The ban on transgender people serving in the military that Donald Trump announced Wednesday morning is, according to one White House official, an effort to divide the opposition by forcing Democrats in the Rust Belt “to take complete ownership of this issue.”
It’s already backfired, in record time.
Not only are Democrats from the Midwest, like Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, speaking out forcefully against Trump’s ban, so are Republicans. Here’s Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, herself a veteran of the Army National Guard:
Ernst is not alone. Republicans from all over the country are also opposed, including Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch and Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby. If this isn’t playing well in Alabama and Utah, it’s not going to get traction in Michigan and Wisconsin.
The ugliness of Trump’s new policy cannot and will not be overlooked. It was a moral stain the moment Trump tweeted it out, not to mention dangerous to our nation’s safety. But, thankfully, it’s quickly turned into yet another political failure for Trump.
Sign the petition: Denounce Trump for banning transgender people from military service.