hopeful this [executive order] will be successfully challenged in courts so that all who wish to serve our country may.”
“Excluding transgender Americans from military service is reprehensible,” said U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-5) in a statement. “Transgender servicemembers have been serving openly and effectively for over a decade. Today’s attacks are not based in science or reason. Instead, they are repeating the same mistakes from 20 years ago when Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell targeted gay and lesbian servicemembers. We repealed that discriminatory policy fifteen years ago, and I am committed to repealing this new ban too.”
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