U.S. House Representative Sarah McBride, the United States’ first openly transgender member of Congress, has fiercely criticised former President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender military service in a passionate House floor speech, calling the policy “appalling”, “cynical”, and “un-American”.
McBride, who represents Delaware, condemned the policy for disqualifying thousands of qualified transgender Americans from serving in the military, despite their “honour, distinction and unshakable patriotism”.
“These are Americans who have served with honour, with distinction and with unshakable patriotism… and now this administration is telling them they can no longer serve simply because of how they express their gender,” McBride said.
“A Cruel and Cynical Distraction”
Delivered around the Fourth of July holiday, McBride’s speech underscored the hypocrisy of celebrating freedom while “quietly forcing thousands of patriots out of military service”.
“This isn’t about readiness, merit, or cost,” she argued. “It’s about exclusion. It’s a cynical ploy, not sound policy.”
She noted that trans service members have historically met and often exceeded military standards, including physical exams and rigorous background checks.
McBride, who represents a district with tens of thousands of active-duty personnel and veterans, warned that the ban damages the armed forces’ readiness and wastes taxpayer investment in trained service members.
“We are not made safer by sidelining qualified patriots,” she said. “We are not made freer by telling brave Americans that their truth disqualifies them from service.”
Supreme Court Allows Ban to Continue
In May, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6–3 ruling, allowed the Trump-era ban on trans service members to be implemented while lower court challenges proceed. The ban stems from a January executive order that claims transgender troops do not uphold a “truthful and disciplined lifestyle” and violate standards of “honesty, humility, and uniformity”.
The administration insists the policy targets individuals with “gender dysphoria” rather than trans people broadly, but critics argue the language clearly displays animus against the transgender community.
An estimated 8,000 to 15,000 trans service members face discharge due to the court’s decision.
“This ban weakens our military. It betrays our values and sends the cruelest possible message: that their service is unwelcome and that one identity matters more than what they’ve done, sacrificed, and fight for,” McBride concluded.
