The Biden administration is expected to release the ban on transgender Americans of serving in the military, several people told CBS News about the decision. The announcement is expected Monday, a senior defense official and four outside supporters of the ban’s repeal told CBS News.
The senior defense official told CBS News that the repeal will be through an executive order signed by President Joe Biden. The announcement is expected to take place at a ceremony with newly confirmed Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who will direct the Pentagon to revert to the 2016 policy enacted by former Secretary of Defense Ash Carter that allowed transgender Americans to serve openly.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The new order will mandate the branches of the military to draw up 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 banned transgender Americans from enlisting in the military.
According to a study by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, an estimated 15,500 transgender military members served in 2014.
Biden often reiterated his promise to revoke the ban during the campaign.
Austin said at his Senate hearing last week that he intended to withdraw the ban.
“I support the president’s plan or plan to overturn the ban,” Austin said Tuesday when asked by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, “I do believe, Senator, that, as I said in my opening statement, if you are fit and you’re qualified to serve and you can maintain the standards, you should be allowed to serve. And you can expect me to support that all the time.
Fin Gomez contributed to this report.