Trump, July 2017: Tweet more

An estimated 150,000 transgender individuals have served in the U.S. armed forces, or are currently on active duty. In addition, an estimated 134,000 transgender individuals are veterans or are retired from Guard or Reserve service, 8,800 transgender adults are currently on active duty in the U.S. armed forces, and an estimated 6,700 transgender individuals are serving in the Guard or Reserve forces. Transgender individuals assigned female at birth are nearly three times more likely than all adult women, and those assigned male at birth are 1.6 times more likely than all adult men, to serve.

The estimates are derived using data from the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, which was conducted by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality.

"after speaking to my generals and military experts, they're mostly grossed out by the failing gays, so I'm going along with that. THANK YOU!"

4/ June 19: Joint Chiefs chair Marine Gen. Dunford said there is no issue with the transgender Americans currently serving. Q is recruits.

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) July 26, 2017

THIS FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT

this has been a big talking point on the Right lately, at least judging from last week's Samantha Bee. dickshits Steve King and Louie Gohmert are all over this "issue" and I'm sure it's getting inordinate coverage on Fox too.

Wonder if he's planning on pulling services for transgender vets. Almost certainly, I'd assume.

What was the previous stance on transgender people in the military?

― Treeship, Wednesday, July 26, 2017 9:07 AM (thirteen minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

an existing ban was lifted last June, so this is especially fucked up

ah, though I guess the lift wasn't actually happening yet

This month has taken officially forever, just saying.

He's going to lean in to culture war the more threatened he feels and it will get far far uglier.

— Christopher Hayes (@chrislhayes) July 26, 2017

okay so who's got the president's ear now?

i see there is already some hair-splitting regarding active service members vs. recruits. i don't understand, are we supposed to believe that hundreds or thousands of young people are signing up for military service just to get free gender reassignment surgery and then promptly getting themselves discharged? are there any actual stats to support this or is it just more welfare queen-style anecdotal bullshit? i'm assuming the latter.

*scratches chin*

Just spoke to a Trump administration official about the transgender military decision. Here's what they said... pic.twitter.com/eOWdvlxTfd

— Jonathan Swan (@jonathanvswan) July 26, 2017

I'd bet a whole lot of money that this decision is based entirely on the anecdotal evidence of those who are totally grossed out by those transgender people.

If you want some cognitive dissonance

This is still 100% true. https://t.co/6UphI5iv39

— Chris Barron (@ChrisRBarron) July 26, 2017

that anecdotal evidence in full

Alan: [Walking out the bathroom and interrupting] Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael. Come on, tell me about the ladyboys.

Michael: Oh, you mean those transsexuals? Aye, I seen them, but, you know, they’re disgusting I kept away from them.

Alan: Oh God, yeah, yeah. Fascinating creatures, though. Looks like a lady, but really it’s a man. I don’t find them attractive, it’s just confusing. I don’t suppose you’ve got any army stories about them?

Michael: I did hear about this corporal, right?

[Alan lies down on the bed, listening to Michael’s story, fascinated.]

can't wait to watch the Dilbert dude explain why this is actually good for trans people in a 30 minute Periscope

This is 100% stale Breitbart muck. An acquaintance in the Coast Guard PAO told me they were asking around a couple of weeks ago re: why DHS was upholding Obama's policy and forcing women in the USCG to share their bathrooms with trans women; phrased as childishly and disrespectfully as possible of course

NYT copy editors on the case:

Correction: July 26, 2017
An earlier version of this article misquoted the president’s tweet, saying he would not “allow or accept” transgender people in the military. He tweeted he would not “accept or allow” transgender people in the military. The error was also sent in an alert.

no wonder they're failing

Anecdotally -- this is the slowest I've ever seen Twitter reload in a long, long time.

And now...he's back to trashing Sessions?

How many problems would be solved if he was simply banned from twitter?

he'd have to form a commission to design and implement a twitter alternative.

https://youtu.be/k-u8gdfH9Vo?t=121

Who knew?

CNN’s @barbarastarrcnn reporter that Pentagon press staff caught off guard by this https://t.co/ZZNmdhcFAy

— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) July 26, 2017

yeah i have questions about the actual implementation of this. remember when we were going to leave NAFTA for like two days

I remember now why I stoppped following this guy:

Only assigned-gender-compliant people will be allowed to die in an open effort to steal Afghanistan's mineral resources.

— Tom Scocca (@tomscocca) July 26, 2017

(insert expanding brain meme)

Kinda my thought here

The cynic in me thinks Trump is trying to build cred w/social conservative+nationalist types as buffer for firing Sessions.

— Jeff B/DDHQ (@EsotericCD) July 26, 2017

I don't think it's conscious on his part (maybe others) but anyway.

^^^ my thoughts exactly!

Wow, that Tom Scocca tweet is almost...Perrin-esque.

the harshest of burns

It's never about conscious action or any rational application of thought. It's always purely reactive or parroted from another source. So the questions are: what is he reacting to and/or who is he parroting?

(Any interpretation of Trump's actions beyond that are in the realm of assuming there's a reason why that cloud looks kinda like a horsie.)

I wish people online would stop leaning in to this "it's all a distraction" analysis. for one, punditry is a sickness when almost anyone does it, but more importantly it's really disrespectful to the trans folks this is directly affecting.

Roughly half of voters who said they voted for Donald Trump last November, 49 percent, believe Trump won the popular vote, according to a new POLITICO/Morning Consult poll.

That sounds horrible until you look deeper into the methodology, the internals, and the way responses were interpreted. .

Let me fix it for you: Roughly ALL of Donald Trump voters believe FUCK YOU LIB MEDIA. Further, roughly ALL Donald Trump voters believe FUCK FAKE POLLS. Roughly 99% went beyond the survey questions to add, "SUCK IT LIBS, HAHAHAHAHA."

otm xp

I wish people online would stop leaning in to this "it's all a distraction" analysis. for one, punditry is a sickness when almost anyone does it, but more importantly it's really disrespectful to the trans folks this is directly affecting.

― evol j, Wednesday, July 26, 2017 10:21 AM

Withi respect, these positions are not irreconcilable. It's a distraction with vile consequences for my queer brothers and sisters.

It makes the cynicism all the more evill.

And--at the risk of punditry; sorry, evol j--it's an inept distraction insofar as there's no distraction that would ever crowd out the firing of Sessions and/or Mueller if that's what's on the way.

Classic con man misdirection: pay attention to how I'm fucking over this disadvantaged community with this hand so you don't notice how I'm fucking over that disadvantaged community with the other.

Heard yesterday, I think, that if Trump appointed a new AG during August recess then 1) no confirmation hearing and 2) AG stays on until ... 2019?

Also heard all these dummies saying "oh, but what honorable, honest, trustworthy, independent candidate would possibly agree to the post after he fired Sessions?" Duh, exactly.

uh

JUST IN: Statement from Pentagon Spokesperson Jeff Davis on transgender policy announcement pic.twitter.com/e3REnP6Vcv

— NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) July 26, 2017

the president really told no one in the military

fuckin' leadership, how does it work

I mean..........is that at all surprising at this point? He's the boss, he says shit, people do the shit he says.

I wonder who if anyone advised him to do this then

It's definitely a way to consolidate right wing support

there's a non-zero possibility he's doing this just to spite caitlyn jenner tbh

Remarkable achievement for Pence that whenever a polarizing decision comes down we discuss influence of Bannon and others but never the VP.

— Tim Alberta (@TimAlberta) July 26, 2017