Trump announces ban on transgender service in military

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump has banned transgender individuals from serving in the military, reversing a policy put in place by his predecessor's administration.

'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 tweeted on Wednesday. '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.”

Last year, then-Secretary of Defense Ash Carter shifted policy to allow for transgender individuals to serve in the military, but Trump's administration put that change on hold.

Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, reacted swiftly, writing on Twitter, 'I know service members and vets who have done more to serve their country than @realdonaldtrump has in his entire life.”

HRC called the announcement 'shameful” and noted that 'threatening 15K currently serving troops who put their lives at risk is unpatriotic and dangerous.”