Transgender individuals will face separation from the US military unless they receive an exemption, as stated in a Pentagon memo submitted to the court on Wednesday, effectively barring them from joining or serving in the armed forces. In January, President Donald Trump signed an executive order targeting transgender troops, stating that a person identifying as the opposite gender is not consistent with the humility and selflessness required of service members.
This month, the Pentagon announced that the US military will no longer allow transgender individuals to enlist and will cease providing or facilitating gender transition-related procedures for service members. A late-night memo on Wednesday further elaborated that the Pentagon must establish a procedure to identify troops who are transgender within 30 days and then initiate their separation from the military within another 30 days.
The memo emphasized the government’s policy of maintaining high standards for military readiness, lethality, cohesion, honesty, humility, uniformity, and integrity. It stated that this policy is incompatible with the medical, surgical, and mental health constraints associated with gender dysphoria or individuals with a current or past diagnosis of the condition.
Self-identification of one’s gender is not mandatory for transgender troops, and the Pentagon does not possess an exact figure for their numbers. While the military consists of approximately 1.3 million active duty personnel, according to Department of Defense data, transgender rights advocates estimate the presence of as many as 15,000 transgender service members. Officials, however, contend that the actual number is in the thousands.
The move, surpassing restrictions imposed by Trump during his previous administration, has been described as unprecedented by advocates. Shannon Minter of the National Center For Lesbian Rights (NCLR) asserts that the ban represents a complete expulsion of all transgender individuals from military service. The memo was submitted to the court as part of a lawsuit filed by NCLR and GLAD Law, challenging the constitutionality of the executive order and arguing violations of the equal protection clause of the fifth amendment.
In contrast, the US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, stated this month that individuals with gender dysphoria already in the military will be treated with dignity and respect.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/27/transgender-us-military-personnel-pentagon-memo-stood-down-trump-administration
