Pentagon stopping gender transition treatment for transgender troops
The Pentagon is ending gender transition treatment for transgender troops, according to a new memo, as officials move to enforce President Donald Trump's plan to boot transgender troops out of the U.S. military.
Under the instructions, the Defense Department is prohibiting any new hormone treatments or surgical procedures for transgender troops, according to the memo, Reuters reported.
"I am directing you to take the necessary steps to immediately implement this guidance," Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Stephen Ferrara wrote in the memo.
One transgender service member described the move as "the latest slap in the face" to honorably serving troops.
"If there was any doubt left, there is not anymore: transgender service members are no longer entitled to the same standard of medical care as their peers," the service member told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity out of fear of being targeted.
Last month, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed his opposition to gender transition treatment for transgender troops when he re-posted an article on X that said the Pentagon would resume treatments for transgender troops and their dependents.
"If this is true - we will find any way possible to stop it," Hegseth wrote. "Taxpayers should NEVER pay for this lunacy."
Since being confirmed as Pentagon chief, Hegseth has embraced efforts to eliminate diversity initiatives, particularly those applying to transgender troops.
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court gave the green light for the Trump administration to implement its ban on transgender troops in the military, allowing the Defense Department to discharge thousands of current transgender troops and deny new recruits as legal challenges against the move continue to play out in court.
A memo released last week revealed that Hegseth issued instructions to begin kicking out transgender troops who do not voluntarily leave by June 6.
Trump had signed an executive order in January shortly after returning to the White House that reversed a Biden administration policy that had allowed transgender troops to serve.
Officials have said there are 4,240 U.S. active-duty and National Guard transgender troops, although some transgender rights advocates say the number may be even higher.
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Associated Press
16 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Anger and worry mix in Iran's capital after retaliatory strikes against Israel
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Anger mixed with worry as Iranians in the capital of Tehran woke up Saturday to images of their country's retaliatory attacks on Israel. Iranian state television, long controlled by hard-line supporters of the country's theocracy, repeatedly aired footage of missile strikes on Tel Aviv throughout the morning. The broadcaster also showed people cheering in front of a large screen set up in Tehran to follow the strikes as if they were watching a soccer match. Traffic was lighter than normal on the capital's streets. The change was due in part to the Shiite holiday of Eid al-Ghadir commemorating the Prophet Muhammad picking his successor, Ali, who is beloved as the first Shiite imam and whose assassination set in motion the splintering of Sunni and Shiite Islam. Even before the attacks began, many Iranians had traveled outside the city to enjoy days off in places along the nearby Caspian Sea. The holiday mood made news of the assaults that much more shocking, particularly when the strikes killed many ranking members of Iran's military and paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, something unseen since Iran's war with Iraq in the 1980s. It's a new experience for many of Iran's 80 million people who weren't alive for that devastating conflict, which included a period known as the 'War of the Cities,' in which Iraq rained ballistic missiles, artillery fire and airstrikes on Iranian cities. 'Israel killed our commanders and what they expect in return? A kiss?' said Mahmoud Dorri, a 29-year-old taxi driver. 'We will go after them to punish them: an eye for an eye.' In downtown Tehran, 31-year-old teacher and mother of two Pari Pourghazi expressed her joy over Iran's attack, linking it to Israel's devastating war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. 'Someone should stop Israelis. They think they can do anything they want at any time,' she said. 'Iran showed Israelis are wrong though they could suppress people of Gaza or Lebanon by heavy bombing.' Auto mechanic Houshang Ebadi, 61, also backed the Iranian strike but said he opposed a full-fledged war between Iran and Israel. 'I support my country. The Israelis made mistake in launching attacks on Iran but I hope this comes to end,' Ebadi said. 'War will not bear fruit for any side.' Others expressed concerns, verbally or through their actions. At one Tehran gas station, some 300 vehicles waited to fill up, with drivers growing frustrated. 'Sometime there is a queue because people fear that the refineries may be targeted, sometimes there is a line because of a power outage,' said Nahid Rostami, a 43-year-old stylist. 'When is this emergency situation going to end?' Fruit seller Hamid Hasanlu, 41, said his twins couldn't sleep Friday night with the sounds of explosions and anti-aircraft batteries firing. 'Leaders of both countries should know that people are suffering,' he said. Bakeries also drew crowds as people sought to buy supplies including traditional Iranian bread, a staple of meals. 'I buy more bread since I think maybe there is no flour or electricity because of the war,' said Molouk Asghari, a 56-year-old homemaker. 'I have children and grandchildren. I cannot see them in a hard situation without food, water and electricity.' Across the country, people faced the continued strain of the conflict as Iran's airspace remained closed. 'Who knows what happens tonight?' said Rostami, the stylist.
