Donald Trump just banned transgender people from serving in the U.S. military

Donald Trump has announced that transgender people will be banned from serving in the US military.

The U.S. President made the announcement on Twitter and claimed that transgender service men and women would cause ‘disruption’ within the ranks of the military.

He wrote in a series of tweets: ‘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.

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. Thank you.’

It is yet to be established how Mr Trump plans to enforce the ban, or whether it will affect the estimated 15,000 transgender people who are already serving in the military.

The hard-line approach is a marked contrast to only a year ago on the election trail, when he pledged to fight for LGBT rights.

A recent tweet from his daughter, Ivanka, also pledged to support LGBT citizens.

The move has also received widespread condemnation from leading LGBT institutions including Stonewall.

Posting on Twitter, they wrote: ‘We’re appalled by #Trump’s comments on #trans in US army – deeply offensive and plain wrong. Solidarity with our trans siblings in the US.’

The move was also condemned by Chelsea Manning, the transgender US soldier who was released from prison in May after her espionage sentence was commuted by Barack Obama before he left office.

Posting on Twitter, she criticised Trump’s claims that supporting transgender soldiers would be costly – and pointed out how he had spent money on the new F-35 fighter jets.

Further condemnation came from figures including Chad Griffin, the President of the Human Rights Council.

He wrote: ‘15,000+ transgender Americans are already bravely serving our country. By attacking them, @realdonaldtrump is undermining our military.

‘I know transgender service members and vets who have done more to serve their country than @realdonaldtrump has in his entire life.’

U.S Senator Ed Markey, also waded into the debate, describing Transgender service members as ‘dedicated patriots’.

In 2011, President Barack Obama repealed the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy – allowing openly LGBT people to serve in the US forces.

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Speaking in 2015, he said: ‘Today, Americans can serve the country they love no matter who they love, and openly gay, lesbian and bisexual men and women in uniform make our military stronger and America safer.’