Joe Biden to reverse transgender military ban as soon as next week

President Biden could reverse former President Trump’s transgender military ban as soon as Monday, a source familiar with the plan confirmed to The Hill.

Biden is expected to sign an executive order reversing Trump’s policy as soon as right after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is ceremonially sworn in at the White House on Monday morning, the source said.

Asked for comment, the Pentagon referred The Hill to the White House, which did not immediately respond to an emailed request. The timing was first reported by CBS News.

Biden pledged during the presidential campaign he would lift the ban, referring to doing so as a “day one” priority. But it was not among the batch of executive orders Biden signed hours after his inauguration amid a delay in Austin’s confirmation.

Austin was confirmed Friday morning and officially sworn in later that day.

During his confirmation hearing last week, Austin said he supported lifting the ban.

“I support the president's plan to overturn the ban,” Austin told the Senate Armed Services Committee. “I truly believe, senator, as I said in my opening statement, that if you are fit and you’re qualified to serve and you can maintain the standards, you should be allowed to serve.”

The Obama administration, in which Biden was vice president, lifted the previous ban on transgender military service in 2016.

But in 2017, Trump tweeted he would reverse the open service policy, saying he would “not accept or allow tra... (Read more)

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