President Donald Trump says the U.S. military will no longer let transgender people serve in any capacity, reversing a policy former President Barack Obama’s administration announced a year ago.

In a string of Twitter comments, Trump said that “after consultation with my Generals and military experts,” he was ending acceptance of transgender people into the country's armed forces.

“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,” Trump wrote.

The Rand Corporation think tank has estimated there are 2,500 transgender active duty personnel in the U.S. military and another 1,500 reserve transgender service members, but Trump did not say what would happen to them.

Defense officials say that as many as another 250 service members are believed to be transitioning to their preferred gender.

Trump’s decision on transgender personnel came a day ahead of a deadline for the military to update its medical regulations to accommodate them.

But the Pentagon appeared to be caught off-guard by Trump’s announcement and still was listing its timetable for review of its transgender policy on its website. Later, the Defense Department said it was referring all questions about the change in policy to the White House. The Pentagon said it would “continue to work closely with the White House to address the new guidance provided by the Commander-in-Chief” and then brief military officials.

Trump’s action drew an immediate rebuke from a leading group supporting transgender rights and lawmakers who had favoured last year’s policy change.

Human Rights Campaign president Chad Griffin said, “I know transgender service members and vets who have done more to serve their country than @realdonaldtrump has in his entire life.” (VOA)

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