The military now more closely resembles a cross section of our society than ever before. Women are beginning to serve aboard submarines and in combat jobs that had previously been reserved for men. Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender troops are serving openly.

Two years ago, transgender personnel, including Air Force Staff Sgt. Logan Ireland and his then-fiance Laila Villanueva, a Hawaii native who is also transgender, were invited to the White House for an LGBT pride reception and meeting with President Barack Obama.

But on Wednesday President Donald Trump’s abrupt notice on Twitter, advising us that the government “will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. military,” raises concerns about rolling back military service policy and threatening basic civil rights.

Hawaii’s Congressional delegation was right to swiftly rebuke Trump’s wrong-headed move.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, a major in the Hawaii National Guard, said transgender personnel should be “treated with respect and dignity, not kicked out. … Our country owes a great debt of gratitude to all our service members, regardless of their race, religion, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation, as they risk their lives to protect our nation.”

Indeed, the Pentagon should not renege on a qualified citizen’s right to serve in the all-volunteer military. Trump’s open-ended comments have left military brass with the impolitic task of putting in place a policy announced without a ready plan.

Trump’s surprising edict is ill-considered at best. And in this case, cruel. There are estimated 2,000 to 11,000 transgender troops among 1.3 million active-duty members. They’re now left hanging, uncertain about what their future holds.

Ireland told Air Force Times: “For the president to deny an able-bodied, fully qualified person the inherent right to raise their right hand and serve their country, potentially giving their own life for our freedoms, is doing this country an injustice.”

Military leaders said Thursday that the current service policy would stay put until the White House sends the Defense Department new rules and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis issues new guidelines.

Meanwhile, members of Congress are prepping to set annual policy for the National Defense Authorization Act. Preserving the Obama-era policies could force Trump to decide whether to sign the military spending bill or issue a veto. A veto could, in turn, force lawmakers to either defend transgender troops or other priorities in the legislation.

One of Trump’s 140-word bulletins indicates concern about health care expenses for transgender personnel in uniform, which includes Pentagon payment for gender transition. It read: “Our military … cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail.”

In response, transgender rights advocates have pointed to studies that estimate the Pentagon will spend about $8 million per year on medical care for its transgender population — a drop in the bucket of roughly $600 billion the Defense Department is expected to spend this year.

Even backers of Trump’s cryptic intent seem stunned by his sudden announcement. Previous decisions on who can join the military have evolved slowly, and with needed support of studies and hearings. Excluding public input in this matter adds insult to injurious affront on the transgender community.

In 2011, when Obama repealed the 17-year “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy he refrained from commenting on transgender personnel. Four years later — after a lengthy review of the transgender ban — the Pentagon announced a plan to allow transgender people to also serve openly, and the policy took effect on June 30, 2016.

As a result, the military’s prized value of service and individual merit rings with a higher level of integrity. The current policy should be celebrated.

Anyone who wants to serve and meets qualifications should be allowed to do so — and thanked for their patriotism.