Pelosi: Trump ordering Pentagon ‘to hurt and humiliate’ military

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Friday ripped President Trump’s presidential memorandum banning transgender individuals from serving in the military.

“The commander-in-chief is ordering the Pentagon to hurt and humiliate thousands of Americans who serve in our military with strength and courage,” Pelosi said in a statement.

“Prejudice, not the national defense, is behind President Trump’s cruel decision to kick transgender troops out of the military,” she said.

{mosads}

“The President of the United States should have more respect for the transgender men and women who had the patriotism and bravery to serve our country in uniform.”

Pelosi’s comments come just after Trump signed a memorandum that instructs the Pentagon to stop allowing transgender people to enroll in the military. 

The memo also instructs Defense Secretary James Mattis on how to further handle transgender service members currently enrolled in the armed services. 

It requests that the department develop an implementation plan by Feb. 21 and to be implemented by March 23.

Trump first announced he would be banning transgender individuals from the military in a tweet last month.