CNN
18 minutes ago
- CNN
As the Army celebrates its 250th birthday, officials say the military's apolitical nature is at risk
As the US Army prepares for its 250th birthday celebration with a major parade of military hardware in Washington, DC, which just happens to coincide with President Donald Trump's birthday, former officials are growing increasingly concerned about how the military is being pulled into the political arena, multiple former and current officials told CNN. The parade, which will feature several million pounds of military hardware including tanks, Bradley and Stryker fighting vehicles, and culminate in a speech from Trump, comes at a tense moment. This week, roughly 4,000 National Guardsmen were mobilized in Los Angeles, along with a full battalion of US Marines in response to civil unrest. Thousands of National Guardsmen have also been mobilized in Texas. And on Tuesday, uniformed US soldiers were seen on-camera cheering the president as he delivered a political speech at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, reminiscent of those he delivered on the campaign trail – an event which serves as a microcosm of the concerns around a larger trend of the politicization of the military. Current and former military officials told CNN that the event at Fort Bragg is being viewed within some corners of the Army as a public relations fail, since the military has strict regulations regarding political activity and is typically hyper-sensitive to any perception it is taking a political stance. Multiple officials said the Army had little control over the event; once the president is involved, they said, the White House takes over. And a defense official with direct knowledge of the event emphasized it was not the Army's intention for the troops to appear political. Sometimes, they said, the situation is out of their hands. 'I would say I never want to see a political piece of paraphernalia on a military installation, period,' the official said, adding that it's 'not the military that's trying to be political, it's people trying to use the military – which tends to poll very positively – for political gain.' Current and former officials speaking to CNN had varied levels of concern regarding the trajectory the military is on in regard to being seen as political. Some, for example, maintained that Saturday's parade was about celebrating the Army, while others acknowledged heartburn among leaders that while the Army may see it as celebrating the service, the public could associate the parade, which has been a goal of Trump's since his first term, with a celebration of his presidency. One current defense official remarked that it's not so much a matter of reminding soldiers what their 'left and right limits' are with political activity, because 'we don't know what the left and right limits even are, anymore.' 'The actions that were once rightfully criticized or rightfully labeled as partisan activity, or not appropriate, are now celebrated,' the official said. The official also pointed to multiple instances in the Biden administration and under Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that they felt were political, emphasizing that the issue of politicizing the military has been building for years. Indeed, there have been a number of political events or social media posts over the last several years involving the military and service members that have drawn criticism. In 2022, President Joe Biden was criticized for having two Marines flank him during a speech in Philadelphia, in which he spoke about the threats to 'equality and democracy' posed by former President Donald Trump. Various political hopefuls have released campaign imagery and videos that appear to violate DOD policy. In 2020, the Army Reserve said it would discipline the supervisor of two Army Reserve soldiers who appeared in uniform during a Democratic National Convention video. Trump's address at Fort Bragg this week was far from the first time a political leader from any party has delivered a speech to or around US service members, but many officials who spoke to CNN were struck by the outwardly partisan behavior of many of the soldiers on-camera behind Trump. The Pentagon has strict regulations for political activity in uniform, stating that active-duty service members 'will not engage in partisan political activities and all military personnel will avoid the inference that their political activities imply or appear to imply DOD sponsorship, approval or endorsement of a political candidate, campaign or cause.' On Tuesday, the soldiers at Fort Bragg booed and cheered along with Trump's remarks, booing the media, former President Joe Biden, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Social media posts from the event on Tuesday viewed by CNN also showed photos of 'Make America Great Again' hats and necklaces being sold by vendors, and in some photos, soldiers donned the gear while in uniform. The same official said the soldiers, many of them young and relatively inexperienced, were caught up in the moment – enjoying the day of celebration and excited to be so close to the commander in chief – and that there were people in the crowd trying to get the soldiers to cheer at certain moments of Trump's speech. Col. Mary Ricks, spokeswoman for the 18th Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, said in a statement that the event 'was planned in cooperation with America 250, a nonpartisan organization created to support the U.S. Semi quincentennial Commission established by Congress in 2016.' 