New Trump orders on transgender troops, COVID and more expected on Hegseth’s first day

President Trump signs executive orders focused on military, including reinstating troops and removing "transgender ideology," as new Defense Secretary begins.

President Donald Trump said Monday (January 27, 2025) that he will sign a flurry of executive orders focused on the military, including reinstating troops booted for refusing COVID-19 vaccines and removing “transgender ideology” from the force, just as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth began his first day on the job.

″We will offer full reinstatement to any service member who was expelled from the armed forces due to the COVID vaccine mandate," Mr. Trump told a Republican crowd at the Trump National Doral Miami, a resort he owns. "And we will restore them to their former rank with full pay. ″

The order, once signed, isn’t expected to have a major impact on the number of service members returning since they have been able to re-enlist since 2023 and only a tiny fraction have sought to do so. But it could take a bite out of the budget if more do now, since it requires back pay.

Mr. Trumps is also expected to order rollbacks in diversity programs.

The orders could further clarify initial directives Mr. Trump issued shortly after his inauguration last week when he removed protections for transgender troops put in place by former President Joe Biden and banned DEI initiatives at federal agencies.

At least 8,200 troops were forced out of the military in 2021 for refusing to obey a lawful order when they declined to get the vaccine. Notices advising them they could return were sent out in 2023, but just 113 have re-enlisted.

The reinstatement process for those ousted for refusing the vaccine requires that they meet military entry standards, unless Trump opts to change that. He and Mr. Hegseth, however, have persistently stated that the military must not reduce standards.