Donald Trump

Trump's Controversial Transgender Military Policy Goes Into Effect

The new transgender military policy was ignited by a series of surprise tweets made by President Donald Trump almost two years ago

Three years after the Obama administration told transgender individuals they could serve openly and have access to gender-affirming medical and psychological care, the Trump administration has reversed course, NBC News reports. The Pentagon on Friday began to implement a controversial new policy that critics say is essentially a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy for trans service members.

Under the new policy, currently serving transgender individuals who have already received a diagnosis of gender dysphoria may continue to serve in their preferred gender, receive hormone treatments and undergo gender-affirming surgery. But after Friday, anyone with gender dysphoria who is taking hormones or has already undergone a gender transition will not be allowed to enlist. Further, any currently serving troops diagnosed with gender dysphoria after this date will have to serve in their sex as assigned at birth and will be barred from taking hormones or getting gender-affirming surgery.

When told that “transgender Americans say you’ve given up on them,” President Donald Trump said: “You know what I'm doing? I'm protecting everybody. I want to protect our country.”

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