Appearing as a guest on Friday's CNN This Morning, CNN weekend anchor Michael Smerconish lamented the Donald Trump administration's ban on transgenders in the military, calling it "disgraceful."
Fill-in host Jessica Dean brought up the issue: "I also want to ask you about another story while we've got you here. The Trump administration's plan to kick transgender Americans out of the military -- last night, CNN spoke with a Navy diver who's transgender, and I want to listen to a little bit of her perspective on this."
After a clip of U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Geirid Morgan voicing concern soldiers and their families who might be effected, Dean went back to Smerconish and nudged: "I just want to get your thoughts on this and if you think this is doing what the voters wanted from Donald Trump -- that they are achieving that goal. They talked a lot about this issue on the campaign trail."
The CNN host -- who has a Saturday morning show on the network -- immediately declared that he believes transgenders should be able to serve: "I don't think that we should turn away people who want to serve their country. Frankly, we're not in a position to turn away people who want to serve their country because each branch of our armed services is falling short of their recruitment goals."
He then brought up a transgender friend of his and called it "disgraceful" to ban transgenders from the military:
...for me, it's a bit more personal because Jo Ellis is an affected soldier who has been in the Virginia National Guard for 15 years, and we've worked together. She has transitioned and wants to serve her country. I spoke to her yesterday. She said to me that she's scheduled for guard duty tomorrow, Saturday, and is in limbo. And that those in her unit desperately want her to continue to serve. She served in Iraq. How do you say to someone who was a Blackhawk helicopter gunner, "Your service is no longer wanted"? I think it's disgraceful -- I really do. Let them serve.
Smerconish ended up complaining that it "sadly" worked for Trump as a campaign tactic:
...well, it's already, you know, being litigated. I don't know how it turns out. It was a -- look, this was all a very effective -- sadly -- it was a very effective issue for Trump during the course of the campaign. You know, Donald Trump "is for he or him, not they or them" -- I don't know. I get screwed up sometimes. I just remember it was very effective when he used it against Kamala Harris.
Dean lamented the ad: "Yeah, and it ran in every football game -- every sporting event."
Transcript follows:
CNN This Morning
February 28, 2025
6:50 a.m. Eastern
JESSICA DEAN, FILL-IN HOST: I also want to ask you about another story while we've got you here. The Trump administration's plan to kick transgender Americans out of the military -- last night, CNN spoke with a Navy diver who's transgender, and I want to listen to a little bit of her perspective on this.
LIEUTENANT COMMANDER GEIRID MORGAN, U.S. NAVY: I'm just concerned. I'm concerned for my sailors -- I'm concerned for their families -- I'm concerned for what the impacts of this might be on the Navy and other services. (editing jump) We've been doing this for 10 years, right, and we've got a kind of a system in place now to support people that want to transition. And there have been, you know, no incidents really with the service members that have been serving openly for that time period.
DEAN: I just want to get your thoughts on this and if you think this is doing what the voters wanted from Donald Trump -- that they are achieving that goal. They talked a lot about this issue on the campaign trail.
MICHAEL SMERCONISH: I don't think that we should turn away people who want to serve their country. Frankly, we're not in a position to turn away people who want to serve their country because each branch of our armed services is falling short of their recruitment goals. You know, you hear about this in the abstract, but, for me, it's a bit more personal because Joe Ellis is an affected soldier who has been in the Virginia National Guard for 15 years, and we've worked together. She has transitioned and wants to serve her country. I spoke to her yesterday. She said to me that she's scheduled for guard duty tomorrow, Saturday, and is in limbo. And that those in her unit desperately want her to continue to serve. She served in Iraq. How do you say to someone who was a Blackhawk helicopter gunner, "Your service is no longer wanted"? I think it's disgraceful -- I really do. Let them serve.
DEAN: Mmm. And how do you think that ends up playing out? Does that go to the courts?
SMERCONISH: I think it -- well, it's already, you know, being litigated. I don't know how it turns out. It was a -- look, this was all a very effective -- sadly -- it was a very effective issue for Trump during the course of the campaign. You know, Donald Trump "is for he or him, not they or them" -- I don't know. I get screwed up sometimes. I just remember it was very effective --
DEAN: Yeah.
SMERCONISH: -- when he used it against Kamala Harris.
DEAN: Yeah, and it ran in every football game -- every sporting event. Michael Smerconish --
SMERCONISH: Totally.
DEAN: Yeah.
SMERCONISH: Yes.
DEAN: It's always good to see you. Thank you so much for being with us this morning. Appreciate it.
