The Biden administration is expected to revoke the ban on American transsexuals of serving in the armed forces, several people were informed of the decision to CBS News. The announcement is expected as early as Monday, a senior defense official and four outside advocates of repealing the ban told CBS News.
The senior defense official told CBS News that the revocation will be through an executive order signed by President Joe Biden. The announcement is expected to take place at a ceremony with newly confirmed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who will order the Pentagon to return to the policy enacted in 2016 by former Defense Secretary Ash Carter, who has allowed American transgender people to serve openly.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The new order will direct branches of the armed forces to devise an implementation plan.
The ban was announced by former President Trump via a tweet in July 2017. The ban went into effect in April 2019 and prevented American transgender people from enlisting in the military.
In 2014, it was estimated that there were about 15,500 transgender soldiers serving, according to a study by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law.
Biden often repeated his campaign promise to lift the ban.
Austin said at his Senate confirmation hearing last week that he planned to lift the ban.
“I support the president’s plan or the plan to repeal the ban,” Austin said on Tuesday when asked by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, “I really believe, Senator, that as I said in my opening statement, if you’re okay and you ‘If you are qualified to serve and can maintain standards, you must be allowed to serve. And you can expect me to support that all the time. “
Fin Gomez contributed to this report.