Page 2 - ARUBA TODAY

A2 UP FRONT
Thursday 27 July 2017
Trump’s order: Bar all transgender troops from US military

His proclamation, on Twit- rently serving. A Rand Corp.
ter rather than any formal study has estimated the
announcement, drew bi- number at between 1,320
partisan denunciations and 6,630 out of 1.3 million
and threw currently serving active-duty troops.
transgender soldiers into Criticism for Trump’s action
limbo. “Please be advised was immediate and strong
that the United States Gov- from both political parties.
ernment will not accept His action is “harmful, mis-
or allow Transgender indi- guided and weakens, not
viduals to serve in any ca- strengthens our military,”
pacity in the U.S. Military,” said Democratic Sen. Kirst-
the commander in chief en Gillibrand of New York.
tweeted. Trump wrote that John McCain, the Arizona
he had consulted with “my Republican and Vietnam
generals and military ex- War hero, said Trump was
perts,” but he did not men- simply wrong.
tion Defense Secretary Jim “Any American who meets
Mattis, the retired Marine current medical and readi-
general who less than one ness standards should be al-
month ago told the military lowed to continue serving,”
service chiefs to spend an- he said. “There is no reason
other six months weighing to force service members
the costs and benefits of who are able to fight, train
Rep. Joe Kennedy, D-Mass., center, shakes hands with an 11-year-old transgender girl who goes
by the name Blue, whose parent is an airman at Ramstein Air Base, after Blue and her mother allowing transgender indi- and deploy to leave the
Jess Girven, left, attended Kennedy’s event in support of transgender members of the military, viduals to enlist. At the time, military -- regardless of their
Wednesday, July 26, 2017, on Capitol Hill in Washington. President Donald Trump wants transgen- Mattis said this “does not gender identity.”
der people barred from serving in the U.S. military “in any capacity,” citing “tremendous medical presuppose the outcome Not everyone at the Capi-
costs and disruption.” of the review,” but Trump’s tol agreed. Rep. Duncan
(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) tweets appeared to have Hunter, a member of the
By ROBERT BURNS dent Donald Trump abrupt- U.S. military, catching the done just that. The Penta- House Armed Services
CATHERINE LUCEY ly declared a ban Wednes- Pentagon flat-footed and gon has refused to release Committee, said, “The pres-
Associated Press day on transgender troops unable to explain what it any data on the number ident’s decision was the
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- serving anywhere in the called Trump’s “guidance.” of transgender people cur- absolute right decision.q

Trump again rips attorney general but may want him to stay

And even as Trump again an ally of Hillary Clinton. A
turned to Twitter to rap Ses- day earlier, Trump repeat-
sions, the White House sug- edly expressed regret over
gested the attorney gen- choosing Sessions for the
eral should just press ahead Cabinet position and re-
with doing his job. fused to say whether he’d
White House press secre- fire him.
tary Sarah Sanders said of Sessions, who has privately
Sessions that the president told allies that he does not
“wants him to lead the de- plan to resign, has not ad-
partment.” dressed the president’s crit-
“Look, you can be disap- icism this week. But several
pointed in someone and Senate Republicans, many
still want them to continue of whom had been previ-
to do their job,” she said ously reluctant to break
during the daily briefing. with the president for fear
That sent a different signal of alienating conservatives
than the seemingly daily loyal to Trump, spoke up
barrage of negative tweets on his behalf. “Sessions is a
that Trump has aimed at very loyal man to the presi-
Sessions, fueling specula- dent. He stepped in front
tion that the president is go- with him when no senator
In this July 21, 2017 photo, Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks in Philadelphia. Allies rallied ing to fire his attorney gen- did,” said Alabama Sen.
around Sessions on Wednesday as President Donald Trump kept up his public pelting of the AG. eral or was pressuring him Richard Shelby. “I think loy-
(AP Photo/Matt Rourke) to quit. Trump’s onslaught alty ought to be a two-way
By JONATHAN LEMIRE Wednesday as President the president’s broadsides continued Wednesday with street.” Tennessee Sen. Bob
SADIE GURMAN Donald Trump kept up his against the first senator to a tweet wondering why Corker said: “I wish it would
Associated Press public pelting of the na- endorse him. Sessions didn’t “replace stop.” South Carolina Sen.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Con- tion’s top law enforcement Key forces in the conser- Acting FBI Director Andrew Lindsey Graham framed
gressional Republicans and officer and left his future in vative media, including McCabe,” whom the presi- the president’s efforts to
influential conservatives doubt. Rush Limbaugh and Bre- dent characterized as a pressure Sessions to resign,
rallied around Attorney Sessions’ former colleagues itbart News, sharply criti- friend of fired former FBI di- instead of firing him, as “a
General Jeff Sessions on in the Senate denounced cized Trump’s broadsides. rector James Comey and sign of weakness.” q