title: Carter blasts Trump's ban on transgender, says 'social policy'
text: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Ash Carter, who was U.S. defense secretary until the end of the Obama administration in January, strongly criticized U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision on Wednesday to ban transgender individuals from serving in the U.S. military. “To choose service members on other grounds than military qualifications is social policy and has no place in our military,” Carter said in a statement, noting there were already transgender individuals serving “capably and honorably.” 