The US department of defense has begun implementing a directive to remove transgender troops from military service, following a green light from the Supreme Court earlier this week.
US defense secretary Pete Hegseth issued a memo on Thursday outlining that openly identifying transgender personnel must voluntarily leave the service by June 6, or face forced separation.
As per news agency Reuters, the internal instructions give active-duty service members a deadline of June 6 to self-identify, while those in reserve components have until July 7. “On conclusion of the self-identification eligibility window, the Military Departments will initiate involuntary separation processes,” Hegseth said in the memo.
The move marks a swift return to US President Donald Trump’s 2017 policy banning transgender individuals from serving openly, which had been overturned by his successor, then-US President Joe Biden, in 2021.
Trump had made ending transgender military inclusion a key campaign pledge, and his administration has consistently worked to limit transgender rights. His January 20 executive order declared that the US government would only recognise two immutable biological sexes: male and female.
According to news agency AP, about 1,000 transgender troops have already identified themselves since the earlier directive in February, which had been on hold due to court challenges. Those individuals will now “begin the voluntary separation process,” Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed.
Emily Shilling, a Navy commander and one of the plaintiffs who sued to stop the policy was quoted by NBC News as saying, “I know this decision will cause fear and doubt in the ranks... To those feeling shaken, I say this: stand tall. You are not alone.”
Hegseth, a former Fox News host known for far-right positions, made his stance clear on social media, writing, “After a SCOTUS victory for @POTUS, TRANS is out at the DOD.”
He declared, “No more pronouns, no more climate-change obsessions, no more dudes in dresses. We’re done with that s***,” reported AP.
According to the news outlet Rolling Stone, medical records will be used to identify service members diagnosed with gender dysphoria, those under treatment, or showing related symptoms.
Troops falling under these categories will not be allowed to enlist or remain in the military unless they meet specific exemption criteria, such as proving support for warfighting activities or showing stability in their birth-assigned sex for 36 months without significant distress.
The policy allows only limited waivers. Even with an exemption, service members would still be treated in line with their biological sex for housing, uniforms, and formal address such as "Sir" or "Ma’am".
US department of defense spent approximately $52 million on gender-related medical care, including hormone therapy and surgeries, between 2015 and 2024. There are currently around 4,240 troops diagnosed with gender dysphoria in the active duty, National Guard, and Reserve forces, though advocacy groups estimate the real number is higher.
LGBTQ+ advocates condemned the order. Jennifer Levi, a senior director at GLAD Law, was quoted by Reuters as saying, “It is senseless to fast-track people out of the military who are meeting standards and putting lives on the line to defend the country.”
While a Gallup poll in February showed 58% of Americans still support allowing transgender individuals to serve, that number has dropped significantly from 71% in 2019.
US defense secretary Pete Hegseth issued a memo on Thursday outlining that openly identifying transgender personnel must voluntarily leave the service by June 6, or face forced separation.
As per news agency Reuters, the internal instructions give active-duty service members a deadline of June 6 to self-identify, while those in reserve components have until July 7. “On conclusion of the self-identification eligibility window, the Military Departments will initiate involuntary separation processes,” Hegseth said in the memo.
The move marks a swift return to US President Donald Trump’s 2017 policy banning transgender individuals from serving openly, which had been overturned by his successor, then-US President Joe Biden, in 2021.
Trump had made ending transgender military inclusion a key campaign pledge, and his administration has consistently worked to limit transgender rights. His January 20 executive order declared that the US government would only recognise two immutable biological sexes: male and female.
According to news agency AP, about 1,000 transgender troops have already identified themselves since the earlier directive in February, which had been on hold due to court challenges. Those individuals will now “begin the voluntary separation process,” Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed.
Emily Shilling, a Navy commander and one of the plaintiffs who sued to stop the policy was quoted by NBC News as saying, “I know this decision will cause fear and doubt in the ranks... To those feeling shaken, I say this: stand tall. You are not alone.”
Hegseth, a former Fox News host known for far-right positions, made his stance clear on social media, writing, “After a SCOTUS victory for @POTUS, TRANS is out at the DOD.”
After a SCOTUS victory for @POTUS, TRANS is out at the DOD. pic.twitter.com/4WkEhSS3dL
— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) May 8, 2025
He declared, “No more pronouns, no more climate-change obsessions, no more dudes in dresses. We’re done with that s***,” reported AP.
According to the news outlet Rolling Stone, medical records will be used to identify service members diagnosed with gender dysphoria, those under treatment, or showing related symptoms.
Troops falling under these categories will not be allowed to enlist or remain in the military unless they meet specific exemption criteria, such as proving support for warfighting activities or showing stability in their birth-assigned sex for 36 months without significant distress.
The policy allows only limited waivers. Even with an exemption, service members would still be treated in line with their biological sex for housing, uniforms, and formal address such as "Sir" or "Ma’am".
US department of defense spent approximately $52 million on gender-related medical care, including hormone therapy and surgeries, between 2015 and 2024. There are currently around 4,240 troops diagnosed with gender dysphoria in the active duty, National Guard, and Reserve forces, though advocacy groups estimate the real number is higher.
LGBTQ+ advocates condemned the order. Jennifer Levi, a senior director at GLAD Law, was quoted by Reuters as saying, “It is senseless to fast-track people out of the military who are meeting standards and putting lives on the line to defend the country.”
While a Gallup poll in February showed 58% of Americans still support allowing transgender individuals to serve, that number has dropped significantly from 71% in 2019.
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