Trump abolishes diversity and equity policies in U.S. Armed Forces

President Donald Trump signs several executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday, January 23, 2025. Source: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

On January 27, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he had signed four executive orders reshaping the structure of the military. These include a ban on transgender individuals serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, the elimination of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in the military, and the reinstatement of U.S. military discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, CNN reports.

According to CNN, just hours after being sworn in for a second term last week, Trump signed an order reversing the Biden administration’s 2021 decision to allow transgender individuals to serve in the military.

The second order bans any "discriminatory" DEI-related policies in the military. This order follows a directive from the Trump administration to place all federal diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility office employees on paid administrative leave. The order "has to be complied with rapidly and quickly."

The third executive order mandates the reinstatement of all active-duty and reserve service members previously discharged for refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

And a fourth order would begin the process of creating a “next generation” missile defense shield for the US, according to a fact sheet on the order obtained by CNN.

The order calls for an "Iron Dome" for America, borrowing the name of Israel’s acclaimed short-range missile defense system, which has been used for years to intercept rockets launched from Gaza.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Trump had ordered transgender offenders to be placed in male prisons.

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