Military Trans Policy
Latest From President Biden
by
Missy Ryan,
Samantha Schmidt and
Matt Viser
Jan. 25, 2021
President Biden on Monday repealed the Trump administration’s ban on transgender personnel serving openly in the U.S. military, taking early action to advance campaign promises targeting discrimination against LGBTQ individuals in the federal government, schools and other areas of American society.
The executive order, which will provide immediate protection to transgender troops at risk of being forced out of the military, addresses critics’ concerns that Trump-era restrictions would shrink the military’s recruiting pool and sideline qualified service members. Lifting the ban, Biden said, will make for a more effective force.
“America is stronger, at home and around the world, when it is inclusive,” the White House said in a statement. “The military is no exception.”