Donald Trump signs memo banning military from recruiting transgender people

US President Donald Trump has finally signed a memorandum ordering the military never to recruit transgender individuals. This new step is coming a month after he tweets his intentions not allow transgenders serve in the U.S military. CNBC reports that the memo, saw Trump directing the Department of Defense and Department to discontinue the use of government funds for sex-reassignment procedures, unless the procedure is already underway.
The White House official who briefed the press reportedly said:
The President is the President for all Americans, and during last year’s campaign he was the first GOP nominee to talk about LGBTQ issues at the GOP convention, but he also was critical of the Obama administration’s change in that longstanding DOD policy.
He’s going to continue to ensure that the rights of the LGBTQ community, as well as all Americans, is protected. This policy is based on a series of national security considerations.
The memorandum also saw the president ordering that the Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis determine in the coming months how to handle transgender people currently serving in the military, using their military effectiveness and lethality, budget constraints, and law.
It asks Mattis to submit a plan to Trump by February 21, 2018, on how to implement those changes.