US President Donald Trump officially ended what he termed “transgender ideology” in the nation’s military by signing an executive order on Monday.
The executive order signed aboard Air Force One said the “adoption of a gender identity inconsistent with an individual’s sex conflicts with a soldier’s commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one’s personal life.”
In the order, Trump stated that the armed forces “have been afflicted with radical gender ideology to appease activists”, noting that “many mental and physical health conditions are incompatible with active duty.”
“A man’s assertion that he is a woman, and his requirement that others honor this falsehood, is not consistent with the humility and selflessness required of a service member,” the order further reads.
Analysts say the order is a major setback for LGTQ rights in the United States and the world.
During electioneering, Trump had promised to restore the ban on transgender troops to “ensure that we have the most lethal fighting force in the world”.
On Monday, Trump also signed further orders reinstating service members dismissed for refusing to take the Covid vaccine and extending a wider government crackdown on diversity programmes for the armed forces.
Meanwhile, the 47th President told the White House press corps that his administration would push to build a missile defence system similar to Israel’s Iron Dome.