Pandering to his troglodyte base. We’ll see if he actually follows through with it. I suspect this is, as with most things Trump, empty bluster.

Did he specify if they would be allowed if they had already transgendered? I may have used the wrong word, but I mean if they have already gone through the surgery.

Of course he didn’t. That would go beyond his capacity to think beyond a few words at a time.

@chyna “Transitioned” is the usual word, but no, I didn’t hear anything about that. At least I should think there’d be no problem with transitioned individuals joining. But generally the issue with trans people (whether it’s bathroom bills or this) isn’t with the transitioned ones.

He is appealing to his right wing base; he is restarting the culture wars in order to get people to stop thinking about Russia and the Trump Family’s future jail time.

This has nothing to do with LGBTQ or the military. This has everything to do with changing the subject and getting people to stop talking about Mueller and Sessions.

The question: Are Americans stupid enough to fall for this?

This decision has nothing to do with anyone’s safety or the military budget, it is purely a bone thrown to his bigoted base.

My favorite argument was provided by an old school, law enforcement, ex-military, Texas good ol’ boy when he was asked about women in the military when the argument was about serving in “combat positions”.

Something to the effect of:

“As long as they keep letting stupid in, I don’t see how you can say anyone else is causing the problems.”

The only reason Trump is putting that out there is because most people only know of one transgender soldier, and she elicits strong opinions. It’s calculated.

It’s all “Whack a Mole” and smoke and mirrors. Look over here so you don’t look over there. Worst. President. Ever.

This may be a dumb question, but what “tremendous medical costs” is he referring to? (Assuming he is referring to something.) And are there really no other people in the military who have medical costs associated with them for one reason or another?

The “distraction” reason sounds like the same nonsense that was used to try to keep out women and openly LGB people.

This was payback for VP Mike Pence’s love note op ed two days ago.

To use a mixed metaphor, Mike Pence has a hard-on to set LGBTQ rights back 50 years.

By the way, the military spends more on Viagra than they do on trans-care. All those soldiers who carry a weapon but whose gun doesn’t work.

Here is how much it actually costs to treat transgendered people in the military.

It’s such bullshit.

I’m American and I think he means it. We shall see. The expenses involved would include more surgeries, surgeries to correct failed ones, medications all paid for by the US government and possibly, not probably, counseling sessions. The Democrats are more than willing for the government to pay these bills. Republicans? Not so much. A person could be in the very beginning of being transgendered , if that’s the term, then join the armed forces to avoid paying for the rest of the surgeries, etc. Am I right?

@Aster Please, look at the link I supplied in my answer which appears 2 above yours. Just look up a tad. The US military is already spending 10 times on Viagra than it is on treatment for transgendered personnel.

“more surgeries, surgeries to correct failed ones, medications all paid for by the US government and possibly, not probably, counseling sessions.” Do you know how insulting you are?

it’s just another tasteless blooper tweeted by a fool who has once again shot off his mouth before weighing the consequences. The DOD is facing critical problems both in meeting enlistment quotas and retention goals. Just what is supposed to happen to the transgender folks currently serving?

Well Ex Navy Seal Kristin Beck is not to happy with a Tweet changing Military Policy. She was a Navy Seal and a male until 2011. The math of cost is “false news ” from an uninformed individual with unbelievable control. He doesn’t know how to implement nor does the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

@Hawaii_Jake no; I don’t know how I’m being insulting. You, by saying that, are acting like transgender people don’t have surgeries. Anyway, the real problem is not in being transgender. The perceived problem, by the government, really has to do with restrooms and silly, disruptive behaviors. If you don’t think transgenderism would cause a lot of macho guys to act insane so be it. From jokes to laughter to ridicule to anger it would all occur on or near the battlefield. It is not my fault that men are the way they are. There would be insults everyday all day and that is not conducive to conducting business. And no; I don’t approve of the way they’d behave. But a lot of higher government officials appear to agree with me.

@Aster I wonder if you are aware that there are over 15,000 transgender people serving in the military at this time.

Today is not my day to teach the ignorant how stupid they are. I’ll let someone else do that.

This is a battle I’m walking away from.

Thanks Jake !

I wish I was so eloquent.
You cannot fix stupid.

ABSOLUTELY—If you’re trying to distract the media and the American people from the far more serious issue of the Republicans trying to destroy our healthcare system…

It’s pretty classy for a draft-dodger to tell people they can’t serve in the military because of their gender identity.

@Aster “If you don’t think transgenderism blacks/women/gays would cause a lot of white/macho guys to act insane so be it. From jokes to laughter to ridicule to anger it would all occur on or near the battlefield. It is not my fault that whites/men are the way they are. There would be insults everyday all day and that is not conducive to conducting business.”

Fixed that for you. Your argument is basically the same argument that’s been used against every group other that straight, white, cis-gender males serving. It’s an argument that has been proven wrong each and every time.

The Pentagon – We will not take orders from Donald Trump’s twitter account.

(Not an exact quote, but more or less the gist of it.)

@zenvelo and @Hawaii_Jake whether incidentally or not… Thanks for pointing me to the info I didn’t bother finding on my own! ;)

@Darth_Algar I’m glad to hear the Pentagon’s response!

The thing we should be talking about that is more important than Trump’s decision on this matter, is his cavalier off the cuff choice to announce so critical a policy change in a morning tweet. The repercussions of this decision are both profound and extensive, and once more we are treated to lessons from an oversized ego driving a profoundly ignorant mind. As with the Boy Scout speech, and most other Trump pronouncements, these are ALL failures in judgement. And they are terrifying in their implications for the country and its future. The fact is that Trump is actually the ultimate test as to whether our country’s reputed checks and balances can shield us from unmitigated catastrophe.

A tweet is not policy.

tell it to Don

No. You can’t tell him anything. Tell it to the Washington Post and the NYT. They should know better.