How Donald Trump’s new executive orders to reshape the military could ban transgender people from the force
Here's how Donald Trump's new executive orders to reshape the military could ban transgender people from the force.
President Trump has been in the Oval Office for just over a week, and he's certainly wasted no time in getting stuck in and making some changes.
Trump signed off on numerous executive orders - which included halting the ban of TikTok, changing laws on immigration, and declaring that there are 'only two genders' - a matter of hours upon his return to the White House.
And on Monday (January 27), it was reported the Republican leader has signed an order canceling former POTUS Joe Biden's instruction from 2021 that allowed transgender people to serve openly in the military.
Trump's changes to the military explained
Advert
The two executive orders could prohibit transgender people from serving in the US armed forces, as well as axing diversity, equity, and inclusion programs from the military.
One of the orders will detail new military standards regarding gender pronouns, as well as mental and physical readiness that could see the trans community banned from the military.
A White House fact sheet uses the term 'trans-identifying' instead of transgender, according to the BBC.
How does this affect transgender people?
Back in 2017, Trump decided to sideline all transgender people from fighting for their country - something which was revoked by President Biden when he got into power.
Nonetheless, Trump has returned the bill upon his return to The White House, and CNN was able to speak with two White House officials who had seen the documents.
Citing a fact sheet, one of them told the outlet: "It can take a minimum of 12 months for an individual to complete treatments after transition surgery, which often involves the use of heavy narcotics.
"During this period, they are not physically capable of meeting military readiness requirements and require ongoing medical care. This is not conducive for deployment or other readiness requirements."
It remains unclear how many transgender people are serving in the US military - though previous estimates have put the figure between 9,000 and 15,000. As part of his new orders, Trump has directed the Pentagon to determine a policy for transgender service members based on readiness within 30 days.
Reinstating troops who refused Covid vaccines
While transgender people may be getting banned from the military, those who were kicked out for refusing to take the Covid-19 vaccine will be reinstated if they so wish.
They will receive full pay and benefits back, while also receiving their former rank.
During his inauguration speech, Trump said these troops were 'unjustly expelled'.
All the executive orders Donald Trump has signed so far
Leaving the World Health Organization
Trump has accused the World Health Organization (WHO) of 'misleading the world' about the origins of Covid-19, while also complaining the US pays more than its fair share compared to other member states.
He's signed an executive order promising to leave the WHO in 12 months and stop all US funding contributions immediately.
TikTok ban
Trump has given TikTok a 75-day reprieve in which to find an American buyer or face a nationwide ban.
When asked why he's u-turned after trying to ban TikTok himself in 2020, he responded: "Because I got to use it."
January 6 pardons
1,500 people who took part in the January 6 Capitol insurrection in 2021 have been granted 'full, complete and unconditional' pardons.
He's also commuted the sentences of some people involved, saying their cases need 'further research'.
Immigration
Trump has signed an executive order declaring a national emergency at the southern US border.
He said in his inauguration speech: "All illegal entry will immediately be halted, and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came."
He plans to send US troops to the US-Mexico border, and signed another order ending automatic birthright citizenship, set to come into force in 30 days time.
Death penalty
Trump wants to help preserve the death penalty in states which are struggling to find adequate supplies of drugs for lethal injections.
He also says that at a federal level, the attorney general should seek the death penalty in cases involving the killing of law enforcement offices or crimes 'committed by an alien illegally present in this country'.
Policy recognising only 'two genders'
The president signed an order which claims there are only 'two genders', male and female, which cannot be changed.
The policy reads: "Agencies will cease pretending that men can be women and women can be men when enforcing laws that protect against sex discrimination.
"These sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality."
In practice, this means passports and visas must reflect male and female as the only two genders, while prisons will be banned from using taxpayer funds for gender transition services.
The bill is dubbed 'Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government'.
Free speech
Trump has signed an executive order promised with the aim of 'restoring freedom of speech and ending federal censorship'.
It promises to 'ensure that no Federal Government officer, employee, or agent engages in or facilitates any conduct that would unconstitutionally abridge the free speech of any American citizen'.
It will also 'identify and take appropriate action to correct past misconduct by the Federal Government related to censorship of protected speech'.
Renaming the Gulf of Mexico
Trump is following through with his rebrand of the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.
"President Trump is bringing common sense to government and renewing the pillars of American Civilization,” the executive order said.
Despite the order, it won't change how it is named globally.
Energy policy
Trump has declared a national energy emergency, which in practice will allow him to fast-track pro-fossil fuel initiatives.
"America is blessed with an abundance of energy and natural resources that have historically powered our Nation’s economic prosperity. In recent years, burdensome and ideologically motivated regulations have impeded the development of these resources, limited the generation of reliable and affordable electricity, reduced job creation, and inflicted high energy costs upon our citizens," the order states.
The order will also reverse Biden's ban on drilling in Alaska as Trump declared America 'will be a rich nation again'.
Drug cartels
Trump has said drug cartels will now be classified as 'terrorist organizations'. The Cabinet will recommend groups to be designated as terrorist organizations within the next 14 days.
"International cartels constitute a national-security threat beyond that posed by traditional organised crime," the orders says.
Federal workers
Federal employees have now been classified as political hires - which means they'll be easier to fire.
Trump also declared a federal hiring freeze which will reduce the size of federal government.
Topics: Transgender, Military, Donald Trump, Politics, US News
Callum Jones