The Capital Equality Democratic Caucus condemns today’s announcement via Twitter by President Trump that “the United States Government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military.”

We applaud the strong, bipartisan condemnation from members of both sides of the aisle in Congress and from our Democratic gubernatorial candidates here in Florida. It is clear from statements to the media from the President’s own administration officials that this decision was made for political reasons and is not an issue of military readiness. We hope that Congress will quickly take up legislation to protect transgender service members from discrimination.

The fact is transgender people are already bravely serving in the United States Armed Forces, over 15,000 in fact. As Representative Joseph P. Kennedy, III (D-MA) said on the floor of the House today, “Our soldiers do not discriminate. They defend all of our nation’s people. Their government owes them that same decency in return.”