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Gay Iraq War Vet Dan Choi Blasts Obama Over 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Appeal

By Ben Fractenberg | October 21, 2010 12:41pm | Updated on October 21, 2010 1:15pm
Dan Choi stands in front of the military recruiting center in Times Square on Tuesday, Oct.19.
Dan Choi stands in front of the military recruiting center in Times Square on Tuesday, Oct.19.
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DNAinfo/Ben Fractenberg

By Ben Fractenberg

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

MANHATTAN — Gay Iraq War veteran Dan Choi blasted President Barack Obama Thursday a day after the Justice Department successfully appealed a federal court order to end the military's "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy.

"I have a message for Valerie Jarrett and all those politicians in the White House: You’ve lost my trust," Choi said on CNN Thursday morning. "You have lost my trust and I am not gonna vote for Barack Obama after what he did yesterday."

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ended the week long injunction against "Don’t Ask, Don't Tell" one day after Choi went to a military recruiting center in Time’s Square Tuesday to try and reenlist. His application was accepted and he was moving forward in the process to rejoin the military.

Choi wrote about being an openly gay man on his military application Tuesday.
Choi wrote about being an openly gay man on his military application Tuesday.
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Dan Choi via Twitter

"I haven’t heard anything as far as the Department of Defense," Choi said about whether he has been told he can’t he can’t rejoin after the appeal. "I’m gonna continue on with the process."

Choi, a West Point graduate, was kicked out of the army in July after coming out on the Rachel Maddow show. He had served under "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" for a decade and was a lieutenant when he was discharged, according to the biography on his website.

Choi posted a picture from his military application on his site Wednesday. He details his story about being forced out of the military in July under the military's "Don’t Ask, Don't Tell" policy.

"I was discharged in 7/2010 from the US Army because I told the truth about my sexual orientation and refused to lie about my cherished lover and partner," Choi wrote on his website. "I do not intend to lie about my identity or family in any portion of my service."