President Donald Trump’s announcement on Wednesday that transgender persons are now banned from serving in the U.S. military in "any capacity" got early pushback from social media's first-responders, who most usually are critics.
One of the first to take to Twitter was transgender former U.S. Army soldier Chelsea Manning, Variety noted.
Manning, recently released from prison after being granted a commutation for what was supposed to be a 35-year sentence for disclosing thousands of military documents, had gender-change treatment while serving time in prison for her 2013 conviction.
Trump has defended his decision by citing "tremendous medical costs and disruption" as reasons for the ban, but critics said the move showed the president’s "raw prejudice" for the LGBT community, according to Reuters.
Trump made the announcement in a series of Tweets, including:
"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," Trump said, confirmed NBC News.
Public figures seemed to be waiting in line to post criticism, including U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand who called the ban "discriminatory."
The new ban comes more than a year after former President Barack Obama's secretary of defense, Ash Carter, removed a similar ban.
In that time, about 250 service members have applied for a gender change.
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