**Trump Plans Immediate Ban on Transgender Military Personnel Upon Reentering White House**

Donald Trump is reportedly preparing to reintroduce a comprehensive ban on transgender individuals serving in the U.S. military when he assumes office on January 20. His plan involves signing an executive order on his first day as President to remove transgender people from all military ranks, according to an exclusive report by The Times.

This approach recalls Trump's controversial policy from his previous term, where he prohibited new transgender recruits but allowed existing members to continue their service. President Joe Biden had reversed this ban at the start of his presidency. Sources told The Times of London that this time, even long-serving and loyal transgender personnel will face dismissal from the military.

As of 2021, around 2,200 military service members were reported to have gender dysphoria following the lifting of Trump's initial ban. Current estimates suggest that approximately 15,000 active service members would be affected by the new ban, potentially leading to their medical discharge on the grounds of being unfit for service. The U.S. military comprises about 1.3 million active duty personnel.

Trump has frequently criticized "woke" practices within the military, expressing that some officers prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion over combat preparedness. At a campaign rally in Virginia on November 2, he decried what he termed "transgender craziness" and "transgender fanatics."

In a related move, Trump has nominated Pete Hegseth, a Fox News personality and former U.S. National Guard major, to head the Pentagon. Hegseth, who has raised concerns about what he perceives as ineffective and "effeminate" military leadership, has referred to the situation as "trans lunacy."

Rachel Branaman, executive director of the Modern Military Association of America, warned that such a ban could severely impact the military's readiness, creating a recruitment and retention crisis and signifying weakness to adversaries. She noted that abruptly discharging over 15,000 service members would strain administrative resources, harm unit cohesion, and exacerbate skill gaps, with significant financial costs and loss of leadership potentially taking decades and billions of dollars to remedy.

Paulo Batista, a transgender analyst in the U.S. Navy, echoed these concerns, indicating that the proposed ban would prematurely end their career along with thousands of others. "I have four years left on my contract," Batista said. "But taking 15,000 of us out—a number that is commonly cited—would eliminate vital leadership positions across the board."