Trump announces ban on transgender individuals from serving in the U.S. military

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced via Twitter that transgender people will not be allowed to serve in the country's military in any capacity.

The announcement came after Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said he was delaying the implementation of a new plan on the eve of the one-year deadline for the military to upgrade medical standards for transgender service members.

Trump said the U.S. military could not be burdened with the tremendous medical costs that transgender service members would entail.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders defended the decision.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders speaks to the media at a press briefing at the White House in Washington DC, USA, on July 26, 2017. [Photo: Imagine China]

"On that it's based on a military decision. It's not meant to be anything more than that. And it's simply about, obviously, it's a very difficult decision. It's not a simple one. But the president feels that it's the best one for the military," said Sanders.

However, there have been many more voices urging the Trump administration to reverse the policy, saying the move is not in the interest of national defense.

Congressman Joe Kennedy, U.S. Representative for Massachusetts, described the decision as an unfair attack on transgender individuals' humanity and basic human rights, adding that the transgender service members' courage and patriotism should never be taken for granted.

Congressman Joe Kennedy, Representative for Massachusetts, speaks in support of transgender members of the military, on July 26, 2017, on Capitol Hill in Washington DC. [Photo: Imagine China]

"Today the president of the United States told thousands of American service members, that though they will lay down their lives for us, that he, that we will not fight for them. As they defend our freedoms, many of which we take for granted every single day, we will not offer them the most basic freedom in return. The ability to be true to yourself," said Kennedy.

Demonstrators gather in Times Square, in New York City to protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's ban on transgender troops serving anywhere in the U.S. military, on July 26, 2017. [Photo: Imagine China]

A ban on transgender people serving openly in the military ended in 2016.

However, a year-long review was put in place to allow the Pentagon to figure out how to bring in new transgender recruits into the military.

A study last year showed there are an estimated 1,300 to over 6,600 transgender service members in the U.S. military.