U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel are among the Illinois politicians criticizing President Donald Trump's decision to bar transgender people from serving in the military.
Duckworth is an Iraq War veteran who lost both legs after her helicopter was shot down in 2004. The Democratic senator said Wednesday that she "didn't care if the American troops risking their lives to help save me were gay, straight, transgender or anything else." She said the policy is "counterproductive to our national security."
Emanuel says Trump "has come down on the wrong side of history." The Democratic mayor called the policy divisive. Democratic U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois said the policy is "unpatriotic and disastrous for our national security." He is vice chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus .