Roger-Luc Chayer (Photo via France 24, unknown source)
The newly elected President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced yesterday, December 22, that upon his entry into the White House, he would sign an executive order aimed, in his view, at ending what he describes as the « transgender and woke agenda. » Over the past few years, particularly since announcing his candidacy as the Republican representative for the last presidential election, he had already expressed his intention to eliminate healthcare coverage for transgender individuals in the U.S. military. This time, he is going much further.
On his inauguration day, January 20, « I will sign executive orders to end sex reassignment surgeries for children, exclude transgender people from the military, and bar them from primary schools, colleges, and high schools, » the future American president declared at an event hosted by Turning Point USA in Phoenix, Arizona, on December 22. « The official policy of the United States will be that there are only two genders, male and female, » Trump reiterated.
It is clear that the future U.S. president is either guided by ignorance or by external influence. While there is indeed a debate in several countries regarding the participation of transgender individuals in sports, and concerning the age at which children can undergo medical treatments related to gender transition, some U.S. states currently ban minors from accessing sex reassignment medical treatments and surgeries. However, these states allow individuals to make such decisions once they reach adulthood without excluding them from social programs or healthcare coverage. In contrast, President Trump appears to be going far beyond these regional laws.
The Influence of Elon Musk
Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla, X (formerly Twitter), SpaceX, and other companies, has been perceived in recent weeks as perhaps the real president of the United States. Some argue that Musk exerts considerable influence over Donald Trump, with Trump’s opinions and policies often reflecting Musk’s views. However, it is important to note that Musk has never been elected to a public office, nor has he run for such a position.
Additionally, Trump’s stance on transgender issues appears to be largely influenced by Elon Musk’s personal frustrations, particularly regarding his own transgender daughter, who has chosen to distance herself from her father and leave the U.S. following Trump’s election.
« I’ve been thinking about this for a while, but yesterday confirmed it, » wrote Vivian Jenna Wilson in a post on Threads on November 6. « I don’t see my future in the U.S. anymore. Even if it’s only four more years in power, even if anti-trans regulations don’t magically succeed, the people who voted for this won’t disappear anytime soon. »
If the numerous influencers surrounding President-elect Donald Trump continue to easily sway his policies and decisions, we should expect significant societal upheavals both in the U.S. and globally. Trump aims to reshape the global order according to his own objectives, whether it concerns relations with Canada, NATO, China, or other international actors.