Updated July 27, 2017 12:13:42

Photo: Former US Navy SEAL Kristin Beck dared Mr Trump to tell her she was not worthy to her face. (Reuters: Jim Urquhart)

Donald Trump's decision to ban transgender people from serving in the US military has been met with anger and defiance by current and former troops, with one airman saying he "would like to see them try" to kick him out.

Mr Trump said the military, "cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail".

The announcement, in a series of unexpected Twitter posts, drew swift condemnation from rights groups and politicians on both sides as "raw prejudice" with purely political motives, but it was praised by conservative activists and some Republicans.

Kristin Beck, a retired Navy SEAL Team 6 Marine who came out as transgender, responded to Mr Trump's tweets by daring the President to meet her and tell her she was "not worthy" to her face.

"You just opened a can of whoop-ass!" she tweeted.

The veteran, who served for 20 years in the Navy and deployed 13 times, told Business Insider transgender people just wanted to serve their country like everyone else.

"Being transgender doesn't affect anyone else," she said.

"We are Liberty's light. If you can't defend that for everyone that's an American citizen, that's not right."

Staff Sergeant Logan Ireland told the Air Force Times no-one would deny him his right to serve his country.

"I would like to see them try to kick me out of my military," he said.

"You are not going to deny me my right to serve my country when I am fully qualified and able and willing to give my life."

One transgender Marine military police officer said he had served two deployments and was just after the same respect he gave others.

"I have never described myself as trans; I'm a motherf***ing Marine," the corporal told the Air Force Times.

"That's all that matters. Don't tarnish my title with your bigotry and fear of the unknown."

'Why serve a country that doesn't want me?'

Britain's first transgender military pilot said Mr Trump's decision harkened back to the days of "don't ask, don't tell" — the controversial policy enacted in 1993 allowing gay servicemen and women to serve as long as if they kept their homosexuality a secret.

Ayla Holdom said the argument about the cost was merely a "scapegoat" to hide people's fear, but Mr Trump's sentiment that operational readiness was paramount was one shared by every trans person serving in the military.

"What they want is to do that with distinction and to not have to hide," she told Sky News.

"These are people who are there anyway and to say that they now have to hide away, it goes back to the bad old days of 'don't ask, don't tell'."

Mr Trump's announcement that thousands of trans people currently serving in the US armed forces were no longer welcome was "beyond belief" to Ms Holdom.

"I have many friends in the US military, both current and past serving, and I can only imagine how they are feeling right now in terms of the message they've just heard today," she said.

Photo: Ms Holdom in front of her National Police Air Service chopper. (Twitter: Ayla Holdom)

Mr Trump's announcement was also met with fear and despair by some.

Indiana National Guard reservist Cameron St Andrew said he felt "crushed" by the announcement.

The sergeant first class, who transitioned to living as a man while on active duty, said getting kicked out of the military two years before his planned retirement could mean losing many of his pension and healthcare benefits, and even harm his chances of being hired again.

"Why serve a country that doesn't want me? It breaks my heart, to be honest," Mr St Andrew said.

Despite the devastating effect Mr Trump's move could have on him, he said he was more concerned about younger soldiers who were earlier in their careers and transition.

"You pull that rug out from under them after they have this false sense of security, that could really throw them into a downward spiral," he said.

ABC/wires

Topics: air-force, defence-forces, defence-and-national-security, donald-trump, gays-and-lesbians, united-states, united-kingdom

First posted July 27, 2017 10:28:27