Fetterman posted a video to his X account where he declared himself “unapologetically pro the LGBTQ community” before asking the Trump administration to reverse the order.

“I want @DeptofDefense to be the most lethal force in human history—I will always vote for that,” Fetterman posted. “I will also never vote to degrade anyone. It’s not woke shit. It’s the inherent dignity of every servicemember regardless of race, gender, who they love or how they identify.”

“I call on @POTUS to rescind the executive order,” the senator from Pennsylvania said in the post.

He then linked a video of himself standing by his office in front of two flags: a POW-MIA flag and the LGBTQ flag. 

“I’m standing in front of my office and two flags that are two core values of mine,” Fetterman said. 

“I am unapologetically pro-military…I am also unapologetically pro the LGBTQ communities,” said the senator. “And I would like to remind everyone that there was a time when it was very controversial to desegregate our military. And there was a time when it was incredibly controversial to have women serve in combat roles, and it was also very controversial regarding one who loves.”

That’s why I’m encouraging you to honor the inherent dignity of how you identify, and I am going to defend and lean in for the trans community now because right now, it might not be popular to do that,” Fetterman added. “That’s exactly the reason why I’m choosing to lean in on right now and stand with this community. I am calling to rescind that kind of executive orders, and allow and honor the inherent dignity of the soldier, and regardless of whatever the race is, whatever the gender is, whatever they love or how they identify.”

“And remember, that does make for a military that’s fully compatible with being lethal and to win wars,” Fetterman said in conclusion. 

Trump’s “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness” executive order emphasized the military’s mission to “protect the American people and our homeland as the world’s most lethal and effective fighting force.” It also stated that the armed forces must remain focused and develop a “warrior ethos” which “cannot be diluted to accommodate political agendas or other ideologies harmful to unit cohesion.

The directive also mentioned how ideological influences have infiltrated the military, such as radical gender ideology, due to the efforts of activists who were “unconcerned with the requirements of military service like physical and mental health, selflessness, and unit cohesion.”

The order then referenced existing Department of Defense policy that required military members to be free of “medical conditions or physical defects that may reasonably be expected to require excessive time lost from duty for necessary treatment or hospitalization,” which has been documented to be a frequent issue with transgender military personnel.