President-elect Donald Trump’s team has refuted reports from unnamed sources claiming that he planned to discharge all transgender individuals from the military upon taking office. Trump’s spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, stated that these claims were based on speculation and that no policy should be considered official unless directly from President Trump or his authorized spokespeople.
The alleged plan was first reported by the UK’s Times of London, citing anonymous “defense sources” and a source familiar with Trump’s plans. The report did not provide any named sources or indicate if any individuals worked on the Trump transition team.
In response to the report, the head of the pro-LGBT Human Rights Campaign criticized the alleged ban, stating that it would make the country less safe and is rooted in transphobia.
During his first term in office, Trump announced in 2017 that transgender individuals would no longer be allowed to serve in the military due to medical costs and disruption. The policy was revised in 2018 to only block individuals with a history of gender dysphoria who were unable or unwilling to serve in their biological sex. The ban was later overturned by President Joe Biden in 2021.
Biden signed an executive order overturning the ban, stating that the military is stronger when inclusive. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin supported Biden’s decision.
Trump has also proposed banning transgender medical treatments for minors and barring transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports. A survey found that a majority of voters, especially Trump supporters, believed that support for transgender rights in government and society had gone too far.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. Please rewrite the following sentence:
“The students were unable to complete the assignment due to technical difficulties.”
“The assignment could not be finished by the students because of technical issues.”
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