Wednesday morning, President Donald Trump unleashed bombshell tweets announcing a ban on transgender people in the military.
After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow......
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017
....Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming.....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017
....victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Thank you
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017
Last year, former President Barack Obama enacted policy that would lift the ban. It was originally set to begin July 1 of this year, but was delayed to January 1, 2018.
Many were outraged over Trump’s tweets. Politicians and prominent figures took to their own social media to express their anguish.
Donald: With your ban on trans people from the military, you are on notice that you just pissed off the wrong community. You will regret it.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) July 26, 2017
This is discrimination, plain and simple. I stand with the brave transgender Americans who selflessly serve our military. https://t.co/VGck60O9G1
— Kamala Harris (@SenKamalaHarris) July 26, 2017
Transgender Americans are serving honorably in our military. We stand with these patriots.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) July 26, 2017
I served on active duty in the U.S. Military. Exclusion of Transgender Americans by @POTUS is not based on facts, it is based on bigotry. https://t.co/DgURRGnMVu
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) July 26, 2017
Transgender Americans are already bravely serving in the military. They are patriots and should be celebrated, not discriminated against. https://t.co/OcAJ9RBzSk
— Rep. Dan Kildee (@RepDanKildee) July 26, 2017
SHAMEFUL. This harms military readiness and puts lives at risk. There are more than 15K active serving #transgender troops. https://t.co/ozWttSu9hi
— HumanRightsCampaign (@HRC) July 26, 2017
Laverne Cox statement on Trump transgender military ban announcement https://t.co/TK2RfSAdPt pic.twitter.com/GaDILVKtPX
— Lorena O'Neil (@lorenaoneil) July 26, 2017
We should be grateful to the people who wish to serve, not turn our backs on them. Banning transgender people is hurtful, baseless and wrong
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) July 26, 2017
There are many ways to serve our communities/countries. Trans folk have done vital work, putting bodies on the line unlike @realDonaldTrump
— Janet Mock (@janetmock) July 26, 2017
#TransRightsAreHumanRights pic.twitter.com/bIwmUodl0d
— Marc Jacobs (@marcjacobs) July 26, 2017
Stunned that @POTUS would treat #transgender Americans who want to serve our country in this way. This is about bigotry, not safety. https://t.co/ophwdrx4Ic
— Rep. Diana DeGette (@RepDianaDeGette) July 26, 2017
Anyone willing to put their life on the line for their fellow Americans should be allowed to serve, not targeted for their gender identity. https://t.co/Gn3NLDhauV
— Rep. Scott Peters (@RepScottPeters) July 26, 2017
Our military defends our freedom and ideals as a country. Banning transgender servicemembers does not represent who we are as Americans.
— Rep. Scott Peters (@RepScottPeters) July 26, 2017
We won't accept backward and hateful policies. As part of @LGBTEqCaucus, we'll continue fighting for transgender rights and respect for all.
— Rep. Scott Peters (@RepScottPeters) July 26, 2017
Those who choose to enter our military, putting their lives on the line for the country they love, should never be referred to as a burden.
— Rep. Stephen Lynch (@RepStephenLynch) July 26, 2017
We should thank our brave service members for their willingness to serve and ensure they receive the care and benefits they have earned.
— Rep. Stephen Lynch (@RepStephenLynch) July 26, 2017
Every person who honorably serves this country in the military should have full and comprehensive health care. Period.
— Rep. Stephen Lynch (@RepStephenLynch) July 26, 2017
.@POTUS our servicemen & women, regardless of their race, sex, or gender, shouldn’t be targeted--EVER. They risk their lives for our safety.
— Dwight Evans (@RepDwightEvans) July 26, 2017
Banning any qualified person from serving their country because of who they are is both discriminatory and bad national security policy. 1/
— Ruben Gallego (@RepRubenGallego) July 26, 2017
The height of hypocrisy is when you claim to care about our troops but then you openly discriminate against them. #SupportTransTroops
— Raul M. Grijalva (@RepRaulGrijalva) July 26, 2017
We should honor the service of every patriotic American who is brave enough to wear the uniform. Every single one. #ProtectTransTroops
— Elizabeth Esty (@RepEsty) July 26, 2017
The President’s policy announcement today is gratuitously discriminatory and will damage our national security. 2/3
— Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) July 26, 2017
Does Trump think Kristin Beck's service on Seal Team 6, where she was awarded bronze star & purple heart, was "burdensome" or "disruptive?" https://t.co/SlDg3ZUyxX
— Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) July 26, 2017
.@POTUS attacks on #transgender troops are wrong. If you serve your country, we should have your back. #LGBT
— Rep. Derek Kilmer (@RepDerekKilmer) July 26, 2017
#ProtectTransTroops pic.twitter.com/ydzYyuFuPF
— Sean Patrick Maloney (@RepSeanMaloney) July 26, 2017
This does not represent who we are as a nation. https://t.co/7H3iWUgN3k
— Senator Patty Murray (@PattyMurray) July 26, 2017
Another #BrokenPromise-Trump said he'd fight for #LGBT Americans, yet bans transgender Americans from serving in uniform #ProtectTransTroops https://t.co/SMB4ZGPVmy
— Steny Hoyer (@WhipHoyer) July 26, 2017
Congress must #ProtectTransTroops against @POTUS 's hateful & discriminatory attack. https://t.co/ZjPMKlW8GG #ProtectTransTroops
— Jackie Speier (@RepSpeier) July 26, 2017
Denying #transgender people opportunity to serve goes against the values that our military fights to protect. #ProtectTransTroops
— Suzanne Bonamici (@RepBonamici) July 26, 2017
The brave Americans who took an oath to defend our country and Constitution deserve our utmost respect and support. #ProtectTransTroops
— Senator Tom Carper (@SenatorCarper) July 26, 2017
Shameful & cowardly to divide Americans willing to serve & sacrifice, for Trump's political gain. #betrayal https://t.co/yyxRF9yj80
— Earl Blumenauer (@repblumenauer) July 26, 2017
Trump’s ban on transgender Americans serving in military is shameful & endangers security. https://t.co/qRkQfYTp0f #ProtectTransTroops pic.twitter.com/pcrRtbeoEn
— Steny Hoyer (@WhipHoyer) July 26, 2017
President Trump’s move to ban transgender troops is on the wrong side of national security & the wrong side of history #ProtectTransTroops
— André Carson (@RepAndreCarson) July 26, 2017
President Trump’s ban on #trans service members is a despicable display of bigotry and disrespect for transgender service members and vets.
— Katherine Clark (@RepKClark) July 26, 2017
Shame on @POTUS who never served for attacking our transgender service members. History will judge you harshly. https://t.co/eUk27hvZtt
— Rep. Nydia Velazquez (@NydiaVelazquez) July 26, 2017
Whatever he enacts, to watch the President publicly reduce soldiers, whatever their orientation, to financial burdens... disgraceful.
— Zelda Williams (@zeldawilliams) July 26, 2017
ALL those who defend our right to live freely should be able to serve freely! There are THOUSANDS currently serving! #ProtectTransTroops
— KATY PERRY (@katyperry) July 26, 2017
There are 15,000 patriotic transgender Americans in the US military fighting for all of us. What happened to your promise to fight for them? https://t.co/WzjypVC8Sr
— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) July 26, 2017
69 years ago, President Truman desegregated the US Military. This morning, @POTUS turned anti-#trans prejudice into policy.
— Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) July 26, 2017
