The White House has appointed its first transgender full-time member of staff.

The BBC said Raffi Freedman-Gurspan started in her new role yesterday as outreach and recruitment director for presidential staff.

She was previously policy advisor for racial and economic justice at America’s National Center for Transgender Equality.

Commenting on Freedman-Gurspan’s appointment a senior White House official told the BBC her commitment to transgender rights reflects "the values of this administration".

The report added that the White House has also welcomed news that the Department of Defense is reviewing its ban on transgender men and women serving in the military.