Donald Trump announces ban on transgender people in U.S. military

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that he will ban transgender people from serving in the US armed forces, "in any capacity," saying American forces “must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory” and could not afford to accommodate them, a decision that mark the reversal of the Obama administration decision that would have allowed them to serve.

The policy was initially approved by the Defense Department under former US President Barack Obama in 2016, which was still under final review, that would allow transgender individuals to openly serve in the military.

Citing the need to focus on victory, Trump said the military cannot accept the burden of higher medical costs and “disruption” that transgender troops would require.

After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military," Trump said in a series of tweets Wednesday morning.

Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail.

Thank you, he added.

— 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

According to a 2016 Rand Corp. study commissioned by the Defense Department, the number of transgender people in the military is between 1,320 and 6,630.

The move comes after Trump's defense secretary, retired Gen. Jim Mattis, delayed the implementation of the plan to accept transgender troops by six months. The decision came one day before the deadline for the military to update its medical standards to accommodate transgender service members.

The six-month delay was requested by the Joint Chiefs of Staff  and would allow a further review of how allowing transgender recruits to serve would affect the military’s lethality, Mattis said in a memo. That review was due by early December.