Did Trump Ban Transgender Troops from Military for 74 Miles of Border Wall Funding? Greg Price - Newsweek
go to original July 27, 2017

Outrage as Trump bans transgender people from serving in US military (Al Jazeera English)

Update: Aide to Trump Says Military Exists to ‘Kill People and Blow Stuff Up,’ Not to Include Transgender Soldiers (Newsweek)

The reasoning behind President Donald Trump’s sudden Twitter announcement Wednesday that upended Capitol Hill, the military and LGBT rights activists - that transgender people would be banned from military service - reportedly came down to one factor: funding for the billionaire’s much-hyped idea of constructing a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico.

In order to boost that funding, public funding of surgeries for transgender service members would be removed from a defense spending bill that would fulfill the president’s promises to increase military spending and construct that wall. Conservative Republicans and national defense "hawks" have been focusing on the costs of surgeries as the House tinkered with the bill, and Trump made his decision in order to make sure the bill would move forward, Politico reported, citing White House and congressional sources.

There are nearly 7,000 transgender individuals who are serving in the military in some capacity, and how they would be affected going forward has yet to be announced. A policy put in place by President Barack Obama, which is now being overturned, allowed transgender troops to serve openly.

Stating that the president had made his decision Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said during Wednesday’s press briefing the Defense Department and the White House would coordinate on how to “lawfully” determine and implement the new policy toward transgender members of the Armed Services.

Sanders also said the military’s current acceptance of transgender individuals is an “expensive and disruptive policy.”

Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis had been quiet on the issue, but the report asserts he had been consulted before Trump’s tweets.

Read the rest at Newsweek

Related: Democrats Fail on Long-Shot Measure to Block Trump Military Transgender Ban (Washington Examiner)

Related: Elvia Díaz: Transgender Soldiers Are Paying for the Border Wall with Mexico (AZCentral.com)

Related: First Out Trans Soldier on Military Ban: Trump Is a “War-Dodger” Who Has “No Connection to Reality” (Mic)

Related: It's Time to Stand Up for Trans People. Here Are 21 Ways to Show Your Support. (Upworthy)

Related: Satire: Trump Insists Mexico Wall Must Feature Painted Tunnels to 'Trick Bad Guys to Run Into Them' (Joe)

We invite you to add your charity or supporting organizations' news stories and coming events to PVAngels so we can share them with the world. Do it now!