Current Affairs

Activists funded ads on Fox News pressuring President Trump to let trans troops serve

Mar 01 2018
Written by Meka Beresford

A U.S Marine (Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

An activist group funded numerous ads on Fox News urging President Donald Trump to allow transgender troops to serve.

The adverts, which celebrate trans inclusion and knock the presidency, will be aired on Fox News, which is known to be Trump’s favourite go-to news source.

The 30-second clips will also air on CNN and MSNBC from tomorrow (March 2).

The advert states: “An unfit president tweets that transgender Americans won’t be allowed to serve.

“But decorated military leaders say there’s no reason to single out these brave heroes.”

The Human Rights Campaign, who have funded the adverts, said that it was a “critical window of time” to take action.

(Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Sarah McBride, a spokesperson for the HRC, said: “If they can’t access healthcare, then they won’t be able to serve.

“Then it becomes a ban in and of itself.”

McBride said that it is the “largest” media campaign on trans troops, with the adverts costing at least “five figures”.

HRC was supported by four other activist groups to launch the adverts.

There is currently no clear guidance on transgender troops in the military as the Pentagon missed its February 21 deadline to release guidance.

However, it is believed that Secretary of Defence Jim Mattis broke away from the president’s wishes and advised him to allow trans troops to serve, as two top US official confirmed to the Washington Post that this was the likely route Mattis would take.

Dana White, a spokesperson for Mattis, said last month that the secretary had missed the deadline because of the complexities of the policy had to be considered.

“This is a complex issue, and the secretary is taking his time to consider the information he’s been given.

“It’s an important issues, and again, he sees all of his decisions through the lens of lethality,” White said.

US President Donald Trump speaks on the Florida school shooting, in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House on February 15, 2018 in Washington, DC. Earlier Thursday, President Trump issued a largely symbolic proclamation, ordering that flags be flown at half staff at US embassies, government buildings and military installations."Our nation grieves with those who have lost loved ones in the shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida," he said. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

(Getty)

Trump will be expected to speak about the policy after it is decided on, but he may not if Mattis goes against his wish to ban trans troops.

President Trump tweeted in July last year calling for trans troops to be banned from the US armed forces, claiming they were a burden on the military.

The claims sparked months of legal battle.

Since Trump’s tweets announcing the proposed ban, interim guidance was put in place by the Pentagon to temporarily halt trans troops from being forced to leave the service.

The guidance also allowed trans troops to access medical treatment and on January 1, transgender people were allowed to enlist openly.