Trump signs executive orders to reshape US military

WASHINGTON

US President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders Monday that will reshape the military, according to the White House.

One executive order will remove diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, while another is eliminating "gender radicalism in the military."

“As Chief Executive and as Commander in Chief, I am committed to meritocracy and to the elimination of race-based and sex-based discrimination within the Armed Forces of the United States.

"No individual or group within our Armed Forces should be preferred or disadvantaged on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, color, or creed," according to the order.

It said every element of the Armed Forces "should operate free from any preference based on race or sex," calling for a review of discriminatory practices "designed to promote a race- or sex-based preferences system."

Addressing House Republicans in Miami, Florida earlier, Trump announced that he would sign the executive orders, including one barring transgender people from serving openly in the military.

He said the order will ensure that the US has "the most lethal fighting force in the world" by getting "transgender ideology the hell out of our military."

The order says "a false 'gender identity' divergent from an individual's sex cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service."

It will ensure the end of "invented and identification-based" pronoun usage.

The order gives Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth 60 days to implement a new policy on gender identity.

'Iron Dome' for America

Trump also mandated a process to develop an “Iron Dome” missile defense shield to be able to protect Americans.

"You know, we protect other countries, but we don't protect ourselves," he said.

The policy is "to deter -- and defend its citizens and critical infrastructure against -- any foreign aerial attack on the Homeland; and...guarantee its secure second-strike capability."

He also signed an executive order to reinstate military personnel who were discharged for refusing COVID-19 vaccines.

"We will offer full reinstatement to any service member who was expelled from the Armed Forces due to the COVID vaccine mandate, and we will restore them to their former rank with full pay," he said.

A final executive order issued a proclamation commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi German death camp Auschwitz.