Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), during an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper on Tuesday, defended his proposal to reintroduce the ban on military service by transgender members of the U.S.
Armed Forces if he is elected president in 2024. DeSantis had debuted a series of policy proposals for the military earlier that day.
These included striking diversity and climate change initiatives, ending efforts to root out white nationalism and extremism, and reinstating the Trump-era ban, which was lifted with an executive order by President Joe Biden on his first day in office.
The governor told Tapper “woke” policies contributed to the “military losing its way, not focusing on the mission,” which harmed recruitment numbers.