US: After 'Two Genders', President Trump's Executive Order Likely To Ban Transgender Troops In Military

Days after a crackdown on gender diversity programs, 47th United States Presidenꩵt Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order directing Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to revise the Pentagon's policy on transgender troops. The move is likely to lead to a future ban on their military service.

On January 21, Trump signed an executive order to ensure that the US federal government officially recognises only two g🥃enders- male and female. He also outlined new rollbacks in diversity programs.

About the transgender order

In a controversial order, Trump directed Hegseth to come u⛄p with how the ban on transgender military troops would be implemented in policy.

According to the US president, the service by troops who identify as a gender other than their biological one “conflicts with a soldier's commitment to an honourable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one's personal life” and is harmful to military readiness, requiring a revised policy to address the matter, as per the Associated Press.

This was not the first time Trump tried to impose a ban on transgender troops. D🐓uring his first term, the attempt failed as it was under legal scrutiny for years before Joe Biden overturned it shortly after assuming the office.

Lawyers for transgender troops who challenged the ban in the courts dur⭕ing Trump's first term have already pledged to fight the new ban.

Trump's 'Two Gender' executive order

Donald Trump on January 21 signed an executive order to ensure that the US federal government officially recognises only two gend🐼ers- male and female. "As of toda𒐪y, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders - male and female," Trump said.

The decision puts an end to all official policies that so far recognized a third gওender, denotedဣ by an "X" on US passports.

According to incoming White House officials, from now onwards, genders assigned at birth cannot be changed. "These are sexes that are not changeable, and they are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality," they said, as per a report by NDTV.

In recent years, transgender rights became a ✨heavily discussed political topic in the United States.

In the run-up to the latest US presidential elections in 2024, several Republicans urged for reversing transgender laws with a particular focus on transgender women participating in sports. Addressing the alleged issue, Donald Trump during a pre-inaugu♑ration rally said that he will take action to "keep all men out of women's sports". He's also pledged to restrict gender-affirming care.

Ahead of the elections as well Trump campaigned against diversity, equity and inclusi🌱on polici💎es in the federal government and corporate world.

In line with his anti-gender diversity stance, Trump during his first term as US President, declared a ban on transgender troops serving in the military and halted the recruitment of transgender personnel. However, the policy was reversed by Joe Biden after he took office in 2021.

Trump rolls back DEI initiatives

In line with his anti-gender d🎀iversity stance, Trump also issued a sweeping order to abolish all programs, initiatives, and mentions of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across the Defense Department and the Coast Guard.

The order prohibits the departments from promoting or following "un-American" theories that suggest that America's founding documents are racist or sexist, tဣhat discuss gender ideology, and that promote “divisive concepts” such as “race or sex stereotyp𒆙ing.”

The order says the defense and homeland security secretaries must issue guidance to implement the order in 30 days. It calls for a review to find any instances of actions taken in pur😼suit of DEI, which will be due 🍌to the defense secretary in 90 days.

The secretaries must subm⛎it a report to the White House in six month💎s outlining their progress.

The Pentagon had already been taking steps to comply with his initial DEI ban, and it has had far-reaching consequen💜ces. Without clearer direction, agencies have been taking a broad approach tওo removing any content that seemed to run afoul of Trump's ban.

(With AP inputs)