GOP senator complains that ending bigoted military ban is not 'unifying'

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) criticized the reversal of Donald Trump’s ban on transgender people serving in the military, saying that reversing Trump’s bigoted policy goes against President Joe Biden’s pledge to unify the country.

“Another ‘unifying’ move by the new Administration?” Cornyn tweeted, mocking Biden’s decision.

However, a Gallup poll from June 2019, shortly after Trump’s ban went into effect, found that the vast majority of Americans — 71% — supported allowing transgender people to serve.

Republicans like Cornyn have already made a habit of saying any Biden policies they do not support are not “unifying” — even if they are broadly popular with the electorate.

For example, Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) said Biden’s move to rejoin the Paris climate agreement was not unifying, even though 65% of Americans support Biden’s move to once again be part of the pact, according to a new ABC News/Ipsos poll.

Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL) also criticized Biden’s executive order stopping the construction of Trump’s border wall, tweeting, “President Biden’s inaugural address focused heavily on unity, bringing the nation together after the division we’ve experienced. The new EOs he just signed, however, cater to the Left, ignoring the steps necessary to move America forward.”

She added, “Halting the progress we’ve made at the border stymies the work we’ve accomplished to combat illegal entry and stops the reasonable, lawful options in place for those trying to immigrate lawfully.”

That same ABC News/Ipsos poll found 55% of Americans support stopping the construction of the border wall, Trump’s pet project.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.