U.S. President Donald Trump signs documents as he issues executive orders in the Oval Office at the White House on Inauguration Day in Washington, U.S., Jan. 20, 2025.
Carlos Barria | Reuters
President Donald Trump on Monday signed executive orders aimed at reversing Biden-era military policies on Covid-19 vaccination, transgender service members and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
Trump also ordered that the U.S. build its own version of Israel’s “Iron Dome” missile defense system, directing the secretary of Defense to send him plans within 60 days.
The orders are the latest in a flurry of executive actions by Trump, who has pushed major changes across the federal government in his first week back in the White House.
Monday’s actions include an order to reinstate people who were discharged from the military during the Covid-19 pandemic for refusing to be vaccinated against the deadly virus.
Discharged service members who seek reinstatement also will receive full back pay and benefits, the order says.
Another order seeks to “ensure the readiness and effectiveness of our Armed Forces” by undoing Biden-era gender inclusivity efforts.
That order revokes former President Joe Biden‘s prohibition on military discharges based on gender identity and aims to bar “invented and identification-based pronoun usage” in the Defense Department.
Trump’s order also prohibits males from using or sharing “sleeping, changing, or bathing facilities designated for females.”
The order drew fierce condemnation from transgender rights advocates.
“The Trump administration’s unconscionable attack on trans servicemembers is an insult to the dignity, honor, and integrity of thousands of patriotic Americans who have committed to serving this country simply because of who they are,” said Olivia Hunt, director of federal policy at Advocates for Trans Equality, in a statement.
“The new policies it directs the Department of Defense to adopt are discriminatory, undermine core military values, and disrespect the sacrifices made by trans servicemembers and their families,” Hunt said.
The president signed an additional order ending all diversity, equity and inclusion practices in the Defense and Homeland Security departments.
Trump’s order directs the Pentagon to review all internal instances of “actions taken in pursuit of DEI initiatives, including all instances of race and sex discrimination and activities designed to promote a race- or sex-based preferences system.”
It also directs the secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security to review the curricula of U.S. service academies and other defense academic institutions to “ensure alignment with this order.”
The order also states that those institutions “shall be required to teach that America and its founding documents remain the most powerful force for good in human history.”
Read the original article here