A new Pentagon directive states that transgender service members will be removed from the military unless granted a waiver, expanding the restrictions of the trans military ban implemented during President Donald Trump’s first term. The policy, outlined in a memo filed in court late Wednesday, provides further details on how the administration’s stance on transgender military service will be enforced.
The memo was released as part of an ongoing lawsuit filed by LGBTQ rights organizations against Trump’s executive order, which bars transgender individuals from enlisting and serving in the military. The previous ban under Trump’s first term allowed certain trans service members who had come out before the policy took effect to continue serving and receive transition-related medical care. However, those who disclosed their gender identity after the ban had to serve according to their birth sex and were prohibited from accessing medical transition services.
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Stricter Regulations and Mandatory Separation
The latest policy goes beyond previous restrictions. Within 30 days, the Pentagon is required to identify service members who have “a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria,” the medical condition defined by severe emotional distress due to a misalignment between a person’s gender identity and birth sex.
Once identified, these individuals will be disqualified from service and removed from their positions. According to the memo, they will receive an honorable discharge unless their service record indicates otherwise.
While some transgender troops may be eligible for waivers, these will be considered only under specific circumstances. The memo states that a waiver may be granted “provided there is a compelling Government interest in accessing the applicant that directly supports warfighting capabilities.” Additionally, to qualify, individuals must demonstrate 36 consecutive months of stability in their sex assigned at birth without any clinical distress or functional impairment, must not have undergone any medical transition, and must agree to follow all service standards associated with their birth sex.
The Defense Department’s policy also dictates that only two sexes will be officially recognized. As a result, all service members must use sleeping quarters, bathrooms, and other sex-segregated facilities in alignment with their birth sex. Pronouns and formal address, such as “sir” or “ma’am,” must also correspond to the service member’s assigned sex at birth.
Ban on Transition-Related Medical Care
The directive also prohibits military funding from being used for transition-related medical treatments, including hormone therapy and gender-affirming surgeries. Any scheduled transition-related procedures will be canceled under the new policy. However, service members currently undergoing hormone replacement therapy will be permitted to continue treatment until their official separation from the military, as long as a medical provider recommends it.
Legal Challenges and Opposition
The new policy has drawn significant legal opposition. Last month, the National Center for Lesbian Rights and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD Law) filed a lawsuit on behalf of six active-duty transgender service members and two individuals seeking to enlist. The suit argues that Trump’s executive order violates the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause by discriminating based on sex and exhibiting hostility toward transgender individuals.
Kate Cole, an Army sergeant and plaintiff in the case, expressed concern over the policy’s impact on military readiness.
“I’ve spent more than half my life in the Army, including combat in Afghanistan,” Cole stated. “Removing qualified transgender soldiers like me means an exodus of experienced personnel who fill key positions and can’t be easily replaced, putting the burden on our fellow soldiers left behind.”
Shannon Minter, legal director at NCLR, also criticized the policy, stating that its “scope and severity” are unlike anything seen before.
“The administration has doubled down on betraying servicemembers who have faithfully followed the rules, met the same standards as others, and put their lives on the line to serve our country,” Minter said. “This is a complete purge of all transgender individuals from military service.”
Trump Administration’s Justification
Trump’s latest executive order, unlike the 2017 ban, claims that transgender identity fundamentally “conflicts with a soldier’s commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one’s personal life.”
“A man’s assertion that he is a woman, and his requirement that others honor this falsehood, is not consistent with the humility and selflessness required of a service member,” the order states.
This assertion led to a heated exchange in court last week during a preliminary hearing of the lawsuit. U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes pressed Justice Department attorney Jason C. Lynch on whether the order showed animus toward transgender individuals.
“Would it be fair to say that excluding a group of people from military service based on unsupported assertions that they are liars, immodest, lack integrity, are undisciplined, and are dishonorable, would you agree with me that—particularly where there’s no support for any of those assertions—that that is animated by animus?” Reyes asked. Lynch declined to respond directly.
Uncertain Numbers and Military Impact
The total number of transgender service members currently in the military remains unclear. The Defense Department does not publicly release such data, and estimates have varied widely. A 2014 report by the Williams Institute at UCLA, using data from the 2011 National Transgender Discrimination Survey, suggested that around 15,500 transgender individuals were serving in the military. A 2016 report from the Rand Corporation, utilizing Defense Department records and other research, estimated the number at a maximum of 10,790 but suggested it could be as low as 2,150.
The Future of Transgender Military Service
With legal battles already underway, the future of transgender service in the military remains uncertain. The Pentagon’s directive significantly expands restrictions on transgender troops, going beyond previous policies and raising concerns about military readiness, fairness, and discrimination. As lawsuits continue, the final outcome of this policy shift will likely depend on court rulings and potential future administrative changes.
