Post submitted by Brian McBride, former HRC Digital Strategist 

It was less than two weeks ago when President Trump announced his ban on transgender service members from the military, rocking the LGBTQ community and sparking widespread condemnation from across the political spectrum.

With just three tweets, Trump declared an all-out assault on the thousands of brave transgender troops already serving our country with valor, and those who wish to serve. He not only declared he would ban them from serving “in any capacity,” but heartlessly referred to them as “burdens” and “disruptions” to our military. However, the majority of the country strongly disagrees.

On Monday, The Washington Post published an extensive report measuring public opinion on this topic in all 50 states and D.C. It revealed that the majority of Americans in every state oppose Trump’s discriminatory ban and support transgender people serving openly in the military.

“We found that there is no majority support for Trump’s proposal in any state or the District of Columbia,” the authors wrote -- an extraordinary statement considering in these polarizing times there are few issues that garner widespread support. 

Attn @realDonaldTrump: Every state in America opposes your reckless & discriminatory #transgender military ban.https://t.co/esR9LPdUgO

— HumanRightsCampaign (@HRC) August 7, 2017

Opposition to Trump’s reckless and dangerous ban continues to grow. More than 50 House Democrats sent a letter urging Defense Secretary James Mattis and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford Jr. to reject the “unconstitutional directive.” A bipartisan group of Senators also called on Mattis to advise Trump not to implement the ban shortly after he tweeted about it, and 56 retired Generals and Admirals released a joint statement last week warning that Trump’s ban would degrade military readiness.

While it remains unclear whether Trump has issued official guidance to the Defense Department on his discriminatory order, thousands of trans military families are left reeling over their own futures as uncertainty over its implementation looms.  

If implemented, the ban could result in the discharge of more than 15,000 transgender military personnel who are actively defending our country at home and abroad. Trump must listen to the overwhelming majority of Americans and allow our brave trans troops to continue serving the country they love.