Democrats And Civil Rights Groups React With Outrage, ACLU Tells Trans Soldiers To “Get In Touch With Us”

Everybody was caught by surprise by this morning’s anti-transgender tweets, including the Pentagon, but the press releases are starting to roll in. Here’s some of what I’ve gotten so far.

From the Democratic National Committee:

Right this moment, around the world, brave transgender service members are protecting the American people – including Donald Trump and Mike Pence. While the White House claims to be celebrating ‘American Heroes’ week, the president and vice president are shoving real American patriots back in the closet and putting our nation’s security at risk.

Donald Trump said he would protect LGBTQ people, but today’s decision to ban transgender Americans from serving in the military proves his promise was another bald-faced lie. Democrats stand with the transgender community and we will fight this administration’s bigotry tooth-and-nail.

Those who defend our right to live freely should be able to serve freely. This cowardly statement by Donald Trump shames our nation and its history of advancing diversity in our military – from the integration of African-Americans into the military by President Truman to President Obama’s ending of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell – and it is an insult to the millions of Americans who have courageously served our nation.

From the ACLU:

This is an outrageous and desperate action. The thousands of transgender service members serving on the front lines for this country deserve better than a commander-in-chief who rejects their basic humanity.

Let us be clear. This has been studied extensively, and the consensus is clear: There are no cost or military readiness drawbacks associated with allowing trans people to fight for their country. The president is trying to score cheap political points on the backs of military personnel who have put their lives on the line for their country.

There is no basis for turning trans people away from our military and the ACLU is examining all of our options on how to fight this. For any trans service member affected by today’s announcement: Please get in touch with us, because we want to hear from you.

From the Palm Center:

The President is creating a worse version of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell.’ As we know from the sad history of that discredited policy, discrimination harms military readiness. This is a shocking and ignorant attack on our military and on transgender troops who have been serving honorably and effectively for the past year.

As former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen stated yesterday, their service must be respected. The Rand Corporation has estimated that the cost of medical care for transgender troops is approximately one one-hundredth of one percent of the military annual health care budget, or at most, $8.4 million per year. To claim otherwise is to lie about the data.

From the Southern Poverty Law Center:

Thousands upon thousands of transgender people have served and are serving this country with honor and courage. But while these brave men and women risk their lives for all of us, in every corner of the world, 24 hours a day, President Trump tweets out a disgraceful, discriminatory policy – backed by the country’s most extreme anti-LGBT hate groups – that will do nothing to make anyone safer.

This policy only serves to throw fuel on the fire of hatred and fear, making an already-vulnerable population even more vulnerable. The Southern Poverty Law Center stands with all transgender and gender-nonconforming Americans, whether civilian or military. Neither Trump nor his childish tweets can stop our march toward dignity and equality.

From GLAAD:

This anti-LGBTQ policy, announced on Twitter, follows what was a six-month delay by the Department of Defense in implementing recruitment policies for transgender Americans who are willing to serve and protect the freedoms of the United States of America.

Further, this announcement is a complete reversal from a directive by the Obama Administration which lifted a ban on trans soldiers from openly serving in the military. According to the National Center for Transgender Equality, there are over 15,000 transgender Americans currently serving in the United States armed forces.

“President Trump today issued a direct attack on transgender Americans, and his administration will stop at nothing to implement its anti-LGBTQ ideology within our government – even if it means denying some of our bravest Americans the right to serve and protect our nation,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of GLAAD. “Today further exposed President Trump’s overall goal to erase LGBTQ Americans from this nation. Trump has never been a friend to LGBTQ Americans, and this action couldn’t make that any more clear.”

From Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand:

“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. I will introduce legislation and will fight to overturn this discriminatory decision.”

From US House Rep. Robin Kelly:

Any American who stands up and volunteers to serve this great nation deserves our respect. The decision by President Trump to stop allowing trans* individuals to serve in our Armed Forces is disgusting, stupid and runs counter to our American values. I want to say that I’m shocked, but after House Republicans tried to write hate into this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), I’m not surprised.

Our national security is too important for Republicans to insert their agenda of intolerance. The President’s decision to tweet out a major military personnel decision shows his complete and utter disdain for those who wear the uniform. Decisions affecting the brave Americans who put their lives on the line for this country deserve more than 140 characters in his consistent tweet stream of hate and ignorance.

I remain committed to serving and honoring every and anyone willing to put their life on the line for my family, our freedom, and this great nation. I will not dishonor the brave service of a veteran just because of who they are.

From People For The American Way:

Transgender people who serve in our military deserve our gratitude and respect, and it’s appalling that President Trump is treating them so cruelly and so cynically. President Trump claimed to be an ally to the LGBTQ community, but he has since shown that he’s more than willing to use bigotry and hate when it serves his own short term interests.

Once again, Trump has proven he is willing to sacrifice our country’s values in order to score a few political points. Transgender people in our military have repeatedly demonstrated their character, their integrity and their love of our country. Donald Trump has never demonstrated anything of the sort.

From US House Rep. Mark Pocan:

President Trump’s decision to ban transgender Americans from serving in any capacity in the U.S. Military is outrageous and shameful. What President Trump has done today is tell more than a million Americans that they are not equal or valued. While he may cite ‘tremendous medical costs and disruption’ as the basis for this decision, this claim has been disproven. In reality, his decision is based in discrimination and an effort to reverse progress made under the Obama Administration.

Since the first days of his campaign, President Trump has denigrated and disrespected the LGBT community. Transgender Americans deserve respect and the opportunity to serve our nation in the military. With more than 15,000 transgender Americans serving in the military today, President Trump should immediately reverse course on his decision and he should stop using shocking policy shifts on Twitter to distract Americans from his failing health care plan.

From the Human Rights Campaign:



Today Donald Trump has proven himself as unpatriotic as he is unfit to serve as Commander in Chief. He has put a target on the backs of the more than 15,000 transgender troops proudly serving in our military. This heinous and disgusting action endangers the lives of American service members, undermines military readiness and makes our country less safe. It is also the latest effort by Trump and Mike Pence to undo our progress and drag LGBTQ people back into the closet by using our lives as political pawns.