The Defense Department will begin removing transgender troops from the military, giving service members 30 days to voluntarily separate or be removed, according to a Pentagon memo released in a court filing Wednesday.
“The medical, surgical, and mental health constraints on individuals who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria are incompatible with the high mental and physical standards necessary for military service,” the memo reads.
According to the memo, the Pentagon ordered military department secretaries to establish procedures to identify transgender service members and begin separation of these individuals within 30 days of the memo’s release. Service members may still be able to remain in the military if they obtain a waiver, which the memo states will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
While data on participation by transgender troops in the military is limited, Defense Department survey findings from 2021 found 0.4 percent of active service members identified as transgender.
The memo is part of a court filing in the ongoing lawsuit by six active transgender service members suing the Trump administration over its decision to overturn a Biden-era executive order allowing transgender troops to serve in the military, one of President Donald Trump’s first moves after returning to the White House last month. Trump attempted to implement a similar policy during his first term, but the action faced legal hurdles and was ultimately overturned once President Joe Biden took office.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced an end to “all new accessions for individuals with a history of gender dysphoria” on Feb. 7 and paused gender-affirming care for service members.
The Pentagon declined a request for comment, stating that “at this time we are letting the memo speak for itself.”
The GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders (GLAD), one of the organizations representing the transgender service members suing the Trump administration, condemned the move.
“This is a purge of unprecedented magnitude. There is nothing confusing or complicated about it. The military has 30 days to identify anyone it thinks is transgender, and the only way to avoid discharge is to prove you are not transgender," Jennifer Levi, senior director of transgender and queer rights at GLAD, said in a statement. "This is an unconscionable ban that forces the removal of talented service members who put their lives on the line for our nation and slams the door on qualified patriots who meet every standard and want nothing more than to serve their country.”
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