People protesting the original transgender military ban. | Photo: Flickr/Ted Eytan
Donald Trump and his administration have plans to introduce a new transgender military policy on 21 February.
The date seems to refer to the memorandum Trump inititally released regarding his transgender military ban. In the memo, there was direction for the defense secretary to submit an implementation plan by 21 February.
US District Judge Marvin Garbis, who is ruling one on of the many cases challenging the initial ban, noted in the new policy in an order filed on Tuesday (6 February).
In the order, Garbis writes that Trump’s counsel will not be defending the original policy. Instead, they will defend the new policy coming out this month.
As of 1 January, trans people were allowed to join the military again.
It is unclear what the new policy will entail and how it will change matters.
Maj. David Eastburn, a Pentagon spokesperson, told BuzzFeed News they would be making ‘recommendations’ to the White House. However, a final decision on the new policy will only come from Trump and his team.
Cruel and unconstitutional
In an emailed statement to GSN, HRC National Press Secretary Sarah McBride responded to the upcoming policy.
‘There has already been extensive and thorough study of allowing transgender people to serve openly,’ she said. ‘A process which led the Pentagon two years ago to announce that the United States would join eighteen other nations that allow open trans service.
‘There are currently thousands of transgender people serving in the U.S. military,’ the statement continued. ‘Their skills and service are already proving invaluable to our national security. In their repeated attempts to implement and justify this cruel and unconstitutional policy, the Trump-Pence Administration has been the only source of disruption on this issue.’
Indeed, a study by RAND discovered trans inclusion in the military would have ‘minimal impact on readiness and health care costs’.
