“Trump-Era Military Shakeup: Nearly 15,000 Transgender Troops Faced Removal Under Controversial Ban”

In a controversial move, former President Donald Trump’s administration took steps to remove over 14,700 transgender service members from both active duty and reserves in 2020.

The policy, which was initially introduced by Trump in 2017, effectively banned most transgender individuals from serving in the U.S. military, citing concerns about military readiness and cohesion.

Under this new directive, transgender individuals who were currently serving were given the option to either leave the military or transition to a gender that aligned with their assigned sex at birth.

The decision sparked widespread backlash from LGBTQ+ rights groups, many of whom saw the ban as discriminatory and harmful. Critics argued that the policy violated the rights of transgender individuals and hindered the military’s ability to recruit skilled personnel.

Supporters of the ban, however, defended the decision as necessary for national security. Despite the opposition, Trump’s administration upheld this policy until its reversal by President Biden in 2021.