President Trump Pressures GOP Senate Over Health Care Bill

President Donald Trump says he will bar transgender individuals from serving "in any capacity" in the U.S. armed forces.

Trump said on Twitter Wednesday that after consulting with "Generals and military experts," that the government "will not accept or allow Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military."

Trump added that "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."

Transgender service members have been able to serve openly in the military since last year, when former Defense Secretary Ash Carter ended the ban.

Military chiefs recently announced a delay on allowing transgender people from enlisting. But transgender troops are already serving openly in the military. 

In a statement by Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of the LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD, Ellis said, "President Trump today issued a direct attack on transgender Americans, and his administration will stop at nothing to implement its anti-LGBTQ ideology within our government -- even if it means denying some of our bravest Americans the right to serve and protect our nation."

Ellis added, "Today further exposed President Trump's overall goal to erase LGBTQ Americans from this nation. Trump has never been a friend to LGBTQ Americans, and this action couldn't make that any more clear."

Chelsea Manning, the transgender soldier convicted of giving classified government materials to WikiLeaks who was released from a Kansas military prison last month, tweeted in response to Mr. Trump's ban saying, "biggest baddest most $$ military on earth cries about a few trans people but funds the F-35? Sounds like cowardice."

U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) released the following statement:

“Discrimination has no place in our Armed Forces. Our brave transgender service members put their lives on the line for our country every day. They bravely defend our Constitution and its guarantee of equal protection under the law. They do not deserve a Commander-in-Chief who doesn’t place an equal value on the sacrifice of each and every individual who serves our country. I will stand against this administration’s ban and continue to fight for equality for transgender Americans.”

Nevada Rep. Dina Titus issued the following statement:

“President Trump’s surprise announcement this morning threatens our national security and readiness. Bigotry is disruptive -- not the thousands of brave trans men and women currently serving in our armed forces. To tell them that their service in defense of our freedoms is not valued is unbecoming of the title of Commander-and-Chief. The President should rescind his decision and respect the professionalism of our military, encouraging and welcoming all who are willing to risk their lives in service to our country.”?

Congresswoman Jacky Rosen (NV-03) released the following statement in response to President Trump’s announcement:

“The President’s decision today to ban transgender military personnel from serving in our Armed Forces is an insult to patriotic individuals who are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedom. This discriminatory ban goes against our core American values and our commitment to full equality, and it seriously jeopardizes our national security at a time when we need to increase our military readiness. This move has nothing to do with costs or unit cohesion and everything to do with furthering President Trump’s agenda of divisiveness, ugly rhetoric, and disrespect. The President should honor his campaign promise to do everything in his power to protect our LGBTQ citizens by reversing this misguided attack on those who wish to serve their country.”

(The Associated Press, CBS News contributed to this report.)