News
Trump defends trans military ban: ‘They take massive amounts of drugs’
President fears enlistment for obtaining gender reassignment surgery
In the aftermath of his tweet wishing LGBT Americans a happy Pride, President Trump defended his transgender military ban, asserting the policy is necessary because “they take massive amounts of drugs.”
Trump made the comments Wednesday during his trip to the United Kingdom in an interview with Piers Morgan on “Good Morning Britain,” who asked him about the anti-trans policy.
Initially, Morgan framed the question to Trump in terms of justifying his Pride tweet and his support for his administration global initiative to decriminalize homosexuality. Trump referred to anti-gay criminalization laws as “terrible.”
But then Morgan asked Trump how he could justify banning transgender people from the military if he wants to support LGBT people across the globe.
“Because they take massive amounts of drugs,” Trump said. “They have to, and also, and you’re not allowed to take any drugs. You know, in the military, you’re not allowed to take any drugs. You take an aspirin, and they have to after the operation. They have to. They have no choice. They have to. You would actually have to break rules and regulations in order to have that.”
The Trump administration implemented the transgender military ban in April after the U.S. Supreme Court essentially green lighted the policy as litigation against it proceeds in court.
As Morgan noted, the cost of transition-related care for transgender people in the military is “minuscule.” According to Pentagon data, the Defense Department spent nearly $8 million to treat more than 1,500 transgender troops since 2016, when openly transgender people was first implemented during the Obama administration.
Morgan pointed out the cost of drugs to treat erectile dysfunction under the military health care system was higher than the estimated cost of transition-related care. Trump said he “didn’t know” that was the case.
Asked again by Morgan if the transgender policy was contrary to protecting LGBT human rights around the world, Trump said, “It what it is.”
“Look, massive amounts — and people are going in, then asking for the operation,” Trump said. “The operation is 200,000, 250,000 dollars, and getting the operation, the recovery period is long, and they have to take large amounts of drugs after that, for whatever reason, but large amounts. And that’s not the way it is. I mean, you can’t do that.”
Trump concluded transgender people getting into the military to have gender reassignment surgery and the cost of transition-related care were the reasons he banned them from the armed forces.
“So, I said, yeah, when it came time to making a decision on that and because of the drugs and also because of the cost of the operation,” Trump said.
When Morgan pointed out transgender people are serving in the military with distinction, Trump said he has no beef with them.
“Well, I’m proud of them,” Trump said. “I’m proud of them. I think it’s great, but you have to have a standard, and you have to stick by that standard. We have a great military, and I want to keep it that way. Maybe they’d be phenomenal. I think they probably would be, but you have very strict rules and regulations on drugs and prescription drugs and all of these different things. They blow it all out of the water.”
Aaron Belkin, director of the San Francisco-based Palm Center, said in a statement Trump’s comments were totally without merit because he “repeated the debunked canards that medical care for transgender service members is unmanageably expensive.”
“This morning’s interview should send chills down the spine of every American who believes our military deserves the highest level of informed decision making from its leaders, not prejudice masked as policy,” Belkin said.
Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), chair of the House Armed Services Committee, said in a statement “should stick to the facts” on transgender service.
“Transgender service members meet the same physical and medical standards as their cisgender counterparts,” Smith said. “As members of the one percent of the population willing to serve our nation, they deserve praise for their sacrifice, not judgement and discrimination.”
Virginia
Va. Senate committee approves resolution to repeal marriage amendment
Outgoing state Sen. Adam Ebbin introduced SJ3
The Virginia Senate Privileges and Elections Committee on Wednesday by a 10-4 vote margin approved a resolution that seeks to repeal a state constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between a man and a woman.
Outgoing state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) introduced SJ3.
Same-sex couples have been able to legally marry in Virginia since 2014. Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin in 2024 signed a bill that codified marriage equality in state law.
A resolution that seeks to repeal the Marshall-Newman Amendment passed in the General Assembly in 2021. The resolution passed again in 2025.
Two successive legislatures must approve the resolution before it can go to the ballot. Democrats in the Virginia House of Delegates have said the resolution’s passage is among their 2026 legislative priorities.
