Trump Team Denies Report of Planned Transgender Military Ban

President-elect Donald Trump's transition team refutes claims of an imminent executive order to remove transgender service members from the U.S. military.

Reports from The Times suggest Trump may issue an executive order on January 20 to discharge approximately 15,000 transgender service members, but his team has called these claims speculative and unfounded.
Trump's spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt emphasized that no decisions have been made and that only official statements from the president or authorized spokespeople should be considered valid.
The alleged plan would reportedly go further than Trump's first-term policy, which banned new transgender recruits but allowed those already serving to remain.
Critics, including military charities and LGBTQ+ advocates, warn that such a move could exacerbate recruitment challenges, harm unit cohesion, and create significant financial and operational disruptions.
Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, has been vocal in opposing transgender inclusion in the military, citing concerns over readiness and medical costs.