WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump abruptly declared a ban Wednesday on transgender troops serving anywhere in the US military, catching the Pentagon flat-footed and unable to explain what it called Trump's "guidance". His proclamation, on Twitter rather than any formal announcement, drew bipartisan denunciations and threw currently serving transgender soldiers into limbo.

"Please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military," the commander in chief tweeted.

Trump wrote that he had consulted with "my generals and military experts", but he did not mention Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, the retired Marine general who less than one month ago told the military service chiefs to spend another six months weighing the costs and benefits of allowing transgender individuals to enlist. At the time, Mattis said this "does not presuppose the outcome of the review".

A crowd of at least a couple hundred demonstrators flocked to a military recruiting station in New York City to protest the ban on Wednesday. They held signs saying "Resist!" and listened to speakers who denounced the ban.

The Pentagon has refused to release any data on the number of transgender people currently serving. A Rand Corp. study has estimated the number at between 1,320 and 6,630 out of 1.3 million troops.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York called the action "harmful, misguided and weakens, not strengthens our military"

Any American who meets current medical and readiness standards should be allowed to continue serving," said Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

Rep. Duncan Hunter, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said, "The president's decision was the absolute right decision. ... It's about time that a decision is made to restore the warrior culture and allow the U.S. military to get back to business."

The Associated Press

(China Daily USA 07/27/2017 page2)