Former President Donald Trump recently signed two executive orders impacting the U.S. military, focusing on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs and gender identity. The orders, "Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness" and "Restoring America's Fighting Force," are to be implemented by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Secretary of Homeland Security within 30 days.
The "Restoring America's Fighting Force" order asserts that DEI initiatives have negatively affected military effectiveness and have engaged in discriminatory practices. It emphasizes that no service member should be favored or disadvantaged based on factors like race, sex, or creed. The order mandates a review of potential discrimination in promotions and prohibits the teaching of "un-American, divisive" theories, including "gender ideology" and concepts questioning the founding documents, within the military and its educational institutions. It also calls for scrutiny of instructors at military academies to ensure alignment with these principles.
The "Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness" order underscores the military's core mission of national defense and states this cannot be achieved if the armed forces accommodate political agendas. It reiterates existing Department of Defense policy requiring service members to be free of medical conditions hindering their ability to serve, arguing that gender transition interventions do not meet these standards. The order also emphasizes the importance of mental and physical fitness for duty and restricts the sharing of sleeping and changing facilities between genders except in operational necessities.
The order further directs the cessation of preferred pronoun usage within the DoD and mandates a report on implementation steps within 30 days. These executive orders align with Trump's campaign promises and reflect the numerous executive actions he took during his first term.
