{"slug":"trump-trans-military-ban","title":"Transgender Military Ban: Exclusion of Transgender Service Members via Tweet","date":"2017-07-26","lastUpdated":"2019-04-12","description":"On July 26, 2017, Trump announced via Twitter that transgender individuals would no longer be allowed to serve in any capacity in the United States military — reversing Obama administration policy through a tweet, without consulting the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Pentagon was reportedly caught off-guard. The policy went through multiple legal challenges, was blocked by federal courts, and was eventually implemented in a modified form in 2019 before being reversed by Biden on Day One.","summary":"Trump's tweet announcing the transgender military ban was not coordinated with military leadership. The Joint Chiefs issued an unusual public statement saying they would not change policy until they received 'formal guidance.' Multiple federal courts issued injunctions blocking the original ban. After losing court cases, the administration issued a modified 'Mattis plan' that imposed restrictions based on gender dysphoria treatment; it was implemented in 2019 and reversed by Biden in 2021. An estimated 14,700 transgender people were serving in the military.","category":"civil-rights","severity":"critical","ongoing":false,"sources":[{"url":"https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/26/us/politics/trump-transgender-military.html","title":"Trump Says Transgender People Will Not Be Allowed in the Military","publisher":"The New York Times"},{"url":"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2017/07/27/joint-chiefs-will-continue-to-treat-all-service-members-with-dignity-and-respect-despite-trumps-tweets/","title":"Joint Chiefs: Will continue treating all service members 'with dignity and respect'","publisher":"The Washington Post"},{"url":"https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-politics-f7f54a37ed3d420ca10cf2e1a97a6c4c","title":"Federal courts block Trump transgender military ban","publisher":"The Associated Press"},{"url":"https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR1530.html","title":"Assessing the Implications of Allowing Transgender Personnel to Serve Openly","publisher":"RAND Corporation"}],"draft":false,"status":"published","tags":["transgender","military","civil-rights","first-term","LGBTQ","discrimination"],"relatedEntries":[],"timeline":[{"date":"2016-06-30","title":"Obama administration lifts transgender ban","summary":"Defense Secretary Ash Carter announces the military will allow transgender individuals to serve openly, ending the previous exclusion policy. A one-year implementation period is established."},{"date":"2017-07-26","title":"Trump tweets ban — Joint Chiefs blindsided","summary":"Trump announces in three tweets that transgender individuals will not be allowed to serve 'in any capacity.' The Joint Chiefs are reportedly not consulted in advance. They issue a statement indicating they will await formal guidance before changing any policies."},{"date":"2017-10-30","title":"Trump signs formal presidential memorandum","summary":"Trump signs a formal presidential memorandum directing the military to return to pre-Obama transgender service policy, but gives Secretary Mattis authority to develop 'a study' with recommendations."},{"date":"2018-03-23","title":"Mattis plan submitted — modified ban","summary":"Secretary Mattis submits a plan allowing transgender service members who are 'stable' (not in transition) to serve while barring those with gender dysphoria who require treatment. The plan is narrower than Trump's original tweet."},{"date":"2019-04-12","title":"Modified ban implemented after Supreme Court stay","summary":"After the Supreme Court stays the lower court injunctions blocking the ban, the Mattis plan goes into effect. Transgender individuals with gender dysphoria who require transition are barred from new enlistment; current service members may be separated."},{"date":"2021-01-25","title":"Biden reverses ban on Day 5","summary":"Biden signs an executive order on January 25, 2021, reversing the transgender military ban and reinstating the policy of open service for transgender individuals."}],"location":{"name":"Washington, D.C.","lat":38.9072,"lng":-77.0369},"custom":{"era":"first-term","posture":"executive-action","warCrimeClassification":"enabling","internationalLaw":[{"statute":"International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights","article":"Article 26","provision":"Prohibition on discrimination based on sex or other status — excluding transgender individuals from military service based solely on gender identity constitutes prohibited discrimination"}],"iccRelevance":false,"victims":"Approximately 14,700 transgender service members whose military careers were disrupted or ended; transgender individuals who wished to serve who were barred","structuredPerpetrators":[{"name":"Donald Trump","role":"President of the United States","institution":"White House"}],"updateLog":[{"date":"2019-04-12","summary":"Updated with implementation of modified Mattis plan after Supreme Court stay."}]}}