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The Department of Defense revealed in a court document Wednesday that service members identifying as transgender will be discharged from military service unless granted special exemption.
This follows President Donald Trump’s January 27 executive order, “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness,” which established restrictions on transgender military service.
The executive order emphasized that military standards demanding readiness, cohesion, and integrity conflict with accommodations required by individuals experiencing gender dysphoria.
The order asserted that individuals claiming gender identities contradicting their biological sex fail to meet military service requirements and cannot maintain the armed forces’ standards of honesty and discipline.
🚨JUST IN: Pete Hegseth disqualifies ALL transgender troops.
"Service members who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria are disqualified from military service."
"Service members who have a history of cross-sex hormone… pic.twitter.com/VajTxEuBSF
— Derrick Evans (@DerrickEvans4WV) February 27, 2025
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was tasked with implementing these policy changes.
Despite legal opposition from GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders and the National Center for Lesbian Rights through Talbott v. Trump, Hegseth recently announced the suspension of transgender recruitment and gender transition procedures.
A 13-page memorandum submitted to court Wednesday outlined the Pentagon’s implementation guidance, stating:
> Military service by Service members and applicants for military service who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria is incompatible with military service. Service by these individuals is not in the best interests of the Military Services and is not clearly consistent with the interests of national security. Individuals who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria are no longer eligible for military service.
The document specifies that affected service members will receive honorable discharges unless their records warrant otherwise.
Limited exceptions may apply for service members with gender dysphoria who comply with military guidelines and fulfill crucial warfighting roles.
Military branches must identify affected personnel within 30 days and initiate discharge procedures in the subsequent month.
SPARTA Pride responded: “Thousands of transgender troops are currently serving, and are fully qualified for the positions in which they serve. No policy will ever erase transgender Americans’ contribution to history, warfighting, or military excellence.”
🚨 The Pentagon has set a 30-day deadline for the removal of transgender service members from the U.S. military. According to a memo, military services must identify troops diagnosed with or being treated for gender dysphoria by March 26, and begin removing them within 30 days. pic.twitter.com/8Z8Ar8Issn
— 𝗦𝗵𝘂𝗯𝗵𝗮𝗺 🇮🇳 (@ShubhSayy) February 28, 2025
“This is a purge of unprecedented magnitude,” declared Jennifer Levi of GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders.
Pentagon data suggests approximately 4,240 service members among the military’s two million personnel have gender dysphoria diagnoses, though advocates claim the number approaches 15,000.
This policy shift mirrors previous actions regarding transgender military service.
In 2017, Trump banned transgender military service entirely. By 2019, his administration modified the policy to allow transgender service members while maintaining certain restrictions.
Biden later reversed these policies, declaring that “America’s strength is found in its diversity.”