'The Army remains committed to its core values and apolitical service to the nation,' Ricks said. Still, current and former officials voiced concern that the event could contribute to damaging public trust in the military as an institution, which is crucial to military leaders; it feeds into their ability to recruit new service members, and to get funding for various efforts and projects. 'It's a slippery slope when you use very aggressive rhetoric against a political opponent and use the backdrop of military personnel …. using them as a validation for your political agenda, that's where people get upset,' a former senior Defense Department official said. Trump's speech at Fort Bragg came just a couple of weeks after he delivered the commencement address at the US Military Academy at West Point, wearing a bright red MAGA hat amid the sea of grey and white West Point uniforms. One recently retired Army general officer told CNN that the West Point and Fort Bragg addresses show 'a complete disregard for the centuries old civ-mil non-partisan interaction with the military.' The former senior DOD official told CNN that while Trump's language at Fort Bragg was more aggressive against his political opponents than other presidents have done, political leaders have 'always pushed their agendas in front of the troops.' 'It always made us a little anxious,' the official said, 'but they all do it.' 'Should the Army put out something that says hey, we maintain order and discipline, and in according with regulation X, we refrain from blah blah blah? Yeah,' a defense official said. 'We should. But we aren't going to.'
Fox News
22 minutes ago
- Fox News
Media personalities who faced consequences for problematic remarks, from Terry Moran to Don Lemon
ABC News dismissed veteran correspondent Terry Moran on Tuesday for violating network policies with an opinionated social media post, but he was hardly the first journalist to land in hot water over controversial rhetoric. While Moran's controversial comments came on X, other pundits have been suspended or worse for problematic on-air comments. News personalities have been scolded for everything from insensitive comments about women to shocking remarks about the Holocaust. Here are some of the more high-profile examples in recent memory: The longtime ABC News correspondent was let go Tuesday over his now-deleted X post attacking President Donald Trump and top White House aide Stephen Miller. Moran, who had been with the network for 28 years, was shown the door just before his contract with the network was set to expire on Friday. He was initially suspended after ABC News executives woke up to the viral backlash that he caused by offering personal thoughts on Miller and Trump, who he interviewed in the Oval Office in April. "The thing about Stephen Miller is not that he is the brains behind Trumpism," Moran began his post. "Yes, he is one of the people who conceptualizes the impulses of the Trumpist movement and translates them into policy. But that's not what's interesting about Miller. It's not brains. It's bile." "Miller is a man who is richly endowed with the capacity for hatred. He's a world-class hater," Moran wrote. "You can see this just by looking at him because you can see that his hatreds are his spiritual nourishment. He eats his hate." Moran also went on to call Trump a "world-class hater" in the post but added that "his hatred [is] only a means to an end, and that end [is] his own glorification. That's his spiritual nourishment." An ABC News insider told Fox News Digital that Moran was well-liked internally but the Disney-owned network was left with "no alternative" but to terminate him. The former NBC News reporter repeatedly and openly criticized Elon Musk and his handling of Twitter, raising questions about whether Collins could report impartially on the topic before he was temporarily banned from covering the billionaire in 2022. Collins, who covered "disinformation, extremism and the internet for NBC News," did not try to hide his left-wing political leanings, often firing off liberal missives on social media while a reporter. During his time at NBC, Collins regularly disparaged Musk's takeover of Twitter, now known as X. Collins once tweeted that Musk "is now learning the hard way what information researchers have known for decades: Everybody's pro-free speech. No s--t. Also, when you run a for-profit company, you will meet your line eventually." Collins once snarked, "Elon, have you ever considered that maybe people just disagree with you and you've been living