Lawmakers blast Trump’s transgender military ban
Gillibrand vows to introduce bill to reverse order
President Donald Trump’s announcement Wednesday via Twitter that he had decided to ban transgender Americans from serving in the U.S. military was met with fierce opposition by local Democratic members of Congress, who charged that the commander in chief’s move could harm the nation’s armed forces.
U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), the ranking member of the Personnel Subcommittee on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said she would introduce legislation to overturn the ban.
“This morning, transgender service members put on their uniform and showed up for their military duties to be told by their commander in chief via Twitter that he doesn’t want them in ‘any capacity.’ These service members are willing to die for their country, and this is an insult to their brave and honorable service. This new directive is harmful, misguided, and weakens, not strengthens, our military,” Gillibrand said in a statement on Wednesday.