WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-WA) today issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s lies about transgender Americans who sacrifice every day to serve their country:

“The President is known to stretch the truth and outright lie on a regular basis, but when he talks about our men and women in uniform he should stick to the facts.  Transgender service members meet the same physical and medical standards as their cisgender counterparts.  As members of the one percent of the population willing to serve our nation, they deserve praise for their sacrifice, not judgement and discrimination.

“The Subcommittee on Military Personnel held a hearing on Transgender service in February, which included five currently serving transgender service members as witnesses.  Their testimony was compelling and exposed the President’s ban on transgender service members for what it is:  discriminatory and unconstitutional.  For President Trump to make false statements about their medical treatment, and to not know the difference between abusing illegal drugs and medical treatment, is reprehensible.”

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