in a particularly well-sealed bubble of money-chasing Yes Men until very recently?" Collins left NBC News and is now CEO of The Onion. In an interview last month with Vanity Fair, Collins said he was suspended for "being too mean to Elon Musk." "After that, I realized my time on this peacock is short. When I saw The Onion was for sale, I realized that maybe I didn't have to live my entire life in this doldrumescent hell. I started chasing this thing, and we really did save it from what we would now call AI death. Or the throes of a decabillionaire who is worried about white genocide," he said. CNN fired Don Lemon in 2023 after the anchor caused constant headaches for network executives with his rhetoric. Lemon found himself in hot water two months before he was shown the door by saying Nikki Haley was past her "prime" at age 51, citing Google as his source while stunning his female co-anchors in the process. Lemon offered a mea culpa during the network's editorial call the next day, but female colleagues weren't pleased. Colleagues were further enraged when Lemon was spotted at Miami Beach after the insensitive remarks about Haley. Lemon was then ordered to take "formal training," but his time at the network was already coming to an end. Lemon's "prime" comments were universally panned and not just by conservatives, receiving mockery from Biden spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre during a White House briefing and even making its way to this year's Oscars ceremony. Best Actress winner Michelle Yeoh told women in Hollywood, "Don't let anybody tell you, you are ever past your prime." Those remarks were hardly the first time Lemon's on-air rhetoric sparked backlash among female viewers. In 2014, he infamously asked a Bill Cosby accuser why she didn't simply bite his penis to prevent an alleged rape. In 2022, he asked CNN analyst S.E. Cupp if she was suffering from "mommy brain" after she lost her train of thought during a panel discussion. Later that year, Lemon clashed with his female "CNN This Morning" co-hosts while arguing that male athletes make more money than women because "people are more interested in the men." During his time at CNN, Lemon also compared Trump supporters to Ku Klux Klan members, defended Antifa, and fumed over people unvaccinated against coronavirus "taking up the space" in hospitals, among other news-making moments. Whoopi Goldberg was suspended in 2022 for controversial remarks about the Holocaust on ABC News' "The View." Goldberg, who differs from others because she is a talk show host as opposed to a true journalist, went viral when she argued that the Holocaust "isn't about race," stunning her colleagues at the table. "What is it about?" co-host Joy Behar asked. "It's about man's inhumanity to man, that's what it's about," Goldberg said. "But it's about a White supremacist going after Jews and Gypsies," guest co-host Ana Navarro said as Goldberg attempted to speak over her. "But these are two White groups of people," Goldberg said as her colleagues disagreed. Jewish groups condemned the comments, accusing Goldberg of minimizing Jewish suffering. She attempted to explain her remarks during her appearance on "The Late Show," suggesting she never meant to offend anyone. "I think of race as being something that I can see," Goldberg told Stephen Colbert. "You couldn't tell who was Jewish. They had to delve deeply to figure it out… My point is, they had to do the work," she continued. "I don't want to fake apologize… I'm very upset that people misunderstood what I was saying." ABC News suspended Goldberg for two weeks, saying she needed to take time to "reflect and learn about the impact of her comments." Behar also faced significant backlash for 2018 comments that mocked then-Vice President Mike Pence's Christian faith. "The View" panel first criticized Pence's faith when co-host Sunny Hostin said, "I don't know that I want my vice president, um — speaking in tongues and having Jesus speak to him." Behar chimed in, adding that hearing from Jesus is actually called "mental illness." She eventually apologized. British journalist Martin Bashir left MSNBC in 2013 after sparking widespread controversy for suggesting that someone should defecate in former Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's mouth. While he apologized the following week, the damage was done. Bashir initially took off two weeks for what was billed as a vacation, and MSNBC took heat for failing to act against him. He left the network upon his return after a meeting with then-MSNBC president Phil Griffin. "I have tendered my resignation. It is my sincere hope that all of my colleagues, at this special network, will be allowed to focus on the issues that matter without the distraction of myself or my ill-judged comments," Bashir said. "I deeply regret what was said, will endeavor to work hard at making constructive contributions in the future and will always have a deep appreciation for our viewers – who are the smartest, most compassionate and discerning of all television audiences."
