Remarks on Signing an Executive Order on Enabling All Qualified Americans To Serve Their Country in Uniform

Well, folks, thank you very much for being here. I'm about to sign an Executive order, but I want to begin by thanking the Vice President for helping this, but also thank Chairman Milley, who has been a great, great help, and then also the soon-to-be Secretary of Defense, who, when we can finish this, will be sworn in in a moment. And so, don't say anything to cause him to change his mind, okay? [Laughter]

But all kidding aside, this is reinstating a position that previous commanders and—as well as the Secretaries have supported. And what I'm doing is enabling all qualified Americans to serve their country in uniform and, essentially, restoring the situation as it existed before, with transgender personnel, if qualified in every other way, can serve their Government in the United States military.

So that's what I'm about to sign. And I'm going to get a chance, I'm told, a little later on another matter—later this afternoon when I speak to another order—to answer all your questions on a whole range of things. But I'm going to be going to the swearing-in shortly after this. Okay?

Thank you, again.

[At this point, the President signed the Executive order.]

All right. Thank you.