Statement on the Department of Defense’s Dangerous Effort to Remove Transgender Servicemembers from the U.S. Military
Washington, DC – Today, Out in National Security (ONS) CEO Luke Schleusener issued the following statement after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth directed the Department of Defense to effectively remove transgender servicemembers from the U.S. military.
“Our servicemembers—and our country—deserve better than politically motivated orders that threaten the strength of America’s All-Volunteer Force by rejecting the service of thousands of transgender Americans in uniform. Anyone who is willing and qualified to sign up for military service deserves our respect, gratitude, and support. Make no mistake: at a time when the United States faces growing threats around the world, the Trump Administration’s ban on transgender military service will make Americans less safe. ONS will continue to fight alongside our partners to reverse these dangerous actions—because the fight to strengthen America’s national security is never over.”
Background
After the Trump Administration issued an executive order in January to effectively ban transgender individuals from joining the U.S. military, Schleusener said that the order “will make America less safe, plain and simple.”