Iran
Grenell: ‘Real hope’ for gay rights in Iran as result of nationwide protests
Former ambassador to Germany claimed he has sneaked ‘gays and lesbians out of’ country
Richard Grenell, the presidential envoy for special missions of the United States, said on X on Tuesday that he has helped “sneak gays and lesbians out of Iran” and is seeing a change in attitudes in the country.
The post, which now has more than 25,000 likes since its uploading, claims that attitudes toward gays and lesbians are shifting amid massive economic protests across the country.
“For the first time EVER, someone has said ‘I want to wait just a bit,” the former U.S. ambassador to Germany wrote. “There is real hope coming from the inside. I don’t think you can stop this now.”
Grenell has been a longtime supporter of the president.
“Richard Grenell is a fabulous person, A STAR,” Trump posted on Truth Social days before his official appointment to the ambassador role. “He will be someplace, high up! DJT”
Iran, which is experiencing demonstrations across all 31 provinces of the country — including in Tehran, the capital — started as a result of a financial crisis causing the collapse of its national currency. Time magazine credits this uprising after the U.N. re-imposed sanctions in September over the country’s pursuit of nuclear weapons.
As basic necessities like bread, rice, meat, and medical supplies become increasingly unaffordable to the majority of the more than 90 million people living there, citizens took to the streets to push back against Iran’s theocratic regime.
Grenell, who was made president and executive director of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts last year by Trump, believes that people in the majority Shiite Muslim country are also beginning to protest human rights abuses.
Iran is among only a handful of countries in which consensual same-sex sexual relations remain punishable by death, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
Virginia
Mark Levine loses race to succeed Adam Ebbin in ‘firehouse’ Democratic primary
State Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker won with 70.6 percent of vote
Gay former Virginia House of Delegates member Mark Levine (D-Alexandria) lost his race to become the Democratic nominee to replace gay state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) in a Jan. 13 “firehouse” Democratic primary.
Levine finished in second place in the hastily called primary, receiving 807 votes or 17.4 percent. The winner in the four-candidate race, state Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, who was endorsed by both Ebbin and Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger received 3,281 votes or 70.6 percent.
Ebbin, whose 39th Senate District includes Alexandria and parts of Arlington and Fairfax Counties, announced on Jan. 7 that he was resigning effective Feb. 18, to take a job in the Spanberger administration as senior advisor at the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority.
Results of the Jan. 13 primary, which was called by Democratic Party leaders in Alexandria, Arlington, and Fairfax, show that candidates Charles Sumpter, a World Wildlife Fund director, finished in third place with 321 voters or 6.9 percent; and Amy Jackson, the former Alexandria vice mayor, finished in fourth place with 238 votes or 5.1 percent.
Bennett-Parker, who LGBTQ community advocates consider a committed LGBTQ ally, will now compete as the Democratic nominee in a Feb. 10 special election in which registered voters in the 39th District of all political parties and independents will select Ebbin’s replacement in the state senate.
The Alexandria publication ALX Now reports that local realtor Julie Robben Linebery has been selected by the Alexandria Republican City Committee to be the GOP candidate to compete in the Jan. 10 special election. According to ALX Now, Lineberry was the only application to run in a now cancelled special party caucus type event initially called to select the GOP nominees.
It couldn’t immediately be determined if an independent or other party candidate planned to run in the special election.
Bennett-Parker is considered the strong favorite to win the Feb. 10 special election in the heavily Democratic 39th District, where Democrat Ebbin has served as senator since 2012.
Calendar: January 16-22
D.C. electoral bumper car season is in full swing
Capitals to host 10th annual Pride night
Va. Senate committee approves resolution to repeal marriage amendment
Rise of Chalamet continues in ‘Marty Supreme’
Ford’s ‘First Look’ festival showcases three new productions
Mid-Atlantic Leather kicks off this week
PHOTOS: ‘ICE Out For Good’ Sunday protests
Mark Levine running in ‘firehouse’ Democratic primary to succeed Adam Ebbin
