GLAAD, TRANSGENDER SERVICE ADVOCATES RESPOND TO DISCRIMINATORY EXECUTIVE ORDER REGARDING TRANSGENDER PEOPLE IN THE MILITARY

GLAAD: “The Trump administration’s inaccurate statements and rhetoric targeting transgender people are not based on facts. LGBTQ Americans have been here before, ending ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ and Trump’s previous trans military ban. Research and military experts have made it loud and clear that targeting service members because of who they are is blatantly discriminatory and makes our country less safe.”

(January 28, 2025 — New York, NY) — Today GLAAD, the world’s leading LGBTQ media advocacy organization, as well as advocates for transgender U.S. service members, are responding to President Trump’s latest anti-LGBTQ disinformation regarding transgender people and transgender Americans serving in the military.

The facts are:

• The order is not a “ban,” it is a directive to the Defense Secretary to implement discrimination into the military. The order includes inaccurate and inflammatory language about Americans who capably and honorably serve their country, and have for years, with zero negative impact on military readiness or effectiveness.
• The order gives the Defense Secretary 60 days to complete this task. The Defense Secretary has a vast record of mismanagement, personal misconduct, and violent and inaccurate statements against women and female service members, including allegations of sexual assault.
• There is no evidence to support the Trump administration’s claims.
• There is no evidence that gender identity has a negative impact on capacity to serve. 
• There is research to show Trump’s previous ban on trans service had a negative impact on military readiness, unit cohesion, and national security.
• 56 generals, admirals, and other leaders from every service branch condemned Trump’s previous attempt to bar open service, noting it would “degrade readiness even more than the failed ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy.”
  
• Trump’s executive order discriminates and spreads disinformation about an entire group of Americans. It is also in conflict with Trump’s discriminatory Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion rollbacks which say it is illegal to discriminate based on sex. Trump’s orders are lawless and incoherent.
• Majorities of the American public and military personnel have long supported open transgender military service.
• At least 30 countries allow open service for transgender military personnel, including the UK and Israel.
• Health care for transgender people is supported by every major medical association. Many of the same treatments are also safely prescribed to cisgender people to affirm their gender. There is no evidence to support Trump claims that trans health care negatively impacts ability to serve.
• Donald Trump never served in the military and deferred himself from service multiple times based on fraudulent medical claims. Trump’s record of targeting LGBTQ people is documented on the Trump Accountability Tracker. 

GLAAD’s President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis (she/her) issued the following statement:
“Transgender people are already serving in the military with honor and keeping our country and military safer and stronger. They meet the same rigorous health and readiness standards, and continue to do so. The Trump administration’s inaccurate statements and rhetoric targeting transgender people are not based on facts. LGBTQ Americans have been here before, ending ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ and Trump’s previous trans military ban. Research and military experts have made it loud and clear that targeting service members because of who they are is blatantly discriminatory and makes our country less safe.”

SPARTA Pride:
“Transgender Americans have served openly and honorably in the U.S. Armed Forces for nearly a decade. Thousands of transgender troops are currently serving, and are fully qualified for the positions in which they serve. Transgender service members currently fill critical roles in combat arms, aviation, nuclear engineering, law enforcement, and military intelligence, many requiring years of specialized training and expertise. Transgender troops have deployed to combat zones, served in high-stakes missions, and demonstrated their ability to strengthen unit cohesion and morale.”

Alaina Kupec (she/her), a transgender veteran, former US Naval Intelligence Officer, GRACE Founder and President:
“Across the world today, countless transgender service members are defending our nation’s freedom, at the very same time their freedom is being taken away from them. These sailors, marines, airmen and soldiers serve our country with the utmost honor, and many have served long successful careers. Prohibiting transgender individuals from service undermines our nation’s values and readiness at the very moment our military is needed. Whether they serve in the Red Sea, the Asia-Pacific region, or here close to home, they serve so that so many Americans do not have to. This policy eschews our nation’s values of liberty and justice for all. This distraction aids our nation’s enemies by destabilizing our fighting forces. Those in command of transgender service members are now left to wonder how their staffing gaps will be filled. And transgender service members are now worried about their futures instead of focusing on doing their job defending our nation.”

Rep. Leigh Finke (she/her), the first out transgender member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, responded on CNN:
“These are glorified press releases meant to scare people and to create uncertainty, meant to push people towards discrimination of transgender people and will be very difficult to enforce, and will take upwards of a year to figure out if this is even going to be possible. In the meantime it’s going to expose trans folks and make our lives more difficult.”

Other advocates doing important work to support LGBTQ service members include Modern Military Association of America, which provides a united voice for LGBTQ+ military and veteran communities and works to uphold and expand the civil rights progress made on behalf of LGBTQ+ service members, veterans, and their families.

Additional background:

As with most of Pres. Trump’s executive orders, the public and the media should exercise great caution and skepticism regarding their accuracy, legality, next steps and implementation:

• Legal groups are already planning to sue Trump, again. Lambda Legal: “Seven years ago we were able to successfully block the earlier administration’s effort. Not only is such a move cruel, it compromises the safety and security of our country and is particularly dangerous and wrong. As we promised then, so do we now: we will sue. Once again, as during the first term, the Trump administration is attacking a vulnerable population based on bias, political opportunism and demonstrably untrue ‘alternative facts,’ denying brave men and women the opportunity to serve our country without any legitimate justification whatsoever.”
• Legal experts have noted that Trump’s orders are written sloppily and hastily, and are likely illegal and/or unconstitutional or not legally binding. Last Thursday, federal district judge John C. Coughenour – a Reagan appointee – blocked Trump’s attempt to restrict birthright citizenship, calling it “blatantly unconstitutional.”
• Executive orders cannot override the U.S. Constitution, federal statutes, or established legal precedent.
• Donald Trump never served in the military, deferred himself from being drafted multiple times on dubious grounds, has disparaged military personnel including generals he hired in his last administration, and used the sacred ground of Arlington Cemetery to campaign for office. This is not a credible source on what is best for the military.
• Pete Hegseth was confirmed as Secretary of Defense by a single tie-breaking vote. Three Republican senators voted against him because he lacks qualifications and character. Hegseth’s history of financial mismanagement, lack of knowledge about basic military facts, and personal misconduct and sexual assault allegations and payoffs should be included in any claims the Trump administration and spokespeople make about “meritocracy,” “integrity,” or “honesty” in the military.