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The Biden administration should repeal the ban on transgender Americans after serving in the military, several people briefed on the decision told CBS News. The announcement is expected as early as Monday, a senior defense official and four outside supporters of the repeal of the ban told CBS News.
The senior defense official told CBS News the repeal will be by executive order signed by President Joe Biden. The announcement is expected to take place at a ceremony with newly confirmed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin who will order the Pentagon to revert to the policy adopted in 2016 by former Defense Secretary Ash Carter that allowed transgender Americans to serve openly.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The new order will require branches of the military to present an implementation plan.
The ban was announced by former President Trump via a tweet in July 2017. The ban went into effect in April 2019 and banned transgender Americans from enlisting in the military.
In 2014, it was estimated that there were around 15,500 transgender service members in service, according to a study by the Williams Institute at UCLA Law School.
Biden repeatedly repeated during the election campaign his promise to repeal the ban.
Austin said during his Senate confirmation hearing last week that he planned to revoke the ban.
“I support the plan or the president’s plan to overturn the ban,” Austin said Tuesday when asked by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, “I truly believe, senator, that, as I said in my opening remarks, if you are fit and qualified to serve and you can maintain the standards you should be allowed to serve. And you can expect me to support this all the way through. “
Fin Gomez contributed to this report.
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