Donald Trump will attempt to order all transgender service members to leave the military with an executive order on his first day back in the White House, according to defense sources.
The directive would result in the immediate medical discharge of approximately 15,000 active-duty transgender service members, deeming them unfit to serve, and would prevent new trans recruits from joining, The Times reported.
This proposed ban is reportedly broader than Trump's 2017 policy, which allowed transgender personnel already serving to remain. It comes amid a significant recruitment crisis in the armed forces, with branches falling short by tens of thousands of recruits last year.
Military advocates have condemned the plan, warning of its impact on readiness, recruitment, and financial costs.
"Should a trans ban be implemented from day one of the Trump administration it would undermine the readiness of the military and create an even greater recruitment and retention crisis, not to mention signaling vulnerability to America's adversaries," Rachel Branaman of the Modern Military Association of America told The Times.
"Abruptly discharging 15,000-plus service members, especially given that the military's recruiting targets fell short by 41,000 recruits last year, adds administrative burdens to war fighting units, harms unit cohesion, and aggravates critical skill gaps," she continued. "There would be a significant financial cost, as well as a loss of experience and leadership that will take possibly 20 years and billions of dollars to replace."
Critics also note that the Pentagon's reported healthcare costs for trans personnel are minimal, a claim often disputed by opponents of trans inclusion.
"There is no money being spent, it's just continued care," said US navy transgender analyst, Paulo Batista. "The bigger picture is how many other people are going to be affected. Kicking out the 15,000 would affect the whole fleet, the whole battalion. It's everyone."
The Trump campaign declined to comment on the report.
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