In a bold move aimed at restoring military readiness and cracking down on the so-called “woke” policies of the Biden administration, former President Donald Trump is expected to sign two executive orders (EOs) on Monday. These orders will address the controversial inclusion of transgender individuals in the U.S. military and the growing influence of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs in the armed forces, sources close to the former president reveal.
Trump’s latest executive actions mark a continuation of his stance from his first term, where he attempted to ban transgender service members. Back in 2017, Trump declared on Twitter that the U.S. military would no longer “accept or allow” transgender individuals to serve openly. While his administration’s 2018 policy was overturned by President Biden in 2021, Trump is now poised to take even stronger measures, directly prohibiting transgender service members from military service based on concerns over physical and mental readiness.
The first EO, focused on transgender service members, outlines clear military standards, reinforcing that service members must meet rigorous physical and mental fitness requirements. According to a White House document previewing the order, “Unit cohesion requires high levels of integrity and stability among service members,” with a strong emphasis on resilience, strength, and the ability to withstand the extreme physical demands of military service. It argues that individuals who are unable to meet these requirements, which may include undergoing gender transition surgeries and treatment, should not be serving in the military.
Transition surgeries often involve long recovery periods, narcotic use, and ongoing medical care, which the EO argues hinder a service member’s ability to meet operational readiness requirements. “It can take a minimum of 12 months for an individual to complete treatments after transition surgery,” the document states. During this period, service members are not physically fit for deployment or other military duties.
Though the current number of transgender individuals serving in the military is unclear, estimates from 2014 suggest there could be as many as 15,500 transgender service members across active and reserve duty.
Trump’s order also takes aim at more specific issues, including banning the use of gender-neutral pronouns in the military. The EO directs Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to eliminate the use of “invented and identification-based pronouns” in the armed forces and to enforce strict policies prohibiting biological males and females from sharing sleeping, changing, or bathing facilities. This action is positioned as a necessary step to preserve discipline and unit cohesion, while also ensuring military readiness and lethality remain top priorities.
Critics of the Biden administration’s policy allowing transgender individuals to serve in the military argue that it is a symbol of “gender insanity” that has compromised the military’s operational effectiveness. The White House document harshly criticizes Biden’s actions, noting that the previous administration’s embrace of “gender politics” allowed individuals to serve who were not physically or mentally prepared to meet military requirements, all while taxpayer dollars funded gender-altering medical treatments.
Trump’s order, which will direct Hegseth to implement these new policies, is expected to reset the military’s focus on warfighting, prioritizing readiness and ensuring that every service member is physically and mentally prepared for combat. By rolling back these “woke” policies, Trump is aiming to make the military more combat-ready and capable of facing global threats without the distractions of politically motivated ideologies.
The second EO is equally significant, focusing on the growing influence of DEI programs within the armed forces. Trump’s administration has long criticized the push for diversity and inclusion initiatives in the military, viewing them as a divisive force that undermines morale and effectiveness. Under Biden, DEI programs in the military have been expanded, but Trump’s new EO will seek to eliminate these programs, which he and many conservatives argue have contributed to the lowest recruiting numbers since 1940.
The second EO will ban “discriminatory race- or sex-based preferences” in any branch of the armed forces, the Department of Defense (DoD), or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It mandates an internal review of all DEI practices by Hegseth, who will be responsible for investigating instances where DEI policies may have fostered division within the ranks. The EO also orders the elimination of bureaucratic bodies dedicated to DEI in the military and instructs Hegseth and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to review all curricula in U.S. service academies to ensure they are free of “radical DEI and gender ideologies.”
The White House document notes that these DEI policies, which it describes as a “woke assault” on the military, have led to divisiveness and lower morale among troops. The executive order seeks to return focus to the core mission of the military: defending the nation and ensuring that all service members are prepared for the challenges they will face. “This Order moves our military away from this dark period and renews esprit de corps, readiness, and focus,” it reads, echoing the broader themes of combat readiness and cohesion.
As Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth will be the key figure in implementing these new policies. Hegseth, a strong supporter of Trump’s vision for the military, is committed to ending the “woke” influences in the armed forces and refocusing the military on its primary mission: to defend America’s interests abroad. After narrowly passing his Senate confirmation vote with a 51-50 party-line margin, Hegseth’s role in implementing Trump’s military reforms is now a critical one.
In a statement issued shortly after his confirmation, Hegseth outlined his vision for the military, which includes deterring China’s growing aggression, ending foreign wars responsibly, and focusing on lethality and meritocracy in the ranks. These reforms align with Trump’s broader vision for the U.S. military, which emphasizes strength, modernity, and technological advancement.
Under Trump’s leadership, the U.S. military is expected to regain its former glory as the most powerful, lethal, and prepared fighting force in the world, without the distractions of politically driven policies. The 2024 GOP platform has promised to “ensure the U.S. military is the strongest in the world” and continues to emphasize national security as a top priority.
Trump’s efforts to overhaul the military are set to become a defining aspect of his return to the White House. Whether addressing transgender policies or fighting back against the DEI agenda, these executive orders aim to restore the U.S. military’s focus on its true mission: keeping America safe.
