GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy rules out military ban for trans people

AP Photo/Paul Beaty

As a prospective candidate for the Republican Presidential nomination, Vivek Ramaswamy has firmly declared that he will not endorse a ban on transgender individuals serving in the military.

On ABC's "This Week" Sunday, Ramaswamy dismissed the notion, saying, "I would not reinstate a ban on transgender members."

Vivek Ramaswamy comes out in support of trans rights, saying he will not ban them from the U.S. military. pic.twitter.com/tpd1owIpoO

— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) June 4, 2023

Ramaswamy's statement was prompted by a discussion on his reputed "anti-woke" stance, a moniker that saw him introduced at a recent event as the "godfather of the anti-woke movement". Although he was quick to emphasize his focus on protecting children from the influx of transgender "ideology,” his position suggests that he’s ultimately supportive of so-called "trans rights."

This comes in the wake of President Biden reversing a Trump-era regulation shortly after his inauguration, allowing individuals to serve openly in the military in alignment with their self-identified gender. This decision, implemented in June 2021, extends to active-duty, National Guard or Reserve members, as well as cadets at U.S. military service academies.

Despite Ramaswamy being seen as an underdog by many political analysts, trailing behind key Republican figures such as former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, he appears undeterred.

Recent polls showed Ramaswamy polling at the bottom alongside former Vice President Mike Pence and Nikki Haley.

Embracing his status as an "outsider," similar to Trump's position prior to his 2016 Presidential win, Ramaswamy said:

I'm the outsider in this race, I think you get to be an outsider once. I'm the first millennial ever to run for the GOP nomination for U.S. president, and I'm actually leading us to something. Too long, many other conservatives have been running from something.

When approached for a statement by Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for Ramaswamy commented that he sees "transgenderism" as a "mental health disorder", but firmly believes that those with mental health issues should not face a blanket ban from military service. Rather, such decisions should be made on an individual basis.