U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, ranking member of the Personnel Subcommittee on the Senate Armed Services Committee, today issued the following statement on President Donald J. Trump’s discriminatory decision to ban transgender service members from the U.S. military:
“This morning transgender service members put on their uniform and showed up for their military duties to be told by their Commander in Chief via Twitter that he doesn’t want them in ‘any capacity.’ These service members are willing to die for their country, and this is an insult to their brave and honorable service. This new directive is harmful, misguided, and weakens – not strengthens – our military. I will introduce legislation and will fight to overturn this discriminatory decision.”