WRITTEN BY: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu
Donald Trump is reportedly set to issue an executive order in January 2025 that would medically discharge 15,000 transgender military personnel, citing unfitness for duty. This would mark a significant expansion of his previous policy, which only banned new transgender recruits but allowed current service members to stay.
The order would reverse President Biden’s policy of lifting the ban. Critics, including Rachel Branaman of the Modern Military Association of America, argue that removing thousands of service members could strain military readiness, worsen recruitment challenges, and harm long-term defense capabilities.
The proposal seems to prioritize political views over military effectiveness, and it could exacerbate existing challenges, particularly in recruitment and maintaining a diverse and capable force.
