Immediately after President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday, July 26, that he plans to ban transgender people from serving in the military, a multitude of celebrities took to Twitter to denounce the controversial decision.
“After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in an capacity in the U.S. Military,” the former Celebrity Apprentice host, 71, tweeted. “Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Thank you.”
The decision reverses a policy approved under former President Barack Obama‘s administration that would allow transgender people to serve in the U.S. armed forces.
George Takei was among the first to react to Trump’s new policy. “History shall record that you are not only the stupidest, most incompetent president ever, but also the cruelest and pettiest. #Shame,” the actor tweeted. “Trump is banning all transgenders from the military. To those who believed Trump would be a friend to LGBTs, time to admit you were conned. Donald: With your ban on trans people from the military, you are on notice that you just pissed off the wrong community. You will regret it.”
Dozens of other celebrities followed suit. “Are you TRYING to be an a–hole?” Andy Cohen wrote. Actress Natalie Morales added, “I got up sleepy at 6 am and checked twitter and now I’m ready to fight and pacing around my room. F–ck this guy.”
Mia Farrow called for action, tweeting, “No. My God. This must be challenged.” Former Vice President Joe Biden joined in: “Every patriotic American who is qualified to serve in our military should be able to serve. Full stop.”
Caitlyn Jenner, who came out as a transgender woman in April 2015 and voted for Trump in the 2016 presidential election, responded to the news on Wednesday afternoon, tweeting, “There are 15,000 patriotic transgender Americans in the US military fighting for all of us. What happened to your promise to fight for them?”
See more celebrities’ reactions below.
