Trump signs several executive orders and vows to 'abolish' all diversity offices in US military
President Donald Trump has signed four more executive orders that reverse several Biden administration policies impacting the US Armed Forces.
The orders will "abolish" all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and offices within the US Department of Defence and policymakers have been told to come up with new rules for transgender service personnel.
One of the orders, titled Restoring America's Fighting Force, states: "I am committed to meritocracy and to the elimination of race-based and sex-based discrimination within the Armed Forces of the United States."
Removing DEI initiatives from US military
The executive order signed by Trump on board Air Force One says "no individual or group within our armed forces should be preferred or disadvantaged on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, color, or creed".
"Unfortunately, in recent years civilian and uniformed leadership alike have implemented diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programmes and their attendant race and sex preferences within the Armed Forces.
"These actions undermine leadership, merit, and unit cohesion, thereby eroding lethality and force readiness. They also violate Americans' consciences by engaging in invidious race and sex discrimination."
Defence officials have been told they "shall abolish every DEI office within the Department of Defence and the Department of Homeland Security" and must "issue detailed guidance for the implementation of this order to their respective departments within 30 days".
New policy for transgender troops
In another order titled "prioritising military excellence and readiness", officials have been told their department must "end invented and identification-based pronoun usage".
They were also ordered to come up with a new policy regarding transgender troops and the order says "expressing a false 'gender identity' divergent from an individual's sex cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service".
On his first day in office, President Trump signed a separate set of orders, where he said the US government would only recognise two sexes – male and female.
Reinstating service members who refused vaccine
Another executive order signed by President Trump could pave the way for thousands of members of the military to reenlist after they were booted out for refusing the Covid-19 vaccine.
Anyone wishing to rejoin will "revert to their former rank and receive full back pay, benefits, bonus payments, or compensation".
It is believed up to 8,000 service members were discharged following the Biden administration's policy requiring vaccinations for troops.
Officials have been told they must report back to President Trump within 60 days with the department's "progress in implementing this order".
Iron dome for America
Mr Trump has also signed an executive order to develop what the US government is calling an American Iron Dome – a missile defence shield.
The term Iron Dome is the name often used for Israel's defence system which is used to intercept rockets.
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