In a series of military-focused announcements aboard Air Force One, US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reversing inclusive policies on transgender service members and diversity programs in the military.
Trump asserted that “transgender ideology” undermines the discipline and unity required for military readiness. The order reinstates service members dismissed for refusing COVID-19 vaccinations and bans discussions of gender identity and critiques of America’s founding documents as “un-American.”
Additionally, Trump renewed his push for a US version of Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system, emphasizing domestic production. Newly appointed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pledged full execution of Trump’s directives.
Transgender Americans, previously allowed to serve openly under Obama and Biden administrations, face renewed exclusion, affecting an estimated 15,000 service members. Critics, including former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, warned this policy shift weakens military recruitment efforts amid declining enlistment numbers.
