Trump Administration Official Admits Decision Banning All Transgender Service Members Is Purely Political

White House: Banning Trans Service Members ‘Forces Democrats in Rust Belt States’ to Defend Opposition to New Policy

The White House has just announced that President Donald Trump’s new policy banning all transgender service members isn’t based on the supposed “tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail,” as the Commander-in-Chief stated Wednesday morning, with no advance warning.

In fact, the White House makes clear this is totally a political decision.

“This forces Democrats in rust belt states like Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin, to take complete ownership of this issues,” a Trump administration official told Axios’ Jonathan Swan. “How will blue collar voters in these states respond when senators up for reelection in 2018 like Debbie Stabenow are forced to make their opposition to this a key plank of their campaigns?”

Senator Debbie Stabenow is a popular three-term Democrat from Michigan who is running for re-election in 2018.

At 8:55 AM EDT President Trump made his stunning announcement, banning all transgender service members from the U.S. Military. There are an estimated 10,000 (some say 15,000) trans service members in the military. 

Trump claimed he had consulted with his generals and announced that “the United States Government will not accept or allow Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. 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.”

Sign the petition: Tell President Trump You Support Our Transgender Service Members and Oppose His New Ban

Behind the decision likely is not the generals but Vice President Mike Pence, as NCRM reported earlier.

13 months ago:

To comment on this article and other NCRM content, visit our Facebook page.

This is a breaking news and developing story. Details may change. This story will be updated, and NCRM will likely publish follow-up stories on this news. Stay tuned and refresh for updates.

This post has been updated to accurately reflect Sen. Stabenow’s state.