(WBAP/KLIF) – President Trump announced Wednesday, through a series of tweets, that transgender people will be barred from serving in any capacity in the military.
President Trump said the military would not allow or accept transgender service members, reversing a policy begun by the Obama administration.
“Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail,” he tweeted.
After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow……
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017
….Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017
….victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Thank you
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017
Reverend Dr. Neil Cazares-Thomas, Senior Pastor at Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ in Dallas, said a study commissioned by the Pentagon last year found the expected medical costs to be negligible.
“This is yet another demonstration of a lack of leadership, foresight and outright discrimination that is being pushed by unchristian values at the highest level of our government,” Reverend Cazares-Thomas said. “It is a witch hunt that is focused on some of the most vulnerable members of our society and should be resisted by all people of faith and good conscience.”
Thousands of troops currently serving in the military are transgender, and some estimates place the number as high as 11,000 in the reserves and active duty military, according to a Rand Corp. study commissioned by the Defense Department.
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