FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 28, 2025

CONTACT: press@iava.org

Washington, D.C. — Today Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) released the following statement on the Executive Order issued by the Trump Administration that targets transgender Americans who’ve volunteered to serve their country in the United States military, in addition to those who want to, but have yet to get the chance: 

“Today’s Executive Order targeting the service of transgender Americans in the military is backward, harmful and contrary to American values. It’s also bad for our national security if we want to be a nation that still fights its wars with volunteers. No American who is willing and able to wear the uniform should be getting turned away by a recruiter, or worse, being booted from the military after years of their service and sacrifice, and significant investment by the US taxpayer into their training to be a warfighter, ” said IAVA CEO and Iraq War veteran, Allison Jaslow. 

“Regardless of the policy changes that will ultimately take place as a result of last night’s Executive Order, many troops who are serving our country selflessly today were sent a clear message overnight: Your service and sacrifice on behalf of our country is not valued,” Jaslow continued. “That their courage to volunteer and be willing to risk their lives in defense of our country is not respected. And that their overall well being matters less to their Commander-in-Chief than scoring political points.”

IAVA stands in support of our nation’s transgender troops and veterans–and in support of equality always. As the leading post-9/11 generation veterans advocacy organization, IAVA is proud of its record of standing – often alone – on the right side of equality issues. After getting input on the policy change from our membership, IAVA supported the 2016 announcement by DoD to allow transgender troops to serve openly without threat of discharge. We also opposed the 2017 action by the previous Trump Administration to ban transgender Americans from serving in the military, and supported a reversal of the ban by the Biden Administration.

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America is the leading voice of the Post-9/11 generation of American veterans. We represent over 425,000 members, and our best-in-class, non-partisan advocacy on behalf of the post-9/11 generation of veterans has chalked up big wins for our community – and America – for 20 years and counting.

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