Washington Post:
Growing GOP backlash to transgender troop ban underscores Trump’s political miscalculation
Overheard at the Pentagon: "We're taking orders via Twitter now?"
The real impetus behind Trump’s snap announcement, via Politico’s Rachael Bade and Josh Dawsey:
“House Republicans were planning to pass a spending bill stacked with his campaign promises, including money to build his border wall with Mexico. But … insiders feared they might not have the votes to pass the legislation because defense hawks wanted a ban on Pentagon-funded sex reassignment operations — something GOP leaders wouldn’t give them. They turned to Trump, who didn’t hesitate. … (But) House Republicans were never debating expelling all transgender troops from the military.
‘This is like someone told the White House to light a candle on the table and the WH set the whole table on fire,’ a senior House Republican aide said in an email. ....…